How to be an advocate: A guide to using your voice to create change

HOW TO BE AN ADVOCATE

© UNICEF Australia

A guide to using your voice to create change

UNICEF AUSTRALIA

CONTENTS Who we are UNICEF 1 Child Rights Advocates 3 You don’t have to be 18 4 Programs and resources for young people

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Get the Facts International poverty for children 7 Australian Aid Program 9 Australian Political Landscape 11 What can I do?

Involve children and young people

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Government lobbying 13 Inspire others Community Awareness 15 Engage the Media Online Media 17 Print Media 19 Media Guidelines 21 Further information UNICEF’s work in Australia 24 Reports and helpful links 26 Contact us 26 Glossary 27

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0644/Asselin

WHO WE ARE

UNICEF UNICEF works in over 190 countries to promote and protect the rights of children. We promote these rights by supporting child health and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls and the protection of children from violence, exploitation and diseases like polio, measles and HIV. In Australia, UNICEF advocates for the rights of all children to be realised and works to improve public and government support for child rights and international development. UNICEF Australia co-chairs the Child Rights Taskforce, Australia’s peak child rights body made up of almost 100 organisations and individuals who advocate for the protection of child rights in Australia. Speaking with a united voice, it is the job of the taskforce to lead the sector-wide approach to the United Nation’s work and to monitor the Australian Government’s commitment to children.

All of UNICEF’s work is funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments – not by the United Nations. Through contact with UNICEF and the support of passionate individuals like yourself, the lives of millions of children have been changed for the better.

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The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the most internationally recognised treaty on the planet. The convention sets out the basic rights of children (usually people aged 18 and under) and the obligations of governments to fulfil those rights. The convention draws attention to the duties of governments, communities, families and individuals to respect those rights, and supports them in doing so.

Key principles of the CRC: The CRC consists of 54 articles and is guided by four fundamental principles: 1. Non-discrimination: all children should have equal opportunities. No child should either benefit nor suffer because of their race, colour, gender, language, religion, national, social or ethnic origin, political or other opinion, their caste, property or birth status, or because they are disabled.

2. The best interests of the child: laws and actions affecting children should put their best interests first and benefit them in the best possible way.

3. Survival, development and protection: the authorities in each country have a responsibility to protect children and help ensure their full development — physically, spiritually, morally and socially.

Š UNICEF/NYHQ2011-1907/Roger LeMoyne

4. Participation: children have a right to have their say in decisions that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account.

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© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2682/Shehzad Noorani

CHILD RIGHTS ADVOCATES By reading this pack, learning more about child rights and taking action, you are a Child Rights Advocate. We all have the right, responsibility and influence to make a difference for children. Child Rights Advocates are a community of people who stand together to realise the rights of children, here in Australia and internationally.

What’s different about human rights activism?

• In everything we do we respect and uphold the dignity of all people.

• We help people to overcome difficultly with empowerment.

• We do not discriminate. Each and every child should have the opportunity to realise their rights.

• We support participation and provide opportunities for children and youth to speak and act for themselves and on behalf of each other whenever possible.

Human rights principles ask you to reflect on your own actions and attitudes to ensure your activism abides by these principles.

This pack provides many of the ways you can take action right now. The first step is to educate yourself and get the facts.

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE OVER 18 TO BE AN ADVOCATE Anyone and everyone can use their voice to speak up for the rights of other people. You don’t have to be an adult to do this. But firstly, what exactly does being an “advocate” mean?

An advocate is someone who: • Identifies a problem. This could be a problem they are personally experiencing or a problem they see someone else, or a group of other people experiencing • Does their research and finds out what is causing the problem they’ve noted • Creates awareness among the people around them about the problem and what’s causing it • Gathers support from a group of people who want to see this problem solved and asks those in power to find a solution to the identified problem • Approaches the person in power with a well-researched argument and reason to find a solution to the identified problem The most important quality of an advocate is that they are someone who doesn’t give up.

An advocate keeps using their voice to educate others, gather support and take action until a change is made.

Still not quite sure what this looks like in real life?

Let’s see how advocacy worked in action for a group of primary school students. At this particular primary school, one girl identified a problem: the water bubblers were a long way from the playground. This girl was concerned the distance to the water bubblers would cause children to become dehydrated.

This young girl had learned recently that every child has the right to clean, safe drinking water so they can stay healthy. She talked to her parents about the problem of the water being far away. She got her parents to speak to other parents at the school while she talked to her classmates and teacher about the need for a closer water bubbler. They all agreed it was important for the whole school to have water bubblers closer to the playground.

The large group, who by now all agreed about the need for a closer water bubbler, wrote a letter to the school principal outlining the problem and proposing a solution: to build water bubblers in the playground. All the concerned parents and students signed their names on the letter. After seeing so many people concerned with the children’s poor access to water, the school principal decided to install a water bubbler in the playground.

