Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 1 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Photos: ActionAid
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy Reflection from the Fair Green and Global (FGG) Programme Phase 1, October 2015
Report by Fons van der Velden * Context, International Cooperation Utrecht, the Netherlands
* The workshop reporters Hachangu Hakalima and Fieke J ägers contributed substantially to the input of this document. Thanks are furthermore due to the workshop participants especially Lillian Matsika (co - facilitator) and Liesbeth van Brink and Kaetlyn Roberts (ActionAid, the Netherlands) Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 2 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
KEY QUOTES
‘Strengthening the capacity of people is at the centre’.
‘Strengthening communities to advocate on their own, independent from ActionAid is core’.
‘Duty bearers must be held accountable’.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 3 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
FOREWORD
During the period 2011-2015, AA Kenya, AA Zambia, AA Zimbabwe, AA South Africa, AA Netherlands, the AA IS, and partners through the tax and land campaigns, implemented programmes under the Fair Green and Global (FGG) Programme. This programme was multi-facetted and covered work at national, regional, Dutch and global level on land governance, women and land rights, corporate conduct, communities and extractives and tax justice.
During the implementation period, we realized that it was important to share our experiences on campaigning, lobby and advocacy in order to learn about it. In April 2014 a workshop was held with al l FGG partners on advocacy for corporate accountability. This resulted in a trainin g manual. At the same time the 5 implementing countries docum ented cases, the 5 “Stories of Change”. In October 2015, a workshop was held in Kitwe, Zambia to take stock of what was learned on lobby and advocacy for corporate accountability during 5 year of FGG implementation and from other, recurrent work.
This document is not a detailed report of the workshop and its sessions, but a knowledge product with lessons learned f rom the workshop that can be used to improve our future work.
I want to thank ActionAid Zambia for its hospitality; the Communities of Chingola and Mufulira for receiving us and sharing their stories; the participants for putting their day-to –day-workload on hold, travel all the way to Kitwe and share their insights, hopes, fears and advice; and Fons van der Velden of Context International Cooperation and Lillian Matsika from ActionAid Zimbabwe in guiding us through the process.
Liesbeth van Brink March 2016
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 4 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
TABLE OF CONTENT
Key Quotes 2 Foreword 3 1. Background and Purpose of the Report 5 2. End of Programme Reflection Workshop in Kitwe Zambia 8 2.1 Case Presentations: Eight Stories of Battles and Change 9 2.2 Two Field Visits: Mining Companies in Mufulira and Chingola 10 2.3 Distilling, Prioritising and Clustering the Main Learnings: Concept Mapping Exercise 12 2.4 Major Outcomes of the Joint Reflection Exercise 13 2.5 Lessons Learned 16 3. 10 Major Learnings at Strategic Level 17 4. 10 Major Learnings at Operational Level 25 5. Annexes 31 Annex 1: List of Participants 32 Annex 2: Guidelines for the Presentation of the Stories of Change 34 Annex 3: Report about the Joint Reflection Through a Concept Mapping Exercise 36
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 5 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
1. Background and
Purpose of the Report
Photos: ActionAid Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 6 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
‘Learning is a social process and lasting behavioural change is more likely to follow from the re-interpretation of past experience rather than the acquisition of ‘fresh knowledge’ which may have been generated by outsiders. 1
1. Background and Purpose of the Report
In the period 2011 – 2015 ActionAid participated actively in the Fair, Green and Global (FGG) Alliance, a Netherlands based coalition which consists of Both ENDS, de Schone Kleren Campagne / Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC), Milieudefensie / Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) / Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE), ActionAid the Netherlands, the Centre for Research on Multinational Cor porations (SOMO) and the Transnational Institute (TNI).
The FGG overall objective is to c ontribute to poverty reduction and socially just and environmentally sustainable development by enhancing the capacity of civil societies in the South to: 1) Develop and promote exemplary policies, practices and actions towards socially just and environmentally sustainable development; 2) Achieve effective corporate accountability measures; 3) Reorient trade and investment policies; 4) Reorient financial policies.
For ActionAid, the FGG Programme focussed on: 1. Land Governance/women and land rights. 2. Corporate conduct and land grab, notably in extractives. 3. Tax Justice.
The programme was implemented at 3 levels: 1. Community empowerment and policy influencing/campaigning in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya. 2. Support to the ActionAid International land and tax campaigns. 3. Policy influencing in the Netherlands and at EU level.
1 Reg Revans, The ABC of Action Learning , London (Lemos and Crane), 2008. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 7 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
At the end of the programme period, in October 2015, a three -day joint learning workshop was held in Kitwe, in the copper-belt of Zambia. The aim of this workshop was to strengthen mutual capacities to strategize and implement effective lobby and advocacy for corporate accountability (especially on issues of natural resources, land and extractives) through reflection and analysis on experiences from the programme and how change happened.
The workshop was organised as an experience and evidence -based learning (reflection and analysis) event, devoted to in -depth reflections on the lobby and advocacy work of the FGG programme. During the workshop a structured reflection took place on the basis of storytelling through the presentation of cases, a field visit, a Concept Mapping exercise and group discussions.
