Posted: March 6th, 2024

Global Health and Humanitarian Advocacy

Global Health and Humanitarian Advocacy
1. Introduction
Overall, this cycle is pragmatic and provides a good guideline to systematic advocacy for health change and ensures that no vital stages are missed or overlooked. This is vital as it is a continuous cycle; meaning that it never really ends. As change is implemented, government, institutions, policy and culture in health procedures will subsequently change in a cycle for the better. Every new problem or change too could involve a restart of the cycle.
It’s important to recognize in the advocacy cycle that there are three interconnected cycles: identifying a problem, finding a solution and planning for advocacy. This is because findings can lead to chronic problems, which then have their own advocacy particular cycle to plan for never-ending change.
The final step in the cycle is planning for advocacy, where strategies are developed in response to finding a solution which will then bring about change. At this stage, health advocates will compile and analyze findings and review policy and legislations, before determining appropriate action according to those findings.
The overview begins by assessing an understanding of the health system, how change happens and defeating obstacles to change. This is important in the first stage of any advocacy initiative, where it’s important to identify and define a health issue that concerns a community. The second step involves diagnosing the problem, and this stage runs concurrently with finding a solution. Advocates must carry out a thorough investigation of a health problem, finding evidence to support the development of an idea for change.
The global health advocacy cycle provides a simple and organized way for any advocate to think through an advocacy initiative and to plan in a way that brings the best outcomes. The cycle overview shows six stages of an advocacy process. Some of the stages, such as identifying a problem or finding a solution, are actually ongoing cycles within the larger cycle of advocating for change.
Health advocacy encompasses a wide range of activities, from influencing the allocation of resources in international health organizations to implementing local health programs. Health advocates can lobby policy makers and planners to prioritize certain diseases or drive forward specific research or prevention strategies. The ultimate goal of health advocacy is to have an impact on health and health policy.
1.1 Overview of Global Health Advocacy
Global health advocacy refers to efforts intended to improve global public health by influencing international cooperation and, where necessary, by influencing national government policy. If we were to break down global health advocacy, there are 4 key components to it. First, global health advocacy is about taking action and encouraging political decisions to be made in the field of global health. Whether that be calling on a government to prioritize global health on their agenda or calling on governments to increase their financial commitments not only to global health but to global development, global health advocacy is very much result-based and politically motivated. Secondly, global health advocacy is about raising awareness, so making sure the public knows about what issues are happening in the world and what global health actually means. Often global health is seen as something that is happening ‘over there’, but actually, diseases and health problems are so mobile that global health is something that affects us all and it’s really sort of making people aware of this idea. Thirdly, it’s about increasing the level of investment that people give. Whether that be investment in terms of people actually going and investing their time in working abroad in global health and medical missions or actually giving their finances, global health advocacy is all about trying to increase the level of investment. And then finally, it’s derived from the notion that health is a human right and that no matter where you’re born, what your circumstances are, you should be given the basic level of healthcare and have the ability to live a healthy life. Advocates should aim to understand which power and interested influence that a country has, and depending on the level of interest and the level of power, the country may have an effect on the global health world. For example, countries that have a high level of interest such as the US will have an impact on not only themselves and their region but also globally. It’s also important to understand the difference between hard power and soft power; hard power referring to direct military intervention and economic sanctions, and soft power referring to the ability to shape opinion through attraction and persuasion. In the global health world, a mixture of both is often found and used when it comes to actual decision making. In the world of health, this can be seen through the funding and the importance of countries committed to helping low and middle-income countries. Soft power actions such as advocating for an increase in research and clinical funding have the potential to improve international cooperation and policymaking when concerned with global health.
