Advocacy and development are activities that represent and promote the needs of specific groups in political and social arenas. One such group is women, who can collectively pressure their leaders for legislative reforms to protect and promote women’s rights and concerns. It is the goal of advocacy groups and lobbyists to ensure that both the public and politicians understand and support their cause, so that it gains strength and credibility. Securing rights and gains for women requires coalition-building, funding, civic education, awareness-raising and individuals willing to lead the way.
While the goals of advocacy and development are similar, the processes are distinctly different. Advocacy involves gaining and exercising power to influence a political action. Employing methods such as demonstrations, public campaigns and civic education, advocacy can be the primary mission of international agencies and civil society organizations seeking to influence global and national decision makers. Women worldwide frequently organize themselves for advocacy purposes, drawing on their collective power to affect legislation, official policies and governmental programs. Lobbying, however, refers to influencing the government and its leaders. Development attempt to sway policy makers and legislators to address specific issues, often by introducing or revising legislation and policy. Development activities may include private meetings with decision makers, public campaigns and demonstrations.
In 2021, the world’s political leaders, youth activists, corporate executives, development agencies, gathered in Paris for the Generation Equality Forum to lay the foundation for a new agenda to address gender equality.
Online abuse and harassment of women in public life has become a curse on our political landscape.
In Australia, we have just elected an historic gender and ethnically diverse Federal parliament with women’s representation in the lower house at 38% and over 50% in the Senate.
Lebanon has one of the highest overall gender gaps in the world, ranking 145 out of 153 countries.
The first recipients of the grants from Labour MP Stella Creasy’s MotheRED scheme to encourage women into the Commons tell why it could help stop the rot in politics.
The message seems quite clear that politics in Nigeria is a game for rich, old men, to the detriment of the real change-making demographics - women and youths.
Julia is joined by feminist icon Gloria Steinem. Gloria has been at the vanguard of the women’s rights movement and has been questioning the status quo and pushing against the patriarchy for almost 60 years.
I know first-hand the difference that having women at the table can make.
The Welsh Government is to press ahead with plans to increase the number of Senedd members despite opposition from senior Conservatives.