Part

Partt 1

Collaborative Approaches
Advocacy Partnerships
to Advocacy
Acknowledgements
ChildHope UK Programme
Manager:
Catherine Klirodotakou
CAP Project Manager:
Rekha Nathoo
Document written by:
Berenice Meintjes (Sinani)
Contributors:
Cameron Brisbane (BESG)
Khetiwe Cele (PMBCWS)
Mangani Katundu (CAP)
Sven Malzahn (PMBCWS)
Mbhe Mdlalose (BESG)
Bonnie Muthwa (BESG)
Jothi Perumal (PMBCWS)
Varshi Rajcoomar (LHR)
Nesira Singh (LHR)
Julie Todd (PMBCWS)
Layout and Design:
John Bertram
(Tangerine Design)
Photographs:
taken by project staff of CAP
Partners
Artwork:
from children participating
in a competition held in
Woodlands and Glenwood 2
Produced in 2009
B Child Advocacy Project: Collaborati
What is CAP? Introduction
The Child Advocacy Project (CAP) is a collaborative approach to advocacy
The Child Advocacy Project (CAP) is funded by the D Department of addressing access to children’s rights. Working in partnership, four partner
International Development in the UK (DFID) through ChildHope UK. organisations have developed strategies for improving access to health,
implemented by Built
CAP is a joint project of the CINDI Network, impleme housing and welfare rights of children and families affected by HIV &
Environment Support Group (BESG) Lawyers for Hum Human Rights (LHR) AIDS and other vulnerable children in South Africa. This booklet is the first
Pietermaritzburg (PMBCWS).
and the Child and Family Welfare Society of Pieterma part of a series on Collaborative Approaches to Advocacy. Drawing on the
implementation in areas within
CAP has completed a three year cycle of implementa
experiences of CAP, this first booklet in the series promotes partnerships
the Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg) Municipality, in Kw KwaZulu-Natal, South amongst networks, NGOs and CBOs to engage collectively in policy and
“Through these
Africa. While South Africa has many progressive poli policies relating to the legislation changes at a national level. The booklet is intended for use by partnerships we
safety and wellbeing of vulnerable children, there are serious challenges other organisations and government departments working to promote the were able to take
in the implementation of these policies. Due to this, the rates of abuse, access of vulnerable children’s to their basic rights. It also hopes to encourage advantage of events
exploitation and neglect of children are very high. In regions such joint reflective learning to promote improved practices relating to work in order to make
compounded by the high
as KwaZulu-Natal the situation is further compound with vulnerable children. This approach emphasises strategic collaboration a more significant
appropriate support services.
incidence of HIV and AIDS and the lack of appropria to effect higher level changes for the wellbeing of vulnerable children. impact.”
As a result, CAP’s objective has been to enable childr
children, their families
and caregivers affected or infected by HIV and AIDS, as well as other This project was made possible through the generous support of ChildHope UK
vulnerable children, to access their rights in relation to health, housing and the Department for International Development (DFID) in the UK.
and welfare. To this end, CAP is geared towards deve developing strategies
based on innovative approaches emerging from part partners specialising
in relevant fields relating to children’s rights. These ppartners have been
approaches, and it is envisaged
able to pilot and review the creative new approaches
that their findings will influence other organisations and government
departments to improve their practices. Such a partn partnership model
children through promoting
therefore aims to influence the lives of many childre
information sharing.
effective change through networking and informatio
Collabor ve approaches to advocacy Advocacy Partnerships 1

