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.
If someone would have told me five years ago that I’d be co-directing a website with a state representative, connecting with progressive women leaders from around the country, and going to conferences to speak on young women in politics in 2014, I would have started laughing hysterically.
As world leaders met on a global stage for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this past week, it wasn’t hard to notice that something was missing.
An initiative to encourage more women to apply for key roles in Welsh public life has been launched at the Senedd.
Regardless of the role or industry in question, networking is often an essential part of the modern day-to-day job. We all build up an array of contacts during our professional lives and we learn from the people we meet and work with.
I do not consider myself to be a very political person.
ACTIVISTS under a coalition of women and constitution intend to camp at the Constituent Assembly when it commences next month, with a view to guarding their proposals already infused into the Katiba draft.
Applications for a Women In Politics Capacity Building Training are now invited by femLINKPACI
Do you want to see political change? Have you considered running for elected office (municipally, provincially or federally)? How about supporting a candidate as part of her campaign team?
“Our young women are forming a new era in female history,” wrote Massachusetts feminist Judith Sargent Murray excitedly. “The Rights of Women begin to be understood; we seem, at length, determined to do justice.” The year was 1798.