Advocacy and MEAs

Advocacy and
Multinational
Environmental
Agreements
AN ENFORAC RESOURCE
DOCUMENT
2007
Workshop Outline
Day #1 – Morning
 Module I and II
 Lunch
 Module III and IV
2
Workshop Outline
Day #2 – Morning
 Module V, and VI
 Practical exercise #1 – Preparation Plan
 Practical Exercise #2 – Networking Strategy
 Lunch
 Module VII and VIII

 Practical exercise #1 – Internet Utilisation
 Practical exercise #2 – Lobbying Strategy
3
Workshop Outline
Day #3 – Morning
 Module IX and X
 Practical exercise #1 – Accreditation Submission
 Practical exercise #2 – Press Release
 Lunch
 Module XI and XII

 Practical exercise #1 – Implementation and
Enforcement Strategy
 Practical exercise #2 – Funding Submission
4
Workshop Objectives
 Sensitise ENFORAC members regarding the basics of
Advocacy Campaigns
 Sensitise ENFORAC members regarding the potential

role of civil society in promoting Democratic Good
Governance
 Introduce ENFORAC members to critical MEAs and

Domestic Policy documents
 Sensitise ENFORAC members regarding the role of civil

society members in MEA and Domestic Policy
negotiations
5
Workshop Objectives
 Create a practical Advocacy Campaign!
 Preparation Plan
 Networking Strategy
 Internet Utilisation
 Lobbying Strategy
 Accreditation Submission
 Press Release
 Implementation and Enforcement Strategy
 Funding Submission
6
Module I : Advocacy and Civil
Society
 What is advocacy?
 Why advocacy?
 What is democracy?
 Civil society and democracy?
7
Advocacy and Civil
Society
What is advocacy?
 The act or process of advocating or supporting a
cause or proposal
 With the intent of creating (positive) changes in
behaviour or policy
 No “right way” to conduct advocacy

 Each situation requires a specific action plan
8
Advocacy and Civil
Society
What is advocacy?
 Advocacy can occur at different levels
 Individual
 Paramount Chief
 District Council
 National Government
 Regional Government
 International Intergovernmental Level
9
Advocacy and Civil
Society
What is advocacy?
 Can occur at different stages of the
decision making process
 Who makes the decisions
 What is decided: legislation, policies,
budgets, programmes practices
 How is it decided
 How it is enforced or implemented:

accountability, awareness raising
10
Advocacy and Civil
Society
What is advocacy?
 How advocacy occurs is important
 Accountability and transparency
 The participation of the
people/communities that will be affected
 Their active involvement in advocating
for change
11
Advocacy and Civil
Society
What is advocacy?
 People centred advocacy has its own change
dynamic (teaches new skills)
 Strengthens its capacity, organisation and power
 Increases the legitimacy of community participation
 Improves the accountability of public institutions
 Improves the material situation of individuals
 Expands their self-awareness as citizens with both

responsibilities and rights
12
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Why advocacy?
 Ultimate goal is a change at the policy level
 Policy can be at any of the previously mentioned
levels of governance
 Often requires building support at the

individual or community level
 Requires training and sensitisation campaigns to
change attitudes and behaviour
13
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Characteristics of a strong Advocate
 Good negotiating skills
 Excellent communication skills
 Lots of patience!
 Strong, clear Vision of the future
 Good networking skills
14
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign – The Project Cycle
15
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign – Planning
 Research!!!
 Should guide your entire advocacy project
 Project should always reflect the findings of your