*”A person with ubuntu
is open and available to
others, affirming of others,
does not feel threatened
that others are able and
good, for he or she has
a proper self-assurance
that comes from knowing
that he or she belongs
in a greater whole”...
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
(1999)
2 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy
CAP Project Partners
BESG’s special needs housing and sustainable livelihoods work grew directly out of
its experience of township development. BESG develops innovative strategies and
undertakes research to support poor and other marginalised or vulnerable groups,
A strategic partnership was formed by members oof the CINDI Network
and uses these to influence enabling
which had a history of advocacy work, each with ttheir own area of
policy in service delivery to those groups.
member organisations is
specialisation. A brief outline of the four CAP mem
provided.
Lawyers for Human Rights
The CINDI Network www.lhr.org.za
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) is an
www.cindi.org.za
independent human rights organisation
The Children in Distress Network (CINDI) was founfounded in July 1996
with a thirty-year track record of human
and consists of over 120 member organisations wh who collaborate in the
rights activism and public interest
interests of children affected or orphaned by HIV a and AIDS in Kwa-Zulu
litigation in South Africa. LHR provides
Natal. CINDI’s mission is to foster a spirit of ubun
ubuntu* among members,
free legal services to poor and indigent
encourage collaboration, enhance mastery of mem members, co-ordinate
people from six law clinics around the
research and unlock resource opportunities for the benefit of members
country.
through problem sharing, problem solving, inform
information dissemination,
raising awareness, advocacy and lobbying and coll collaborative fund raising. LHR is a non-profit, non-governmental
organisation whose vision is to be:
BESG  A leading, effective human rights and
www.besg.co.za constitutional watchdog and advocate
The Built Environment Support Group (BESG) was formed in 1983 by staff  An international force in the development and delivery of human rights, with a
and students from the Department of Architecture and Allied Disciplines primary focus in Africa
campaigned in defence of
of the then University of Natal, Durban, who camp  A primary contributor to clear strategic policy on the delivery of socio-economic
the right of indigent communities to live in urban areas. Advocacy has rights for the disadvantaged
been core to its work since its inception. Following the new dispensation
in South Africa in 1994, BESG became a leading pl player in community- To this end, LHR strives to promote awareness, protection, and enforcement of legal
communities it defended in the
driven low income housing delivery, as the commu and human rights through the creation of a human rights culture.
early years wanted to access government housing subsidy to develop their
areas.
Advocacy Partnerships 3
 Pietermaritzburg Child and Family Welfare Society Strategic Partnerships
www.pmbchildwelfare.co.za
Investing resources in higher level changes may
The Child and Family Welfare Society of Pietermaritzburg is a non-profit organisation whose
affect the wellbeing of many children. Such
mission is “To provide appropriate and cost effective professional services to children and families
changes may be to government strategies, policies,
of all communities in our city”.
legislation and recommended practices in working
The organisation offers supportive services to children under the age of 14 years and their families with vulnerable children. Such changes may impact
with the emphasis being on family preservation. Some of the services include dealing with abuse, positively on many vulnerable children in the future.
neglect and abandonment of children, urgent removal of children, rendering of prevention services,
At the same time advocacy work may be expensive
placement of children in alternate care, depending on their needs and adoption services.
and many of us have a belief that it is complicated
This Society also manages a Place of Safety (Ekhaya LeThemba) where children between the ages and specialised work, and the Children’s Advocacy
of birth to six years are placed on a place of safety basis prior to more permanent placement. Project (CAP) found that it didn’t have all the
resources and expertise to address the many issues
In keeping with the need of making services more accessible to the community this Society also being raised for advocacy work by the members of
manages a One Stop Welfare Centre in Dambuza, Edendale. the CINDI Network. CAP felt that it didn’t have the
standing in terms of connections and status that
ChildHope UK would enable it to stand tall and make suggestions
in a way that others would listen. Therefore CAP
www.childhope.org.uk
found synergy in engaging with local and national
Working towards social justice for children and young people:
networks in order to promote the matters being
