PART 4:
LEARNING ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS
Section 4:
Learning Exercises for Part 3Advocacy! Taking Action for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
STEP 1: DEFINE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKE
Defining the Change You Want to Make
Objective: To help participants identify the action they wish to take
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of Handout 1
1. Discuss/List:
· What are the main issues or barriers to the human rights of persons with disabilities in your community? Brainstorm a list and record it on chart paper.
· If you could create change on any one of these issues or barriers, which one(s) would make the most difference in the lives of persons with disabilities? Mark these issues with a star.
2. Analyze:
Ask participants to break into small groups according to the starred items that they would most like to work on. If many people want to work on the same issue or barrier, encourage several small groups rather than a single large one.
Give each group a copy of Handout 1, Defining the Change You Want to Make, to guide their discussions.
3. Report:
Ask each group to post and briefly explain their analysis of the change they wish to make. Ask for comments and suggestions from the whole group.
Handout 1
Defining the Change You Want to Make
1. What is the specific change you wish to bring about? Write this in a few sentences on chart paper.
2. Does this change involve having the right:· Respected (that is, having the right recognized, stopping people and institutions from denying or limiting the right)?
· Protected (that is, having laws and measures to ensure the right is not violated and prevent its violation in the future)?
· Fulfilled (that is, given sufficient recognition, funding, and other positive acts that enable and assist the enjoyment of that right)?3. Analyze possible underlying causes of the situation you wish to change. Look at each from as many perspectives as you can imagine. For example:
· Attitudes
· Laws
· Society
· Religion and culture
· Government
· Health care system
· Individuals and families
· Other perspectives4. Of the underlying causes identified for each challenge, which seem to be the most significant?
STEP 2: ARTICULATING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO MAKE
Articulating the Change You Want to Make
Objective: To develop skills in articulating advocacy goals
Time: 60 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of Handout 2
1. Explain:
Once you have a clear vision of the change you want to make, you need to develop the skills to communicate your vision articulately and convincingly to others, to both potential supporters and opponents.
Ask each group to prepare a five-minute presentation to a “panel of community leaders” on their chosen problem. Give each group a copy of Handout 2, Articulating the Change You Want to Make, and encourage each to try to include most of what it suggests.
Note to Facilitator: Allow plenty of time for planning and practice. Emphasize that although some members of the group may naturally be better public speakers, everyone should participate in the planning and be able to explain their vision for change.
2. Plan:
Ask each group to choose one or two spokespersons to make the presentation and two or three to serve as the “panel of community leaders.” While the groups practice their presentations, the “panel of leaders” meets to decide on their roles, representing probable attitudes within the community leadership (for example, a hostile mayor, a supportive community leader, a school board member, a religious authority). Alternatively, ask one or two people from each group to come together to form the panel for all presentations.
3. Present:
Ask the spokesperson(s) from each group to make a presentation to the panels members, who listen and respond, asking questions and offering comments, objections, or suggestions in keeping with their chosen roles.
Note to Facilitator: Time the presentations carefully; most presenters have difficulty filling the full five minutes. Also, limit the panel’s responses in order for all groups to have sufficient time.
4. Discuss:
After the presentations and role play, discuss:
· How did the spokespersons feel when presenting the problem?
· How did the “community leaders” respond to the presentation? What attitudes in the community were they representing?
· How did the audience, composed of the rest of the group, respond to the presentations?
· Did any spokesperson discuss the problem as a human rights violation? Did putting the problem in this context strengthen the argument?
· Are these ideas for improving this specific right feasible in your community? Why or why not?
5. Conclude:
Challenge the participants to evaluate their knowledge of the problem and inclusiveness of their perspective:
· How would you change your presentation in a real-life situation?
· How did you obtain your information on the barriers to participation and their impact? Was it accurate and complete? If not, what additional information do you need and how can you obtain it?
· Did you consult persons with disabilities about the problem and how it affects them? About the actions that could improve the problem?
· Why is it important in real-life human rights advocacy to include the active participation of those directly involved and affected?
