Conference: Pastoralism in Eastern Africa & Policy Influencing in Europe Food, Livestock and Pastoralism Policies (17th June 2009)

by Francis N. Chabari et al

How to work out a lobby and advocacy strategy?

Lobby as instrument: some starting points
The basic starting point for a lobby is the analysis that through forms of cooperation private and public partners can work on solutions for problems they share. The attitude of the lobbyist is that he believes that in the case involved a win-win situation can be realized through shared actions.

This is not always possible. And there could be many reasons for this.
The first obstacle could lay in competing or conflicting objectives or interests between the parties involved. However even then it is sometimes possible to define smaller or partial agreements between the parties so that lobby is still an option. But if the interests are really contradictory, pressure, anger and overruling seems to be the only option for the private organizations (CSOs, NGOs).

The second obstacle can lay in the fact that the public sector has no interest in the issues private sector organizations present them. It is difficult to reach a ‘win-win’ situation of the other party has no intention to ‘play’ at all. This means usually that the lobbyist has to create understanding and awareness among the public sector representatives (civil servants, elected members of governing bodies, service organizations) of the issues involved. Simply explaining the issue and why it is important for people and organizations is not enough. We cannot expect the others to simply take our point and agree that the issue is worth more attention. The first lobby stage implies finding the interests for the public sector to involve itself in the issue we present. Building external pressure on public sector representatives under these circumstances will not be very successful since the persons involved don’t see a role for them to play.

However, as soon as we have been able to table the issue with the public sector in such a way that the issue is on their table and it is evident for them that there is something to win in cooperation with us, we can start the real lobby.

For full Strategy for Lobby and Advocacy document, CLICK HERE: [download id=”4″] For full Program of Events, CLICK HERE: [download id=”5″] For Cordaid Presentation, CLICK HERE: [download id=”6″] [download id=”7″] For List of Participants, CLICK HERE: [download id=”8″] For Policy Document, CLICK HERE: [download id=”9″]

Posted on 21 September 2010 in Pastoralism, Policy & Power, Value of Pastoralism