To exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively Campaigning Definition: To exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end.

Campaigning basics Campaigning requires 3 basic elements An identified problem An identified solution The political will to change matters

A campaigning quiz Q. Why do we campaign? Q. Name some campaigns? (Think historically and recently, think globally and locally) Q. What makes a campaign successful? (Name the ingredients) Start of with some questions. Break the participants into groups and give them at least 10 to 15 minutes to answer these questions.

1. We campaign for social justice Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings” Nelson Mandela Feb 3, 2005

We campaign to effect change. People in power don’t always see the but they do feel the People in power don’t always see the light but they do feel the heat.

Civil Rights / Anti-Apartheid/ Suffragettes/ Labour Rights Name some campaigns: Historical Civil Rights / Anti-Apartheid/ Suffragettes/ Labour Rights More Recent Drop The Debt/ Make Poverty History/ No Sweat / Women’s Reproductive Rights

Successful campaigns usually have Moral outrage. An identified wrong that needs fixing Clear demands. A strong and clear message Good spokespeople (eg. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, etc) An identifiable target (a villian). Public support

Involves a series of actions, events, stunts, reports, all aimed at Campaigning Involves speaking up, drawing the community’s attention to an issue and directing decision-makers to a solution Involves a series of actions, events, stunts, reports, all aimed at achieving change.

The ABC s of Campaigning Know the issue Be SMART The 7 ‘C’s Think SWOT And always KISS

A good campaign is well-researched. Know The Issue How can you advocated for change if you don’t know what you are talking about? A good campaigner will take the time to learn about an issue. Note – you don’t have to be an expert, but you do need to know the important core messages. A good campaign is well-researched.

Tough Issues to Understand Many of the issues Oxfam deals with are complicated eg. trade rules, patent rights, structural adjustment, etc. That is why we rely on good background information, solid research and articulated solutions.

The Human Story Many people have a hard time understanding Third World Debt but most understand that all children should have access to a basic education. Yet they are related.

DEBT and SCHOOLS Emphasize the human story. Millions of children are denied their right to an education Because poor countries are spending more on debt repayments than they are on education for children IN BRIEF Emphasize the human story. African governments spend an average of $14 per person a year on debt service and just $5 per capita on health care.  With the cancellation of debt, countries can spend that $14 per person on health care, education and other such areas as they see fit.

Debt – Has Africa paid? “Every week, poverty kills more people than the Tsunami. A child dies every three seconds through preventable diseases. Yet at the same time the poorest countries in the world routinely spend more on debt repayments than they do on health. In 2002 low-income countries paid out $39 billion in debt repayments to rich country creditors - the equivalent of $100 million every day. In that same year, despite the billions living in poverty, the millions out of school, and the thousands dying daily, they received only $17bn billion in grant aid.” Do the Deal The G7 must act now to cancel poor country debts (February 2005) Joint agency paper - ActionAid, CAFOD, Oxfam http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/debt_aid/g7_deal.htm

SMART Campaigning A good campaign is a SMART campaign. Your objectives should be Specific Manageable Achievable Results oriented Time bound

The SMART Quiz S – Specific -What is your specific ask? What do you want people to do? M– Manageable – Do you have the necessary resources to make this campaign succeed. A – Achievable – Is your goal or demand achievable? How realistic is your goal? R - Results oriented – What results are you aiming for? How will you measure success? T – Time bound – When do you expect your campaign to end? Is there a pre-determined end date that you can aim for? (eg. WTO or World Band meetings).

The 7 Cs of campaigning Creative Campaigning requires you are Clear about your goal, Concise and Consistent with your messaging as well as Compelling Creative Comprehensive and Credible.

SWOT analysis Before you venture into a campaign one should do an organizational and environmental scan. Strengths and Weaknesses help you measure internal factors. Opportunities and Threats help you determine external factors.

KISS When deciding on your actions and messages remember to Keep It Simple and Sensible.

What Makes A Campaign Effective? Identify what needs to change. What are you aiming to achieve? You can list short-term to long-term goals. Good research – proof of argument. Know your issue. Articulated policy objectives – What specifically needs to change. Articulated action – Given the desired goal what is you want people to do? Sign a petition, contact their MP, write a letter, etc. Be clear. Target or villain. Who needs to change or who is it that can effect the change. Action plan – What is your strategy? How are you going to win this change? Popular mobilization/ media strategy/ stunts/ speakers tours/ etc

We need to you A good campaign needs good campaigners who are articulate, creative, and tenacious. We need activists who are ready to advocate for change by speaking at meetings, to friends, to the media; Change requires we take action. A good campaign helps us achieve our goals.