May 7 - May 25, 2012
October 15 - November 2, 2012

Advocacy and Citizen Engagement

What you can expect

Wherever change needs to occur, advocacy has a role to play. This certificate will strengthen the capacity of civil society participants who deal with issues of power, exclusion, inequity and inequality, to plan and implement effective advocacy and citizen engagement campaigns. It aims to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills through the active sharing of ideas and experiences, and to explore opportunities for ongoing learning and collective action around common issues. The course draws on literature in the areas of advocacy, communication, human rights, popular education and social change. It will provide you with a strategic framework to analyze the past and to plan future advocacy initiatives, as well as build practical skills.

Facilitators: Olga Gladkikh and Nani Ram Subedi

Personal benefits

Develop skills in visioning; contextual analysis; problem/issue identification; power mapping; goal setting; analyzing arenas for action; strategy selection; lobbying and negotiation; citizen mobilization, coalition-building and assessing success
Learn the theoretical foundations and critical issues in human rights advocacy
Build communication skills in message development and media and public outreach

Organizational benefits

Increased capacity to strategize and co-ordinate joint advocacy campaigns
Improved consistency and effectiveness of advocacy campaigns
Greater organizational legitimacy and credibility to undertake advocacy
Greater influence in public policy and mobilizing public opinion in support of social, economic and political change

Who is best suited for the program?

This program is designed for new and/or experienced advocacy and development practitioners who work with human rights and social justice organizations, primarily in the global South.