Advocacy Approaches and Organizational Readiness

• Guénéheux, D. & Bottomley, A. (Eds.). (2014). Accountability for civil society by civil society: A guide to self-regulation initiatives. CIVICUS.

Caste Discrimination

• Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. (2005). The missing piece of the puzzle: Caste discrimination and the conflict in Nepal. CHRGJ. (794K pdf)
• International Dalit Solidarity Network works globally against discrimination based on work and descent.

Confrontation Strategies, and Monitoring and Evaluating Advocacy

• Martin, B. (2012, February 26). Backfire basics. (1.49 Mb pdf)

Co-operation and Education Strategies

• Birdbox Studio. (2012, July 19). Wildebeest from Birdbox Studio [Video]. Youtube. (59 sec.)
• Raynor, J., et al. (2011). What makes an effective coalition? Evidence-based indicators of success. The California Endowment. (1.47 Mb pdf)
• Social Justice Coalition. (2016, April 26). Kak struggle: Cape Town’s unfair budget [Video]. Youtube. (10:27 min.)

Disabilities

• Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), public library services for Canadians with print disabilities.
• Disability Rights Fund resource page.
• Jones, D. & Webster, L., et al. (2006). A handbook on mainstreaming disability. VSO United Kingdom. (1.95 Mb pdf)
• Katsui, H. (2012). Disabilities, human rights and international cooperation: Human rights-based approach and lived experiences of Ugandan women with disabilities. Center for Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Exploring Advocacy in Action

• Arcadiapictures. (2018, July 4). Pulp mill troubles in Pictou, Nova Scotia [Video]. Youtube. (9:32 min.)
• Bernard, B. (2014, April 10). A’se’k: The other room (Boat Harbour) [Video]. Youtube. (18:49 min.)
• CBC News. (2018, July 6). Northern Pulp protesters rally on boats [Video]. Youtube. (27:36 min.)
• Friends of the Northumberland Strait is a community group concerned about Northern Pulp’s proposed wastewater treatment facility and their plan to discharge treated effluent directly into the Strait.
• Moore, M. (2018, July 9). Historic Save the Northumberland Strait #NoPipeRally. Sustainable Deception.
• Withers, P. (2018, November 9). McNeil plea for peace triggers protest in Pictou County. CBC News.
• Withers, P. (2018, November 13). Northern Pulp admits it is likely to miss 2020 effluent deadline. CBC News.

Exploring Key Concepts and Analyzing Power

• Civicus. (2024). State of civil society reports. Civicus.
• Economist Intelligence Unit. (2018). The Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index.
• Freedom House. (2020). Freedom in the world 2020. Freedom House.
• Oxfam GB. (2014). Quick guide to power analysis. Oxfam GB.
• Powercube: Understanding power for social change.
• Transnational Institute. (2016, December 6). Rethinking shrinking space [Video]. Youtube. (7:32 min.)

Persuasion through Designing Effective Messages and Lobbying

• AhramOnline. (2011, March 14). Murals for martyrs: Street art of the Egyptian revolution [Video].  Youtube. (4:31 min.)
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (2009, September 21). It’s our money. Where’s it gone? [Video]. Youtube. (18:08 min.)
• HarassMap works to engage all of Egyptian society to create an environment that does not tolerate sexual harassment.
• Hilzinger, G. (2012, May 21). Troy library: Book burning party [Video]. Youtube. (2:52 min.)
• Matheson, K., et al. (2016). Video as evidence: Field guide. Download the complete guide or individual sections.
• Mayne, R., Green, D., Guijt, I., Walsh, M., English, R., & Cairney, P. (2018). Using evidence to influence policy: Oxfam’s experience. Palgrave Communications, 4.
• Rainforest Alliance. (2012, September 16). Follow the frog [Video]. Youtube. (3:09 min.)

Rights-Based Approaches to Development

• Suggested journal: IDS Bulletin Volume 36, No. 1.
• Eyben, R. (2003). The rise of rights: Rights-based approaches to international development. K. Cockburn, (Ed.). (IDS policy briefing 17). (108K pdf)
• Kapur, A., & Duvvury, N. (2006). A rights-based approach to realizing the economic and social rights of poor and marginalized women: A synthesis of lessons learned. ICRW.
• Nyamu-Musembi, C., & Cornwall, A. (2004). What is the rights-based approach all about?: Perspectives from international development agencies (IDS working paper 234). (547K pdf)

Using the Media and Litigation Strategies

• Farrell, H. (2016, May 19). The Chinese government fakes nearly 450 million social media comments a year. This is why. Monkey Cage, Washington Post.
• Freedom House. (2017). Freedom of the press 2017. Freedom House.
• Danish Institute for Human Rights. (n.d.). Human rights guide to the sustainable development goals.
• Berry, A., Quinn, L. S., & Colton, L. (2012). Nonprofit social media policy workbook. Idealware. (2.26 Mb pdf)
• Ultralized. (2009, September 26). The story of human rights [Video]. Youtube. (9:51 min.)
• United Nations. (2018). Human rights by country.
• UPR Info. (2018). Database of recommendations.

