The role of advocacy is cross-cutting in global development, and critical to organizations in securing funding, shaping programs and creating sustainable change. While specific mandates vary from one organization to another, advocacy professionals are focused on influencing decisions within political, economic and social systems to better support their organization’s mission and benefit stakeholders.
Global development organizations can be engaged in advocacy at a local, national or international level and often have positions dedicated to these efforts. Inge Brees, senior European Union advocacy officer at CARE International, heads up the organization's advocacy in Brussels and focuses on influencing policies at an EU level. However, she says that in practice, the nature of advocacy as a cross-cutting issue means people often wear multiple hats — country directors, for example, who are responsible for program management might also practice advocacy to some extent through discussions with local authorities and in ensuring civil society space for their partners to work.
Whether it is your full time job or only a portion of your role, succeeding as a global development advocate requires the smart use of soft skills. Here is what advocacy experts say are the top skills you should hone.
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Learn to listen
The ability to listen — to local communities, staff in the field or other stakeholders — is a fundamental skill for advocacy, critical to developing your understanding of issues and the potential challenges you face in creating change. Michelle Thulkanam, communications and advocacy officer at the World Health Organization Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, explained that listening forms the basis for any arguement.