1.2 Importance of Humanitarian Advocacy
Humanitarian advocacy has been described as a ‘communication or support for a specific group with identified needs, in order to influence policies and/or bring about change’. Overall, advocacy is a word which has been used to describe the act of supporting a cause. Humanitarian advocates are those who champion humanitarian, social or political efforts to protect people and the environment. Humanitarian advocacy is a vital part of humanitarian work. Humanitarian advocacy helps to protect and make sure that humanitarian action reaches those who are affected by disaster and conflict. It also helps to address the root causes of humanitarian crises, whether these are political, social, environmental or related to any conflict. Humanitarian advocacy is also known as ‘protection’ or ‘human rights’ advocacy, as it helps people who are affected by disaster to exercise their rights, as laid out in the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement. These are a collection of 30 principles designed to assist and protect people affected by displacement. However, disaster-affected men, women and children are often unable to take advantage of these rights. By advocating on behalf of these people and their rights, the aim is to improve the response of governments and intergovernmental agencies to disasters and conflicts. This should enable people who are affected by disaster and conflict to access their rights in a fuller and more effective way. For example, NGOs will often provide food, water, shelter and medical care; responding to the immediate needs of people affected by disaster. This is known as ‘humanitarian aid’. However, in order to enable that aid to reach those who need it most and to address the underlying causes of the disaster, human rights and humanitarian advocates will look to influence policy and policy makers so that in the long term, disasters may be prevented or their effects reduced. In the text of the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, advocacy refers to: the right of people affected by displacement to appeal to governments and other authorities for assistance, independently and in a peaceful manner. And as such, act as a form of influencing action from authorities necessary to bring about fulfillment of the rights and protection which the principles outline.
1.3 Objectives of the Work
The ultimate objective of this work is to serve as a comprehensive guide for both professionals and students in the fields of global health and humanitarian advocacy. This work aims to accomplish this overarching goal by meeting the following specific objectives: first, by providing an overview of the key issues, concepts, and players in global health advocacy campaigns. Second, by offering a space for a comprehensive analysis of the complex issues surrounding global health advocacy and policy. Moreover, this work also provides a cross-disciplinary perspective, with authors from a diversity of fields including law, political science, public health, policy, and business. Next, by exploring the historical evolution of global health governance and the various actors involved in global health advocacy. Also, by providing some examples of what constituted a “global health crisis” in comparative perspective. And then by problematizing global health and the ethical issues surrounding global health. Equally important, this work seeks to critically engage in the discussions of global health advocacy, exploring the transformative potential of “the right to health” in the context of advancing global justice and health equity around the world. Over and above, by conducting research into the various objective measures of advocacy success that can be used to guide advocacy programs and make them accountable. Lastly, this work also hopes to inspire readers to reflection and action, and move from the classroom to the world outside the university, making a positive difference in the health of communities around the world. We hope that this book will foster a spirit of critical inquiry and constructive engagement among readers and be a part of creating a teaching and learning environment. We also believe in an approach to academic work that is serious, dynamic, and incorporates a sense of intellectual enthusiasm and curiosity about the world. We encourage readers to bring a critical perspective – not to take things for granted and to challenge existing assumptions and preconceptions. On the basis of “knowledge and inquiry” as a focal point, we hope to help build purposefully towards the uncovering of assumptions, discovering categories hidden in our ordinary activities, scrutinizing the grounds on which we act and believe, and creating a habit of doing and living intelligently.
2. Global Health Advocacy Strategies
Effective global health advocacy strategies vary greatly from country to country and between different target groups. However, the aim of all of them is to raise awareness among the general public and political decision-makers in order to improve healthcare policies. The following is an overview of four key global health advocacy strategies. The article defines policy advocacy as “the deliberate process of influencing the development, implementation and revision of policies and decisions within political, economic, and social systems”. I believe that this strategy probably constitutes a pillar of most global health advocacy initiatives, as policy change is usually the most effective way to create societal impact with health interventions. In many countries of the WHO European Region, policies still prevent certain groups of population from accessing harm reduction or treatment services. For example, written requirements for parental consent impede adolescents’ access to sexual and reproductive services; the criminalization of people who use drugs discourages people in need from accessing health services. A policy advocacy approach usually involves the following stages: planning activities in a politically sensitive way and mobilizing affected populations and civil society organizations to share their opinions and experiences. Medical research is often the driving force behind modern healthcare innovations. Therefore, the authors argue that research-based strategies can be particularly effective, as they are able to lend a campaign a certain measure of scientific credibility and convenience potential allies. For example, in the German Hepatitis C-Dialogue project, the Patient and Innovation Advocacy Group created a web-based registry in order to collect data about the epidemic and cases of discrimination against infected people. By analyzing the social space of hepatitis C stigmatization, patients and their supporters wanted to produce a data-driven mapping of the disease that can be used for legal advocacy.
