REACT

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

Advocacy means speaking up and taking action to influence positive change. Advocacy is about using human rights to make a positive difference in the world. You can advocate for your own rights or the rights of others.

Advocacy can be about:

Something happening at your school
An issue that is affecting your community
A global issue that impacts you or the rights of other children

Why does advocacy matter?

Advocacy is important because it allows us:

To make our voices heard
To stand up for issues we believe in, and promote our rights and the rights of others
To create positive change and make a difference in our community and around the world

What does advocacy look like?

Advocacy can take many different forms. Here are some simple examples:

Raise awareness around an issue by holding an event (bake sale, assembly)
Start a club or community project to get others interested and involved in the issue
Join a local organization or organize a fundraiser (car wash, bake sale) to support the issue
Write letters to key decision-makers (local politicians, community leaders) to advocate for change related to the issues

How do you get started?

Find an issue that you care about and learn as much as you can about it
Decide what you want to change to address the issue
Find friends or peers who are also interested in this issue, and brainstorm what actions you can take to influence change on this issue
Identify the people that have the power to effect change, and brainstorm different ways to engage them and influence change
Make a plan - draw up a list of activities or actions that help you bring about change
Evaluate - is your plan realistic? Is it linked to your issue? How will it bring about change or influence the issue?