Suggested Readings

• The children behind our cotton. (2007). Environmental Justice Foundation. (1.96 Mb pdf)
• Christiansen, C. (2008). Uploading dissonance: YouTube and the US occupation of Iraq. Media, War & Conflict, 1(2), 155-175. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1750635208090955 (StFX only)
• Cornwall, A. (2008). Democratising engagement: What the UK can learn from international experience. Demos. (372K pdf)
• Dechalert, P. (1999). NGOs, advocacy and popular protest: A case study of Thailand (International working paper series, no. 6). Centre for Civil Society.
• Gaventa, J. & Rootes, C. (2007). From local to global (ESRC Seminar Series: Mapping the public policy landscape). ESRC. (366K pdf)
• How to respond to opposition tactics, Community Tool Box.
• Save the Children. (n.d.). Monitoring and evaluating advocacy. (5.07 Mb pdf)
• Stein, M. Using mobile phones in electoral and voter registration campaigns (Strategy guide no. 1). K. Verclas, (Ed.). Mobile Active. (511K pdf)

Advocacy Organizations and Resources

• CIVICUS provides information about power analysis.
• Communication Initiative Network
• Democratic Audit is an independent research organization which audits democracy and human rights in the UK.
• Global Nonviolent Action Database provides free access to information about nonviolent action from all continents and most countries.
• GrantCraft develops resources across different strategies, issues, languages, and formats.
• International Center on Nonviolent Conflict educates the global public through media, influences policies and media coverage, and educates activists and organizers through seminars and workshops.
• Participedia strengthens democracy through shared knowledge. This site contains a database of crowd-sourced data on democratic innovations.
• Peace Women, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.
• Radio Africa increases the knowledge and skills of radio broadcasters, encourages government officials to communicate more effectively, and improves communication flow.
• Waging Nonviolence, people-powered news and analysis.
• Witness: See it. Film it. Change it empowers people to transform personal stories of abuse into tools for justice, public engagement and policy change.

Human Right Organizations and Resources

• Amnesty International campaigns for internationally recognized human rights to be respected and protected for everyone.
• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems (HURIDOCS) strengthens the capacity of human rights organisations to manage and communicate information.
• Human Rights Internet is committed to social justice, good governance and conflict prevention.
• Human Rights Watch is dedicated to defending and protecting human rights.
  • Women’s Rights
• Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world’s commitment to promoting and protecting all human rights.
• Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI) provides access for all countries to human rights information from the United Nations system.
• WhatConvention.org – international legal search engine of human rights and humanitarian law.

International Advocacy Campaigns

• Global Campaign for Peace Education
• International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA)
• International Campaign to Ban Landmines
• Jubilee Debt Campaign, a global movement to break the chains of debt.
• Kairos Canada: Faithful action for justice, collaboration of faith-based social justice organisations.

Manuals and Toolkits

• Afkhami, M. & Eisenberg, A. (2010). Leading to action: A political participation handbook for women. Women’s Learning Partnership.
• Curry-Stevens, A. (2003). An educator’s guide for changing the world: Methods, models and materials for anti-oppression and social justice workshops. Centre for Social Justice.
• Emerson, J. (2008). Visualizing information for advocacy: An introduction to information design. Backspace. This manual aims at helping NGOs and advocates strengthen their campaigns and projects through communicating information with greater impact. (6.87 Mb pdf)
• Hambuba, C. & Kagoiya, R. (Ed.). (2009). Freedom of Information (FOI) & women’s rights in Africa: A collection of case studies from Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zambia. FEMNET. (3.02 Mb pdf)
• Hunjan, R. & Pettit, J. (2011). Power: A practical guide for facilitating social change. Carnegie United Kingdom Trust.
• Innovation Network. (n.d.). Pathfinder: A practical guide to advocacy evaluation: evaluator edition. Innovation Network. (1.39 Mb pdf)
• Mendel, T. (2009). The right to information in Latin America: A comparative legal survey. UNESCO. This document illustrates the approach taken to enacting right to information legislation in eleven Latin American countries. (4.99 Mb pdf)
• Organizational Research Services. (2004). A practical guide to documenting influence and leverage in Making Connections communities. ORS. (574K pdf)
• Subedi, N.R. (2008). Advocacy strategies and approaches: A resource manual (2nd ed.). ICIMOD. This manual provides information about concept and context of advocacy. (1.07 Mb pdf)
• Subedi, N.R. (2008). Advocacy strategies and approaches: A training of trainers manual (2nd ed.). ICIMOD. This manual provides a five-day training package with handouts and training processes. (1.39 Mb pdf)