Tactic Packet 2-2010

Writing a Tactic Packet

Thank you for your interest in helping us document new human rights tactics!

We hope that this ‘Writing a Tactic Packet’ will answer all of your questions on how to document new human rights tactics to add to our online database! And if it doesn’t – just ask us – Kristin Antin ([email protected]) and Nancy Pearson ([email protected]).

This packet begins by explaining why the New Tactics project collects new tactics. Next, is a guide to writing a tactic (aka ‘tactic summary’) – what should you look for, what to include, how to write the summary, etc. Next, we include a sample tactic to give you an example of what we are looking for in this tactic summary. The Tactic Summary Form is a list of what to include in your tactic – a shortened version of the Tactic Summary Guide. Finally, you will find guidelines for corresponding with individuals and organization on behalf of New Tactics, as well as a sample email.

Table of Contents:

Why document tactics?....................................................2

Writing a Tactic Summary Guide……………………...3

Sample Tactic Summary………………………………...5

Tactic Summary Form………………………………….10

Corresponding with Individuals & Organizations……11

Sample Email Re: Tactic………………………………..14

How to Write a Tactic Series – New Tactics in Human Rights – Center for Victims of Torture

mailto:[email protected]


Why document tactics?

New Tactics BackgroundThe New Tactics in Human Rights Project, led by a diverse group of partner international organizations, advisors and practitioners, promotes tactical innovation and strategic thinking within the international human rights community. Strategic and tactical thinking, long used by business and military strategists, is an effective means for the human rights movement to expand options and possibilities of what can be done. Innovative tactics are emerging that may more effectively advance human rights and end persistent human rights problems. Many innovations have been valuable, yet are not well known outside their regions.

The New Tactics in Human Rights project promotes the use and sharing of as wide a range of tactics as possible. The project is coordinated by the Center for Victims of Torture and grew out of its experience as a creator of new tactics and a treatment center that also advocates for the protection of human rights from a unique position—one of healing and reclaiming civic leadership.

"To advance human rights requires the capacity to innovate tactics and combine them to create strategies as comprehensive as the problems we face.” - Douglas A. Johnson, United States, Executive Director, Center for Victims of Torture

New Tactics MethodologyAll over the world people are using innovative tactics to help ensure human rights are preserved. In many cases, other human rights advocates would benefit from learning about these experiences.

The New Tactics online database is a growing collection of such tactics, described in a way to be useful and even inspirational for others who can apply them to their own situation as is, or modify and combine tactics to form their own.

You will be adding new tactics to this online database.

Helpful Definitions: Tactics and Strategy

Strategy defines what is important to do. Tactics embody how to do it.

Tactic is a specific action or systematic combination of actions taken to affect a given situation.

The success of an individual tactic often depends how it is used in conjunction with other tactics.

It is important to remember that a tactic is an action tool that helps move your strategy forward to reach your ultimate vision or goal.

How to Write a Tactic Series – New Tactics in Human Rights – Center for Victims of Torture 2

Writing a Tactic Summary Guide

The process of writing the tactic summary is useful in identifying what further information is necessary to understand the components of the tactic. Therefore, it often results in the need for further correspondence by e-mail or telephone. To simplify the process of writing summaries and to ensure complete information is collected, please follow the steps outlined in this section. Step One: Before you begin writing the summary, consider the following ingredients:

Tactic: What was the specific action taken to create a solution? Transferability: Why would this be valuable for others to learn about? Think of a

specific individual in a different country, working on another human rights problem: what can they learn from this? What do they need to know about this tactic?

Innovation: What is unique about this tactic? Many readers of the summary will have a wealth of activist experience – what does this tactic offer them?

Challenges: If available, list the challenges faced during implementation of the tactic

Step Two: Write a draft summary that includes the following components:

Lead: The first sentence or two should sum up the tactic as clearly and thoroughly as possible. Answer the 5Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How? Do not start with historical background, a description of the organization or a description of the problem.

