What is advocacy? What does an advocate do?
A person’s decisions and choices are influenced by social norms and behaviours, and what decisions and choices other people are making. Actions to mitigate climate change and its impacts are also likely to be influenced by a person’s belief that the decisions they make are for the sake of the environment and future sustainability. To encourage people to become advocates for gender equality and to support women-led climate actions it is necessary to:
- provide data and information to increase knowledge and awareness of gender equality, and to influence behaviours and attitudes; and
- provide support aimed at changing the circumstances under which decisions are made.
The main responsibilities of an advocate for gender equality are to raise awareness of the importance of the different impacts of climate change on men and women and to disseminate such information. As part of community mobilising, the advocate will also act as the go-between for community members and other stakeholders such as financial and donor organisations, government bodies, local government representatives and other community groups.
The advocate supports women who are competing for key positions in the community and at the national level in political parties by improving female candidates’ access to funding, which is usually relatively limited compared to funding available to male candidates. Advocates therefore assist with fundraising. They also raise awareness of the importance of women’s participation in decision-making at all levels of society, including political levels, facilitate training for candidates and assist in organising campaigns designed to encourage support for women candidates.
