ADVOCACY

The word ‘advocacy’ has different meanings for different people in different world views. People understand ‘advocacy’ in accordance with their experiences, their worldview, their language and their culture. Some people will see advocacy as beneficial, but other people may have had bad experiences and see advocacy as something to avoid.

ADVOCACY

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Assuming that another person understands ‘advocacy’ in the same way as we do can sometimes lead to miscommunication, so it is important to clarify a common understanding. There is no single correct interpretation of the word ‘advocacy’.

ADVOCACY

Tearfund defines ‘advocacy’ as: ‘Influencing the decisions, policies, and practices of powerful decision-makers, to address underlying causes of poverty, bring justice, and support good development.’ In some contexts it is risky to talk about ‘advocacy’ and in some languages there is no equivalent word. In these situations, it may be appropriate to find an alternative phrase, which has the same meaning in that particular context.

ADVOCACY

Advocacy is a process of supporting and enabling people to: Express their views and concerns. Access information and services. Defend and promote their rights and responsibilities.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE SIGNIFICANT MEANING OF THE WORD ADVOCACY

​Influencing the decisions, policies, and practices of powerful decision-makers, to address underlying causes of poverty, bring justice, and support good development.

​The promotion of a specific message and/or course of action in order to influence or contribute to the development and implementation of public policies which will alleviate the causes and consequences of poverty.

​The process of influencing key decision-makers and opinion-formers (individuals andorganisations) for changes to policies and practices that will work in poor people’s favour.

​A project, programme or programmatic approach which seeks to address the structural and systematic causes of poverty by changing policies, systems, practices, and attitudes that perpetuate inequality and deny human rights.

​The organised influence of decision-makers.

​Speaking out in order to influence policy, decisions, attitudes and the behaviour of those in power on behalf of, and with, poor and marginalised people, in order to achieve positive and lasting social, political, and economic change.

​The defence and promotion of justice. It involves strategically and publicly confronting the causes of any injustices against the poor; peacefully influencing people with the power to make decisions; and creating, changing or implementing laws, policies, procedures or practices that address certain social injustices.

​For Peace and Hope, advocacy is based on the biblical mandate. Advocacy is the biblical mandate to speak on behalf of the oppressed in society.

ACTIVITY

Choose the right term to complete the phrase that will form a significant meaning of the word ADVOCACY