The workshop was attended by around 30 participants: partner organisations of ActionAid and staff members of the Act ionAid International secretariat and ActionAid Country offices in South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands. 2
The programme of the 3 day workshop consisted of 3 parts: 1. A presentation by participants of 8 case studies of the FGG programme and lessons learned. 2. A field visit and reflection on it. 3. A concept mapping exercise through with more generic lessons learned were discussed.
The lessons learned are summarised on this report as follows: 1. Lessons that are related to the field visit. 2. 10 Strategic lessons learned. 3. 10 Operational lessons learned.
The report is meant to be a knowledge product and to be used as a reference for further programming and reflection.
2 For further details reference is made to Annex I: List of participants ActionAid learning workshop. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 8 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
2. End Of Programme
Reflection Workshop
in Kitwe Zambia
Photos: ActionAid Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 9 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
2. End Of Programme Reflection
Workshop in Kitwe Zambia
2.1 Case Presentations: Eight Stories of Battles and Change The workshop started with storytelling exercises with regard to eight stories of change in which ActionAid and its partner organisations are involved:
1. Zambia: Canadian FQM copper mine in Musele; 2. Kenya: Dominion Farm in Yala Swamp; 3. South Africa: mining affected communities upheld a mining bill; 4. Zimbabwe: diamond discovery in Marange; 5. The Netherlands: Lobby against EU biofuels legislation
These five stories are the Stories of Change that the 5 FGG countries documented during the last year of the FGG. In addition 3 other stories were shared during the workshop. All presentations were prepared well in advance as per a format that had been suggested by the organisers of the meeting. This format is provided in Ann ex II. The additional cases were:
6. ActionAid International: Lobby of illicit financial flows towards the African Union Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC). 7. ActionAid South Africa, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe: joint research regarding the women and m ining research. 8. Zambia: briefing on the f ield visit; Copper mining in Mufulira.
During all these case presentations the following main questions were paid attention to:
a. What was the issue at hand? What did the community aim for? b. What was it that communities, ActionAid and other actors exactly set out to do and what was the assumption of its effects? c. What happened as a result: both expected and unexpected? Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 10 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
d. How did it happen? e. Up to what degree have there been shifts in power relationships f. W hat have been the enablers and / or constricts in the process of change? g. What are the major reflections and learnings from this case?
The lessons learned from this exercise are reflected in the section of generic lessons learned and strategic and operational less ons learned.
2.2 Two Field Visits: Mining Companies in Mufulira and Chingola
On the second day of the workshop the participants were split into two groups and participated in field visits to mi ning affected communities in Mufulira and Chingola area. Here they had the opportunity to interact with ActionAid staff members, ActionAid partner organisations, representatives of community based organisations and community members.
The field visits revealed among others hard core poverty among the mining affected communities, marginalisation, extreme unhealthy living conditions, and absence of basic social services. Furthermore, the divide and rule strategy and tactics of the mining companies on the one hand and a strong determination to engage in a struggle to change conditions and power relations among community members, Community Based Organisations, ActionAid partner organisations and ActionAid staff members on the other came to light. Despite attempts to organise a visit and meeting with representatives of the mining companies, the companies were not prepared to receive or interact with the workshop participants.
At the beginning of the third day a short reflection exercise was organised about the field visits with the following leading questions: 1. Situation: describe the situation, facts as facts. 2. Behaviour: describe the behaviour of persons involved in the field visit, observable behaviour. 3. Impact: what was the impact on you? 4. Learnings: what are the major learnings from this visit for you?
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 11 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
With regard to the impact the visits had on the participants of the workshop; words such as ‘sad’, ‘disappointment’, ‘ashamed’, ‘sense of guilt’ and ‘frustration’ were mentioned by both the groups.
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FIELD VISIT From the field visit to Mufulira the following main learnings could be distilled by the group of participants: ‘There is a lot of power dynamics, suspicion and chaos among the various main stakeholders at location regarding responsibilities and accountability; The councillors were manipulating the communities; The community was speaking through the councillors; The community was very eager to be reallocated; There is a need to support communities to organise themselves rigorously; There is less support to the community from the local council; W e need to organise workshops on environmental issues; FGG support made it easier for us to meet the vice president’s office’.
With regard to the field visit to the Chingola council, the following major reflections emerged as a result: (quotes) ‘There is an urgent need to act on behalf of the community; There is as yet no implementation plan; There is no political will; There is a need to address basic needs such as fundamental human rights e.g. water; There is a need for scientific research to conduct on -the-spot water tests in the presence of various actors; There is a need for practical mitigation to address the basic needs of affected people; There is a need to join hands with other actors in order to address the challenges that are faced by other commun ities; There is a need to influence the existing laws so that these will address the plight of the people adequately’.
