Social Work with People Practicing Same-Sex ... - ILGA Europe

e) Time-bound — having time limitations. — We should set strictly defined time limits
for the completion of this or that objective. It is important precondition for the stepwise
and systemic implementation of the advocacy campaign.
f) Ethic. — Morality of established objectives is very complicated category, since it
is associated with very subjective notions and concepts. For example, the objective
of outing (bringing to light) politicians, who in fact are hidden homosexuals or HIV
infected individuals, seems non-ethical, because it violates human right to integrity
of private life and confidentiality of personal health information. However, activities
of public people or government officials imply the existence of “open areas”, such as
tax declarations, participation in public scandals regarding the state budget or private
funds, fraud in the area of procurement of drugs and equipment, etc. Such information
can be used in critical situations as a part of advocacy measures. However, you should
check the reliability of such data.
6. Identification of potential allies.
When the goal of the advocacy campaign becomes clear, it is time to analyze the
entire totality of stakeholders (organizations, institutions, individuals) of to the social
sphere of the object of advocacy. If our goal is to ban discrimination of homosexuals
in the area of labour relations, it is expedient to seek other organizations — primarily
NGOs — that could be interested in implementation of anti-discriminatory norms in
labour legislation. Obviously, such anti-discriminatory norms can and should cover not
only representatives of LGBT community, but also other groups, whose labour rights are
infringed (e.g. HIV positive individuals, disabled people, migrant workers, people of
other race, etc.). Such analysis should result in the development of the list of potential
allies for the campaign.
In search of allies, there exists one important condition: all individuals and organizations
that participate in the campaign, should fully share its goal. As a rule, it usually narrows
the number of like-minded allies. However, it is better for the organization and its
supporters to develop the goal and to appoint responsible persons in the first place,
and then to start working on “coalition-building”.
Good example of advocacy efforts is the project of Coalition of HIV-Servicing
Organizations 1 , which addresses the issues of stigma and discrimination of MSM and
FSW in the area of provision of health and social services. Thanks to active involvement
of leaders of LGBT community, advocacy in the area of healthcare gradually shifted
towards combating of stigma and discrimination not only against MSM, but the entire
LGBT community. It is very good when the public and decision-makers hear the voices
of experts from LGBT community. We should utilize the classic slogan of “Nothing About
Us Without Us!”
7. Assessment of own resources and seeking additional resources.
It is obvious that any effective work requires resources — material (technical, financial)
and human.
While planning your advocacy campaign it is necessary to evaluate the size and
structure of resources, available to the organizers (advocacy agents). It is clear that the
goal, objectives and duration of the campaign should be proportional to the available
resources; otherwise any advocacy efforts will lead nowhere.
It may seem that we have to evaluate resources in the first place, and only after that
to set goals and objectives. And it is correct, but only in part: in order to evaluate
resources adequately, we need to know how — towards what goals and objectives —
these resources should be used. It is clear that after analysis of available resources we
should — and must — adjust the goal and objectives of the campaign appropriately,
on the basis of their realism.
In comparison of the goal and objectives on the one hand, and resources — on the
other, it often appears that resources are insufficient to achieve the goal and relevant
objectives. In this case it is necessary to plan measures to attract additional funding
for the advocacy. First, additional resources can be provided by the partners of the
Gay-forum event,
Dnipropetrovsk, 2008
NGO “Nash Mir (Our World)” event
1 The project “Reduction of stigma
and discrimination of MSM” was
supported by the International
HIV/AIDS Alliance in Ukraine. The
project envisaged organization
of four regional trainings for
activists of gay movement, as
well as roundtable and workshop
with representatives of key
ministries and departments. In
addition, International HIV/
AIDS Alliance in Ukraine financed
the organization of two pressconferences
on LGBT issues. The
project resulted in the development
of Recommendations to the list
of measures, aimed to improve
access of homosexuals, bisexuals
and transgender people to health
and social services, and to ensure
their citizen rights and freedoms
(July 8, 2008). Subsequently these
Recommendations became the
subject matter of discussions with
relevant government authorities.
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