Since 1989 ChildHope UK has worked internationally with girls and boys who face violence and raised by community members. The CAP Advocacy
injustice. Today, we work in solidarity with civil society organisations in Africa, Asia and South Officer was also able to take a lead role in a
America, towards social justice for children and young people by addressing situations where number of initiatives. In this way the needs and
children’s rights are violated as a result of abuses of power and privilege, poverty, inequality, rights of vulnerable communities were raised and
and violence. Our partner organisations in the Global South are working on 3 broad themes: addressed at higher levels.
(a) reducing child abuse and exploitation; (b) improving child justice and participation; and (c)
promoting the rights of children affected by HIV and/or AIDS. ChildHope’s remit is to improve the The following model summarises some of the
processes of international aid and development with actors in both the Global South and North and ways in which CAP was able to contribute towards
in particular offer guidance on child protection, gender and monitoring, evaluation and learning. higher level changes around issues coming from
community members.
4 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy Advocacy Partnerships
Case Example: Children’s Bill
The CAP Advocacy Officer attended the first
parliamentary hearing on the new Children’s Bill with
the aim of listening, orienting CAP to the process and
hearing what others are doing. This was an important
part of the process to learn who was doing what and to
establish relationships to follow up on the community’s
expressed needs with other partners. It was also
important to be present in the early stages in order to
become recognised as a participant of the process. The
CAP Advocacy Officer says “Just by being there put us
on the radar”.
Following the initial hearing there were meetings outside
of the process to create consensus amongst the various
role players like the Children’s Institute, ACESS and Soul
City. Others sponsored CAP to be part of this networking.
CAP explains that by being part of these teams they were
better informed and got to know other resource people
who they were able to call on to help sort out specific
issues. CAP was also able to start capacity building
with CINDI members and others in the sector, and CAP
played a role in bridging the network members with
higher level processes. They were able to invite feedback
from other CINDI members and encourage them to
contribute meaningfully to the changes in South African
legislation affecting children. CAP made significant and
practical submissions to the Bill around legal recognition
and support of child-headed households.
The CAP Advocacy Officer says: “Our input as CAP got to
where it did because of those partnerships.
5
 ™ Advocacy needs are raised
“Our input as the
CINDI Network
by partner organisations and
community members Community-Based Advocacy Initiatives “We were able to bring
issues coming from the
towards the Community members are the best people to determine the key advocacy issues community level to the
Children’s Bill only affecting their wellbeing. Community engagement processes such as the CAP national agendas.”
got to where it did Community Advocacy Sites, working with community based organisations
š Visits to local government services
because of these to find out the sources of the blockages and other tools such as community theatre and surveys are all helpful ways
of gaining this perspective in advocacy work. The booklet on Community
partnerships.”
Engagement Tools describes these processes further. Drawing from community
members’ experiences in relation to key advocacy issues provides a practical Case Example:
› Research into existing initiatives and and real focus for this work. Nutrition in
national networks addressing these issues Schools
In this way the CINDI Children’s Advocacy Project was able to provide a
valuable link between the issues emerging at a local level and the changes During CINDI workshops
with Early Childhood
Capacitate being suggested at higher levels.
Relationship œ Collaboration with community partners Development Centres,
and support community partners
building, with and local networks to collect focused and practical community- raised the issue of
personal visits submissions based and local
and listening monitoring nutrition in
organisations
“As an advocacy schools. They described
the gaps between the
project you are able government policies
 Joining with national advocacy networks to
to seek input from make collective submissions to government on school feeding and
your constituents the realities on the
to draw on their ground. For example,
they described the lack
experiences and
of standardisation and
ideas. You are also ž Feedback to local networks and
community partners around the changes quality checks and of
able to keep them effected and new emerging policies the limited funding for
informed.” the kind of outcomes
expected by government.