With regard to the field visit to the Chingola community, the following major reflections emerged on the third day of the workshop: Realisation that the mining companies do the same everywhere; Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 12 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Realisation that ActionAid has to do more: really addressing needs and making changes; Need to engage in activities that may meet practical livelihood needs (water, food, education and health); There is a problem with a too narrow advocacy process; The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) has not been followed: community is not leading but instead appears to be a bystander; Legal complexities; cases can disempower communities due to their long and technical character; At the same time ActionAid must understand and explore possibilities for legal cases across (FGG) countries.
Cross cutting issues from the reflection with regard to the field visits are frustration, if not anger, with regard to the sheer violation of human rights of the mining affected communities; the need to engage in rigorous conscientisation and organising work at field level with the HRBA framework.
At the same time there has been a strong realisation that poor and marginalise d communities often live in such abject poverty and marginalised situations that they cannot ‘wait for Godot’: there is a need to pay attention to livelihood issue and basic social services.
Furthermore, legal cases with regard to mining companies may ne ed to be initiated across geographical borders and in such a manner that communities are not being disempowered.
2.3 Distilling, Prioritising and Clustering the Main Learnings: Concept Mapping Exercise
On day three of the workshop, a systematic and structured reflection was facilitated with regard to the knowledge, insights, feelings and experiences that emerged from the cases and field visits. This was done through a so -called Concept Mapping exercise. Concept Mapping is a transparent, participatory, democratic and systematic exercise to seek the views of participants with regard to (complex) issues, in this particular case the major lessons that can be learned from Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 13 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
ActionAid’s and its partner organisati ons’ involvement in lobby and advocacy activities as carried out in the period 2011 – 2015 within the scope of the FGG programme. The exercise consisted of the following stages.
Participants were asked to brainstorm around hundred statements on the sentence:
ActionAid’s FGG’s Lobby and Advocacy is characterised by ………
These statements were subsequently prioritised by participants individually and then run through a software programme (Ariadne). This resulted in:
o A priority list of what participants thoug h are key elements of AAs Lobby and Advocacy.
o Eight clusters/aspects of Lobby and Advocacy (The Concept Map) which were used to discuss lessons learned further.
The method is democratic in the sense that all participants had an equal chance to contribute statements and ‘vote’ in deciding the priority of the key elements of AA Lobby and Advocacy, and on the composition and interpretation of the clusters. Through a Focus Group Discussion and plenary session the outcome of the Concept Mapping exercise was further processed. (More detailed information about
3 the Concept Mapping methodology can be found at the website Mind21.org. )
2.4 Major Outcomes of the Joint Reflection Exercise
The major outcomes of the joint reflection exercise are comprised of 93 statements with regard to the focus sentence ‘ Action Aid’s FGG’s Lobby and Advocacy is characterised by ………’ and eight clusters of statements that belong more or less to the same category. The fifteen priority statements that have come to light as a result of this exercise are as follows :
3 http://minds21.org/index.html Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 14 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Fifteen key elements that characterize AA Lobby and Advocacy (according to priority)
No. Item
Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by …..
1 Empowerment of women to act to change their situation
2 Building a community’s capacity to influence
3 Empowering communities to stand on their own
4 Building networks and coalitions
5 Imbalance of power between the corporates and the affected communities
6 Women being at the centre of the process
7 Failure to hold mining companies accountable in their countries of origin
8 Conscientized communities demanding accountability
9 Evidence based documentation
10 A lack of clear advocacy strategies
11 Empowering women to know their rights towards land
12 Insufficient community action plan implementation Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 15 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
No. Item
Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by …..
13 Confronting unequal power relations
14 Lack of unified regional campaigns
15 Insufficient community mobilization and conscientization
A major observation was that the majority or participants felt that women’s participation is the most important element in AA Lobby and Advocacy work (positions 1, 6, 11 ) and that community empowerment is considered the key (positions 2, 3, 8) although there is doubt if that work is yet effective enough (position 12 and 15) .
The clusters that emerged and that were used to discuss lessons learned in subgroups, were:
1. Community empowerment, building people’s power. 2. Approaches to advocacy by ActionAid and its partner organisations. 3. Advancing women’s rights; empowering of women. 4. The way ActionAid and its partner organisations work together: partnerships. 5. Immediate community needs; 6. Policies and laws. 7. Confronting power relations; power imbalances. 8. Internal (ActionAid) organisational challenges.
The contents of these clusters are unpacked in Annex 3.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 16 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
2.5 Lessons Learned
On the basis of the reflection on the 8 case stud ies and the above clusters, lessons learned have emerged. For this report they are divided in 10 strategic learnings and 10 operational lessons. It should be noted that cluster number 8 about ‘Internal (ActionAid) has not been processed further within the scope of the report as this will be done elsewhere.
Furthermore, one major lesson (no 10) has been added: the need to practice mindfully. Some of the strategic recommendations may seem to be obvious and part of a standard professional lobby and advocacy a pproach. At the same time, it may be observed that apparently the actual mindful practice (implementation) of these ‘good practices’ is actually not so obvious in the day-to-day reality. In other words, practicing these good practices in the implementation of the FGG programme by ActionAid and its partner organisations has not proven to be very evident, as these ten subject have emerged as major learnings that need apparently to be reconfirmed.