Background: In many summaries the second (or sometimes third) paragraph includes brief historical background on the problem that the tactic is addressing: Why was this tactic needed?

Tactic Details: After the brief description of the problem, start explaining the tactic step-by-step. This should represent the bulk of the tactic summary (2-3 paragraphs). What did the group do first? (you may need to give background on how it was established.) What was the next step? How was each step accomplished? Put yourself in your readers’ shoes: What questions will they want answered?

Impact: In a few sentences, outline the results of the tactic, that is, what changes have occurred in the situation since the tactic was implemented. If the tactic was not entirely successful, acknowledge that and provide information (briefly) about why.

Implementing the Tactic in Another Context: Examine the list of challenges faced during implementation of this tactic. In a paragraph, try to reframe these as considerations, again keeping in mind an individual who may wish to use this tactic. For example, rather than saying “after the training, the organization failed to track the impact on half of the participants,” write “it is important to consider how to maintain contact with participants after the training.”


Date Completed: Include a date, i.e. “This paper was completed on January 23, 2010.”

Contact Information: Include all the contact information you have. Be sure to make a distinction between personal and organizational contact information.

Associated Publications or Resources: List any resources or websites used in researching the tactic.

Step Three: Revise Summary, Keeping in Mind Stylistic Guidelines

Heading: Gerund-style heading, (Tactic to do X), e.g. “Using National Laws to Promote Torture Treatment.”

Length: 400-700 words Voice: Written in third person and active voice

o In a sentence using active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action expressed by the verb. This makes your meaning clear for readers and keeps the sentences from becoming too complicated or wordy.

Example of active voice:Over one-third of the applicants to the school failed the entrance exam.

Example of passive voice:The entrance exam was failed by over one-third of the applicants of the school.

Tense: Use past tense if the organization no longer uses the tactic and present tense if it is an on-going tactic

Style: The tactic summary should be simple and readable: this is NOT an academic paper. Keep in mind that many readers will be non-native speakers of English.

Step Four: Re-Read and Evaluate the SummaryRead the summary from the perspective of the individual you identified in Step One. Does the summary include necessary information for someone who may use this tactic? We will never, in this short format, be able to answer all of a reader’s questions. But we should be able to answer enough to inspire them to learn more about this and other tactics. Step Five: Verify Summary Details with Human Rights PractitionerAfter you have summarized the tactic, draft a communication to send to the human rights practitioner (or identify an appropriate contact in the organization) who implemented the tactic to ensure that the summary and contact information is accurate. Confirm with Kristin and then send communication.

Be sure to remind the contact person that the summary will be made public by placing it on our New Tactics Website. If you do not receive a reply from your contact person, discuss the status of the summary with New Tactics Staff so that appropriate action can be taken.


Step Six: Enter Tactic Summary in Tactic DatabaseCheck with Kristin ([email protected]) for help on doing this. Make sure that under the ‘publishing options’ section of the tactic you are creating, that the tactic is ‘unpublished’ until NT staff has had a chance to look over it. You can access the database here http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/database and you can add a tactic to the database here http://www.newtactics.org/en/node/add/tactic


http://www.newtactics.org/en/node/add/tactic

http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/database

Sample Tactic Summary

First establish the focus of the tactical summary.Tactic: Using independent monitoring to promote existing labor laws Organization: The Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct (COVERCO) Summary:Established in 1997, COVERCO enforces corporate codes of conduct for working conditions in Guatemalan maquilas (factories) and in the agricultural export industry through intensive, long-term independent monitoring.

The first sentence should sum up the tactic as clearly and thoroughly as possible. Do not start with historical background or a description of the problem.COVERCO enforces corporate codes of conduct for working conditions in Guatemalan maquilas (factories) and in the agricultural export industry through intensive, long-term independent monitoring.

The Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct (COVERCO) is a nascent independent monitoring agency based in Guatemala City and founded by members of civil society groups, including professionals in law, education, business and other fields. Many of its members and employees are former maqila-workers. COVERCO currently has arrangements to monitor three maquilas, one that produces items exclusively for Liz Claiborne, Inc. (LCI), one that produces for Gap Inc., and one that combines contracts for Gap Inc. and LCI.