research
16
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Why do Research?
 Identification of the project
 Avoid damaging mistakes
 Identify the priorities of your beneficiaries
 Gives your cause legitimacy and strength
 Enable you to choose the most effective advocacy
tool
 Set baselines for future comparison
17
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Research Methods
 Self-Administered Questionnaire
 Administered Questionnaire
 Semi-Structured Interview
 Focus Group Discussion
 Quantitative Measurements
 Literature Reviews
 Photographic and Video Recording
18
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Identifying key individuals and groups
 Allies – People who are “on your side”
 Beneficiaries – People whose lives will be affected by the
successful achievement of your Advocacy goals
 Adversaries – People who are opposed to what you’re doing
 Influencers – Those who through their position, relationship,
knowledge or status are able to influence those with the
power of decision making
 Decision Makers – ultimately, these are the people who
have the POWER or authority to make decisions that will
create change
19
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign –
Doing
 Importance of an Advocacy Action Plan
 Identify and track critical deliverables
 Set and keep to a defined timetable
 Increase the transparency of your campaign
20
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign – Doing
 Examples of an advocacy timetable - WaterAid
21
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Examples of an advocacy timetable - OXFAM
22
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 The Art of Negotiation
 Integrity: Make sure you have thorough
understanding of what you are Advocating for
 Maturity: Achieve a balance of courage and
consideration when discussing
 Abundance Mentality: Everyone can win!
 Relationships: Maintain relationships based on
trust and understanding
 Agreements: Clear, specific agreements
23
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Advocacy Tools – Five Categories
24
Advocacy and Civil
Society
 Advocacy Tools – How to decide?
 How cost-effective is the tool?
 How many people will this tool reach?
 What sources of information does your target
audience regard as credible?
 What specific skills does your group have?
 What other tools have been used on similar
projects?
 Have they been successful?
 Is there a way to measure the success of your
chosen tool?
25
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Review and Analyse
 Monitoring refers to an internal project
activity intended to provide constant
feedback on the following:
 Progress of an project
 The problems it is facing
 The efficiency of its implementation
26
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Review and Analyse
 Projects without effective Monitoring
tend to suffer the following:
 Delays and cost of overruns
 To exclude or under-represent certain sectors of the
target population
 To have problems of quality control
 Take longer to detect antagonisms among the
implementing partner and the beneficiaries
27
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Review and Analyse
 Monitoring must be based on the
following:
 Project objectives/purpose
 Expected outputs
 Timetable
 Costing/budget
 Strategies/methods
 Participation of responsible persons and other
stakeholders
28
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign – Review
and Analyse
 Monitoring should consider the following:
 Inputs
 Are inputs for project implementation reasonable?
 Activities
 Are appropriate procedures that are visualized by the
programme followed?
 Are the activities appropriate and in line with the project
objectives?
 Are all the activities being implemented following appropriate
process and timing?
29
Advocacy and Civil
Society
Conducting an Advocacy Campaign – Review
and Analyse
 Monitoring should consider the following:
 Outputs
 Have expected outputs been achieved?
 What is the quality and quantity of the output/s?
 Do these match the project objectives?
 Effects and Impacts
 What indications of effects and impacts of the project
interventions are visualised in the targeted district/chiefdom?
 Are the existing indications leading the communities towards
the ultimate objectives of the project?
30
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 31
Module II : Democracy and
Civil Society
What is democracy?
1) System of governance
 A government in which the supreme
power is vested in the people and
exercised by them directly or indirectly
through a system of representation
usually involving periodically held free
elections
32
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
2) A process
 Effective participation
 Voting equality at the decisive stage
 Enlightened understanding
 Control of the agenda
 Inclusive participant group
33
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
 Effective participation
 Provides each individual the opportunity
for expressing their preferences for
decisions that are binding
34
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
 Voting equality at the decisive stage

 Must be among and between the entire
citizenry (members or employees)
35
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
 Enlightened understanding
 Allows each citizen (member or employee) to
have equal and adequate opportunity to
evaluate the choice that would best serve their
interests
36
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
 Control of the agenda

 Regarding what items are to be decided
through democratic decision making
37
Democracy and Civil
Society
What is democracy?
 Inclusive participant group

 The entire population that is subject to
the decisions of the association
38
Democracy and Civil
Society
Civil society and democracy?
 What role does civil society have in
promoting democracy?
 Four critical points!
 How does this relate to advocacy?
39
Democracy and Civil
Society
1) It can play a balancing role to the state
and provide a check on its overall
power
40
Democracy and Civil
Society
2) It can increase the accountability of
the state by enforcing standards of
public morality
41
Democracy and Civil
Society
3) It can assist in communicating the
interests and demands of the citizenry
to the state
42
Democracy and Civil
Society
4) It can define political rules along
democratic lines, in essence creating a
new set of political norms
43
Democracy and Civil
Society
 How does this relate to advocacy?
 The act or process of advocating or
supporting a cause or proposal
 With the intent of creating (positive) changes
in behaviour or policy
 Process ---- must be democratic in

nature for an effective and inclusive
advocacy campaign!!!
44
LUNCH TIME
Please be
back in 1
hour! 45
Module III : Introducing
Multinational Environmental
Agreements (MEAs)
 Gain a better understanding of MEAs
 Defining MEAs
 Sierra Leone policies and Acts
46
Introducing MEAs
 An MEA is a legally binding
instrument between two or more
nation states that deals with some
aspects of the environment
 Legally Binding
 Between two or more nation states
47
Introducing MEAs
 The proliferation of MEAs
 Response to the gravity of