The ten major learnings that emerged are presented in the next chapter.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 17 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
3. 10 Major Learnings
At Strategic Level
Photos: ActionAid Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 18 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
3. 10 Major Learnings At Strategic
Level
1. Need For Clear Advocacy Strategies 2. Agency: Empowering Communities To Advocate For Themselves 3. Advancing Women’s Rights 4. Partnership Building
5. Evidence-Based Lobby And Advocacy
6. Responding To Immediate Community Needs
7. Corporate Accountability, Policies And Laws
8. Power Imbalances
9. Linkages At Local, Regional And International Level
10. Mindful Practice
1. Need For Clear Advocacy Strategies
The first and foremost learning that emerged from the reflection process is that ActionAid and its partner organisations need to have clear(er) lobby and advocacy strategies, which are practical in nature. Moreover, in view of the global setting and the multi-stakeholder character in which ActionAid and its partner organisations Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 19 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
operate, it is important that such strategies are clearly u nderstood, accepted, internalised and implemented by all relevant stakeholders.
In terms of content, such strategies should be community -based so that these may support and facilitate (‘drive’) local struggles by communities themselves (see as well further on).
Once the lobby and advocacy strategies are in place it is important that these are translated into establishing and fostering linkages (networks and coalitions) that may create the necessary pressure.
Notably such strategies do not get implemented automatically: translation in operational guidelines and organisational characteristics is a crucial precondition for success. This implies amongst others; attention for leadership traits, staff competencies, structures, systems and procedures of the orga nisation in order to foster organisational coherence.
Such strategies should as well be linked to identification of revenue streams in order to create opportunities for fundraising and secure funding for programmes.
This learning has a clear link with th e ActionAid principles of analysing and confronting unequal and unjust power; building partnerships; being accountable and transparent; monitoring, evaluating and evidencing impact; and linking work across levels to ensure structural change is addressed.
2. Agency: Empowering Communities to Advocate for Themselves
Within such strategies, it is an important principle, and it should be acknowledged, that ActionAid and its partner organisations themselves as organisations do not lead struggles at the micro-level. Instead, there is a focus on strengthening, community confidence, knowledge, skills and power to lead respective struggles. Hence, community involvement at all stages of a lobby and advocacy process is of crucial importance in terms of legitim acy, evidence-based approach, efficiency and effectiveness. The ultimate aim is that communities can demand accountability themselves. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 20 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Conscientisation and Capacity Development Support to communities are therefore pertinent as part of ActionAid’s HRBA. Wi thin such an approach it is important that women are (supported to be) at the centre of a process.
The implication of this important learning is that community organisation is facilitated by ActionAid and its partner organisations with rigor, so that comm unities can bargain from a position of strength and the sustainability of their organisational and campaign arrangement is being secured.
This learning has a clear link with the ActionAid principles of putting the active agency of people living in poverty first – and building their awareness and rights; and analysing and confronting unequal and unjust power.
3. Advancing Women’s Rights
It is acknowledged that within such an overarching community empowering approach, the involvement of women is crucial. ActionAid’s lobby and advocacy strategy is therefore characterised by strengthening the position of women to act and change their situation. Hence, women are put at the centre of empowerment strategies. Empowerment of women is of crucial importance so that they can engage in struggles.
Against this background it is important to develop a proper understanding of the position of women in struggles. Furthermore, it is of strategic importance to provide support to activities that will develop women’s leadershi p and the emergence of women’s organisations and movement.
Such an approach has a clear link with ActionAid’s principle of advancing women’s rights and implies systematic and conscious attention to gender issues in the design, implementation and review of ActionAid support, projects and programmes.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 21 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
4. Partnership Building
The complexity of the issues that communities face in the area of extractives, land governance and tax justice, is of such a nature that it is important to foster strategic alliances. ActionAid therefore wants to work with partners and coalitions in order to influence and change relevant policies and laws. Moreover, law enforcement by governments and corporate accountability by private sector actors, are high on the agenda.
Strengthening and engaging with networks and coalitions is a priority for ActionAid. In this context it should be noted that networks and coalitions should be driven by communities struggling for change, rather than by so -called ‘development practitioners’ or international NGOs.
Such an approach has a clear link with the ActionAid principle of building partnerships.
5. Evidence-Based Lobby and Advocacy
All of ActionAid’s lobby and advocacy activities should be linked to research about local, national, global and cont extual realities, in view of the fact that lobby and advocacy should be based on empirical evidence.
Within this context, it should be noted that the research (collection of empirical evidence) should not be expert-led, but requires active involvement of communities in the design, actual implementation and follow-up of studies, as it is important to build on people’s knowledge and experiences.
This learning clearly relates to ActionAid’s principle of monitoring, evaluating and evidencing impact.
6. Responding to Immediate Community Needs
In view of the fact that many communities with which ActionAid is working are being deeply marginalised and live in abject poverty, it should be acknowledged that communities often cannot ‘wait for Godot’. In situations whe re communities face a Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 22 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
direct crisis situation in terms of livelihoods and/or basic needs, ActionAid and its partner organisations will work on addressing these basic needs alongside long - term empowering and organising work, in order to strengthen the capac ity of communities to bargain from a position of strength and on their own.