In many summaries the second (or sometimes third) paragraph includes brief historical background on the problem that the tactic is addressing. In this case, it is fairly clear to most readers what the problem is: inhumane or unsafe conditions in factories that produce consumer goods.COVERCO first establishes a relationship with the brand (for example, Liz Claiborne) then contracts with that group to monitor their factories, for a fee. Recent public interest in conditions for factory workers abroad is making many American and European brands more eager to scrutinize the factories with which they work.

After a brief description of the problem, start explaining the tactic step-by-step. What did the group do first? (you may need to give background on how it was established.) What was the next step? How was each step accomplished? Put yourself in your readers’ shoes: What questions will they want answered?COVERCO maintains a steady presence in the maquilas it monitors, rather than conducting short-term visits and filing one-time reports. Monitors, who are often former maquila-workers themselves, visit the maquilas as frequently as once per week, meet with workers both during and outside of normal business hours in their homes or at neutral locations selected by the workers, and maintain a telephone hotline to ensure


workers full access to monitors. Interviews are conducted in Spanish, and are kept in strict confidence. Monitoring consists first of a “social audit” whereby observers characterize labor relations at the maquila – checking, for example, whether there is a grievance procedure and whether or not it works. Working conditions are documented, including the presence and handling of industrial chemicals, maintenance of bathrooms and the operation of an on-site health clinic. Monitors then undertake a thorough review of the payroll: items checked include the payment of employee benefits and production bonuses, and the amount of overtime work required. Maquila managers are required to provide COVERCO’s monitors full access to personnel files.

Outline the results of the tactic.In its ongoing relationship with LCI, COVERCO has taken tangible steps to improve workers’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities, and to verify factory compliance with LCI’s code of conduct in a maquila near Guatemala City. The maquila is Korean-owned, and employs about 1000 people. As a result of COVERCO’s reports, a variety of corrective measures have been taken in the maquila, including the repair of chairs after the initial finding that 40 percent of workers’ chairs had broken backs, the distribution of gloves and masks to workers handling hazardous chemicals, and the repair of toilets and washbasins. The maquila management also initiated a policy for emergency and grievance procedures, installed an infirmary and staffed it with a full-time nurse’s aide. Working together with COVERCO, LCI also devised a Spanish-language illustrated pamphlet, the “Code Comix,” outlining the LCI standards. Due to high job turnover at the factory, COVERCO has recommended that LCI hold frequent workshops on their policies and distribute the pamphlet to all new employees. If you have information on this, describe briefly what stumbling blocks were encountered and how they were addressed. For example, below, one of the issues that COVERCO had to address was its relationship with unions. This is how they solved that problem.COVERCO monitors stress to workers that they are not union representatives, and they decline to take an advocacy role in worker-employer disputes. In addition, COVERCO has turned down requests from maquila management to act as an intermediary with employees. COVERCO emphasizes that it is “non-substitutive” – that it does not act as a replacement for unions, management, governmental agencies or advocacy organizations. COVERCO also maintains neutrality in its reporting. Through document searches and multiple interviews, COVERCO seeks to verify workers’ claims of poor treatment, always includes management reaction to claims in its reports, and takes note of situations where claims cannot be substantiated. Include all the contact information you have in the notes section of the tactic. Be sure to make a distinction between personal and organizational contact information.For more information:


The Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct (COVERCO)Homero Fuentes, General Coordinator of COVERCOKenneth Kim, Projects Coordinator for COVERCOGuatemalaTel. 011 502 232 0195Fax 011 502 253 5025E-mail: [email protected]://www.bsr.org/resourcecenterhttp://www.laborrights.org Note: This extract was adapted from a paper entitled “Monitoring Codes of Conduct: Tactics to Ensure Verification of Labor Standards,” by Kate Bistline, Ana Saavedra, and Lynne Weil, graduate students who participated in a public policy seminar at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University. Their three-month study of the Commission for Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct (COVERCO) involved Internet research and on-site investigation in Guatemala.


http://www.laborrights.org/

http://www.bsr.org/resourcecenter


Completed Posted Tactic in the On-line Database

Tactic Title: Using independent monitoring to promote existing labor laws

COVERCO enforces corporate codes of conduct for working conditions in Guatemalan maquilas (factories) and in the agricultural export industry through intensive, long-term independent monitoring.

The Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct (COVERCO) is a nascent independent monitoring agency formed in 1997 by members of civil society groups, including professionals in law, education, business and other fields. COVERCO currently has arrangements to monitor three maquilas, one that produces items exclusively for Liz Claiborne, Inc. (LCI), one that produces for Gap Inc., and one that combines contracts for Gap Inc. and LCI.

COVERCO first establishes a relationship with the brand (for example, Liz Claiborne) then contracts with that group to monitor their factories, for a fee. Recent public interest in conditions for factory workers abroad is making many American and European brands more eager to scrutinize the factories with which they work.

COVERCO maintains a steady presence in the maquilas it monitors, rather than conducting short-term visits and filing one-time reports. Monitors, who are often former maquila-workers themselves, visit the maquilas as frequently as once per week, meet with workers both during and outside of normal business hours in their homes or at neutral locations selected by the workers, and maintain a telephone hotline to ensure workers full access to monitors. Interviews are conducted in Spanish, and are kept in strict confidence.

Monitoring consists first of a “social audit” whereby observers characterize labor relations at the maquila – checking, for example, whether there is a grievance procedure and whether or not it works. Working conditions are documented, including the presence and handling of industrial chemicals, maintenance of bathrooms and the operation of an on-site health clinic. Monitors then undertake a thorough review of the payroll: items checked include the payment of employee benefits and production bonuses, and the amount of overtime work required. Maquila managers are required to provide COVERCO’s monitors full access to personnel files.

In its ongoing relationship with LCI, COVERCO has taken tangible steps to improve workers’ awareness of their rights and responsibilities, and to verify factory compliance with LCI’s code of conduct in a maquila near Guatemala City. The maquila is Korean-owned, and employs about 1000 people.

As a result of COVERCO’s reports, a variety of corrective measures have been taken in the maquila, including the repair of chairs after the initial finding that 40 percent of workers’ chairs had broken backs, the distribution of gloves and masks to workers handling hazardous chemicals, and the repair of toilets and washbasins. The maquila


management also initiated a policy for emergency and grievance procedures, installed an infirmary and staffed it with a full-time nurse’s aide. Working together with COVERCO, LCI also devised a Spanish-language illustrated pamphlet, the “Code Comix,” outlining the LCI standards. Due to high job turnover at the factory, COVERCO has recommended that LCI hold frequent workshops on their policies and distribute the pamphlet to all new employees.

COVERCO monitors stress to workers that they are not union representatives, and they decline to take an advocacy role in worker-employer disputes. In addition, COVERCO has turned down requests from maquila management to act as an intermediary with employees. COVERCO emphasizes that it is “non-substitutive” – that it does not act as a replacement for unions, management, governmental agencies or advocacy organizations.

COVERCO also maintains neutrality in its reporting. Through document searches and multiple interviews, COVERCO seeks to verify workers’ claims of poor treatment, always includes management reaction to claims in its reports, and takes note of situations where claims cannot be substantiated.

COVERCO is an initiative of, by and for laborers, and undertakes to employ former maquila workers as monitors. It is based in Guatemala City, and has contacts with non-profit organizations throughout the country. COVERCO also maintains relations with Guatemalan human rights groups and U.S.-based labor rights organizations.

Completed January 23, 2001.


Tactic Summary FormA review of what to collect for each tactic

Organization contact information:Organization Name: Email:Additional Email: Mailing Address: Country: Organization Phone:Possible Individual Contacts: Write a draft summary that includes the following components:

Lead: The first sentence or two should sum up the tactic as clearly and thoroughly as possible. Answer the 5Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and How? Do not start with historical background, a description of the organization or a description of the problem.