2.1 Policy Advocacy
In policy advocacy, stakeholders work towards changing or influencing public policy and decisions made by a variety of local, national, and international bodies. Policy advocacy includes a wide range of activities, such as campaigning, lobbying, and advocating for particular pieces of legislation. Effective policy advocacy enables the needs of particular populations to be recognised and addressed within political decision-making processes. It can lead to new legislation and changes in the law, improvements to existing legislation, or the prevention of harmful changes to laws and policies. To achieve positive changes in policy and legislation for the benefit of global health, policy advocates can use a variety of strategies and approaches. For instance, advocates could work on educating and mobilising decision-makers and the wider public on a particular issue, which may lead to public support for a policy change and put pressure on governments and other bodies. Alternatively, advocates may conduct research in order to provide evidence that supports the case for legislative or policy change, or litigate in court over a matter of law. One example of policy advocacy in the field of global health is the work of non-governmental organisations, or NGOs, which focus on advocating for particular health issues internationally. For instance, organisations might work in policy advocacy to ensure that harm-reduction programmes for drug users are recognised as evidence-based and effective in law, to prevent changes to enforcement tactics which advocates consider could damage public health. In addition, global health policy advocates may use the experience and expertise of NGOs and civil society groups to input into the policy-making processes of international and regional institutions, such as the European Union or the United Nations. Work of this kind could take many forms, such as providing input into consultations on proposed new laws or policies, or working to ensure that the work of such institutions remains focused on tackling global health issues. On a local or national level, policy advocates working for the interests of particular disadvantaged populations and communities can help to ensure that the impact of policy and legislative changes are considered in decision-making. By working with politicians and other groups to develop or promote new laws which address global health inequalities, policy advocates can secure better access to services and positive health outcomes for the communities they work with.
2.2 Public Awareness Campaigns
Public awareness campaigns need to have deeper research in quantifying the awareness level of the people as this will provide a better understanding of what the people think and the measures that can be implemented. This will also give insights to the strategist on how they can change the behavior of the people through the application of different types of persuasive strategies. Global health public awareness campaigns are known to be far more successful than any other strategy.
The global tobacco control community embraced this model and has looked for opportunities to use it internationally. As a result, concrete global health programs, activities, and plans today frequently find themselves in need of better advocacy. The emergence of professionalism in policy advocacy has seen potential practical victories transcending the discipline.
For example, the global anti-tobacco campaign “Take 50c off the packet. Put $1 billion in the budget” is widely recognized for its success in framing a complex global health issue and using public awareness to apply political pressure. The campaign aimed to educate people on the protective effects of smoking, specifically the impact it has on Australia’s creation. The groups behind the campaign wanted to hit the government where it hurts, and by creating public awareness, the political pressure of the people forced the government to act.
Public awareness campaigns are often used in global health advocacy to mobilize public opinion, promote policy change, and raise awareness about a particular health issue. These campaigns usually combine elements such as strategic media placement, health education, community mobilization, and government advocacy to disseminate their messages through a range of communication channels. Well-designed global health awareness campaigns can have a substantial and measurable impact on public attitudes and behaviors.
2.3 Coalition Building and Partnerships
Ongoing global health efforts today, such as those focused on diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and childhood immunizations, came about as a result of sustained advocacy efforts. These successes can be attributed in part to the formation of coalitions of like-minded advocates who are willing to work together on achieving a common objective. A coalition is a group of individuals and organizations with a common interest or purpose who agree to work together and pool resources in order to achieve a shared goal. Coalition building, therefore, involves the process of bringing various people and organizations on board and keeping them actively involved in advocacy initiatives. There are three stages of coalition building, namely: formation, development, and maintenance. In the first stage, coalition leaders solicit members and define the coalition’s mission, structure, and strategies. In the second stage, the coalition identifies and prioritizes the issues it wishes to address, plans and implements its strategies, and establishes new relationships with key strategic partners. As the coalition progresses to the third stage, efforts channel into strategies for sustaining and maintaining the group, its activities, and group membership. Expert comment: “Coalition building allows groups to share both the human and material resources that are necessary for successful advocacy.” This strategy involves creating and nurturing partnerships that often utilize very specific, tailored activities in order to influence policies and practices. For instance, the Stop TB Partnership operates under the umbrella of the World Health Organization with very specific field projects and research initiatives designed to contribute to the global target of controlling tuberculosis. On the other hand, the Framework Convention Alliance was created before the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and is a knowledge and resource hub for the 500 plus members who are all working on ensuring effective tobacco control. This kind of shared learning and targeted approach enables alliance members to effectively contribute to the greater advocacy effort, both with knowledge and practical interventions.