Identification of immediate basic needs, and defining strategic priorities, will be done in close partnership with communities. Thereby, it is ActionAid’s strategy to endeavour together with communities to hold duty bearers responsible and to urge them to deliver and at the same time advocate and lobby for systemic change.
This learning has substantial implications for the resulting required competencies within ActionAid and its p artner organisations. These competencies are not only geared towards lobby and advocacy for systemic change, but as well to social service delivery at community level, in close collaboration with community representatives. This combination of the required competencies may be a challenge.
These learnings have a clear links with the ActionAid principle of being solution - oriented and promoting credible and sustainable alternatives.
7. Corporate Accountability, Policies and Laws
In the lobby and advocacy work of ActionAid and its partner organisations, there is a need for proper political and economic analysis of specific cases and their specific context: a ‘one-size-fits-all approach does not suffice’, in view of the complexity of the issues, their multi-layered character and the multi-actor involvement (link with learning number 5, evidence -based lobby and advocacy).
In view of the global nature of issues that are being addressed, there is a need to hold corporations accountable in their country of origin thr ough various ‘pressuring’ mechanisms. One of the aims is to advocate for the adoption of laws and policies that will promote and protect the interest of communities, and to put pressure on governments to enforce these laws. The objective is to hold duty be arers accountable.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 23 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
This lesson learnt clearly relates to ActionAid principle of analysing and confronting unequal and unjust power.
8. Power Imbalances
It should be acknowledged that development and change are not neutral processes: power is at the centre of ActionAid’s HRBA approach. ActionAid deliberately wants to support communities to confront unequal power relations between people (civil society), companies (private sector) and governments (public sector).
In the day-to-day reality this issue is high ly complex: there is a need to be mindful of imbalances of power in ActionAid’s programming and work. It is important to address power imbalances between corporates and affected communities, in a responsible and strategic manner. In view of the local and i nternational legal frameworks, the guiding principle is that duty bearers must be hold accountable.
Against this background, it is important to establish a proper link between policy and practice, i.e. between the organisational policy, objectives and aim to address power imbalances and the sometimes hazardous reality, which may create risks for Human Rights Defenders and which requires careful follow -up by ActionAid and its partners. There is a need to strengthen capacities of communities in order to spea k and act against ‘imbalanced power’. Human Rights Defenders must be supported and protected at all levels.
This learning has a clear link with ActionAid’s principle of analysing and confronting unequal and unjust power; and structural change.
9. Linkages at Local, Regional And International Level
In view of ActionAid’s principle of ‘putting the active agency of people living in poverty first – and building their awareness of rights’, programming of campaigns should take place from bottom (communities) to t op (ActionAid country offices and international secretariat). Hence, communities, community organisations and community representatives should be explicitly present in planning lobby and advocacy campaigns and establishing linkages between micro and global levels and vice versa. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 24 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
In order to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, there is a need to pro -actively identify regional and international spaces that can be used for coming together.
This learning has a clear link with the ActionAid principles of ana lysing and confronting unequal and unjust power; linking work across levels to ensure that structural change is being addressed; and building partnerships.
10. Mindful Practice
The above mentioned nine learnings may not be new for those who are involved in lobby and advocacy work at the strategic level. However, it should be noted that these learnings have emerged from a genuine and authentic joint reflection (ActionAid staff members and partner organisations) on a number of lobby and advocacy cases that have been carried out during the first stage of the FGG programme (2011-2015). These issues demonstrate how difficult it is ‘to walk the talk’.
Now the major challenge for ActioAid, ActionAid partner organisations and Community Based Organisations is to ‘pra ctice what is being preached’ by applying these learnings in the future. Such mindful practice does not emerge automatically, but requires investment in institutional characteristics (such as strategy, staff competencies, systems, procedures) and capacity enhancement of ActionAid, its partner organisations and Community Based Organisations. It requires active leadership, not only from those who are in formal leadership positions, but as well from all those who provide support and guidance to others.
In order to avoid that emphasis is placed mainly on policies, principles and lessons learned, it is important to put a monitoring and evaluation system in place that monitors the degree to which lessons learned are actually being institutionalised within the respective organisations, the degree to which lessons are implemented in the day-to-day practice of lobby and advocacy work that is being facilitated by ActionAid and its partner organisations and up to what extent new insights from practice emerge. This is a challenging prospect.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 25 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
4. 10 Major Learnings
At Operational Level
Photos: ActionAid Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 26 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
4. 10 Major Learnings at Operational
Level
Apart from the ten above mention strategic learnings numerous learning at operational level emerged during the reflection process. The more important ones – quotes from the workshop notes 4 - can be summarised as follows (the learnings are organised as per the sequence of a project and programme cycle).