· How can you apply the lessons learned from this exercise to planning and implementing advocacy for persons with disabilities in your own community?
Emphasize that while articulating your vision for change is a critical skill for effective advocacy, it is also one that develops through practice. The more you do it, the better you get. Encourage participants to take opportunities to speak out about the change they want to make.
Note to Facilitator: If the technology is available, arrange to record the presentations on video and let the speakers privately critique their performances.
Handout 2
Articulating the Change You Want to Make
1. Describe the problem. If possible, mention:· How this problem may intersect with other kinds of human rights violations that many persons with disabilities experience;
· The group(s) of persons with disabilities it principally affects; and
· The possible cause(s) of the problem.2. Relate the problem to the human rights of persons with disabilities, referring to specific articles of the CRPD and, if possible, to other human rights documents.
3. Clarify how the problem affects the lives of persons with disabilities (and their families where relevant).
4. Show how addressing the problem can improve the lives of persons with disabilities and the community in general.
5. Propose specific actions that should be taken to address the problem. Show how members of the community can get involved in addressing the problem.
STEP 3: PREPARING FOR ACTION
Conducting a SWOT Analysis
Objective: To analyze the activists’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Chart paper and markers or blackboard and chalk; copies of Handout 3
1. Explain/ Analyze:
Explain that once you have articulated the change you want to make, you need to analyze it in terms of your and your organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (a SWOT analysis). Divide participants into small groups. Give everyone copies of Handout 3, A SWOT Analysis, and ask them to answer its questions.
Handout 3
A SWOT Analysis
Strengths: Consider strengths from your organization’s and/or your personal point of view and from the point of view of the people you deal with.· What are your advantages?
· What do you do well?
· What do other people see as your strengths?
· What unique resources do you have?
Weaknesses: Again, consider this from an internal and external basis: do other people seem to perceive weaknesses that you do not see? It is best to be realistic now and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.
· What are your weaknesses?
· What should you avoid?
· Where do you have fewer resources than others?
· What are others likely to see as your weaknesses?
Opportunities:
· What are the good opportunities facing you?
· What are the interesting trends you are aware of?
· Who are your potential allies?
Threats:
· What obstacles do you face?
· Does your group have all the required skills for the job?
· Do competitors or opponents already exist?
Source: Mind Tools: http://www.mindtools.com/swot.html
2. Report/Compare/Consolidate:
Taking each category in turn, ask each group to report its findings. Record these separate charts for each category, putting a star by items mentioned by more than one group. When complete, discuss the results, asking questions like these:
· What are the main strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats noted by most groups?
· Did some observations surprise you?
· How can you make use of the results of this analysis?
3. Discuss:
Post the list of challenges identified in the SWOT analysis conducted in Advocacy Exercise 3. Consider these questions about the challenges facing the present and future work of your organization:
· Which of these challenges are you or others already working to change? How?
· Does your work address the underlying causes of the situation? How?
· Which of the identified challenges might be easily added to existing work being done by or on behalf of persons with disabilities? Why?
· Would some of these challenges for persons with disabilities be especially difficult, disadvantageous, or even dangerous to address? Why?
4. Discuss:
Post the list of opportunities identified in the SWOT analysis conducted in Advocacy Exercise 3. Consider these questions about allies and potential allies:
· Who are the most likely allies to support your action? Why?
· Do you share the same goals?
· How can your work and theirs complement and support each other?
· What do you and/or your organization have to offer the collaboration?
· What do you and/or your organization have to gain from the collaboration?
· Are there potential problems with collaboration with any group?
· How can you establish this collaboration?
Note to Facilitator:
· Even in a small group, divide participants into pairs; comparing different analyses is very useful.
· Modify the questions where appropriate.
Gathering Information
Objective: To facilitate gathering background information
Time: Variable
Materials: None
1. Explain/Analyze:
Observe that a wide variety of information is required to plan effective advocacy. This exercise is intended to help identify the areas where research is needed. Ask questions like these:
· What statistics are available about persons with disabilities in your community, your country, and in the world (for example, their numbers, ages, income levels, etc.)?
o Is this data reliable?
o What additional statistics do you need to take action?
o Where can you find this information? Who can help?