2.4 Research and Evidence-Based Advocacy
Evidence-based advocacy is the practice of using well-documented research findings from reliable and professional sources to help influence policies and practices for the better over the long term. The aim is to advocate for improved policies and practices that are feasible and practical to implement and that will benefit population health. I think this is the most important approach because if we’re not implementing evidence-based advocacy in our work, if we’re not using the most up-to-date research to inform our work, we risk doing things that don’t work. So really, it’s marrying the most current research with a very practical approach to the issues at hand, based on ensuring that our work is efficient, effective, feasible, and ethical. It provides the opportunity for the most evidence-based, current research findings to be used in influencing policy and practices, but it is, by its very nature, a longer-term and step-by-step process. The first step in research is deciding on your topic; in the case of evidence-based advocacy, that’s often likely to be shaped by employers, by strategic plans, or the coalition’s strategic plan. And by deciding the topic, we then go to the next stage. This is the stage of finding the best available research. Well, we believe that “the best available research” is that which is published in internationally-recognized professional journals and those that use a peer review process, where other academics in that field critique that research before it gets published.
3. Humanitarian Advocacy Approaches
The humanitarian advocacy can be understood in the context of human rights. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. These rights are much needed to ensure that a person can live a life of dignity and to ensure that a person is treated as a human being, not a person with lesser value because of race, religion, gender and so on. The advocacy when working with communities and partners in humanitarian and development initiatives. It is not, in its wider sense, simply providing material assistance in the aftermath of a crisis; the advocacy work is helping to make a difference over the longer term for the people who are most vulnerable and most in need, is about being voices for those people who are not heard and agitating for change. The actions of the advocacy encourage and support people of all ages and ability to claim and enjoy their human rights and fully appreciate the opportunity to change and make a difference in a way that is possible sustainable, leaving a lasting legacy for the future. Through the advocacy approach working closely with governments and institutions to campaign for the full enjoyment of human rights by every individual. And for human rights, in a sense that it looks more widely spread so that all people are of every community can enjoy an equal quality of life, which means an advocacy works with the most vulnerable and poorest people exercising their well-being. The human rights-based advocacy is built upon trust. It is valuable designed to give credence to the individuals and community, give them an identity. The advocacy cannot be undertaken for free so it needs a lot of fund and assist given by a non-governmental organization, or a special fundraising is set up or launched to support for the human rights advocates. Last but not least, technology is a great tool and potential for human rights advocacy in the modern day; it is real key to success in defending and moving forward the rights and expanded the democracy. With the raised and increased awareness of global connectivity in almost every world for sharing knowledge and resources, the use of technology has brought convenience and speed to human rights advocacy. It has modernized the capturing and tracking and improved documentation of human rights abuses possible. By engaging and using the modern technology, such as smartphones, GPS, social media and websites, can increase the participation of widespread groups and provide potential greater support. As a matter of fact, technology has been used to facilitate and implement international advocacy objectives and to lay the groundwork of sustaining their mission in many ways, such as online protest, email bombardment and other acts of solidarity to promote various rights and human dignity on an international level.
3.1 Emergency Response Advocacy
It is worth noting that, while immediate intervention is the primary goal, emergency response advocacy is also about upholding certain principles and norms of humanitarian action as stipulated in international laws and conventions. For example, the advocacy should be guided by the key humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. In practical terms, different humanitarian actors and advocacy groups should coordinate their efforts to make sure that the response is driven by the actual needs of the affected.
For example, emergency response advocacy may target governments or international bodies to provide necessary funds and resources, authorize access and intervention, or put political pressure on those who are responsible for the crisis. At the same time, advocacy efforts may also seek to empower the affected communities and ensure their meaningful participation in the decision-making processes that impact their lives. This dual focus on both top-down and bottom-up approaches distinguishes emergency response advocacy from other forms of humanitarian advocacy, which are often more about influencing long-term policy changes or structural reforms.