1. Community Involvement
2. Human Rights Defenders
3. Human Rights Based Approach
4. Approach/Strategy
5. North-South Lobby Linkages
6. Gender
7. Research
8. Networking And Exchange
9. Alternatives
10 . Internal Organisational Issues
4 Only some minor editing has been done. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 27 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
1. Community Involvement
Need to have a bottom up approach in the planning and implementation of ActionAid programmes. Need to support communities to push their governments. CSOs had a united voice on the consultative process. Not pushed issues as an ActionAid position. Unity of CSOs was critical and strategic. Knowledge and sensitisation is essential. Need to bring community experiences to policy development processes. Community based organisations from different communities can be stronger if they work together. In Zambia a national platform for CSO will be developed.
2. Human Rights Defenders
There is need to empower HR defenders. Most activists have been harassed and arrested as they advocate for the rights of communities and are charged with disrupting public order. A hotline will be setup to offer advice and counsel on various issues affecting activists.
3. Human Rights Based Approach
Not much has been done to educate partners about HRBA. There is need to strengthen and educate communities to better understand HRBA. Need to empower communities enough for them to implement HRBA. Communities must be able to knowledgeable and practical about the implementation of HRBA. Need to translate and simplify the HRBA to local languages. Participants can take HRBA online courses. Online there is a simplified HRBA training/guide. There should also be enough space for partners to use the approach in their own manner. Planning, monitoring and evaluation must all be linked to HRBA. We need to simplify the HRBA approac h. Let us find funding for this, to translate it. But also simplify it for the illiterate (cartoons etc.). When it goes to the countries we need to contextualise it. Not only in writings but also in other modules like theatre etc. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 28 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Very useful to do an analysis based on HRBA. We need to try and take this process further. So when we plan and evaluate we should come back to HRBA.
4. Approach/Strategy National, regional mobilisation and consistence in the message. People felt the heat. Building and sustaining momentum. The message was heard throughout the continent. Holding duty bearers accountable is one of the major lessons learned. The way the whole thing is structured needs to be changed, working separately and focusing on single companies isn’t effective. There is need to focus on governments and whole mining unions at once. Bringing together companies, governments and communities is important. Help communities understand their right in law. Campaigns must be structured in a way that they specify exactly what they aim to achieve. For instance, the “Say no to Mining” campaign is most likely to be misinterpreted when it specifically focuses on advocating for sustainable mining practices. Lobby and advocacy work has been strong in the cases. There is a need to also look to litigation and other avenues to address cases.
5. North-South Lobby Linkages
W e need to look at how we make better linkages and engagement between North and South on these types of lobby issues. Challenge of just ‘using’ cases in these lobby activities but not actually involving impacted countries as partners in the lobby campaign. How to empower the Southern partners to also have control of these cases. There is a need to also conceptualise how to engage and respond on these issues in Europe that impact in the South. We also need to make linkages better. We can bring colleagues from the North also to engage with policy makers in the South.
Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 29 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
6. Gender
Information on the gap impact of mining on women. Reason: lack of gender analysis on level HRBA in FGG programme. Capacity gap: countries have gap of capacity to programme around gender. Outcome of advocacy for CA workshop: more knowledge on gender issues in extractives. We should also look at the difference between different women in designing our programmes. Understand your own perceptions of the capacity of women.
7. Research
W ithin the new structure/positioning of the AA alliance the following is being discussed: we need to bring evidence from the communities. We need voices from the ground. Comm unities should come to the front. The research is helpful. Process of the research: level of consultation was not adequate. Men were left out. Women were not so keen to speak out in front of their men. Critical evidence and case studies that was brought to the panel and technical team by CSOs. We need to get away from the only very technical environmental information. We also need to communicate well on the issues. Documentaries and other types of outreach.
8. Networking And Exchange
It is important for communities to interact with other communities to learn and share. They should be able communicated to each other. ActionAid should support this. Communities need more exchange. Sharing experience through exchanges is useful. Build local coalitions and networks, and strengthen existing ones. Exchanges have to be linked with regional linkages for advocacy. Need for more exchange visits to give diversified views on the various problems and situations on an international level. Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 30 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
There is a need to have a network of organisations working together to enhance the rights of marginalised communities. There is a need to identify regional and international spaces that can be used for coming together at local and regional level for unified presentation of local challenges on the international platform. There would be need to have a collaboration of implementing nations collaboratively fighting for these rights in each other’s countries.
9. Alternatives
W hat is missing in the clusters is Alternatives. How are we moving forward on that? In our work on corporates we need to find alternatives. We shouldn’t be so harsh on the alternative part. If we are true to HRBA, that is already an alternative approach. If we shift civil society to be really people centred, that is already an alternative approach. In discussions in the Nederland’s we find the alternatives are an integral part of our work. Problems with alternative mining legislation, you cannot change someth ing fundamental. We have good laws, but it does not change the situation of the people. An elite designing new legislation will change nothing. Alternative is not an add-on. In agreement with that, but at the same time there are opportunities for small al ternatives. This should come from the people at the bottom.
10. Internal Organisational Issues
The interconnectedness between FGG levels is lacking. It was not clear that the international tax work was part of FGG1. So there is need for more clarification with regards to what activities fall under FGG Suggestion to further discuss how we have good sign off procedures to sign off on more effectively. You need high technical capacities to make good decisions. This is high risk work and the companies are power ful. AA is not donor driven (not donors’ employee), hence implementation is based on the principals and strategies of AA and not donors.
