With young Africans increasingly able to access ideas, communications and networks via their cellphones and on social media, advocacy can play an immediate and impactful role. But what role can donors – and companies in particular – play in shaping African development via advocacy? Shelagh Gastrow, advisor to the philanthropy, university and civil society sectors, explains.
How do you define advocacy?
Among a myriad of definitions, Wikipedia’s definition of advocacy seems the most apt: “an activity by an individual or group that aims to influence decisions within political, economic and social institutions”.
Advocacy frequently requires multiple processes, including research, policy analysis, agenda setting, advocacy training, engagement with various levels of government, use of media platforms and the development of apps, leadership development, conference attendance, street demonstrations, and, as a last resort, litigation.
Why is it important to fund advocacy?
While aid is still the mainstay of many African governments, it’s increasingly recognised that policy change is required and that African civil society organisations can play a key role in advocating for such change. There is growing awareness amongst donors that support for advocacy is essential to shift the paradigm.
Donors are also aware that support for advocacy that can lead to systems and policy change can be more effective than simply funding projects. However, sources of funding for advocacy programmes are still erratic, and donors entering this field need to commit to the long-term.
Who is currently funding African advocacy?
There is not a great deal of information available on the sources of funds for African advocacy, but it comes from diverse grantmakers, including the Gates Foundation, the Open Society Foundation and the Ford Foundation. In South Africa, the most prominent funding for advocacy is the Raith Foundation. In some countries, it is funded by local philanthropy.
Some international aid agencies and even some government agencies provide funding, not necessarily for advocacy itself, but for research and policy analysis, which form the underlying information platform for effective advocacy. They bring together partner organisations from their own countries to assist in capacity development of African civil society entities.
Which issues are most prominently supported in Africa?
South Africans are accustomed to the activities of civil society groups driving change and some of these groups have become well-known, including the Treatment Action Campaign and its advocacy around HIV and AIDS, Section 27 and its health and education advocacy, and the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), which focuses on government corruption and the misappropriation of funds.
Advocacy in the areas of environment, gender-based violence, media freedom, refugees and immigration, and the rights of the LGBTQI+ community is common. Each of these movements must identify donor support that is specific to their cause. There is no one group of donors that funds all advocacy.
Civil society organisations frequently demand accountability from African governments, but there are increasing controls over access to funding as governments are suspicious about unknown agencies providing support to the entities calling them to account.
In the donor arena, there are calls to “shift the power” where civil society organisations are demanding a move towards more equal partnership and a commitment to work together for a common purpose. The Shift the Power movement is global but has special resonance in Africa.
Are companies funding advocacy?
Corporate social investment programmes have grown on the continent. However, the corporate sector is timid when it comes to support for advocacy – it prefers to make grants to projects that are developmental in nature, such as early childhood development centres, food security and provision of water infrastructure. Companies tend to be risk-averse and are wary about conflictual relationships with governments that could arise out of civil society advocacy initiatives.
What advice do you have for companies looking to support advocacy?
Companies choosing to support advocacy should identify a cause that aligns with their values and research which organisations are active in that particular arena so as to be well informed of the issues and possible consequences of involvement. Understand what changes your potential partners seek and assess if your partner has the expertise and capacity to run a campaign. Financial support can include strengthening the partner organisation’s capacity to deliver on its outcomes.
Advocacy campaigns can be complex, and both donor and partner organisation will need to navigate the intricacies of engaging in public advocacy while sustaining their own relationship. Companies should be willing to accept the learning opportunities that will arise during the campaign, rather than just wielding financial control.
At the same time, there is no point in being involved in advocacy and leaving all the action to the partner. A committed company can participate through cause-related marketing, including awareness campaigns, and encourage employees to spread the word.
Impact measurement is also key to understanding if the advocacy is successful, and if there are obvious benefits to society and systemic change has taken place (for example, in government policy and legislation or city expenditure or by-laws), and if the company’s standing is enhanced.
Shelagh Gastrow
Philanthropy Consultant
shelagh@gastrow.co.za
https://gastrow.co.za/about/
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2023 (26th edition).