Emergency response advocacy focuses on addressing the immediate humanitarian crisis, such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, and infectious disease outbreaks. Humanitarian actors, such as international organizations, NGOs, and civil society groups, often engage in emergency response advocacy to ensure a timely, effective, and principled response to save lives and protect human dignity. Through advocacy, these actors seek to influence decision-makers and raise public awareness on issues that demand urgent attention and action.
3.2 Human Rights-Based Advocacy
Human rights-based advocacy focuses on the idea that all individuals, regardless of their citizenship status, class, race, gender, disability, age, language, health status, etc., are entitled to certain rights and their protection is the responsibility of the government. Thus, this approach emphasizes the importance of governments recognizing and fulfilling their legal obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of all persons within their jurisdiction. Human rights-based advocacy seeks to ensure that governments, both at national and local levels, are held accountable for meeting their obligations. It involves the use of national, regional, and international human rights laws and standards to enhance advocacy strategies, influence changes in public policy and government practices, and establish a framework for a peaceful and just society. Also, the approach focuses on empowering right-holders, building strategic partnerships and civil society leadership, which eventually helps to create and sustain social movements to initiate meaningful changes in public attitudes, government policies, and social and economic structures. Some of the key methods of human rights-based advocacy include conducting human rights assessments, documenting and analyzing human rights violations, developing policy advocacy campaigns based on human rights frameworks, engaging in public awareness and human rights education, engaging with international human rights mechanisms, and practicing rights-based approaches to service and resources. It is important to acknowledge and understand cultural differences, as well as diversity within and between communities, and the social and economic disparities among various sectors of society. Such understanding is crucial to the success of human rights-based advocacy for it can help develop a collective and informed opinion in society that will further promote and consolidate the human rights issues presented by the advocacy. Last but not least, openness and inclusiveness, in terms of inviting people to share their relevant experiences, supporting opinions, and advice, should be observed throughout the advocacy process. The inputs and comments from the peers will not only reflect a public consensus among society but also contribute to a diversified opinion, which is important to the realization of an effectual human rights-based advocacy.
3.3 Advocacy for Vulnerable Populations
Creative policy solutions that have emanated in the micro context of specific patient needs, in the macro context of population wellness advocacy, or in other ways mediated by the academic, career and personal activities of the authors. This may include efforts to change resource allocation, to redirect the presentation of a particular illness or body of knowledge, or other forms of advocacy work.
Finally, advocacy specifically for the health and rights of vulnerable groups can be a means by which these groups themselves are empowered. In political advocacy especially, involving marginalized populations in the processes of defining needs, implementing programs, and evaluating outcomes is critical to supporting the rights of all people to make decisions about their own lives. By empowering vulnerable populations in times of humanitarian crisis, not only is immediate suffering lessened, but the leadership and autonomy of these groups are both respected and strengthened.
Second, advocacy directed specifically to the conditions of disadvantaged populations can help to shift the focus of aid and planning to a more prevention-oriented and sustainable approach to human health and dignity. By looking to the promotion of health and the prevention of illness and injury for vulnerable populations, efficient health outputs can be increased, and longer-term health and rights goals can be supported. For example, advocacy to ensure that older or disabled persons have access to nutrition and community-based care focused on maintaining health and independence may avoid much larger costs in aid and suffering that might be caused by neglect.
Advocacy for the health and protection of these populations is important in several respects. First, it may lead to the allocation of specific resources and attention to the needs of vulnerable groups. For example, in complex humanitarian emergencies, health actors must often prioritize limited resources to provide the maximum benefit for the largest number of people. Evidence-based advocacy showing the particular needs of, for example, young children or people with medical vulnerabilities, can be critical to obtaining resources directed to these groups.
During humanitarian crises, specific groups may be particularly vulnerable to violations of their rights to health, life, and dignity. Older persons, children, persons with disabilities, and those with serious medical concerns often have specific and urgent humanitarian needs. This might include access to medical care, protection from violence, or assistance in meeting daily needs.