environmental problems
 Environmental issues are often not just
local
48
Introducing MEAs
Basic information on MEAs organisation
 Secretariat
 Reporting on compliance
 Employing or fostering mechanisms for
projects dealing with MEAs implementation
 Conference of Parties
 Parties vs Signatory countries
 Scientific Body
49
Introducing MEAs
Basic information on selected MEAs
 For a list of critical MEAs refer to Pages 5-
10 of the UNEP manual ; Negotiating and
Implementing MEAs : A Manual for NGOs
 Review the Kyoto Protocol

(www.unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/283
0.php)
50
Introducing MEAs
MEAs and International Law
 Key terms from the Vienna Convention
on the Law of Treaties
 Treaty
 Ratification / Acceptance / Approval /
Accession
 Reservation
 Party
51
Introducing MEAs
MEAs and International Law
Adoption – ending of the text negotiation
Signature – first step in ratification
Ratification/Acceptance/Approval – national approval
Entry into Force – time and number of states
Accession – final acceptance
Withdrawal / Denouncing – formal exit
52
Introducing MEAs
Different Types of MEAs
1) Geographic reach classification

• Global, regional, multilateral or bilateral
1) Regulatory tool classification

• Stand alone, framework agreements or
appendix driven
53
Introducing MEAs
Civil Society Participation – Rio Principle 10
 Access to information
 Access to judicial measures and

proceedings
 Access to administrative processes
 Access to redress
 Access to remedy
54
Introducing MEAs
Clustering Approach
1. Sustainable development
2. Biodiversity associated
3. Chemicals and hazardous wastes
4. Regional seas and related
conventions
5. Atmosphere
6. Land
55
Introducing MEAs
MEAs and National Law
Bill is introduced into Parliament
Requires a majority vote of present Members of

Parliament
Signature by the President
Becomes an Act
Published in the Gazette and becomes law
President can veto --- requires a 2/3 vote by

Parliament to overturn a veto 56
Introducing MEAs
MEAs and National Law
 For a list of critical Sierra Leone Environmental
Laws see www.sierra-leone.org/laws
 Review the Environmental Protection Act – 2000

 www.sierra-leone.org/laws/2000-2.pdf
57
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 58
Module IV : The Role of
NGOs in MEA Negotiations
 Defining NGOs
 NGOs at the UN and in MEAs
 Defining objectives: different NGO

roles in negotiations
59
The Role of NGOs in MEA
Negotiations
United Nations Department of Information
 Non-profit citizens’ voluntary entity
organised nationally or internationally
Vague definition
 A type of civil society organisation that is
formally constituted to provide a benefit to
the general public or the world at large
through the provision of advocacy or
services
60
Negotiations
Various Terms or Definitions
CSOs – Civil society organisations

CBOs – Community based
organisations
BONGOs – Business organised NGOs
ENGOs – Environmental NGOs
61
Negotiations
What it is not
 Part of the government
 Organised primarily for private profit
62
Negotiations
NGOs, Civil Society or Major Groups?
 Civil Society (UN Definition)
 The associations of citizens entered into
voluntarily to advance their interests, ideas and
ideologies. The term does not include profit
making activity or governing.
 Major groups – comes from Agenda 21
63
Negotiations
UNEP Approach – functional
1. Service delivery – project based
2. Representation – citizens voices
3. Advocacy and policy inputs
4. Capacity building
5. Social functions – collective social

activities
64
Negotiations
NGOs at the UN
65
Negotiations
Role of NGOs in intergovernmental processes
1. Setting agendas – public awareness raising
and lobbying
2. Negotiating outcomes – proposing initiatives

states cannot propose but can support
3. Conferring legitimacy – gives processes and

outcomes more public legitimacy
4. Implementing solutions – critical as

implementing partners
66
Negotiations
NGOs within Sierra Leone
 Must register with the Ministry of
Development and Economic Planning
 Must then register with Sierra Leone
Association of Non-Governmental
Organisations (SLANGO)
 Number of foreign NGOs operating in
Sierra Leone has risen from 47 in 2000
to 189 in 2005
67
END OF DAY
1!
68
Module V : National and
Regional Preparations for
MEA Meetings
 Learn about national and regional
preparations for MEA meetings
 Explore possible roles for NGOs and
civil society
 National and regional reporting
priorities
 Role of civil society
 Advice for effective NGO contribution
69
National and Regional
Preparations for MEA
Meetings
Need for national and regional preparations
 Determine, establish and negotiate what the MEAs

