Grassroots Mobilisation and Organising The Power of the People By Malcolm Damon Executive of the Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA

Economic Justice Network (EJN) Influencing Public Policy at the CoP 17 in Durban

Organizing and Mobilization What’s our understanding of Organizing and How do we see Mobilization?

Organizing Institute for Dev Studies and Action Aid “Organizing entails deliberate actions to bring people together to develop leadership strategies and collective capacity necessary to confront a common issue or push an alternative justice agenda.

Mobilization “ Refers to engaging people as political activist through actions that build and use the strength of organised numbers to make their demands known and influence those in power.

De Gruchy – Agency, Assets and Appreciation Agency and Benificiaries Doctor, patient or clients. Are we doing things for people or are people doing it for themselves Poor people are engage in struggles, strategies and mobilisation on a daily basis. Agency of the poor.

Agency Sen Freire David Korten “If transformation is to come as a consequence of voluntary action, an act of human commitent to collective survival…. We must look at people’s movements as the key to transformational change in the current era.

Assets How do we see the community People in need that need assistance – create dependency and a welfare approach You cannot build a community on what people don’t have. Community organisations need to build on the capacities, skills and assets of the community. Three categories of assets

Assets of the Community People and individuals or groups Associations or community based org Institutions – schools, libraries, community hall, police and others. APPRECIATION

Cycle 1. Needs and Interest of the Community -Cancellation of Debt -Treatment Action Campaign -Mozambique – Land Issue 2. Awareness Raising and Mobilization Sustained engagement with members of communities to gauge issue comprehension and provide deeper and broader perspectives.

Awareness Raising and Mobilisation Apartheid Debt Apartheid Caused Debt Alternative Mining Indabas

Cycle 3. Community Training and Capacity Building Workshops to make people aware of Govt Debt and why there is this Debt. Build capacity of communities to understand the issues. 4. Plans and Campaigns of the Community What the message of the community What are the demands What do they want to achieve.

Cycle Continue Evaluation and Cycle continues

Thank You Rev. Malcolm Damon Executive Director Economic Justice Network of FOCCISA Fellowship of Christian Councils in Southern Africa

Climate Justice Rally multi-faith ‘Climate Justice Rally’ at King’s Park Stadium on 27 November 2011 was the magnum opus of the inter-faith activities Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, Christiana Figueres and Mashabane attended the event 200,000 signed petitions handed over