Southern Voices toolkit in Climate Change Advocacy
"The world is overheating. Global temperatures are rising, affecting our climate. Poor and marginalised communities are feeling most of the effects of climate change and yet little is being done to support them.
Governments are either afraid to take the bold steps that are needed, or they are being dominated by elite interests who are not interested in saving our planet or protecting its people....
We need to ensure that governments in the North and South are held to account for their actions; that the voices of the poor and marginalised are heard by those in power; and that the policies and practices of governments and other actors change to respond to the changes in our climate."
When the Southern Voices Programme was first initiated, detailed guidance on how to conduct climate change advocacy was unavailable, and networks engaged in advocacy and awareness raising activities using a 'learning by doing' approach with support from members of the climate capacity consortium.
In 2012, advocacy experiences from across the networks were compiled and synthesised into an international report "Southern voices on climate policy choices". Networks achieved a great deal from these efforts, as documented in the many case studies described in the report and the new ones presented in these climate change advocacy toolkits.
The aim of these toolkits is thus to share these experiences with others and also provide guidance and a number of analytical and practical tools to help civil society actors plan and conduct their climate change advocacy activities better.
These toolkits were collated, written and edited by: Hannah Reid, Ian Chandler, Raja Jarrah and Peter With.
The following Southern Voices Programme partners and collaborators provided essential inputs to the process, including case studies, toolkit text and advice on structure and content:
Gifty Ampomah, Mónica López Baltodano, Ange David Emmanuel Baimey, Constantine Carluen, Vu Thi My Hanh, Manuel Guzmán-Hennessey, Henriette Imelda, Dil Raj Khanal, Mahamadoufarka Maiga, Sophie Makoloma, Lily Mejía, Vivian Lanuza Monge, Herbert Mwalukomo, Usha Nair, Susan Nanduddu, Ha Thi Quynh Nga, Rahima Njaidi, Nop Polin, Ashwini Prabha-Leopold, Golam Rabbani, María René, Andrea Rodriguez, Moussa Diogoye Sene, Mike Shanahan, Patricia R. Sfeir, Ung Soeun, Madyoury Tandia, Baba Tuahiru, Vositha Wijenayake, Shailendra Yashwant and Sherpard Zvigadza.
Each of the Toolkits is based on the practical experience of civil society organisations associated with the Southern Voices programme around the world.
They have been structured to help you plan and deliver effective advocacy to combat the causes and effects of climate change, to support and protect poor and vulnerable communities, and to ensure that their voices are heard by policy makers locally, nationally and globally.