and their various components will be
 Provide wide-ranging information to the

international community as to how the already
approved MEAs are (or are not) being applied
nationally or regionally
70
Meetings
National Preparations
 This is where national interests should

be considered and combined
 Work with national governments to

ensure that civil society inputs are heard
and become part of their positions
71
Meetings
Regional Preparations (ECOWAS, Manu
River Union)
 This is where regional interests should be

considered and combined
 Work with regional governments to

ensure that civil society inputs are heard
and become part of their positions
72
Meetings
Possible roles of civil society
 By having fluid relationships with national and
regional administrative bodies
 By participating in national and regional committees
 By providing individual input into national and
regional preparations
 By providing technical information to national and
regional bodies regarding specific MEAs
 By providing specific input into drafting of national
and regional reports
 By contracting with national governments and
regional bodies to generate national or regional
reporting or preparations
73
Meetings
Advice for civil society input into national
and regional preparations
 Be focused and targeted
 Offer specific language and proposals –

provide solutions and not just criticism!
 Be clear
 Time is of the essence
74
Meetings
Advice for civil society input into national
and regional preparations
 Build your information and knowledge
 Coalesce within civil society
 Coordinate at the national level
 Ensure that national institutional structure

permits civil society groups’ participation
75
Meetings
Advice for civil society input into
national and regional preparations
 Work with different strata and sectors of

the government
 Build a relationship with sub-national

areas of government
76
January
Meetings
February March April
 Get the official  Arrange a meeting of  Meeting to review well National NGO
timeline the country’s NGOs prepared and meetings
 Draft a list of potential researched background  Informal meetings
 Set a timetable to
interest groups papers with national
agree to a position
government to find out
their thoughts
May June July August

 Input to regional /  Input to regional /  Input to regional / Informal meetings
global coalition global coalition global coalition with national / regional
positions positions positions government
September October November December

 Formal meeting with  Formal meeting with  Formal meeting with  Meeting of the MEA
national / regional national / regional national / regional  Ensure that NGO input
government to input to government to input to government to provide is included in the
their thoughts and their thoughts and final inputs to their government position
initiate debate on the initiate debate on the policy position and assist the
issue issue government delegation
during the MEA
negotiation
77
Meetings
Insider Roles Outsider Roles
 Engaging in policy  Presenting an

dialogue with alternative report to
decision-makers an MEA meeting
 Lobbying for  Marches in the

insertion of text into street to protest a
declarations/reports certain issue or
or other such official position
documents
78
Meetings
Practical Exercise
 Create a Preparation Plan as per
the outline on slide 76
79
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 80
Module VI : Networking
 Why network?
 Strategic choices: pros and cons of
networking
 Multi-stakeholder networking
 When to network?
 Establishing and operating networks
 Existing MEA related networks
81
Networking
Why network?
 Sharing information
 Varying levels of expertise
 Developing shared policy positions

 Clarifies priorities and facilitates a lobbying strategy
 Gaining perspectives
 Internal debate can lead to more well thought out
policy
 Credibility (strength in numbers)

 Demonstrate wide support base for your policy
82
Networking
Why network?
 Pooling resources in negotiations
 Share funding and expertise
 Wider consultative base
 Pooling resources in implementation

 Share funding and expertise
 Wider geographic reach
 Capacity building
 Raise the level of all members
 Improved leverage and communication with

official purposes
 Allows access to negotiations --- limited time and space
83
Networking
Climate Action Network
 Worldwide network of over 340 NGOs
 Leading role in coordination civil society
contributions to the processes under the UNFCCC
 Raise awareness of climate change issues
 Exchange information
 Coordinate and develop NGO policy and strategy
 Monitor and seek to influence climate-related negotiations,
policies and measures at national and international levels
 www.climatenetwork.org
 Africa office is located in Dakar, Senegal
84
Networking
Pros Cons
 Loosely knit network can  Issues of accountability,
come together as needed responsibility and credibility
 High degree of flexibility  Less professionalism,

consistency and continuity
 Keeps budgets low and
reduces loads on individual  Often relies on one or two
organisations key leaders
 Builds coherence of policy