Background: In many summaries the second (or sometimes third) paragraph includes brief historical background on the problem that the tactic is addressing: Why was this tactic needed?

Tactic Details: After the brief description of the problem, start explaining the tactic step-by-step. This should represent the bulk of the tactic summary (2-3 paragraphs). What did the group do first? (you may need to give background on how it was established.) What was the next step? How was each step accomplished? Put yourself in your readers’ shoes: What questions will they want answered?

Impact: In a few sentences, outline the results of the tactic, that is, what changes have occurred in the situation since the tactic was implemented. If the tactic was not entirely successful, acknowledge that and provide information (briefly) about why.

Implementing the Tactic in Another Context: Examine the list of challenges faced during implementation of this tactic. In a paragraph, try to reframe these as considerations, again keeping in mind an individual who may wish to use this tactic. For example, rather than saying “after the training, the organization failed to track the impact on half of the participants,” write “it is important to consider how to maintain contact with participants after the training.”

Date Completed: Include a date, i.e. “This paper was completed on January 23, 2010.”

Contact Information: Include all the contact information you have. Be sure to make a distinction between personal and organizational contact information.

Associated Publications or Resources: List any resources or websites used in researching the tactic


Corresponding with Individuals & Organizations

There are two main reasons to contact other individuals and organizations during the research process: 1) to brainstorm for potential leads about new tactics, or 2) to learn more specific information about a tactic after performing internet research. We first contact the practitioners or groups who are implementing tactics by email or fax to request more information about their tactics. During this initial contact we set up a time to discuss their work further over the telephone. Occasionally, we have to send multiple emails and faxes, and we call when we do not receive a response. Please discuss potential contact leads with New Tactics Staff before emailing or calling individuals or organizations! In order to acknowledge existing professional relationships and avoid duplicating requests, it is necessary to discuss all potential contacts with New Tactics Staff before sending emails or placing phone calls with human rights practitioners and organizations. The New Tactics in Human Rights Project maintains relationships with several individuals, organizations and foundations. In many cases this means that New Tactics Staff have already established connections with individuals or groups that you have recently learned about and want to contact. This process is especially important for foundations and funders who may prefer contact from specific staff in the Center for Victims of Torture, or may not be open to receiving requests for information from the New Tactics Project. Gathering InformationWhile in the initial process of brainstorming potential resources and leads, you will be corresponding by email and phone with individuals who are knowledgeable about human rights issues in their geographic and issue areas. The kind of information we try to gather during these conversations includes:

What is happening in terms of innovative approaches in the region? Who comes to mind when thinking of creative or unique tactics? Who is doing

truly effective human rights work despite tremendous challenges? How are they accomplishing this?

Are there any tactics that could potentially be very beneficial for others in the region to learn about?

What approaches are being used right now that weren’t taking place 5 years ago? Who is using these approaches?

Does the individual have contact information for any of these groups? In general, we would like to identify INDIVIDUALS that are implementing these tactics. We have less success when we only have the name of an organization.

Email Contact GuidelinesAs a representative of the New Tactics in Human Rights Project, it is crucial that

you remain professional in your writing and interviewing while corresponding with human rights groups and individuals. Before you begin contacting practitioners and groups, please observe the following correspondence guidelines:


Discuss your proposed contact leads with New Tactics Staff, Search the New Tactics online database (see the notes field in each tactic) to see if

staff or volunteers have previously contacted your proposed individual or group, Keep your email clear and concise (use the “Sample Email Re: Tactic” in this

packet) Add appropriate references and attachments about the New Tactics Project (e.g.,

Refer to the website: www.newtactics.org, attach New Tactics Project Information document, etc.)

Double check your email and documents for correct spelling and grammar, Send a copy of your email to New Tactics Staff for review before sending it to

contact groups or individuals. Track correspondence and provide confirmation of final approval of the tactic

summary to New Tactics staff.

