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)
• Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. (2008). Recasting justice: Securing Dalit right’s in Nepal’s new constitution. CHRGJ. (1.07 Mb pdf)
• International Dalit Solidarity Network works globally against discrimination based on work and descent.

Confrontation Strategies, and Monitoring and Evaluating Advocacy

• Coffman, J. (2010). Monitoring and evaluating advocacy: Companion to the advocacy toolkit. Unicef. (2.68 Mb pdf)
• Martin, B. (2012, February 26). Backfire basics. (1.49 Mb pdf)
• Workstation1. (2015). OTPOR! Bringing down a dictator (English version) [Video]. Vimeo. (55:35 min.)

Co-operation and Education Strategies

• Birdbox Studio. (2012, July 19). Wildebeest from Birdbox Studio [Video]. Youtube. (59 sec.)
• Green, D. (2017, January 25). What makes networks tick? Learning from (a lot of) experience. From Poverty to Power.
• Organisational learning. (2008). Capacity.org, 33. (777K pdf)
• 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.)

Defining Advocacy Goals and Objectives and Identifying Stakeholders

• The Policy Project. (1999). Issues, goals and objectives: Building the foundation. In Networking for policy change: An advocacy training manual. The Policy Project. (62K pdf)
• VeneKlasen, L. & Miller, V. (2007). Planning moment no. 5: Mapping advocacy strategies. In A new weave of power, people & politics: The action guide for advocacy and citizen participation. Practical Action. (1.98 Mb pdf)

Disabilities

• Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), public library services for Canadians with print disabilities.
• Disability Rights Fund resource page.
• Disabled Peoples’ International promotes human rights of disabled people through participation, equalization of opportunity and development.
• 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.
• Miller, C. & Albert, B. (2005). Mainstreaming disability in development: Lessons from gender mainstreaming. (292K pdf)

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 Advocacy Strategies, Tactics and Tools: Building the Constituency for Change

• Hughes, M. (2010, June 12). Leadership from a dancing guy [Video]. Youtube. (3:00 min.)
• Sharp, G. (1973). 198 methods of nonviolent action. Albert Einstein Institution.

Exploring Governance, Strategic Advocacy Planning, Problem Definition and Issue Framing

• VeneKlasen, L. & Miller, V. (2002). Constructing empowering strategies. In A new weave of power, people and politics: The action guide for advocacy and citizen participation (pp. 59-78). Rugby, Warwickshire, UK: Practical Action. (StFX only)

Exploring Key Concepts and Analyzing Power

• Civicus. (2020). State of civil society report 2020. Civicus. (1.44 Mb pdf)
• Economist Intelligence Unit. (2018). The Economist Intelligence Unit’s democracy index.
• Freedom House. (2020). Freedom in the world 2020. Freedom House.
• Luttrell, C., et al. (2007). The power cube explained (Empowerment note no. 3). (252K pdf)
• Menocal, A. R. (2013). Ten things to know about democracy and elections. ODI.
• Open Society Foundations. (2015, December 21). Shrinking civic spaces [Video]. Youtube. (5:35 min.)
• 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)
• Gold, L. (2005). More than a numbers game?: Ensuring that the Millennium Development Goals address structural injustice. CIDSE. (704K 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.
• Maxwell, S. (1999). What can we do with a rights-based approach to development? (ODI briefing paper no. 3). (48K pdf)
• 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)
• Rosenblatt, G. (2010). The engagement pyramid: Six levels of connecting people and social change. Our blog, Groundwire.
• Smith, E. (2016, April 6). In central Africa, citizens are using social media to build democracy. Here’s how. Monkey Cage, Washington Post.
• Stone, C. (2013, June 13). The power of rights. Voices, Open Society Foundations.
• Tactical Technology Collective. (2014). Security in-a-box: Community focus: digital security tools and tactics for the African LGBT community. (3.09 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.
• Fowler, A., Goold, L. & James, R. (1995). Participatory self assessment of NGO capacity (Occasional papers series no. 10). INTRAC. (835K pdf)
• 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.
• Laney, M. L., Scobie, J. & Fraser, A. (1999). Monitoring and evaluating advocacy (Guidance notes series 6). BOND.
• Menocal, A. R. (2013). Emerging democracies: Rising to the challenge (ODI briefing paper 84). (397K pdf)
• Pallas, S. & Miggiano, L. (2012). Women’s legal empowerment: Lessons learned from community-based activities (International Land Coalition Briefing Note).
• Save the Children. (n.d.). Monitoring and evaluating advocacy. (5.07 Mb pdf)
• Start, D. & Hovland, I. (2004). Tools for policy impact: A handbook for researchers. Research and Policy in Development Programme. (611K pdf)
• Stein, M. Using mobile phones in electoral and voter registration campaigns (Strategy guide no. 1). K. Verclas, (Ed.). Mobile Active. (511K pdf)
• Tsui, J., Hearn, S. & Young, J. (2014). Monitoring and evaluation of policy influence and advocacy (Working paper no. 395). ODI. (1.81 Mb pdf)
• Wood, A. & Barnes, J. (2007). Making poverty the story: Time to involve the media in poverty reduction. Panos London. (1.05 Mb pdf)

Advocacy Organizations and Resources

• Advocacy Accelerator provides platforms for advocates and their supporters to share evidence, approaches, and expertise.
• 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 Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 1948.
• 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

• Child Soldiers International
• 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.
• Cinco, C. & Aquino, E. (2011). Strategising online activism: A toolkit. APC WNSP. (1.33 Mb pdf)
• Cohen, D., et al. (2010). Advocacy toolkit: A guide to influencing decisions that improve children’s lives (1st ed.). UNICEF. (2.44 Mb pdf)
• 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)
• Golding, S., et al. (2012). Tax justice advocacy: A toolkit for civil society. Christian Aid.
• 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)
• Jones, H. (2011). A guide to monitoring and evaluating policy influence (ODI background note). ODI. (147K 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)
• Nash, R., Hudson, A., & Luttrell, C. (2006). Mapping political context: A toolkit for civil society organisations. ODI. (434K 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)