 Can limit efforts to lowest
positions common denominator
consensus
 Can enrich your  Can get bogged down in the
understanding of issues and process---too much time
create new opportunities for convincing others about
implementation issues
85
Networking
 Discuss issues related to the
previous slide regarding
ENFORAC
86
Networking
Multi-stakeholder networks
 Include NGOs from a variety of
backgrounds
 Allows for a wider range of
considerations to be discussed
 ie Women’s Health Groups and

Environmental Groups
87
Networking
Establishing and operating networks
Principles of Effective Partnerships

1. Mutuality
2. Clearly defined expectations
3. Accountability and transparency
underpinned by: trust, respect, integrity,
credibility and ownership
88
Networking
Key aspects of coalition organisations
 Coalition definition – agreement on the

fundamental purposes and membership
 Organising mechanisms – agreements

that facilitate effective collective action
89
Networking
Coalition Definition
 Objectives – what do you want to achieve?
 Values – what values do you have in common
 Activities – what activities need to occur
 Capacity – who needs to be involved? Should

eligibility criteria apply
90
Networking
Organising Mechanisms
 Structure – what is necessary to deliver
your activities
 Roles and responsibilities
 Shared values – how is this affected by

your approach
 Representation – who can speak for the

organisation
91
Networking
Organising Mechanisms
 Governance and decision making –
how are decisions to be made
 Accountability – how will funding be

raised, managed and accounted for
 Conflict management – how will

inevitable conflicts be handled
92
Networking
Practical Exercise
 Create a coalition definition for ENFORAC
 Include the following:
 Objectives
 Values
 Activities
 Capacity
93
LUNCH TIME
Please be
back in 1
hour! 94
Module VII : Using The
Internet
 Networking and communicating via
the internet
 Using the internet for information

relating to MEAs
 Where to start: Websites on MEAs
95
Using The Internet
Using the internet to network and
communicate
 Email address – all groups should have one!

 An email listserv – group email list for mass
distributions
 Website
 On-line conferencing or chat service
96
Using The Internet
Limits To Technology
 Internet speed
 Use small files and compress pictures
when possible
 Internet cost
 Provide group access either through
dedicated resources or funding
97
Using The Internet
Email lists
 What is the purpose of your list?
 Who do you want to communicate with and what do you
want to say
 Who can subscribe?

 Restricted or open
 Who will manage the list’s operation?

 Individual or service (ie, groups.yahoo.com)
 Who will manage the list’s content?

 Moderators and facilitators
 Additional information
 www.democracygroups.org/mailinglisthowto.html 98
Using The Internet
Websites
 Content – who is the target audience?
 Visibility – how will people find your site?
 Access – make it appropriate for slow

connections!!!
 Style – packaging is important
 Navigation – minimise the depth of the page
 Maintenance – design for ease of maintenance

99
Using The Internet
Effective website content
 Contact information – must be up to date!
 Photos – that accurately describe your group
 Expert articles – links to any published

articles
 Media coverage – archive any media

coverage you receive
 Links to affiliates
100
Using The Internet
On-line conferencing or chat services
 MSN Messenger
 Allows real time discussions
 Files can be shared
 Low cost tool for regional networks
 Other services such as Yahoo have

similar capabilities
 Video conferencing can be done with
an internet camera
101
Using The Internet
Internet search techniques
 Search engines --- www.google.com
 Issues
 Too much information
 Not all information is credible!
102
Using The Internet
Internet credibility
 Web addresses
 Standard top-level domain
 ie, .org – organisation, .edu – educational
 Page address – if it is a person’s name it may be a
personal site rather than a group
 Authorship
 Who wrote the site / what are their credentials
 Reliable information
 Are sources referenced and linked
 Compare facts with other sources
 Affiliations
 Does the site indicate partners or funders
103
Using The Internet
Websites on MEAs
 Official websites
 Reporting
 NGO websites
104
Using The Internet
Practical Exercise
1. Create an email list for the ENFORAC
group
2. Using google, search and find the

following documents
a) Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
(CITES)
b) Sierra Leone Poverty Reduction Strategy
Paper, June 10, 2005
105
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 106
Module VIII : Attending
MEA Meetings
 Why attend an MEA meeting
 How meetings operate: meet actors