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5. Annexes
Photos: ActionAid Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 32 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
5. Annexes
Annex 1: List of Participants
Participants List FGG Reflection Workshop Ndola- 6-9th October 2016
Countr y Participant Name Organisation Titl e/Role
Zim bab we Lillian Matsika ActionAid Programme and Policy Manager
Zimbabwe Environmental Law Head of Programmes/ Veronica Sano Association (ZELA) Environmental Lawyer Zimbabwe Environmental Law Shamiso Mitsi Association (ZELA) Legal Officer Project Manager – La nd a n d Kenya Swaleh Kitasi ActionAid Natural Resources
Rebecca Anyango Voice of Women on La nd - Yala Chai rl ad y South Christopher Africa Rutle dg e ActionAid Mining and Extractives Coordinator
Fatima Shabodien ActionAid Director - ActionAid South Africa Women from Mining Affected Communities United in Action Convenor of WAMUA Nester Ndebele (WAMUA)
Mesh ack Mining Affected Communities National Organiser of MACUA Mb an gul a United in Action (MACUA)
Zam bia Pamela Chisanga ActionAid Director - ActionAid Zambia
Caroline Elliot ActionAid Head of Programmes and Policy
Muso nd a Kap ena ActionAid FGG Project Coordinator
Stella Chisupa ActionAid Grants Finance Officer Hacha ng u Hakalim a ActionAid Admin Asst –Documentation Admin Asst - Logistics & Guest Chembe Nyendwa ActionAid Affairs Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 33 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Joseph Changala Caritas Ndola Coordinator - Para Legal CCDJP
Clavel Nkandu Caritas Ndola FGG Project - Chingola Community La wre nce Mwanangombe Musele Task Force (MTF) Vice Chairperson/Spokesperson Christopher Nkhata Green & Justice Director
ActionAid International HRBA- Capacity Development AAIS Audry Shematsi Secretariat (FGG)
ActionAid International Corporate and Natural Resources Roselyn Atim Secretariat Officer (FGG)
Shameem Sheik ActionAid International Coordinator Land and Livelihoods Dastagi r Secretariat (Program dir.) ActionAid International Henry Malumo Secretariat Regional Advocacy Coordinator ActionAid International Caroline Mwanza Secretariat FGG Program Finance Manager Program Officer /FGG Pro g ram Netherlands Kaetlyn Roberts ActionAid Ma na ger
Fieke Jagers ActionAid Program Officer
Danny Wijnhoud ActionAid Senior Researcher
Head of Partnership Development Liesbeth van Brink ActionAid & Programmes Fons van der Facilitator Velde n Context, international cooperation Co- facilitator Lillian Matsika ActionAid Zimbabwe Min ute Hacha ng u taker/scribe Hakalim a ActionAid Zambia
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Annex 2: Guidelines for the Presentation of the Stories of Change
A FGG Story of Change reflects what the crucial intervention (or combination of events) was that made the desired change happen and tipped the scale in the right direction. The FGG Story of Change will help us evaluate how change was achieved, through which crucial activities and by whom.
Change Stories: - Present your story more or less in sequence of what happened - Capture voices, different perspectives - Make it accessible, presented in plain language - Set the story in a sound analysis of context - Describe the most crucial event t hat eventually made the change happen. Whilst being cautious not to draw direct causal relationships.
Questions to ask yourself when preparing your presentation:
What was the issue at hand and what did the community aim for?
What was it that communiti es, ActionAid and other actors exactly set out to do and what was the assumption of its effects? What activities where planned and implemented? What were the internal/external factors that enabled this activity / approach? What were adverse forces? Did you have to change your strategy?
What happened as a result: both expected and unexpected? What change took place? What have been the impacts of the change internally and externally? (on systems and structures, on people, on relations, on strategies?)
How did it happen? What was the most crucial activity or contributing factor that made the change happen? Did ActionAid played any specific role? Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 35 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
Shifts in power relationships Have there been shifts in power relationships and if so what have been the results/changes of this shift? These may include relationships between community structures and the local authority, men and women, NGO and recipients of resources etc.
What have been the enablers and or constrictors in the process of change? E.g. relationships /increased engagement with stakeholders, legislative processes, increased media coverage, formation of networks, powerful spokespersons, changes within political bodies, etc.
