Summary of project results
The need for advocacy training among Lithuanian NGOs is significant. Very few organizations plan and conduct targeted and fact-based advocacy and have advocacy staff. They usually limit themselves to scattered small scale advocacy actions that have little impact. This is primarily due to lack of skills and capacity as well as sceptical attitude of the government institutions towards human rights and advocacy NGOs, if not NGOs overall. The project proposed strengthening advocacy knowledge and skills for the selected NGO representatives with the goal of enabling them to participate in and influence public policy in the field of social development and human rights. The desired impact of the project was a significant improvement of NGOs to plan and implement more effective advocacy actions by using their new skills and web-based toolbox. The long term effect of the project should be improved policy decisions related to human rights and social development. As the project was pre-defined, the promoter has implemented the initially set tasks, such as: a) development and coordination of detailed program and curriculum for the capacity building; b) 3 two-day capacity-building workshops for developing knowledge on principles and methods related to advocacy, fact-based lobbying and awareness raising organized for 16 NGOs; c) dedicated website
www.advokacija.lt developed and launched: a toolbox on advocacy presented to NGOs. NGO representatives who participated in the training programme have improved their advocacy planning and implementation skills, strengthened their capacity for participation in policy development and decision making, learned producing analytical and fact-based solutions, implementing civil scrutiny, using advocacy planning and implementation tools, working with media, etc. Participants have also learned best practice examples of human rights advocacy which they can now apply practically in their work. The web-based advocacy toolbox is another instrument for all NGOs and individual civic activists engaging in advocacy actions, active participation as well as policy and decision making at various levels. The toolbox is also a good start for the newcomers to learn about the purpose, tools and results of advocacy activities. Project results will sustain their value in a long term period, however, the intensity of advocacy efforts by NGOs will greatly depend on their financial sustainability.