Advocacy means to “give a voice to people”. Advocacy is a system of actions aimed at changing attitudes, policies and practices through four key types of activity: - Awareness-raising - Capacity development (internal and external to own organisation) - Networking with relevant government and non-governmental partners - Lobbying key decision-makers. Advocacy can be directed at different audiences: the general public, NGOs, politicians, governments, other decision-makers, and your own organisation.

1. Nafees anwar
Ms. Bushra Mughal,Superior University
Advocacy Campaign
DOWRY: AN EVIL

3.  Dowry demand is a form of violence - dowry violence is a public health issue and
this is a preventable form of violence.
 This advocacy project was an effort to stimulate a thinking process
through generating awareness practice of dowry and dowry violence in
Pakistan.
Introduction

4.  Campaign Name:
 Duration:
Overview

5. AIM of campaign
 To identify perceptions, attitudes, practices in connection
with dowry in Pakistani society.
 To inform all stakeholders, primarily youth and students,
about the social, economic, psychological, and health
hazards of dowry and dowry violence. (Editor's note: For
example, according to a Wikipedia entry titled "Bride
Burning in South Asia", "cases of bride burning have been
reported in Pakistan. The Ansar Burney Trust International
says that in some cases, accidents are engineered (such as
tampering with a kitchen stove to cause victim's death) or
the victims are set ablaze, and the attack is disguised as an
accident or as suicide."
 To engage mass media in promotion and dissemination of
awareness against repercussions of dowry.
 To lobby for various reforms with the various levels of
government.
 To organize and mobilize students and parents against
dowry.

6.  Media, youth, and all interested groups to highlight the costs and consequences of
the custom and institution of dowry.
 Some practical steps for the cause by breaking the culture of silence, promoting
positive dialogue, and organizing activities to involve youth in the process of
advocating the message.
 The key strategies to achieve these objectives included research, media advocacy,
youth involvement, and collaboration with legislators, religious leaders, and opinion
makers. Specific examples of programme activities include:
Communication Strategies:

7.  investigating and identifying perceptions, attitudes, practices in connection with dowry - One
research focus was identifying power relationships in decision making among men and women. A
central question is "who does what?", asked with an eye toward assessing gender, age, time spent,
and location of the activity
 Informing young people and students, in particular, about the social, economic, psychological, and
health-related hazards associated with dowry and dowry violence - A team of volunteers
conducted interactive sessions including both students and their parents at community centres,
Mohallas, and in villages. Other sessions included students from different colleges and universities.
 The sharing of personal experiences with dowry
 Engaging the mass media in increasing awareness about these hazards - Professionals were asked
to act as pressure groups in policy-making institutions to foster an accurate portrayal of women in
mass media.
Activities

8. Concluding With A Hope
 This advocacy project was an effort to
stimulate a thinking process
through generating awareness
practice of dowry and dowry violence
in Pakistan. Fight Against Dowryi s an
initiative of Advocates of students
of superior university
masscommunication department its a
voluntary work committed to
promoting the development of
disadvantaged
communities in Pakistan from a
gender-sensitive perspective