Advocacy – Influencing Leaders 1 Michael Kropac, seecon international

Advocacy – Influencing Leaders 1

Advocacy – Influencing Leaders

Michael Kropac, seecon international


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Contents

1. Concept

2. How it can optimize SSWM

3. Design Principles

4. Applicability

5. Advantages and Disadvantages

6. References



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Advocacy

Advocacy is the action of delivering an argument to gain commitment from political or social leaders and to prepare a society for a particular issue. (DE JONG 2003)

Crucial for SSWM, because political support together with the support from community and religious leaders can give a SSWM-campaign a powerful boost. (SCHAAP & VAN STEENBERGEN 2001)

1. Concept

Political support: The mayor of Mymensingh Pourashava has supported the Malgudam community to create a demonstration plot for using toilet bags as fertilizer. Source: http://www.pseau.org/gif/couv_gtz_ecosan_newsletter.gif



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Example from Honduras: Community-Based Advocacy (adapted from WATERAID & WSSCC 2003)


The community of Nueva Suyapa in Honduras received water only every two weeks at best and often only once a month. Ultimately, these already poor people end up spending up to 20 per cent of their income just on water.

The NGO “Association for a more Just Society” (ASJ), began to investigate why this was happening. The water system of Tegucigalpa clearly favours the upper and middle class neighbourhoods: •upper class neighbourhood: water every day for 15 hours•Nueva Suyapa: water every 22 days for an average of 3 hours

What to

do?But the national water administration had refused to pump more water to the village, explaining that they would have to take water away from other communities.



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What to do? Influencing and Involving Leaders

The involvement of political, religious and local leaders is important for a successful project, because leaders can play a role:

•by openly supporting the process in the media,

•by changing certain water-management policies,

•by emphasizing the topic in meetings with other leaders,

•by addressing communities directly,

•by increasing public attention to the water and sanitation topic,

•by influencing social norms and values directly.




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What to do? Common Tools used for Advocacy (DE JONG

2003)

• Interpersonal meetings, negotiation

• Lobbying to influence the policy process

• Use communication instruments (e.g. press conferences, press releases)

• Project visits, to demonstrate good practice

• Reaching the public via newsletters, e-mail/internet, flyers or

petitions to influence leaders

• The media reach the general public and can politicians and policy makers


A newsletter is a tool to reach the public and political leaders

Source: http://www.pseau.org/gif/couv_gtz_ecosan_newsletter.gif



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Involving and influencing leaders:

• The “Association for a more Just Society” presented the situation to the Commissioner of Human Rights in Honduras and his office offered their support

• A committee from Nueva Suyapa negotiated with high-ranking officials of the administration and with engineers

Informing the community and keep pressure on the administration:

• Reports in a national newspaper

• Multimedia presentation to over 100 people

• Handing out 1000 flyers

• Visits to churches and community boards



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2. How it can optimise SSWM

Finally, after a year of advocacy and pressure, the national water administration agreed to nearly all of the community’s proposals.

All of these changes together will allow each house to receive water at least twice a week – up from what was originally once every 30 to 40 days.



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Main Actors


In the first instance: international and national agencies, as well as special ambassadors.

But it is gradually taken over by people in regional and local leadership positions, local NGOs and by the print and electronic media (DE JONG 2003)



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Advocacy Planning Cycle




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• Generally, advocacy work is applicable at different levels, from the local community level to the national and international level.

• The media play an important role for setting the agenda for politicians and decision makers and for reaching the public.

◦ Therefore, advocacy might be easier to apply in regions with a well functioning media network and communication channels

• In some countries or regions, speaking out on advocacy issues may endanger personal safety, either of those who speak or of those on whose behalf they are speaking.

◦ Those who may be at risk must be taken into serious consideration before any action is taken.

4. Applicability



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5. Advantages and Disadvantages

Disadvantages:

• Effectiveness and impact often hard to measure

• In countries with a repressive regime, speaking out on advocacy issues may endanger personal safety

• Advocacy on higher levels (regional/national) is time-consuming and expensive

• Focus on political leaders and government may lack of real grounding in community settings

Advantages:

• Advocacy can lead to a change in important water-management policies

• Involvement of leaders can boost campaigns and other awareness raising tools

• Leader support can change community norms and values for certain measures

• Religious leaders might help to decrease traditional barriers

• Involvement of leaders will increase public attention to the water and sanitation topic



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6. References

DE GOOIJER, G. & NEWTON, J. (2009): Messages for Parliamentarians. The United Nations World Water Development Report 3. Messages Series. Perugia: United Nations World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP).

DE JONG, D. (2003): Advocacy for Water, Environmental Sanitation and Hygiene. Thematic Overview Paper. Delft: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre.

SCHAAP, W. & VAN STEENBERGEN, F. (2001): Ideas for Water Awareness Campaigns. Stockholm: Global Water Partnership.

UN-WATER (2009): Advocacy for sanitation: a brief guide. New York: UN-Water.

WATERAID & WSSCC (2003): Advocacy Sourcebook. A Guide to advocacy for WSSCC co-ordinators working on the WASH campaign. London & Geneva: WaterAid and Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council.

WINPENNY, J. & DE GOOIJER, G. (2009): Messages for Religious Leaders. The United Nations World Water Development Report 3. Messages Series. New York: UN-Water.

Advocacy – Influencing Leaders 1515

Compiled by:

“Linking up Sustainable Sanitation

and Water Management”

SSWM is an initiative supported by:

Documents

Advocacy – Influencing Leaders 1 Michael Kropac, seecon international