INTRODUCTION:

The Indian Constitution, which affirms the inherent worth and

inalienable rights of every person, grants essential rights to all Indian
people. However, a considerable portion of the population in a
developing country like India is either unaware of their rights or unable
to exercise them because of social, moral, or financial limitations. Many
organisations and people are battling for the rights of the
disadvantaged. Advocacy, in its simplest form, is the act of defending
one's own rights as well as the rights of others. Social justice advocacy
initiatives are aligned with the goals of the social work profession.
Therefore, the advocacy work done by social workers is done in
conjunction with and on behalf of underrepresented groups of people
whose rights have been violated. Social advocacy is a crucial modern
strategy used in social work practise to bring about social change.

DEFINITION OF ADVOCACY:
The Latin word "advocare," meaning "to call to one's aid" or "to speak
on behalf of someone," is the main source of the English word
"advocacy." It has historically been connected to the legal system,
where lawyers fight for clients seeking justice. In the practise of social
work, advocacy includes activities like raising public awareness, fighting
injustice and hardship, and promoting policy changes and their
successful execution, among other things.
SOCIAL ADVOCACY:
Working with people to support them in amplifying their voice on
issues that concern them, then bringing attention to those issues to
inspire others to take action, is what advocacy is all about.

Precisely, Social Advocacy is "an action taken by an individual or

organisation with the intention of influencing choices made by
institutions involved in politics, business, and society. With the help of
facts, connections between them, the media, and message, advocacy
involves actions and publications that aim to change public policy, laws,
and budgets.”

Social advocacy is based on the notion that defending and upholding

the rights of members of the community who are not treated with the
same respect because of adversity or prejudice, benefits society as a
whole.

The following are some examples of social advocacy-related themes:

 civil rights

 individual rights

 community building

 communication and awareness

 human rights violations

  Goals of Social Advocacy:
- Promote social inclusion.
- Encourage and initiate social change.
- Empowering people to exercise their rights and enhance
their well being.
- Promote equality, justice and fairness.
- Empowers people to speak up for themselves and be more
aware of their rights.
- Exercise the rights when needed.
- Be involved in and influence the decisions that are being
made about their lives and their future.

 Three aspects of social advocacy

- Social change - working to influence educators and
policymakers.
- Problem solving processes - help and advice affected parties
about the resources and strategies they can use to managing
their ordeals.
- Empowerment and liberation - encouraging people and their
careers to take action to affect change.

In essence, social advocacy is focused on and motivated by people. It is

always grounded in communal rights. In other words, advocacy deals
with the things that your community needs to advance. It is possible to
define social advocacy as the process of helping people find solutions to
their problems. It encompasses one-time projects, campaigns with a set
deadline, as well as ongoing, protracted effort done to address a variety
of concerns or problems. It is noteworthy that social advocacy is a
chance to affect initiatives or policies.

 Methods For Social Advocacy:

 Steps For Social Advocacy:

The following processes or stages may be used to fight and advocate

for the rights of those who are mistreated and oppressed, even though
there isn't a specific way to undertake social advocacy. These actions
are merely provided as a guide:
1-Identify the issue or the problem and become the voice of the
voiceless:

Identifying the topics that require discussion should come first. Any
activity that is exploitative or goes against the common good, whether
it comes from the government, an individual, or a group, is a problem.
For example, Social advocacy can be used to assist bonded workers in
escaping their ties when a landlord is found to be abusing them and
violating the Bonded Labor Abolition Act of 1976.

2-Collect data about the problem:

Getting information on those who were impacted, the costs to people

and the environment, and other related topics is the second phase.
Making a compelling argument for those seeking justice is done by
collecting all of the available information.

3-Draw up a plan for how to solve the problem: 

Social advocacy entails taking a systemic approach to the issues of

injustice and human rights. It is obvious that issues like pollution, which
cause a lot of suffering, cannot be resolved by sometimes lending a
hand to a few individuals.

To assist those who are suffering, significant changes must be made to

the existing social, political, and economic systems. A social issue's
causes, effects, and potential solutions should be researched before
tackling it. After that, we draught a strategy outlining potential fixes.
4. Network, forming alliances and mobilize public support:

Connecting with like-minded individuals, organizations, groups, and

institutions is the fourth phase in a social advocacy process so that they
can cooperate to bring about justice. This form of partnership aids in
raising awareness of the problem and accelerating the execution of the
strategy.

5-Generate public awareness:

Inform individuals of their rights and the repercussions of not exercising

them. This will enable you to make a compelling argument against the
injustice being committed. Since these need to be made public, social
advocacy also includes an important awareness campaign.

6-Plan and execute the campaign: 

Prior to taking any action, careful planning should be made, outlining

the campaign's modus operandi as well as its plans and tactics. It might
be necessary to organise dharnas, protests, and meetings with notable
speakers. It might also be necessary to plan morchas. This is necessary
to prevent the campaign from starting out in the wrong direction.

7-Enlist media support:

The last thing to do is seeking assistance from the media because doing
so can help to persuade others to assist and attract the correct kind of
attention. It is the quickest form of communication when it comes to
spreading information. Even those who reside in isolated and distant
locations can learn about it. Support from the media may be able to
give the campaign the extra boost it needs.
8- Get favorable judicial pronouncements:

Use PIL to influence favourable court rulings: PIL has developed into a
vital and powerful tool for social activism. Favorable court decisions
have been reached on a variety of various matters, including the
concerns with the Bonded Labor, the displaced individuals, and the
projects that were impacted by them. People now know how to access
the courts for their human rights because of PIL.

9-Build pressure and lobby for suitable legislation:

Through social campaigning, lawmakers and other legislative bodies can

be persuaded to amend a current legislation or create a new one that
better serves the needs of the community.

