Training Workshop on

Advocacy capacity strengthening for Good Governance and

Human Rights Initiatives through Right Based Approach
Organizes by:
Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO
in association with
Center for Advocacy and Social Justice Initiative-CASJI
and 
Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C.

Location                  : Dhaka
Date                       : 13-16 February, 2007
Time                       : 9:30 am-4:30 pm
Type of workshop     : National
Course duration        : 4 days
Course fee               : Tk. 7,500.00

Course facilitator      : Dr. Hossain Shahriar, Bangladesh Country Representative,     Advocacy Institute of Washington D.C. Co-founder CASJI

 Co-facilitators           : Siddika Sultana, Executive Director, ESDO, and Shahnaj Monir, Advocacy Institute fellow and Board member of ESDO

 Resource Speakers     : Dr. Golam Samdani; Director Training, BRAC, Dr. Sallahuddin Ahmad; Pro-VC BRAC   University, Dr. Rana Satter; Human Rights Consultant. Dr. Mahfuzul Haq; Secretary, Govt. of Bangladesh

Preamble:

Advocacy is a process to enable social justice advocates to gain access and voice in decision making, to influence public attitudes and to bring about, enact and implement laws and public policies which will take the society closer towards being just and equitable.

The workshop is designed in a way to reflect the Bangladeshi situation and how advocacy can be made effective here to reach certain goals from a development perspective. The workshop will follow the guideline of Advocacy Institute of Washington D.C. USA and David Cohen and Dr. Shahriar founded Center for Advocacy and Social Justice Initiative-CASJI (Washington-Melbourne and Dhaka Based an international advocacy center) with ESDOs long experiences in the field of advocacy and policy lobbying and media advocacy. It will help development professionals to understand the concept of advocacy, the tools of advocacy and enable them to understand the proper use of those tools through rights-based approach. It will illustrate what ‘civil society’ means and what issues the ‘civil society’ can advocate for. Some time during the workshop will be spent on media advocacy, how it can be done effectively, what factors are associated with it, among other things.

While workings on any issue related to policy intervention for adaptation, change, reform or pass over, the advocacy is a very powerful method to win over. However, there are many ways the advocacy can be worked with, and specific tools need to be adopted for it. The course will provide insight on how the advocacy operates, and how participants and their respective organizations can effectively carry out advocacy work using the media or as many tools, especially issues concerning good governance and child rights, human rights, reproductive health, adolescent right, HIV/AIDS prevention, population, and media & mass education etc.

Overview:

Advocacy is a process to enable social justice advocates to gain access and voice in decision making, to influence public attitudes and to bring about, enact and implement laws and public policies which will take the society closer towards being just and equitable.

Governance issue is the major fundamental task for LDC nations. In the development field we are facing the issue addressing and approaches of good governance initiatives. In this course, we would like to facilitate and strengthening the capacity of participants to act and handle the governance issues. 

Media advocacy is a component of the overall concept of advocacy. It can be an important part of any planning process to highlight issues as it helps in message development, delivery, campaign and presentation. Before delivering completely into media advocacy, an overall idea what media advocacy is, what its other tools are, and so on, will also be addressed in this course.

ESDO has long experiences in the field of policy lobbying and media advocacy and we have created a model for successful policy advocacy & campaign through our anti-polythene movement. We have developed curriculum & materials along with Advocacy Institute, Washington, D.C. British Council International Network, and Center for Advocacy and Social Justice Initiative-CASJI

This workshop will help development professional, government and media personnel by increasing their knowledge and skills on advocacy and to act as a social justice advocate in the field of good governance and rights through rights based approach.
It is designed in a way to reflect the Bangladeshi situation and how advocacy can be made effective here to reach certain goals from a development perspective.
It will illustrate what ‘civil society’ means and what issues the ‘civil society’ can advocate for. Some time during the workshop will be spent on media advocacy, how it can be done effectively, what factors are associated with it, among other things.

 Objectives:

To provide a deeper understanding of advocacy, its basic concept, and the role of advocates, NGO and GO relationship to enhance their efforts towards achieving organizational and social goal:

·         Enhancing knowledge and capacity on advocacy it’s strategic planning & ways of policy intervention and lobbying

·         Examine the range and applications of specific advocacy tools

·         Identify the areas for the NGO-GO co-operation and collaboration to promote social, economical and environmental justice for strengthening good governance and human rights through media advocacy

·         To understand and clarify the issue of advocacy through right based approach

·         Policy intervention and exploring way out for policy implementation through advocacy

·         To find out the obstacles and opportunities of advocacy and lobbying

·         Design and develop an action plan for issue-based advocacy

Course fee will include:

·         Refreshments and Lunch for each working day

·         Workshop materials

·         Field visit

·         Group photograph and certificate

Note: * Accommodation and travel cost for participants will have to be borne by respective organizations or individuals.
Registration Process:
Interested participants are requested to contact ESDO so that registration forms may be sent to them. Registration will close on 10 February, 2007.

We would be happy if you join or nominate one (or more) candidate (s) from your organization/institution that would be benefited by being a part of this workshop.
 
A registration form attached herewith. For farther query please call us.

Please return the completed form (s) one of the following ways:

 By mail / e-mail or fax to:

Coordinator
Advocacy Training
ESDO
House #8/1, Block-C, Level-4
Lalmatia, Dhaka- 1207

Tel       : +880-2-912-2729
Fax     : +880-2-913-0017
Email  : training@esdo.org