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Description
The aim of the project is the systematic training of 30 civil society organizations (CSOs) on how to design, develop and implement advocacy activities on Human Rights issues. The training will be based on the methodology, expertise and experience of Amnesty International.
The main activities of the project include the production of digital, openly available material, the development of a digital platform, the organization of seminars, webinars with Amnesty’s staff, the development of pilot advocacy actions scripts, etc. At the end of the project, a skills hare workshop will be held to exchange experiences with beneficiaries & publishing research on advocacy in Greece. Through the proposed activities, the beneficiary organizations will develop skills and techniques and will acquire innovative tools concerning advocacy, will build networks and will transfer their experience to local communities.
The impact of the project and the logic of such an intervention is based on the deficit that exists in civil society in Greece, for knowledge and advocacy tools in order to increase its impact as well as achieve change. CSOs need to change their organizational culture and focus on advocacy activities as tools for achieving change and sustainable impact.
Beneficiaries will be 30 CSOs, who are or are willing to advocate for human rights. There will be a blending of NGOs & grassroots organizations to break the silos, while there will be support for more than 150 individuals from civil society with full access to materials. The number of beneficiaries will be increased geometrically, in the medium, term through synergies.
Amnesty International will design, implement and manage the whole project on the basis of its international experience in both advocacy for human rights education.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several challenges:
- Limited Advocacy Capacity Among Civil Society Organizations (CSOs): Despite the presence of many active organizations in Greece working on human rights issues, there was a significant gap in their ability to effectively advocate for social change, due to a focus on emergency responses rather than long-term advocacy, monitoring, and accountability.
- Lack of Coordinated Efforts Among CSOs: The project sought to overcome the fragmentation in civil society by creating networks of organizations that could collaborate on advocacy efforts and amplify their collective impact.
- Need for Improved Advocacy Skills: Many civil society organizations lacked the strategic advocacy skills necessary to influence public and private actors, such as policymakers, and bring about systemic change in areas such as human rights, education, labor, health, and migration.
The project involved the following activities:
- Training Program: The project provided 22 months of systematic training in strategic human rights advocacy, based on Amnesty International''s methodology and expertise. The training included over 26 sessions, focusing on advocacy techniques, communication strategies, and the development of tools for effective public and private sector advocacy.
- Development of Advocacy Campaigns: Participants were trained to design and implement advocacy campaigns targeting public and private actors. These campaigns aimed to address a wide range of human rights issues, such as labor rights, migration, education, and healthcare.
- Networking and Collaboration: The project brought together more than 30 civil society organizations and 15 individual actors. It encouraged the formation of networks and partnerships among these diverse groups, fostering collaboration and joint advocacy actions.
- Creation of an Advocacy Guide: A multi-page advocacy guide was produced, summarizing the training work and providing a practical, accessible resource for future advocacy efforts. This guide serves as a valuable tool for organizations and activists to design and implement advocacy strategies.
- Legacy and Ongoing Networking: The project successfully created a lasting network of civil society organizations that continue to collaborate on advocacy efforts beyond the project’s duration.
The project achieved the following results:
Beneficiaries:
- Civil Society Organizations (CSOs): Over 30 organizations, including NGOs, grassroots groups, and individual activists, gained skills and tools for strategic advocacy.
- Advocacy Practitioners: The individual actors involved in the project gained hands-on experience in designing and implementing advocacy campaigns.
- Vulnerable Communities: The indirect beneficiaries of the advocacy campaigns include marginalized and vulnerable groups whose rights were the focus of the campaigns, such as migrants, LGBTI+ communities, people with disabilities, the elderly, and workers.
Key Outcomes:
- Increased Advocacy Capacity: The training enhanced the ability of civil society organizations to engage in strategic, long-term advocacy, helping them design and execute campaigns that effectively target decision-makers in both public and private sectors.
- Improved Organizational Culture: The project fostered a shift in organizational culture, encouraging CSOs to focus on advocacy as a key tool for social change. This shift empowered organizations to adopt advocacy as a central strategy in their work.
- Formation of Networks: The training facilitated the creation of a strong, ongoing network of civil society organizations that collaborate on advocacy efforts, sharing knowledge and resources to maximize impact.
- Sustained Collaboration: The network formed during the project continues to operate after the project’s completion, enabling ongoing advocacy actions and synergies within civil society.
- Advocacy Guide: The advocacy guide serves as a long-term resource for organizations looking to implement strategic advocacy and monitor human rights issues.
Impact: The project had a lasting impact on civil society in Greece by strengthening the advocacy capacity of organizations working on human rights issues. By shifting the focus from emergency responses to systematic advocacy, the project empowered CSOs to play a more active role in creating social change. The training, networking, and tools developed during the project will continue to support advocacy efforts, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and contributing to a more effective and coordinated civil society movement. The continued collaboration among organizations is a testament to the project''s success in building a foundation for long-term advocacy and social transformation.