Ÿ Establishment of local
forums to address specific
implementation at a local level

6 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy Advocacy Partnerships 7

Case Example: School
Fee Exemptions
Many members of the CINDI
Network had received some
information about school fee
exemptions for vulnerable
children. They shared this
information with community
partners. However, community
partners repeatedly encountered
blockages in accessing this
right. Through CAP, the
information about these
blockages was collected from
CINDI members covering a wide
range of community contexts.
CAP was able to link up with
ACESS (Alliance for Children’s
Entitlement to Social Security)
who had been focusing on this
issue. CAP was able to feed
back further information on
the changes in these laws and
on how to deal with specific
obstacles. They also found that
the Education Law Project at the
University of the Witwatersrand
had already designed workshops
and materials on this topic
and so were able to share this
information easily with CINDI
members, without needing to
reinvent the wheel.
8 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy
Local Partnerships National Partnerships “Advocacy work is expensive.
If you are operating on a
small budget, it may have
One way in which CAP was able to draw on the experiences of many CAP found it helpful to join in the initiatives of national networks like the
organisations and communities, was through the local CINDI Network. Children’s Institute, ACESS Aliance, Children’s Rights Centre, Treatment Action more impact to piggy-
back on other national
This included being able to hear what issues were emerging from several Campaign and Soul City. This meant that issues coming from a local level were
communities, while having well developed platforms for feedback and introduced into broader scale advocacy initiatives. networks’ campaigns. Then
capacity building on how to make use of new policies and strategies. you are able to make sure
The CAP Advocacy Officer explains that in terms of advocacy, the children’s Key Learnings that you bring your local
issues onto their agendas.”
sector is treated as a single sector. If different organisation’s submissions  Learn about who is doing what so that you may collaborate effectively and
contradict each other they can easily be dismissed. But if they work avoid duplication or contradictions.
together and have consensus it is easier to get changes approved.  Know what materials already exist from other organisations. Case Example:
 Take the initiative to respond to other people’s interests and submissions, National Strategic
Key Learnings even if not directly related to your own objectives. Plan
 As a local network, try to attend early consultation processes like The CINDI Network
 It is very important to participate in key joint events like sector consultation
government hearings, so that you are able to learn about what is meetings, because then you are kept in the loop and are invited to participate
were invited by ACESS
to join them in making
happening and that you are on record as an engaged participant. in later stages of the advocacy processes. submissions with
 Try to consult with your constituents to identify where to invest energy  Bring as much information from partner organisations and community respect to the National
wisely to address specific changes. Strategic Plan on HIV
members as possible, to ground the submissions in the realities of people’s
and AIDS. They were
 Develop effective communication systems to harness information from lives.
called in as a special
partner organisations.  Try to offer focused and specific submissions that are practical. It is helpful to resource regarding food
security because of their
 Collect specific case studies about particular advocacy issues. focus on your area of expertise.
research and community
 Use strategies like signing a memorandum to give voice to more people  Try to create a common language to be able to talk around the issues. engagement on this topic.
about a specific issue. Make issues understandable at different levels to collect varied input and CAP was able to engage
viewpoints. in this aspect of policy
 It was very helpful to have a full time person dedicated to advocacy in
change and introduce
CAP. a new focus on tenure
 When doing capacity building with local partners, try to draw on the security.
experts in that specific sector to promote more learning and exchange.
Advocacy Partnerships 9
 Positive Engagement with Government Case Example: Accessing Identity Documents
One of the problems coming from the CAP community awareness raising was the
CAP was able to process some of the issues coming from a community level and
difficulties that people were experiencing in accessing identity documents that were
find higher levels at which to impact on the problems. This aids in supporting many
“A submission does not communities around the country, and may assist many other people to access their
necessary in order to be able to access social grants. CAP initially thought of having
have to be something big campaigns against the Department of Home Affairs. But they decided to first go to
rights. the Department on a fact finding mission. They met with people from Home Affairs
or fancy. In fact smaller and found that the problems were clearly being created by the policies and legislation
practical submissions may In this type of work both with national partners and at a local level, CAP has found controlled by head office. The CAP Advocacy Officer says “so even if you started toyi
be more helpful.” that building collaborative relationships with government departments is far toyi-ing here you would not make a difference”. For CAP to be able to make their case
more effective than letters, marches, and media campaigns. Personal meetings to successfully to the national head office there was need for research to substantiate
listen carefully and hear what the underlying problems might be are often more the arguments with facts from the ground. CAP was invited by ACESS to be part of a
effective than assuming that people are not interested in supporting vulnerable Home Affairs working group. Together they drew up a plan of what needed to be done
to do the research. CAP did not have the funds to do this research itself, but had
communities.
access to CINDI members and partner communities. So they were able to send out
the research forms through CINDI members to collect the primary data. CAP enabled
In one year CAP managed to achieve the following in terms of engagement with
CINDI members to participate and supported ACESS to get the information they
policy and legislation: needed (for the full report on the submission see www.acess.org.za). In this way it was
 Submissions were made on the Children’s Act that required regulations. The possible to contribute towards broader piece of research including other provinces.
“While the issues you wish submissions were made after a desktop study was done by the Advocacy Officer.
Together they were able to objectively identify problems to present to Home Affairs
to address are coming  Submissions were made on the revised Child Amendment Bill. At least 30% like:
from grassroots level, of CAP’s submissions were included in the Bill. This submission was done as a • Lack of information available to the general public
you do not always need CAP-CINDI joint activity.
to address them at • Problems with the length of time it takes for people to access their documents
 Conducted workshops to disseminate information on the Children’s Act and the (more than the time period stipulated in their regulations because everything was
that level because the centralised in Pretoria instead of being done locally)
Child Amendment Bill for NGOs and faith-based organisations. The focus of the
problems may be at a workshops was on access to education and sexual education. • Files tended to be lost at the local office (where no copies were kept), or were lost
higher level.” in the centralisation process
 Produced a newsletter for CINDI members with a focus on access to education.
• Corruption taking place at local Home Affairs offices, such as taking bribes to
 Made submissions to the National Strategic HIV and AIDS Plan and at least process documents
50% of the submissions made were incorporated.
• Reliance on civil society to disseminate information and support people’s
 Made submissions to the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial AIDS Strategic Plan. applications, but without acknowledgement of this role