and learn the jargon
 Preparing for MEA meetings
 Successful lobbying techniques
107
Attending MEA Meetings
Why attend an MEA meeting?
 To influence the text that will be
negotiated
 To build and cultivate alliances for future
work
 To show case studies of successes your
organisation has achieved
 To learn how intergovernmental
negotiations work
 To raise funds for your work
108
Before the meeting
 *** Prioritise your policy aims ***
 Are your aims feasible
 Are you moving beyond the possible
range of outcomes to put down markers

for future campaigns
 What are your top four or five issues
 What do you want to achieve
 Keep track of governments / NGOs

positions
109
Funding to attend – possible sources
 Your own government
 Western country NGOs that you partner with
 Western countries that are active in your
country
 Regional governments
 UN Agencies and Programmes such as UNDP or
UNEP
 UN Non Governmental Liason Service
 Your fellow NGOs
110
Meet the actors
 Bureaus – oversee the running of the
meeting
 Usually 5-10 people (1 or 2 fro meahc
regional block)
 Secretariat – permanent body assigned

to the MEA
 Handled much of the meeting logistics
111
Meet the actors
 NGO or Stakeholder relations person
 Executive director of the Convention
 The “fixer”
 Person in charge of the text section you

are interested in
 UN Agencies and Programmes
 UNEP or MEAs COP Observers 112

Five Regional Blocks
1. African States – www.africa-union.org
• Sun-Saharan and North Africa
1. Asian States
2. Eastern European States
3. Latin America and Caribbean States
4. Western Europe and other Groups

113
Negotiating Blocks
 European Union
 Group of 77 and China

 Has expanded to include 135 members
 Sierra Leone is a member of this block
 Alliance of Small Island States
 JUSCANZ – non-EU western nations
 Least Developed Countries

 www.un.org/special-rep/ohrlls/ldc/default.htm
114
Types of Sessions
 Committee of the Whole
 Formal session of a UNEP or MEA COP
 Contact groups – set up to resolve a specific

disagreement
 Friends of the Chair – chair selects a core group of

negotiators
 Informals – work on a set of critical issues
 Working groups – subsidiary body of the COW
115
Government Delegations
 Why go?
 Access to the brief of your country
 Access to delegation meetings
 Ability to push for the NGO stakeholder
position
 Act as a liason between NGOs and the
government
 May be asked to be part of text writing
 Cultivate relationships for future work
116
Government Delegations
 The downside
 May lose some independence
 Limited time to be with the other NGO
actors
 You may be seen as a doorkeeper for NGOs
within the delegation
 NGOs may feel you have ‘switched sides’
 May not be allowed to speak publicly on a

position
117
Getting your message across
 English – generally the working language
 Publications – look professional and translate to
French and Spanish if possible
 Written statement – keep it short and concise
 Oral statements – keep it short and concise
 Previously agreed text – ensure you have read all
previously agreed text
 Rules of Procedure – have a copy and follow them
118
Practical Exercise
 Create a lobbying strategy based
on the criteria from slide 108
 Use the bullet points as sub-titles
119
END OF DAY
2!
120
Module IX : Gaining Access
to MEA Negotiations and
Secretariats
 Learn how to gain access to MEA
negotiations and secretariats
 Obtaining accreditation
 Obtaining official documents
 NGO documents and verbal

presentations
121
Gaining Access to MEA
Negotiations and
Secretariats
Obtaining Accreditation
 Ongoing accreditation (consultative
status)
 Economic and Social Council
 Activities must relate to the ECOSOC mandate
 www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo
 United Nations Environmental Programme

 Consultative status allows groups to provide written
inputs and statements on working documents
1. Proof of international work
2. Confirmation of interest in the environmental field
3. Proof of non-profit status
 www.unep.org/civil_society/index.asp
122
Negotiations and
Secretariats
Obtaining Accreditation
 Temporary (conference) accreditation
 Relevance to the event
 Legal status
 Issues with accreditation

 Language
 Cost
 Time
123
Negotiations and
Secretariats
Obtaining official documents
 Include information on negotiating positions
 Can be accessed directly from the internet or
through mailing lists
Gaining opportunities to present texts and verbal

statements
 Informal routes can be easily accessed
 Formal routes require the Secretariat’s approval
 General guidelines
 Coalitions should speak as a group
 Keep within the time limits
 Simple and to the point language should be used
124
Negotiations and
Secretariats
Practical Exercise
 Complete the ECOSOC
accreditation form located at
www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo
125
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 126
Module X : Communicating
To News Media
 Approaching and communicating with journalists
 Communicating through and with local and

national media
 Accessing international media at MEA meetings
 Organising press conferences
 Setting broader communications strategies
127
Communicating To News
Media
Why work with the media at UN or MEA
negotiations
 Increase public awareness of :
 The issues
 The positions of NGOs
 The activities of NGOs in the field
 Can help NGOS to :