Telephone Interviews (if applicable) After arranging a telephone interview by email or other correspondence, the next

step is to interview an individual at the forefront of implementing a creative tactic. Telephone interviews often provide much more information about tactic leads or the tactics themselves than other forms of correspondence or research. It is recommended that you sit in on staff interviews with human rights practitioners before conducting your own telephone interviews. It is often effective to email a short list of discussion questions to the individual before the actual telephone interview so that s/he has time to collect thoughts around their tactic and work. During the interview we follow-up on this list and ask more detailed questions about how the tactic was carried out, what steps were involved, and what the impact is. Gathering these details often involves multiple phone conversations and follow-up e-mails. This process also gives us a sense of the individual’s personality and their interest in sharing and learning around new tactics at regional training workshops and other events. After completing the telephone interview, you must type up a Call Summary about the conversation. This is a 2-4 page document that outlines questions asked and the contact's responses to these questions. These notes are a very useful reference for you and others when writing the tactic summary or considering the human rights practitioner for additional training opportunities with the New Tactics Project.

Call Summary Includes:1. Date of Call (e.g., Jan 23, 2010)2. Person conducting the call (your name and e-mail address)3. Person Being Interviewed

a. Name of contact at organization – e.g., Jane Doe, b. Name of Organization – e.g., Amnesty Internationalc. Person’s Title or Role in Organization – e.g., Outreach Coordinator


d. Any other people mentioned for follow-up within the organization – e.g., recommended contact with Joe Smith, Outreach Director

4. Summary Informationa. Document the information that was discussed during the call including:

o questions asked o responses

b. What further information or action is required – for example:o follow-up with Joe Smith scheduled for Jan 25, 2010; or o revision of tactic summary based on new information and follow-

up for approval by Jan 29, 2010c. Any additional recommendations or follow-up needed

5. Provide information and discuss with New Tactics staff6. Track correspondence and provide confirmation of final approval of the tactic

summary to New Tactics staff.


Sample Email Re: Tactic

Email header: New Tactics in Human Rights Request for Approval

Dear _____,Warmest greetings from the New Tactics in Human Rights project! New Tactics has been very excited to learn about the wonderful way in which [organization] has [tactic description]. One aspect of our New Tactics work is to gather and share creative and effective tactical ideas. I am writing in that regard because we believe your tactic idea is an exciting one to share. [for interns, perhaps they want to introduce themselves as a student and that they have developed the tactic summary themselves] I have developed a brief summary of your tactic that is attached in this e-mail. I hope you will be willing to allow us to share this great tactic with other human rights advocates around the world. You can see our current collection of tactics using this URL link: http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics The New Tactics website currently has over 2,500 on-line community members from over 120 countries (www.newtactics.org). Our website viewership, however, has even far greater and broader reach than our membership. I hope you will take a few moments to review the information for accuracy and impact of the results to date. In terms of the attached summary, New Tactics is interested to give people interesting and creative ideas that they can adapt to their own issue, situation and context. In that regard, we tend to leave out general information about an organization's mission and other program endeavors. Not that these are unimportant, but that we're focusing on one creative aspect that we believe has transferability power to other organizations around the world. We also provide a link to websites, other information and resources - when they exist – so people can explore an organization more fully. If you have these kinds of links, I hope that you will provide them. Please make any needed corrections and provide me with your comments for how I can best share information about your tactic. If corrections are needed, I will send you a revised summary for your approval and consent for posting in the New Tactics on-line searchable tactics database. New Tactics does not move forward to make information public until consent is provided by the organization implementing the tactic.

Thank you so much for your consideration. This example of [tactic] will be very exciting and useful for others to learn about, and think about adapting for their own use. Please contact me at [e-mail address] if you have any questions or concerns. I'll look forward to hearing from you!

Very sincerely, [name]


http://www.newtactics.org/en/tactics/database

Documents

Tactic Packet 2-2010