Social protection Assessment based national dialogue in Myanmar Workshop on evaluating the cost of social protection policy options September 3rd-5th, 2014 Nay Pyi Taw

Session 5: advocating for social protection

Key questions What methods can be used while presenting the recommendations to line ministries and national policy-makers? How to effectively lobby for the endorsement of recommendations and further their implementation? How can we use the results of the ABND for advocacy? Why do we need to keep communicating on social protection?

Steps of ABND ABND FACTSHEET Step 1 – Building the assessment matrix including the identification of priority recommendations ABND FACTSHEET Step 2 – Rapid Assessment Protocol to estimate the cost of implementing the social protection provisions Step 3 – Finalisation of the assessment report for endorsement and further action by the higher levels of government

Second step of ABND ABND FACTSHEET Step 1 – Building the assessment matrix including the identification of priority recommendations ABND FACTSHEET How do we get there? Step 2 – Rapid Assessment Protocol to estimate the cost of implementing the social protection provisions Step 3 – Finalisation of the assessment report for endorsement and further action by the higher levels of government

Advocacy for social protection What is advocacy? Public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy (Oxford dictionary). Why is it needed? To push / maintain some specific issues at the top of the political agenda. To mobilize various audiences (government, parliament, civil society, etc.) towards the implementation of social protection policies. Who does it? Internal advocacy within the government. NGOs and CSOs International agencies Specific interest groups (employers, workers, etc.)

Advocacy at several levels Advocate to… For… Decision-makers in the Government Identification of social protection as a key national priority for the country’s development => adoption of new social protection policies and effective implementation of social protection schemes. Technical staff in the government Identification of social protection as an important area of work and government responsibility => smooth implementation. Public opinion / CSOs Identification of social protection as an entitlement => create social demand and awareness. Parliamentarians Identification of social protection as a key national priority for the country’s development => adoption of new social protection entitlements embedded in the law. Political parties Identification of social protection as an important tool for the country’s development as part of a broader vision of the future society => create political interest and demand, push the topic at the top of the political agenda.

How can we use the ABND results to advocate for social protection? The ABND exercise provides… A comprehensive and consensual picture of: The existing social protection policies and programmes in the country. The policy gaps and implementation issues benchmarked against the 4 social protection guarantees of the internationally endorsed social protection floor. => Basis to explain the need for social protection. A set of recommendations to close the coverage gaps towards the achievement of a social protection floor: Recommendations on the improvement of operations and the need for broad policy reforms. Costed scenarios for the introduction of new social protection benefits. => Concrete measures to push for.

Why do we need to keep communicating? Even after they have been endorsed by the government, to effectively implement social protection schemes, stakeholders have to send the right messages to the right people Objectives of each communication are different: Visibility Change views or behaviours of people, including policy-makers Public education and awareness generation Fundraising Others

Communicating Before starting Designing a successful message Audience: Who do you need to reach? What are their knowledge levels, attitudes and feelings? Behaviour: What change in behaviour is required? Messages: What messages are appropriate? Channels: Which communication channels will be most effective in reaching the audience? Evaluation: How will you know if you have succeeded? Designing a successful message Audience must identify with the message Successful messages follow “5C” approach: clear, concise, consistent, compelling, convincing The message may be supported with a definition of the problem (e.g. no social protection coverage), evidence (e.g. testimonial from a potential beneficiary), and proposed solution (e.g. implementing the SPF)

Example from Thailand One message to persuade the audience, create a dialogue and stir emotions: Make it something they can relate to, personal and real Short (30 seconds), memorable, witty. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB40vKO5xSs

Group exercise Advocate for social protection Form four groups. Each group will prepare an advocacy strategy and develop a presentation with concrete arguments for the adoption of one or several of the proposed social protection scenarios. You have 20 minutes 

Group exercise Advocate for social protection Each group has 10 minutes to advocate for the adoption of one or several proposed social protection scenarios. After each presentation, the audience has 10 minutes to challenge the presenting group, trying to play the role of various stakeholders (government, employers, workers, CSOs, financial institutions,…).