Advocacy and Lobbying
Advocacy and lobbying 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 lobbying 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. Lobbyists attempt to sway policy makers and legislators to address specific issues, often by introducing or revising legislation and policy. Lobbying activities may include private meetings with decision makers, public campaigns and demonstrations.
June 22, 2012
Ireland: Conference examines issues for women considering politics
Have a passion and belief, don’t over promise and obsess about the small stuff - advice for women considering politics
June 11, 2012
Pakistan: death threats against lawyer Asma Jahangir
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation A
May 30, 2012
Arab Human Development Report Launch
Women in the Arab world are not realizing their full potential and are still denied equality of opportunity, says the Arab Human Development Report 2005: Toward the rise of women in the Arab world, arguing that this represents not just a problem for women, but a barrier to progress and prosperity
May 30, 2012
Women Rally for Role in Politics
Women in Northern Ireland voiced out their concerns that half of the country's population is not fairly represented in the decision making process and that the representation of women has not improved from the last elections.
May 30, 2012
New International IDEA Resource
30 Years of Democracy: Riding the Wave? Women’s Political Participation in Latin America. “Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels.”
May 30, 2012
Pakistan: Concerted Effort Needed for Political Rights to Women
All stakeholders will have to struggle to ensure the rights of women in politics, participants of a regional conference on engendering democracies said on Wednesday.The senior rights activists and experts expressed these views on the first day of the two-day international conference under the tit
May 30, 2012
UNDP: 54th Commission on the Status of Women - Beijing Plus 15
An overview of UNDP's engagement at the 54th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), to be held from March 1 to March 12, 2010.
May 30, 2012
UNDP: Beijing + 15 Highlights of the Day - 1st March 2010
BEIJING+ 15 OPENS; LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS GATHER TO REVIEW PROGRESS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT The 54th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women opened at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday, bringing together UN senior officials, ministers, heads of delegations, activis