ST.

PAUL’S UNIVERSITY

NAIROBI CAMPUS
STUDY MODE: EVENING

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Advocacy Campaign
For Kibera slum residents, a cause advocacy is necessary to ensure they have access to
clean water and adequate sanitation. The planning and implementation of the campaign would
first involve understanding the issue. This means building and maintaining an accurate and
comprehensive body of information, data, and statistics (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010).
Sources of information include the residents themselves, media publications, related
professionals and academics, and existing national water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)
policies and plans. An equally important activity is to determine the appropriate way and time to
use the information to obtain support from policymakers and third parties engaged in the political
space. In approaching the same, it is appropriate to explain the effect of the issue on the affected
people and households, the number of people affected, and the economic costs to society.
The succeeding step would require a clear definition of the campaign’s objectives (Meier,
et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010). These would include the activities necessary to raise awareness and
influence national WASH policies. It would also comprise the approaches for generating or
applying for funding. Highly detailed objectives can be those for targeted lobbying, while more
general ones include those for raising awareness of the issue. It is also appropriate to consider
wider objectives; those that go beyond the national level. For instance, linking the information to
the findings by international bodies like UNICEF can help establish a robust campaign.
Nonetheless, from the outset of and throughout the advocacy campaign, it is imperative to verify
the motive for achieving the same. The move would help in developing a plan that one can
measure and analyze.
Following the definition of objectives, it is necessary to outline the audience base (Meier,
et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010). One can categorize the audience into policymakers and non-
policymakers. The latter includes media representatives, professionals and academics, and health
experts, among other relevant parties, who are interested in the issue. There is a link among all
the groups. At the same time, they all have a critical role to play in ensuring the success of the
advocacy campaign. Conducting a mapping exercise would help one understand the audience.
The aim is to identify the main individuals working on the key issues. Finding the important
contacts may involve researching key people who have talked about the issue and reading
relevant national publications and journals. Other essential ways are attending debates, health
seminars, and public hearings to make initial connections.
The fourth step would be the development of key messages (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef,
2010). The engagement approach must contain the appropriate messages in place. It is definitely
not the first time that policymakers have heard about WASH-related problems. Therefore, it is
important to give them solutions. Laying a foundation on the expanding network with third
parties, including health experts and academics, can allow for the construction of messages that
would lure the attention and policymakers and influence them to change. Such messages can
equally attract the wider public’s attention to contribute where and when necessary. Still, it is
vital to get the appropriate message to the suitable audience at the right time. This should start
with a consideration of the concerns of Kibera slums residents. Also, if possible, the messages
should be backed by facts and figures.
The next move would be strategy development (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010). After
completing the research and identifying the key audience, it is appropriate to decide on the
engagement strategy. This highlights the plan that details the manner in meeting the audience
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base. It should include both direct and indirect engagement. The former regards face-to-face
meetings with the affected policymakers, third parties, and media spokespersons. Such meetings
are common and effective as tools of engagement. It is possible to meet with multiple individuals
to guarantee the campaign’s success. Indirect engagement, on the other hand, consists of
publishing reports, sending out press releases or briefings to the target audience, and allying with
other health associations. Also, photo opportunities with the related policymakers and securing
speaker placement at notable events would be effective.
What follows the development of strategy is the identification of the tools for helping
engagement (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010). Such tools include events, which comprise
workshops, conferences, and debates. The organization and sponsoring of the same would
involve careful planning and preparation. Personal meetings are another important tool that can
help build long-term relationships, particularly with politicians and government officials. Also,
letters and emails would act as follow-ups from past meetings. They are equally useful in
introducing the course to the key target. Every meeting that happens and initiatives that take
effect would involve letters and emails for introduction and follow up. Likewise, giving position
papers and customized briefings to policymakers and third parties would allow for further
explanation of the campaign’s position. Such tools also include fundamental facts and case
studies.
The next stage would entail building an engagement plan (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef,
2010). The step involves considering the individuals that would be involved in the campaign and
the responsibilities of each one. In a large team, the allocation of tasks is easy. However, where
the team involves a limited number of people, it would be effective to break down the plan into
various phases so the team engages with the key target audience in a more comprehensible
manner. In organizing the team’s workload, it is important to appreciate the campaign
participants, coordinator, persons tasked with each topic, and key contact for each stakeholder.
The stage would also require a prioritization of the most critical issues while acknowledging the
campaign’s objectives. It is important to identify any resulting overlaps of crucial areas and to
streamline the engagement tasks.
The following step is the actual engagement (Meier, et al., 2013; Unicef, 2010).
Preparation before the engagement is necessary. It would involve conducting background
briefings of the affected politicians or officials, knowing their interest and position on
fundamental issues, and showing awareness of the political and policy procedure. It is equally
important to communicate the main messages, highlight how the issue impacts the residents of
Kibera slums, and empathize, when possible, with local or regional viewpoints. Further,
expectations include outlining the recommendations for action, explaining how the politician or
government official can be of assistance, and indicating how the team can help in return.
Moreover, it is useful to back up the process with case studies and research to assist the politician
or official in their contributions, and to leave behind relevant resources like position papers or
factsheets for persuasion.
Thereafter, it is critical to maintain a dialogue with the key audience (Greig, 2005;
DeSantis, 2010). Actions include following up meetings and events with research works,
factsheets, and letters and emails of appreciation. It is also useful to issue the contact with new
research findings, to invite the same to events, and to hold private briefings. Likewise, it is
recommendable to disseminate information that would interest the individual, and to inform and
share details and views from relevant stakeholders proactively. Further, it is necessary to provide
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expertise and contacts from the team’s unique network. At the same time, the tracking of
activities creates ease in sharing outcomes with other organizations, monitoring progress, and
following up on potential next steps. It is also worthy to develop a contact list to avoid
duplicating effort and communicating or engaging counterproductively.
The final step involves an evaluation of the impact of the campaign activities (Greig,
2005; DeSantis, 2010). One requirement is to evaluate a face-to-face meeting. Following the
attendance of a meeting with a political target, it would be appropriate to be mindful of the
agenda and anticipated result. After the meeting, the relevant action would be to determine if
there is an achievement. If this is not the case, follow-up actions or lowering the expectations
may be necessary. Also, the evaluation of an event may include finding out the number of
attendants or participants, and considering questionnaires for gauging the thought of the
audience. Further, the campaign’s evaluation would regard the number of engagement activities,
the number of political stakeholders engaged with, and the engagement’s impact on attitudes and
perceptions and garnering support toward the issue.
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References
DeSantis, G. (2010). Voices from the margins: Policy advocacy and marginalized communities.
Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research, 1(1).
Greig, M. (2005). Institutional Advocacy Campaign: Guidelines and Practical Advice.