 Increase pressure on political leaders
 Influence the position of governments
 Build active constituencies with nations 128
Media
Who the media are
 Over 200 correspondents regularly
cover the UN
 They report for over 100 media

outlets
 These serve virtually every country

and geographic region 129
Media
What to give the press?
 Media Advisories
 Keep it o less than one page
 Describe the event, who is involved, when it is
taking place and who are the sponsors
 Press Release
 Complete – what, when, where, why and who
 Clearly written
 Concise – no more than two pages
 Current
 Correct
130
Media
Where to present it?
 Press conferences
 Hold joint conferences with other NGOs and
partners
 Hold it close to the main press corp offices
 Press kits (combined with the conference)

 Press release
 Charts or diagrams with relevant statistics
 Edited quotes from previous documents
 Copies of previous news articles
131
Media
Responding to criticism
 Carefully check and re-check all facts
 Analyse your statements and prepare
for any lines of attack
 Stay calm and focus on the issue
 Address any factual mistakes
 Communicate with friends and allies
 Be aware of any economic or political
motivation for the criticism
 Utilise the response to re-state your
position 132
Media
Providing day-to-day materials to news
organisations
 Letters to the editor
 Opinion articles
 Information or educational material
 Announcements
 Paid advertisements
133
Media
What’s the priority?
 Provide factual information that the general
public would not ordinarily obtain
 Interpret facts so that journalists and their
audiences can see how they support
certain policies or actions
 Build public and political support for
positive environmental policies
 Encourage individuals to effect change in
their own lives
 Publicize your own organisation to increase
stature in future debates
134
Media
Practical Exercise
 Create a Press Release using a theoretical
policy stance related to an MEA or domestic
conference
 Must include the following
 Press Release
 Complete – what, when, where, why and who
 Clearly written
 Concise – no more than two pages
 Current
 Correct
135
LUNCH TIME
Please be
back in 1
hour! 136
Module XI : Implementation,
Monitoring and Compliance
of MEAs
 Learn what happens once MEAs are agreed
and ratified
 Implementation and enforcement efforts
 Some definitions: compliance and enforcement
 Examples of civil society roles in

implementation and enforcement
137
Implementation, Monitoring
and Compliance of MEAs
Implementation and Enforcement
 Substantive – moving toward

employing measures that improve
the particular environmental issues
committed to I na particular MEA
 Procedural – meeting with the

procedures established by the MEA
138
Definitions (as per UNEP)
 Compliance – the state of conformity with
obligations, imposed by a State, its
competent authorities and agencies on the
regulated community whether directly or
through conditions and requirements in
permits, licences and authorisations, in
implementing MEAs
139
Definitions (as per UNEP)
 Enforcement – means the range of procedures
and actions employed by a State, its
competent authorities and agencies to ensure
that organisations or persons, potentially
failing to comply with environmental laws or
regulations implementing MEAs, can be
brought or returned into compliance and/or
punished through civil, administrative or
criminal action
140
Roles of NGOs in implementation and compliance
with MEAs
 Developing national campaigns to address specific MEAs
 Provide research to relevant state actors
 Training relevant stakeholders and decision makers
 Taking part in expert groups related to MEA accords
141
Roles of NGOs in implementation and
compliance with MEAs
 Participating in consultations for the establishment
of national implementation plans or strategies
 Using international agreements a country is party to

as leverage for domestic application of norms
 Providing informed opinions regarding

implementation of MEAs at the national level,
articulating domestic limitations and priorities
142
Roles of NGOs in implementation
and compliance with MEAs
*** ENGAGEMENT ***

*** ENGAGEMENT ***
*** ENGAGEMENT ***
143
National Action Plans or National
Strategies
 Take stock of issues at the national level
involving all relevant sectors
 Express how a state will meet all its MEA-

related requirements
 Highlight the gaps in national policies or

domestic situations
 Generate consciousness and engender

collaboration and information exchange
144
Reporting, Monitoring and Verification
 MEA compliance requires the reporting of
specific data
 MEA secretariats gather this information
 Role of civil society