10 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy Advocacy Partnerships 11

 Key Learnings Conclusion
 Try to build collaborative and personal relationships
with government departments to effect change. This Working collectively towards higher level changes may be a rewarding
takes time. process whereby the participants themselves develop new skills and
learning. CAP has been grateful to the dynamic and dedicated networks
 Listen and learn about the blockages they themselves with which it has partnered to effect changes in policy and legislation.
are experiencing in regard to legislation and existing The role of linking community based partners with national role
government policies.
“You cannot always
players has been a rewarding process and is recommended to others quantify the impact
 It can be difficult when people leave and one loses wishing to support changes to the wellbeing of vulnerable children and of advocacy work
contact, so relationship-building needs to be an communities.
immediately. But you
ongoing aspect of this work.
may eventually be
 Document all processes and agreements. able to make a bigger
 Gain as much information as possible about the sector long term impact
and who is involved in different aspects of the process. that supports
 Try to collect factual information from your partner Other Booklets in this Series thousands of
constituents to support the changes you are If you appreciated reading about the work of the Child Advocacy Project people.”
suggesting at higher levels. in promoting strategies for improving the wellbeing of vulnerable
 Engage partner organisations and community children, you may wish to access these other topics around Collaborative
members meaningfully to avoid the expectation that Approaches to Advocacy:
everything will be done by the advocacy project or  Advocacy Through Community Engagement
office.  Advocating for Alternatives to Institutional Care for Vulnerable
 CAP found it very helpful to have an advocacy Children
officer appointed to undertake this work. CINDI has  Advocating Livelihood Security Strategies for Vulnerable Children and
subsequently decided to employ a full time advocacy Households
officer in the Network Office to continue to address the  Advocating for Sexual Abuse Free Classrooms
needs of children in distress at higher levels.  Managing Joint Advocacy Projects

12 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy Advocacy Partnerships 13

 Advocacy Partnerships
Part 1 in the Series on Collaborative Approaches to Advocacy

The Child Advocacy Project (CAP) draws on the innovative approaches of

organisations working to improve the access of vulnerable children, families and
caregivers affected or infected by HIV and AIDS to their basic rights. This booklet is
the first part of a series on Collaborative Approaches to Advocacy.

Investing in higher level changes to government policies and legislation may

impact on many thousands of children. Such changes may assist other vulnerable
children to access their rights. At the same time this type of advocacy work is
difficult to achieve as a single organisation. Learning from the experiences of the
Built Environment Support Group (BESG), the Children in Distress (CINDI) Network,
Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) and the Pietermaritzburg Child and Family
Welfare Society (PMBCWS), this booklet explores how strategic partnerships may
be formed to engage meaningfully in advocacy at a national level. A simple model
for constructive engagement is proposed to link issues emerging from community
members with strategic partners, while at the same time building the capacity of
those involved.

Collaborative Approaches to Advocacy

“Strategies for improving access to health, housing and welfare rights of children
and families affected by HIV & AIDS and other vulnerable children in South Africa”

14 Child Advocacy Project: Collaborative approaches to advocacy