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© UNICEF/DRCA2010-00122/Jill Connelly

• This little girl was an advocate.

• She identified a problem, and knew it needed to be fixed because she was informed about her rights.

• She created awareness among those around her about the problem.

• She proposed a realistic solution to the problem.

• Those around her supported her campaign to have the problem fixed.

• The principal was the person who had the power to fix the problem.

• The students and parents used their power as a group to influence the principal.

• The strength of their argument, the good solution and the number of people supporting the campaign caused the principal to take action to fix the problem.

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© UNICEF/INDA2011-00189/Niklas Halle’n

PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE • For primary and secondary school students: www.unicef.org.au/Educational-Resources/What-can-you-do-to-help/Start-a-UNICEF-Club.aspx

• For teachers and parents: www.unicef.org.au/Educational-Resources/Parents-Teachers-Educators.aspx

• For Girl Guides: www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Girl-Guides.aspx

• For our Young Ambassador program (15-24years of age): www.unicef.org.au/Act/Be-a-UNICEF-Advocate/Become-a-UNICEF-Young-Ambassador.aspx 6

© UNICEF/NYHQ2011-2399/Giacomo Pirozzi

GET THE FACTS

INTERNATIONAL POVERTY FOR CHILDREN Poverty and its solutions are complex. There is no one simple solution to end poverty.

There are many political, financial, trade, social and cultural causes and factors. Some are historical and some are current, but all have influenced the inequity experienced by children vtoday.

In preparing you to become a Child Rights Advocate, let’s review how incredibly far we have come in overcoming global poverty and take a look at the challenges ahead.

In just two decades, 2 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty and the proportion of the world’s population living below the absolute poverty line has halved.

It’s an extraordinary result and shows that a world without poverty is possible.

Take a look at a few of the key global successes and challenges in the areas of food and nutrition, health and child survival and education and labour.

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Food & Nutrition • The number of preventable child

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deaths worldwide has fallen from nearly 12 million in 1990 to less than 7 million in 2011.

• Half of the world’s children do not possess access to life-saving, low-cost healthy food.

• Nearly half of the world’s children do not have access to clean, safe water.

Health & Child Survival • The number of children whose growth has been stunted as a result of poor © UNICEF/NYHQ2005-2410/Khemka;

nutrition has dropped from 40 per cent to 27 per cent globally.

• Nearly 20 per cent of children under the age of five years old who live in the developing world remain undernourished.

• 171 million children worldwide do not have adequate access to healthy food.

Education & Labour • In the past 10 years, an extra

© UNICEF/INDA2012-00613/Singh

43 million children have gone to school, with more girls enrolling than ever before.

• However, there are still 61 million children who do not go to primary school.

• 215 million children worldwide are involved in child labour, mostly under poor and unhealthy conditions.

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AUSTRALIAN AID PROGRAM Foreign aid, or Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) is money allocated by governments for use during times of humanitarian emergencies and also to drive longterm development programs. Australia’s aid program is managed and implemented by AusAID. When aid is delivered effectively, it empowers people and builds their capacity to take part in continued development.

AusAID delivers aid funding through various organisations including: • Multinational agencies, like UNICEF, World Bank or the Asian Development Bank.

• Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), like Oxfam and World Vision.

• Private contractors

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© UNICEF/NYHQ2006-2459/Pirozzi

Australian aid focuses on five core themes. They are: • Opportunities for continued development • Sustainable economic development • Effective governance • Humanitarian and disaster response • Saving lives

How much does Australia give?

The international minimum target agreed upon by nations in consultation with the UN, is 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI). The Australian Government today allocates just over half of this, or 0.37 per cent of GNI, to foreign aid. That equates to 37c in every $100 in the economy earned.

Other - 99.63% Percentage of GNI spent on international aid - 0.37% The small sliver you see at the top of the graph (pictured) represents the proportion of Australian GNI spent on helping the world’s most vulnerable people, compared to all other spending.

Australia is a successful, wealthy and generous country. UNICEF Australia believes that our nation do not need to balance its books on the back of the world’s poor. Together we need to illustrate the need for a bipartisan commitment to reach a foreign aid target of 0.5 per cent of GNI by 2016.

Transparency and corruption There is often concern, quite rightly, about the transparency of international aid and the continued need to implement policies and procedures that prevent corruption.

Despite repeated concerns about corruption within the aid sector, AusAID reported in 2011-2012 that as little as 0.012 per cent of aid was lost to corruption.

While any loss of funds to corruption is a great cause for concern, there are strict measures in place that encourage transparency and accountability. The effective delivery of aid can support other governments to build their processes and develop policies that encourage accountability and contribute to improved transparency.

Why does such a small amount matter so much?