· What laws and official policies does your country have that directly affect persons with disabilities?
o Do you consider these laws and policies to be adequate and effective?
o Do they adequately protect the rights of persons with disabilities?
o Are these laws and policies consistently enforced and implemented? If not, why not?
o Are further laws needed? If so, what new laws would you recommend?
· Has your country ratified (and is thus legally bound to uphold) any of the international human rights treaties affecting persons with disabilities?
o Has your country ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)?
o If no, why not? What can you do to change this decision?
o If yes, what steps has your government already taken in that direction?
o Are any groups in your country already advocating ratification of the CRPD? What are they doing? How can you help?
· Does your country have a national human rights commission and/or a national disability commission?
o Are these institutions part of the government or independent of it, that is, part of “civil society”?
o What, if anything, are these institutions doing to improve human rights and/or the lives of persons with disabilities?
o How can you work with these institutions to see that human rights standards are enforced for persons with disabilities?
o Find out what government ministries and agencies are working on the rights and needs of persons with disabilities. Do they have disability policies and/or disability focal points?
o Are any of these governmental bodies especially encouraging or discouraging of advocacy on the rights of persons with disabilities?
Note to Facilitator: These questions may require initial research to answer. You may wish to work through this exercise over two or more sessions, discussing and assigning topics for groups of participants to investigate at the first meeting, and meeting to report back at the last.
STEP 4: MAKING YOUR ACTION PLAN
Making an Action Plan
Objective: To develop long- and short-term action plans
Time: Variable
Materials: Copies of sample action plan forms
1. Explain:
Point out that having completed the initial stages of defining, articulating, and gathering information about the action(s) participants wish to take the group is ready to make an action plan.
Distribute the sample action planning forms. Explain that there are many formats for such a plan and these examples are offered to stimulate their thinking.
2. Plan:
Point out that the group may wish to develop more than one plan, perhaps having one action plan for actions aimed at long-term goals and several others for individual, short-term actions. Encourage the group to include in every plan a section on follow-up and evaluation.
Assist participants in organizing small groups with specific responsibilities. Some groups may choose to work all together; others may prefer to have small groups develop plans for the same action and then combine the best features of these alternative plans.
STEP 5: TAKING ACTION
Participants are ready to implement their action plan(s) and use the skills and information they’ve gained to clearly address social change no matter how small the step. Encourage the group to give themselves a reasonable amount of time to accomplish their goal and set a date to follow-up.
STEP 6: FOLLOWING-UP
Evaluating Advocacy
Objective: To develop long- and short-term action plans
Time: Variable
Materials: Copies of sample action plan forms
Note to Facilitator: Once the group has begun to take action, they should meet regularly to evaluate their progress, communicate the successes or challenges faced, and make adjustments, if needed, to their action plan.
1. Discuss:
Encourage participants to share their experiences, asking questions like these:
· Did you follow the action plan?
· What successes did you have?
· What challenges did you encounter?
· Does the plan need to be amended?
· If you met your goal:
o What factors contributed to your success?
o How can you build on this success?
o Should you repeat this strategy?
· If your goal was not met:
o What revisions need to be made to the action plan?
o Does additional research need to be completed?
o Are additional resources needed?
· What are your next steps for action?
o Do you have another action to take?
ADVOCACY ACTION PLAN
We recommend completing one Action Plan per meeting per group.
Action Group: ____________________Date: __________
What type of issue is the group addressing?
What type of actions are necessary?
Who will take action?
By what date will the action be done?
What financial, material, and human resources are needed to take action?
When was the action taken?
What happened as a result of the action?
1st Goal/Objective
Description:
Measurement:
Importance: Essential Important Desirable
2nd Goal/Objective
Description:
Measurement:
Importance: Essential Important Desirable
3rd Goal/Objective
Description:
Measurement:
Importance: Essential Important Desirable