SOCIAL ADVOCACY AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL CHANGE:

Changing public policies to prevent issues and to lessen the number of

victims who result from faulty legislation is part of social advocacy for
social change. Compared to charities' typical strategy of trying to help
each person one at a time, this can be both more efficient and cost-
effective. The quality of life can be improved for entire towns or
regions at once with changes to policy.

Social Advocacy is crucial in getting the attention of those in positions

of power, whether it is to safeguard women's rights or advocate for
improved traffic safety. To spread awareness of their cause to a larger
audience, people can build a sense of community and solidarity through
advocacy.
  Social Advocacy enables people to be heard

Social advocacy enables people to make their opinions known in

public, grabbing the interest of journalists, legislators, and well-
known people all around the world. Individuals can highlight their
viewpoint to the larger community and serve as change agents by
speaking out in favour of a cause.

 Social Advocacy supports the protection of human rights

Issues that are supported frequently centre on defending human rights.

Through advocacy, the general public will become more aware of their
rights, societal entitlements, and the violations of rights currently
experienced by marginalised groups in society. The protection of
human rights concerns a number of problems that are frequently
debated and bargained in society, including the advancement of
women's rights, education, and safety.

 Advocacy influences laws and policies

Advocacy can directly affect public policy decisions, much like having
one's voice heard in the public domain. Politicians and policymakers will
become more aware of these difficulties as communities campaign for a
cause or concern, and they may even contemplate incorporating the
viewpoints of advocates into formal law or policy. This is essential for
bringing about societal change and keeping offenders accountable.

 Advocacy enables people to better understand each other

Depending on the efficacy and scope of advocacy actions, the

promotion of a certain cause in society may have an effect on
significant celebrities, well-known businesses, and donors. Influential
individuals will have the opportunity to openly address these
challenges, which could alter the existing social order and result in
more significant change. The community's members will also be
exposed to certain issues and topics, which is the first step to improving
mutual understanding.

 Advocacy promotes problem solving and participation

All advocacy initiatives call on communities and groups to get together

and collaboratively work to solve issues. Communities will need
coordination skills to enable the smooth facilitation of advocacy
initiatives, from organising logistics of advocacy campaigns to
organising public protests. For advocacy work to succeed, participation
and participatory decision-making are essential.

 Advocacy highlights available resources and services

Greater advocacy can enable people to access resources and services

that were previously regarded as inaccessible, whether it is additional
financial resources to further finance advocacy campaigns or
governmental services that can help marginalised groups. This will
surely bring social change by altering status quo.

 Advocacy educates the greater community

People frequently don't know about the injustices and complaints that
various groups have to deal with on a global scale, therefore advocacy
actions can assist bring these concerns to light and inform the general
public. People can acquire the knowledge and abilities they need to
protect and assert their rights through advocacy, which is a learning
process.

 Advocacy fosters respect for a cause

Advocacy is important because it can help make the world a better

place, and it also helps build respect for important issues. This is
important because it helps to solve problems in a peaceful way, and it
helps to build relationships between people in power.
  Advocacy makes people feel stronger

When advocating for personal beliefs, many people may feel afraid or
lack Motivation, because they are alone. However, a supportive
network can help people get back their drive and start working on an
issue with more momentum. Advocacy efforts are most successful
when implemented in a group setting, where people are helped by the
presence and will of others.

 Advocacy helps NGOs to thrive

Non-profit organizations are founded on a central goal or mission,

which is meant to make the world a better place. Advocacy for certain
causes can help these organizations reach their goals and gain more
public attention, which can help them affect change in the society.

 Examples of social advocacy activities include:

 Educating the public
 Conducting research
 Lobbying politicians
 Encouraging voter turnout
 Backing political candidates
 Donating money
 Filing lawsuits
 Coordinating protests
 Mobilizing the public
 Running media campaigns
 Hosting fundraising events

1. Jan Sahas Social Development Society:

Jan Sahas is a non-profit organization that has been working to end
manual scavenging and other forms of forced labor since 2000. They
focus on awareness and community empowerment, working to end
these practices in 68 different districts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, and Bihar.

2. Tiljala Society for Human and Educational Development:

Tiljala Society is a grassroots organization that has been working for the
underprivileged and marginalized people of Kolkata for the last 30
years. Their focus is on empowering and transforming the lives of rag
pickers and their families who have been neglected and socially
ostracized. They also work with related vulnerable groups, such as child
labourers and street dwellers, to help them improve their lives and
access the basic necessities like safe drinking water and sanitation.

3. Centre for Social Action:

Centre for Social Action works with community-based organizations to

develop an awareness of social problems affecting vulnerable groups of
children and women and provide resources to solve them. Some of
their initiatives include providing supplementary classes for children in
districts in Mumbai, Thane and Raigad, improving their learning with a
play-way method of teaching, and training parents to participate in
parent-teacher meetings.

4. The Humsafar Trust:

HST is a non-profit organization that has been working to improve the

health and human rights of LGBTQ people since 1994. They work with
targeted HIV interventions to reach out to over 7,500 LGBTQ
communities in Mumbai. They also advocate for LGBTQ rights, building
capacities of partner organizations in 27 Indian states.

5. Centre for Youth and Social Development:

CYSD is a charitable organization that focuses on helping marginalized
people in India, improves their quality of life. It works with tribal
communities and rural poor to eradicate poverty, ensure social justice,
and provide opportunities for marginalized people to escape poverty.
CYSD also conducts research and advocacy on behalf of marginalized
people, including tribals. It has reached out to over 18 million people
living in 8,500 villages across 12 districts in Odisha through direct
project interventions and partner networks.