10

Module 10
Advocacy

Integrating harm reduction and

sexual and reproductive health and
rights
 Module 10 Advocacy

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 2 hours

• To identify gaps and barriers to accessing SRHR for women and

gender non-conforming people who use drugs in the country
• To prioritise key actions and targets for advocacy
 Module 10 Advocacy

WHAT IS ADVOCACY? 10 minutes

Working in 3 groups
Develop a concise explanation with these words:

enabling environment
legislation
decision-makers
rights
criminalisation
inequity
discrimination
changes
influence
policy
 Module 10 Advocacy

ELEMENTS OF ADVOCACY
• Advocacy can contribute to creating an enabling environment and empowering
communities.
• It includes strategies to influence decision-makers to bring solutions to identified
problems.
• It is a process to adress inequity, to denounce legislation, policies, administrative
regulations, practices and crimilasitation of drug use, which undermine the rights of
women and gender non-conforming people who use drugs.
• It aims to bring about long-lasting changes in policy, procedures and practices to
promote SRHR of women and gender non-conforming people who use drugs to reduce
violence, discrimination and stigma.
• Women and gender non-conforming people who use drugs should be enabled to
contribute to and lead advocacy efforts.
 Module 10 Advocacy

10 ADVOCACY STEPS
1. Define your issue
2. Set goals and objectives
3. Identify target audience, decision-makers and influenc
4. Engage in partnership and identify allies
5. Assess resources
6. Plan advocacy actions
7. Create advocacy communication/messages
8. Develop monitoring and evaluation plan
9. Take action!
10. Evaluate
 Module 10 Advocacy

IDENTIFY YOUR BARRIERS? 25 minutes

Working in 3 groups, identify:

• Legal barriers
• Administrative procedures barriers

Topics
• Abortion
• Contraception
• Cervical cancer
• Gender-based violence
• HIV/STI prevention, testing and treatment
• Perinatal and newborn care, including NOW
• Sexuality and menstrual hygiene
 Module 10 Advocacy

ADVOCACY STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS

Media work: increases the visibility of your cause, sensitises public opinion to your cause,
and presents the arguments in favour of change. Actions include: press release, press
dossier, open letter in the newspaper, newspaper insert or article, web banner, TV/radio
spot, training journalists.

Lobbying: this involves direct contact with your target decision- makers to explain your
intentions, the changes you seek, and to convince them to act. Actions include: meetings
policymakers, participating in ministerial working groups, organising field visits for
decision-makers, participating in public consultations, proposing parliamentary questions.

Public campaigning: this covers a variety of actions that aim to influence decision-makers
indirectly. Public campaigning can sensitise a large number of people to your cause and
gather together a sizeable support base. Actions include: petitions, demonstrations, letters
to Members of Parliament, e-actions through social media, remembrance days

Litigation: take legal action to defend the rights of the people concerned
 Module 10 Advocacy

ADVOCACY TARGETS AND ALLIES

There are two types of targets:

• Primary target audiences are the decision-makers who have the authority to
bring about the desired policy change.
• Secondary target audiences are people who have access to and can influence
the primary audience.

Example: Heads of state, ministers, political advisors, technical advisors, parliamentarians,

representatives of local organisations, representatives of religious organisations,
representatives of international agencies and/or financial and technical partners, local health
authorities.

Allies
Although not part of your advocacy team, these people support your work and your
objectives. Alliances/partnerships may be built with a diverse range of actors, such as civil
society groups, other NGOs, experts/ academics
 Module 10 Advocacy

TAKE ACTION! 40 minutes

Working in 3 groups
From the gaps/barriers identified, prioritise one barrier you want to address
through advocacy

Criteria:
• importance and/or urgency,
• achievability,
• allies already identified to support the action

REPORT BACK 15 minutes

 Module 10 Advocacy

ADVOCACY LED BY WOMEN AND GENDER NON-

CONFORMING PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS
• Groups or networks of women and gender non-
conforming people who use drugs should participate in
and lead advocacy efforts, including those directed at the
wider public to reduce discrimination.

• Support to establish and develop networks of women and

gender non-conforming people is critical
 Module 10 Advocacy

EXAMPLE:

• The objective: was to provide evidences and testimonies about the gender-based violence experienced
by women who use drugs and to propose changes in the policy and programmes to prevent and stop
violence agains women who use drugs.
• The targets were the general population, policymakers, law enforcement and international partners.
• Different actions were taken in 12 countries worldwide and were all published in a final report on the
WHRIN website.
• The actions held were: social media campaigns, meetings with women who use drugs to collect
testimonies, debates and demands to politicians, talkshows on radio, collaborating with local artists,
making films, training on rights.
Visit the website: https://whrin.site/campaign
 Module 10 Advocacy

EXAMPLE:
Federal Capital Abuja, Nigeria
• The objective of the advocacy was to provide friendly SRHR services for
young women who use drugs.
• The target was the Primary Health Care Development Board
• These different actions were taken to sensitise the Primary Health Care
Development Board about the specific needs of young women who use
drugs:
• Visiting primary healthcare
• Discussion between the Executive Director of YouthRise
Nigeria, and the Gender Programme Advisor and Director of
SRHR service at the Primary Health Care Development Board
• Training primary healthcare workers on delivering friendly
SRHR services for young women who use drugs
• The achievements were a change in the behaviour of primary
healthcare workers, and the increase of service uptake within primary
healthcare facilities by young women who use drugs due to decreased
fears of been stigmatised and discriminated against.
 Module 10 Advocacy

EXAMPLE:
Nigeria

The objective was to advocate for harm reduction services, which only a small percentage of people who
use drugs received, including specific services for women who use drugs.

The targets were the implementing partners and government agencies.

The action was to develop a diary with key advocacy messages every month.

The achievement was to increase visibility of the drug user network

and the needs of women who use drugs.