Reflection: In retrospect, what has gone well and what could we have done dif ferently? To what extent has this experience influenced other areas AA’s work and approach
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Annex 3: Report about the Joint Reflection Through a Concept Mapping Exercise
3.1 Outcome prioritisation
No. Item Score Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by ….. 1 Empowerment of women to act to change their situation 4.32 2 Building communities capacity to influence 4.24 3 Empowering communities to stand on their own 4.19 4 Building networks and coalitions 4.00 5 Imbalance of power between the corporates and the affected communities 4.00 6 Women being at the center of the process 3.95 7 Failure to hold mining companies accountable in their countries of origin 3.94 8 Conscientized communities demanding accountability 3.90 9 Evidence based documentation 3.90 10 A lack of clear advocacy strategies 3.90 11 Empowering women to know their rights towards land 3.89 12 Insufficient community action plan implementation 3.81 13 Confronting unequal power relations 3.80 14 Lack of unified regional campaign 3.78 15 insufficient community mobilization and conscientization 3.76 16 Increases communities knowledgeable of their rights 3.75 17 Sensitizing the communities to uphold integrity and human rights 3.68 18 Insufficient North –south linkages 3.67 19 Insufficient political economic analysis 3.58 20 Lack of prioritizing mining impacts on women 3.57 21 Protection of human rights defenders 3.55 22 Sufficient connection in campaigning in the global south and the 3.42 Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 37 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
No. Item Score Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by ….. global north 23 Lack of regional coordination 3.40 24 Not putting the people’s agenda in the center 3.38 25 Engagement by the state and all stakeholders 3.37 26 Engagement with different actors 3.35 27 Lack of evidence of impact of mining on children 3.35 28 Disconnect between the FGG and global AA work 3.33 29 Lack of long term monitoring of policies to ensure that they are implemented 3.30 30 Lack of dissemination of information 3.29 31 A slight disconnect between our theory and practice 3.28 32 Lack of cross country advocacy strategies 3.26 33 Lack of fully predetermined approach to lobby and advocacy 3.25 34 Influencing exemplary laws and policies 3.20 35 Use of case studies 3.20 36 Shrinking of political operating space 3.20 37 Changes in in AA staff affects the continuity of the programme 3.16 38 Making change in humans’ lives 3.14 39 Addressing basic needs 3.10 40 Information sharing 3.10 41 Un gendered evidence base 3.10 42 Influencing exemplary laws and policies 3.10 43 A lack of sharing on what each country works on 3.06 44 lack of adequate policies to push the agenda 3.05 45 Lack of AAI institutional support 3.05 46 inadequate government legislation 3.05 47 Courage of conviction 3.05 48 Lack of capacity to have strong advocacy at the EU level 3.00 49 Men engaging while women are cooking 3.00 50 Lack of education by some of the community leaders 2.95 51 An absence of a shared political vision around extractives in AA 2.95 Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 38 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
No. Item Score Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by ….. 52 Lack of insight into the corporate sector 2.95 53 corporates arm-twisting government institutions 2.95 54 Disconnect in taking protection policy to the human rights defenders at the community level 2.95 55 Top down strategy 2.90 56 Lack of understanding of the local context of the country 2.90 57 A lack of capacity on research on local, national, global contextual realities 2.90 58 Inadequate collaboration between duty bearers and rights holders 2.90 59 Disconnect between the micro and macro level 2.90 60 Absence of legal representation 2.89 61 Compartmentalized actions 2.88 62 Brining countries together for one goal 2.86 63 Limitation caused by donor restriction 2.85 64 Changes in political leadership affect continuous advocacy and lobby at the local level 2.84 65 addressing policies and practices in the Netherlands and EU that have negative impacts on communities 2.81 66 Disconnect between FGG and other extractives 2.76 67 A lack of uniform understanding of the organizational approaches 2.76 68 policies suiting investors 2.75 69 Reproduction of power imbalances 2.74 70 A patriarchal ideology 2.71 71 Lack of sustainable funding to continue engaging advocacy at community level 2.71 72 A mixture of strategies 2.67 73 Priorities developed in the north and not in the south 2.67 74 Lack of funding for regional advocacy work 2.65 75 The donor’s agenda 2.63 76 Disconnect with the practical service delivery needs of the community 2.62 77 Lack of people centered SMART strategy to achieve quick change 2.58 Practices and Lessons Regarding Effective Lobby and Advocacy 39 FGG Alliance 2011 – 2015
No. Item Score Action Aid’s FGG lobby and advocacy is characterised by ….. 78 Passion 2.56 79 Partners implementation 2.52 80 Managing of perceptions and attitude among different players 2.48 81 Narrow advocacy focus 2.43 82 Complicated and duplicated reporting processes 2.40 83 AA staff speaking on behalf of the communities 2.38 84 The North directing the south what to do 2.38 85 Elite driven processes 2.33 86 Pretty words and no action 2.33 87 Public litigation cases 2.26 88 Hindered by AA IS restructuring 2.20 90 Emotion rather than evidence 1.80 91 Ensuring that no handouts are given to communities 1.79 92 Number 1 in civil society in the world 1.75 93 Sometimes directed by personal interest 1.60
3.2 Eight clusters
CL1. Community empowerment, building people’s power. CL2. Approaches to advocacy by ActionAid and its partner organisations. CL3. Advancing women’s rights; empowering of women. CL4. The way ActionAid and its partner organisations work together: partnerships. CL 5. Immediate community needs; CL6. Policies and laws. CL 7. Confronting power relations; power imbalances. CL 8. Internal (ActionAid) organisational challenges.
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3.3 Cluster preferences
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Photos: ActionAid