ROOTS 1+2Advocacy Toolkitwww.tearfund.org/advocacy_toolkit

ROOTS 1+2Advocacy toolkitwww.tearfund.org/advocacy_toolkit

Section B1The WHY of advocacy

Poverty reduction (and other motivations)

Section B1: What is poverty?

The World Bank stated the following in 2000:‘Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom.’

Section B1: What is poverty?

• Symptoms of poverty• Primary causes of poverty• Structural causes of poverty• Vulnerability to poverty

Section B1: How does advocacy contribute to poverty reduction?

• Advocacy addresses the underlying causes of poverty. This complements projects and programmes that address its effects

• Advocacy involves holding governments accountable for fulfilling their mandate to provide service delivery

Section B1: What motivates us to do advocacy?

• Values, desires, beliefs • Involvement in a situation that needs, or with people

who need, an advocacy response • Being motivated by the compassion of Christ• Fulfilling the church’s mission to bring good news• Viewing people living in poverty as agents of change• Providing long-term solutions to injustice & poverty• Leveraging greater change