Workshop on Organizational Review for the Farmers’ Organizations of Bangladesh
1. AHM Bazlur Rahman- S21BR
Chief Executive Officer
Bangladesh NGOs Network for
Radio & Communication
ceo@bnnrc.net
Workshop on
Organizational Review for
the Farmers’ Organizations
of Bangladesh
Organized By: COAST Trust
9-10 March, 2014
2. The definition of lobby
To try to influence public officials for or against
a specific cause. Lobbying is a form of public
policy advocacy and educating government.
It is communicating with legislators and the executive
branch to encourage them to take action on specific
legislation.
A systematic informal effort to influence decision
makers
Lobbying is a part of the democratic process.
3. Key words of Lobbying
To convince
To persuade
Talk to persons
Sit and talk
To make someone do something
Take a problem to a decision maker
Make a change
Talk and meet with person to make him understand
something.
4. Principles of Effective Lobbying
Overall principles:
Be accurate : (and don’t lie). If you get a question
you can’t answer, say so.
Be brief : For a written communication, try to
keep it to a page or less (unless it’s
an expose or well researched position
paper).
Be clear : Have a specific goal.
Know your opposition: Know the main arguments
for and against a position or a piece of legislation.
5. Show them how they win: WIN WIN, WIN LOSS
See it their way : Reference
Follow up : Send a thank you. Make a
phone call. Recognize and
appreciate any effort made
6. Common Approaches to Lobbying
personal visit
informal meeting
Exposure
strategic alliances
report from specialist
media
letters
petition
hired lobbyist
contact with a political party
demonstrations
7. Characteristics of a lobbyist
Communicative
Social
Knows about decision
making processes
Knows elementary facts
Analytical
Networker
Open minded
Empathetic, knows what
moves other people
Patient
8. Actor driven decisions
Target: influential groups, persons which
can be located
Political parties
Members of parliament
Members of government
Civil servants
Local politicians
Local leaders
17. 5 knows to get to YES
Know what you want to achieve (SMART
objective)
Know who are the effective decision-makers
Know who are other influential stakeholders
Know what it will take to get the change you
want, and what needs to be in place
Know how to draw on the full range of tactics
carefully matched to specific targets, timing,
resources, delivered in most influential way