3.4 Advocacy for Sustainable Solutions
One key principle emphasized throughout the text is the idea of “nothing about us, without us.” This simple yet powerful phrase underscores the importance of ensuring the participation of affected populations in advocacy initiatives. When applied to efforts for persons with disabilities, this means actively engaging persons with disabilities in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies meant to benefit them. It means moving away from traditional, often medicalized approaches to disability, towards embracing a more dynamic model that views disability as a product of the interaction between the individual and their environment. Sustainability is another common theme in discussing advocacy. By looking to long-term solutions and seeking to build the capacity of local actors—a notion often referred to as “capacity building”—efforts can move beyond one-off gestures and promote lasting change. While the text presents a humanitarian example of distributing low-cost water filters to people in low-income countries, it goes on to distinguish between simple and more robust forms of advocacy. Providing filters is deemed a form of charity, as while the products might alleviate some suffering in the short term, the approach does little to change the broader issues contributing to the lack of safe water. Not to be conflated with the idea of financial stability, sustainable solutions look towards efforts that promote development and self-functioning for affected populations. By contrast, a robust form of advocacy would involve organizing campaigns and utilizing various communication methods to press government bodies for focused and sustained efforts to improve and expand national infrastructure for clean water, such as programs to build new infrastructure and regulatory frameworks that ensure ongoing action against pollution and water scarcity. Such methods require thought, planning, and the willingness to engage with multiple parties over potentially prolonged periods of time. This example serves to further highlight the opportunity for people to engage with differing forms of advocacy placed along a gradient of effort and complexity.
4. Challenges and Opportunities in Global Health and Humanitarian Advocacy
Advocacy is not just about telling a story or making an argument; it is about creating lasting change in the world. In order to be effective, however, advocates need to be aware of and able to navigate the many complex and interconnected challenges that they may face. At the same time, it is essential that advocates remain open to and able to take advantage of the numerous and evolving opportunities that are available to them. This section will explore some of the key challenges in global health and humanitarian advocacy, grouped into five thematic areas. It is important to note, however, that each of these challenges is not mutually exclusive – in reality, they often overlap and can reinforce each other. This complexity means that advocates need to take a multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary approach towards addressing these issues. Furthermore, one of the major themes of this work is that challenges are not just obstacles to be overcome, they are also opportunities for advocates to learn and to further develop their strategies and approaches. By the same token, opportunities should always be approached critically and reflectively – what might have worked well in a single context once, might not be replicable again. First, the issue of funding and resource constraints will be outlined and it will be discussed how advocates might work to alleviate some of the strains that these constraints can put on advocacy work. Secondly, political and cultural barriers will be distinguished and it will be demonstrated how these kinds of deep-rooted and structural issues can pose real challenges to advocates. Thirdly, the still growing and dynamic role of technology in advocacy will be assessed and it will be explained how technological advances can be used to enhance advocacy work. Fourthly, the complex relationships that can exist between different stakeholder groups will be explored by demonstrating how advocates might approach the task of collaboration with governments and NGOs. Finally, the vital importance of measuring and evaluating the impact of advocacy initiatives will be discussed, thereby providing practical and concrete evidence of their effectiveness and worth. It is the intention of this work that the ensuing discussion will provide useful guidance for both experienced and novice advocates alike, by making evident that challenges and opportunities in advocacy are not simply confined to the macroscopic sociopolitical issues often discussed at the global level.
4.1 Funding and Resource Constraints
Funding and resource constraints were amongst the most important challenges facing global health and humanitarian advocates. Firstly, without enough financial resources, advocating for medical assistance and coverage will be almost impractical. For instance, advocates will need to travel across continents and, in some cases, war-torn areas. Such travels often pose both monetary and resource challenges. Fund allocation is also one more challenge that results from financial constraints. The advocates must struggle against many different illnesses which require attention. For instance, if one is advocating for a cure for a certain type of disease, those who do not meet such criteria might end up being underfunded. Similarly, in many parts of the globe, natural and human-initiated catastrophes are on the rise. Resources would then be strained due to the fact that humanitarian advocacy will be shared among different catastrophes. Most governments and international agencies have got informal mechanisms of funding the health and humanitarian organizations. However, resources may sometimes be allocated based on decisions made by people who have not sufficient understanding of the patients’ needs. This presents a challenge because funds may be allocated in a way that does not reflect reality on the ground. Humanitarian advocacy without sufficient resources can be a treadmill of frustration and disappointment. This is according to Dr. Robert T. Gregoire, a professor of International Law. A key resource available to the advocates is the media, which can be a tool for creating a sense of urgency among the public or consciousness among the policymakers. However, the media itself requires enough financial resources for it to ply its trade. With the rise of social media, paying for advocacy adverts can sometimes be challenging considering the dynamics of the online-based knowledge dissemination. For instance, a video or a text may go viral if only it strikes emotive chords in society. This goes with the fact that monetary resources must be allocated strategically to either continue funding a strong media campaign or invest in designing a long-term advocacy strategy, said Susan Krenn, a lecturer in the School of Public Health.