 Provide data when asked by national
government
 Confirm or contradict ‘official data’
145
Enforcement
 Utilising the legal system
 Indian ‘shahtoosh’ case
 Creating new norms of behaviour

 Training and sensitisation
146
Practical Exercise
 Create a monitoring plan based
on the Sierra Leone
Environmental Protection Act
 Address the concerns and criteria
from slide 143
147
BREAK TIME
Please be
back in 10
minutes! 148
Module XII : Obtaining
Funding For MEA Related
Projects
 Understanding timelines and at times
priorities for funders vs NGOs
 Creating relationships with funders
 Submitting funding proposals
 Specific potential funders
149
Obtaining Funding For MEA
Related Projects
Understanding timelines and conditions for funders
 Process can be slow!
 DFID can take an average of ten months for approval
 Stage 1 – Concept Note (~2-3 pages)

 Information on the organisation
 Information on the project
 A preliminary logical framework for the project
 Stage 2 – Full Proposal (~10 pages)
150
Related Projects
Tips on Fundraising
 Pay attention to the specific requests or
requirements
 Is this the right funder or funders’ line
 Does the funder provide funding up front or after you

provide receipts
 Are matching funds required
 Have you calculated your budget in the right

currency
151
Related Projects
Tips on Fundraising
 Pay attention to the specific requests or
requirements
 Is this the right funder or funders’ line
 Does the funder provide funding up front or after

you provide receipts
 Are matching funds required
 Have you calculated your budget in the right

currency
152
Related Projects
Potential Funders
 National governments
 Regional and local governments
 UN agencies and other intergovernmental
bodies
 The UN foundation
 The EU
 Foundations
 Lotteries
 Companies
 Other NGOs
153
Related Projects
National Governments
 Typically in the west
 Look at the following Ministries
 Development
 Environment
 Foreign Affairs
 Trade and Development
154
Related Projects
UN Agencies and other intergovernmental
bodies
 Global Environment Fund (World Bank)
 Development Banks
 EU
 FAO
 UNDP
 UNEP
 WHO
 World Bank
155
Related Projects
Practical Exercise
 Complete the funding
documentation for the World
Bank, ‘Lighting Africa’ project
 This will require the group to
register ENFORAC as a member
 http://lightingafrica.org/index.cfm?
Page=dm
156
END OF DAY
3!
157

Advocacy and MEAs

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advocacy and MEAs

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Advocacy and

 Module III and IV

 Module VII and VIII

 Module XI and XII

 Sensitise ENFORAC members regarding the potential

 Introduce ENFORAC members to critical MEAs and

 Sensitise ENFORAC members regarding the role of civil

 Implementation and Enforcement Strategy

 Civil society and democracy?

 No “right way” to conduct advocacy

 International Intergovernmental Level

 How it is enforced or implemented:

 Improves the accountability of public institutions

 Improves the material situation of individuals

 Expands their self-awareness as citizens with both

 Often requires building support at the

 Excellent communication skills

 Strong, clear Vision of the future

 Good networking skills

 Project should always reflect the findings of your

 Set and keep to a defined timetable

 Increase the transparency of your campaign

 The efficiency of its implementation

 Voting equality at the decisive stage

 Control of the agenda

 Inclusive participant group

 How does this relate to advocacy?

 Process ---- must be democratic in

 Sierra Leone policies and Acts

 Response to the gravity of

 Review the Kyoto Protocol

Signature – first step in ratification

Ratification/Acceptance/Approval – national approval

Entry into Force – time and number of states

Accession – final acceptance

Withdrawal / Denouncing – formal exit

1) Geographic reach classification

1) Regulatory tool classification

 Access to judicial measures and

Requires a majority vote of present Members of

Signature by the President

Published in the Gazette and becomes law

President can veto --- requires a 2/3 vote by

 Review the Environmental Protection Act – 2000

 NGOs at the UN and in MEAs

 Defining objectives: different NGO

CSOs – Civil society organisations

 Part of the government

 Organised primarily for private profit

 Major groups – comes from Agenda 21

2. Representation – citizens voices

3. Advocacy and policy inputs

5. Social functions – collective social

2. Negotiating outcomes – proposing initiatives

3. Conferring legitimacy – gives processes and

4. Implementing solutions – critical as

 Determine, establish and negotiate what the MEAs

 Provide wide-ranging information to the

 This is where national interests should

 Work with national governments to

 This is where regional interests should be

 Work with regional governments to

 Offer specific language and proposals –