Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

of change and the target audiences identified, should guide the framing of an alliance.
For example, it can frame itself as a mass movement of men from all walks of life who
want to stop rape, or as an alliance of expert lawyers and institutions advising the
parliament on a new law draft.
In the example below, an NGO alliance bringing together different comparative
advantages and representing a large cross-section of society skillfully positioned itself
as a constructive, well-informed advocate with government institutions, while at the
same time also organizing confrontational mass rallies to press for speedier government
action.
Example: The campaign for the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act in South
Africa (1999) combined the strengths of the Soul City Institute for Health and
Development Communication with its top-rated TV “soap opera” on health and
development, and the National Network on Violence against Women (NNVAW) with its
large grassroots constituency and structural links with key government departments.
The credibility of both organizations among a wide public and with government circles,
as well as a long-standing relationship with journalists generating supportive media
coverage and NNVAW’s ability to mobilize huge crowds for campaign events have been
key elements of success. (Usdin, et al., 2000)
Read the case study.
An instructive account of the campaign can also be found at: Usdin, S. et al, The Value
of Advocacy in Promoting Social Change: Implementing the New Domestic Violence Act
in South Africa, in Reproductive Health Matters, Vol. 8, No.16, pp.55-65, (2000).
PRACTICAL STEPS IN ALLIANCE BUILDING
� Start early. Building your alliance early helps to ensure shared ownership and
to make full use of complementary skills and experience.
� Start with a small core alliance and grow it gradually. Particularly if your
organization has limited experience and time, this is advisable rather than going
to the complex stages of group development with dozens of organizations.
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Campaigns December 2011