4.2 Political and Cultural Barriers
Another major obstacle to global health and humanitarian advocacy is political and cultural barriers. In many conservative societies, topics such as sexual and reproductive health and harm reduction strategies for drug users are often considered taboo or immoral. In some countries, authoritarian governments may impose restrictions on the freedom of speech, association, and assembly, which in turn hinder advocacy efforts. As suggested by Claeson and Lee, the change from “old public health” to “new public health” requires an increasing emphasis on prevention. However, the focus of “new public health,” which is to ensure individuals have the possibility of healthy lives and involves intersectoral collaboration and interdisciplinary methods, is easily jeopardized by politics and religion. As a matter of fact, Claeson and Lee argue that the “overriding principle should be the health of the community” and “it might be tempting to dismiss the ideological agendas of political and religious groups” that oppose a particular health device. However, “a winnable compromise must also be realistic and take into account the political and cultural landscape in which the fight will be waged.” It is quite difficult to strike a balance between a winnable compromise and the moral and professional commitments; to provide a clearly specified protection and to avoid deviating from the said protection provider to allow moral considerations to affect the recipient’s proper exercise of autonomy. Furthermore, it was argued by Coggon and Huxtable that in a liberal society, where legislation and public resource aim at mitigating public health challenges, those bearing professional health responsibilities should generally accord with those resources and coincide with the purposes of the law. This seems to suggest that the level of professionalism should be constrained by law when it comes to public health. However, their argument often neglects the reality concerning political and cultural barriers. Such a struggle to political and cultural changes is reflected in the case of Maria Pyre, a psychologist from Germany, and Josephine Ruhe, a gynecologist from Germany; both of them are provided pre-abortion counseling. Nevertheless, they refused to provide information about the medical risks associated with pregnancy and the fetal development, which are required by the German law, by calling themselves “Christian pro-life advice centers.” This led to a legal battle between the general medical council and Maria Pyre, and later a full investigation regarding Josephine Ruhe’s professional conduct. In the case of Goldacre, MacKean, and Tait, it is suggested that the patient-doctor relationship is interposed by commercial priority and it is undeniable that the “presence of medical interests in commercial activities was frequently identified” and this may result in a conflict of interest, as professionals may be taxed with divided loyalty between profit-making and patient’s well-being. However, in reality, the doctors were largely used as pawns and subject to “institutional corruption,” in which the health service is being exploited and failed to provide proper resources to support the exercise of professional autonomy. Nevertheless, such a narrative against commercial activities can be attenuated by the fact that, sometimes, the introduction of new medical technologies enhances the professional power. But the attitude of society towards risk-taking and failure may well impose an additional burden on providers.
