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

2. Is there a risk of duplicating or competing with a campaign run by others on the
issue to be addressed? If your organization or alliance doesn’t campaign on the
issue, will anyone else? Would time and resources be better spent by joining an
existing campaign with a good track record of success?
3. Is it the right time to address the issue? What is the worst that could happen if
your organization or alliance does not campaign on the issue at this point in time?
4. Can your organization or alliance mobilize the necessary resources to
campaign on the issue, including the knowledge and skills needed and the financial
resources?
5. How does the campaign team feel about the chances for success? If it is felt
that chances are extremely slim, then other types of activities or approaches should
be considered.
JOINING EXISTING CAMPAIGNS
Many international campaigns offer advice and readily available campaign kits (e.g. on
their websites) for groups who wish to support the campaign in their own region. If the
campaign goal is one of your priorities, and the strategy, message and materials appear
sound and appropriate to your context, consider joining such a campaign rather than
“reinventing the wheel”.
Bear in mind:
- If the campaign goal and objectives do not match the priorities identified, you need to
balance the advantages of joining a high-profile national or international effort
against the risk of draining resources for a cause that is not a strategic priority for
you.
- Review and pre-test the campaign tools with representatives of the target audience
group before launching the campaign activities. Certain aspects may need to be
adjusted or re-designed to match the local context.
Example: The international Blue Heart Campaign was launched by the UN Office on
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to draw attention to the global problem of human trafficking,
and mobilize people to act against it. As a symbol of their support, participants are
asked to wear the blue heart, or ‘wear’ it on their social media profiles (facebook, twitter,
etc). Local organisations can also join the international campaign by running a local
40
Campaigns December 2011