Advocacy? What it is and how to make it work for you “ICT Policy for Civil society”

5 sessions on advocacy 1. What is advocacy – definitions and types 2. Advocacy campaigns – steps to mount a campaign 3. How laws and policies are made 4. Tactics and lobbying 5. Presentation of cases

Outcomes of session 1: what is advocacy You will be able to: Explore different concepts of advocacy Examine them critically Share experiences Build your own understanding Choose an advocacy campaign topic to develop during the course

Advocacy: one tool for change But not the only tool What is it? Why do you use it? When do you use it?

Lets look at some definitions of Advocacy

What distinguishes advocacy from service? No computers in schools? Do you donate computers or lobby for increased ICT budgets? Too few women in ICT? Do you train women or encourage girls to study science? No bandwidth in rural areas? Do you provide cheap Internet or encourage government to adopt universal service policy?

Lets find out what Advocacy Campaigns Participants Have Been Involved in Within the whole group, identify and discuss three examples of advocacy campaigns.   Was this advocacy – or service?

Your experience of advocacy Divide into smaller groups and find one person who has been involved in an advocacy campaign – on any topic – and have them explain:   1 What was the issue? 2 What was the goal? 3 What was achieved? 4 How was it achieved? 5 Did the campaign work? Why?

Coming up With a Definition In your groups discuss what you think advocacy means. Write down a definition of what your group thinks advocacy is. In the whole group again share the definitions each group has come up with.

Choosing an Advocacy Campaign Topic In the small groups again, think of a problem that concerns the ICT environment in your country. Write down the problem: Write down an example of a service to help solve the problem: Write down an example of an advocacy campaign to help solve the problem: Each group will use this problem as a focus for developing an advocacy campaign during the course.