4.3 Leveraging Technology for Advocacy
Technology advancements are providing a number of opportunities to enhance advocacy efforts in global health and humanitarian work. Some of the most common ways that technology is being used in advocacy work relate to data management, communication, and mobilization. For example, geographic information system (GIS) mapping and analysis has become an essential tool for many global health researchers and advocates. GIS can be used to map such things as disease outbreaks, access to health care, and health indicators through remote data collection. These can help donors and policy makers understand the importance of funding health work in certain areas and can help to target interventions more efficiently. But Prabhakaran points out that not all people doing global health and humanitarian work have access to the most advanced technology. There is a danger that those who are using the largest scale databases and technological advances will have a louder voice. This means that it is increasingly important for researchers and advocates to engage in “data diplomacy” and ensure that the information being analysed and used is reflective of the needs and realities of affected communities. Social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and various blogging platforms, is now widely used for advocacy campaigns-both large and small scale. This kind of secure and easily accessible communication platforms allows for bigger and more diverse advocacy coalitions because members can communicate and coordinate their efforts effectively, regardless of their physical location or time zones. Real-time information and social media are being used by disaster and humanitarian responders to improve impact and innovation. Brendan McDonald, a research fellow at the University of Sydney iLearn Centre, writes about the capacity for technology to create ‘the “immediacy” of the communicated message’ when used by advocates. He uses the example of children who are caught up in humanitarian disasters and the potential for advocates to use the immediacy of a text message and graphic capabilities of smart phones to allow people to donate by using Trackable Emergency Donation Cards (TED) which would display real-time data on a given crisis. WhatsApp is also being used by humanitarian organisations as an effective information exchange and two-way communication channel with affected communities. This seems to suggest that technology is enabling a shift in the power dynamics of advocacy-such as allowing smaller scale, but cleverly technology-focused, advocacy campaigns to have a growing impact on the global stage. However, the capacity for technology is only as useful as the energy and effort that advocates put in to learn and apply new skills. Such a fast changing and evolving landscape means that global health and humanitarian advocates should strive to include capacity building for the most effective and ethical use of technology, as well as recognizing the need for ongoing education.
4.4 Collaboration with Governments and NGOs
In non-governmental organizations, they have to follow the laws and regulations of the countries they are operating in, but this is not a restriction for collaboration with governments. NGOs can work to influence governments at local, national, and international levels. For example, NGOs can advocate for new policies or for the laws to be changed, or they can provide information and research to government departments to support their decision-making. Global health and humanitarian NGOs often work with the ministries of health, which are the government departments responsible for health. Collaboration between NGOs and the government can take many different forms, and the relationship can vary depending on both the NGOs and the governments involved. However, the involvement of the government in collaboration with NGOs may bring some difficulties. The bureaucratic and time-consuming procedure was commonly shared by NGOs in collaboration with governments, as mentioned by a number of interviewees. Normally, governments have an official process and procedure to be followed by NGOs if they want to collaborate. This might slow down the operation and it is frustrating. Also, the government may have their own agenda and want NGOs to work towards their focus rather than new ideas from NGOs. This obstructs the innovative ways to tackle humanitarian issues. It is important for NGOs to maintain their independence from the government in order to make sure that the works of NGOs are driven by the needs of the communities in which they are operating, and not by the political expediency of governments. For example, a scientific research conducted by Rhodes University on the impact of the collaboration between the government and NGOs. It was mentioned in the report that the governmental collaborations helped the NGOs in improving efficiency and empowering the local people. However, caution was given on direct funding from the Department of Social Development because it limits NGOs’ freedom to argue with government parties and find new ways of solving humanitarian issues. There are two types of working relationships between NGOs and governments, as mentioned by NHS, a non-profit NGO focusing on children’s healthcare. The first one is that some governments are working to restrict the independence of NGOs. One of the interviewees from Oxfam shared an example in Myanmar. The government passed a new law last year which aims to stranglehold the activities of NGOs. The law requires the NGOs to receive official approval from the government before any projects or activities will be carried out. This will enable the governments to control the NGOs, and the NGOs will have fewer organizations in supporting the people and hope to pressure the government to repeal the laws. The second common type of working relationship is the cooperation with governments. He also highlighted the needs of long-term strategic functioning of some social services, and the involvement of the government is essential to move from project-based assistance to collaborative planning and development, such as the adoption of the area-based program. From the interviewee of Save The Children, he stated that a viable collaboration should bring benefits to the society, with NGOs having the inspiration and innovative ideas to develop new projects and programs. Such collaboration provides urgent and temporary services as well as enhances capabilities and potentials of both sides, which can lead to a comprehensive quality of social service announced by the government. He also mentioned that good communication and transparency are the keys to a successful collaboration. When NGOs are working with the government in a particular region, they should keep regular communication with the local government so that the local policies will not be neglected. Also, the NGOs should make sure that they have the responsibility of sharing the outcome of their services with the local government ace my homework. This is important to publicly engage the local government and to demonstrate which party is leading the services to combat social issues.
4.5 Advocacy Impact Measurement and Evaluation
nt of advocacy initiatives. By prioritizing advocacy impact evaluation, we can ensure that our efforts are evidence-based and effective in promoting positive change in global health and humanitarian issues.