• A small amount can make an enormous difference to alleviate poverty. Any investment in human life, equity and opportunity reaps multitudes of rewards.

• Since 2002, Australian aid has contributed to enabling an extra 19 million children go to school (including a 54 per cent increase in girls’ attendance); provided jobs for 300,000 new teachers; built 30,000 new classrooms; and distributed more than 200 million textbooks to primary schools.

• Australian aid has eradicated polio from the Pacific, and India has now been polio free for two years.

• Australian aid has seen more than 1.5 million children immunised against measles and polio in Papua New Guinea.

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AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL LANDSCAPE 2013 is an election year. As Child Rights Advocates it’s an important year to set the agenda and focus on issues important to voters and our leaders.

The Gillard Labor Government was elected in 2010. Prime Minister Julia Gillard secured the support of the Australian Greens and three independents to form a minority Government. The 2013 election will be hotly-contested with recent polls recently indicating the Liberal Party was ahead and likely to form Government.

Until 2012 there was a bipartisan agreement to increase the aid program to provide 50 cents in every 100 dollars, or 0.5 per cent of GNI, by 2015. In 2013 the Labor Government delayed that promise for second year to 2017/18, and the Opposition too has since backed away from its promise to increase the aid budget.

Both parties need to commit to an increase in foreign aid. Here is an outline of UNICEF Australia’s key opportunities to convince our leaders of the benefits of an increased foreign aid budget.

May 2013: Labor Government released 2013/2014 Budget • The Labor Government delays their promise to scale up their aid budget to 0.5 per cent of the GNI for a second time, postponing their commitment until 2017/18.

• The Labor Government announces an increase of 0.02 per cent to the aid budget from 0.35 to 0.37 by 2016/17 - an increase of $500 million - but pools 75% of that increase ($375 million) into domestic spending. This means no benefits for the true recipients of aid; those in poverty overseas.

August 12, 2013 – Parliament Dissolves • Parliament will dissolve and all parties and candidates will dedicate themselves to a fulltime election campaign.

• Now is the time to publicly question our local MPs on their position regarding an end to poverty and to increasing foreign aid to 0.5 per cent of GNI. September 14, 2013 – Election Day • Vote! Vote! Vote! Vote! If you are not enrolled, or you need to update your details, visit www.aec.gov.au.

Join us and find out what you can do to make the end of global poverty a priority for our government and our country at www.unicef.org.au/promiseme.

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Š UNICEF/SRLA2011-0429/Olivier Asselin

WHAT CAN I DO?

INVOLVE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Advocacy is not only for voters. In whatever you do, you need to make sure you are creating a place, space, conversation, campaign, event or activity where everyone can be included and has the opportunity to add value to cvreating change around an issue. This includes children and young people.

Whatever your advocacy plans are, try to include and empower children and young people to speak out as active members of society.

What does this mean in reality? It could be something as simple as talking to your children about aid or their role as citizens of a democratic country. You could ask them what they think and what their suggestions are for telling their friends about foreign aid. Children could actively participate in planning and decision making, be a key note speaker at your event or a media spokesperson for your campaign.

Take their suggestions seriously. You don’t have to be over 18 to have a good idea.

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GOVERNMENT LOBBYING Vote Every single vote counts. If you are able to register and vote, make your voice heard. Enrol with the Australian Electoral Commission at www.aec.gov.au/enrol Contact your Federal Parliamentarians Do you want to make a difference at a local and national level for Australia’s commitment to child rights? Communicating with your local MP about important child rights issues can help influence those in power to make positive changes and become advocates themselves for these issues in Parliament.

Australia’s system of government means you, as an Australian citizen, have an elected Member of Parliament (MP) to represent you. Your elected MP needs to know which issues are important to you and what you have to say.

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© UNICEF/NYHQ2010-2812/Frederic Sautereau

You can lobby your local Federal MP about important issues and campaigns by writing a letter or email, arranging a meeting or starting a petition to be presented to your MP.

Steps for Contacting your MP 1. Find your Federal MP: if you want to contact your elected Federal representative, enter your postcode at www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Members to learn who they are.

2. Be upfront: Whether writing a letter, emailing or calling your elected MP, be upfront about why you are contacting them. For example: “I am writing to you as my local representative to urge you to maintain the commitment of 0.5 per cent of GNI to international aid by 2016/17.”

3. Be concise: Include your personal passion on the issue and include facts and stats like those in the ‘Get the Facts’ section of this booklet to support your position. For example: “There is often concern about the effectiveness of aid. 15,000 more children surviving each day compared to 1990 is an extraordinary number of children with names, faces and lives thanks to contributions made by Australian aid. I support any policy that can deliver such outstanding results. Let’s meet our commitment of 0.5 per cent of GNI for international aid.”

4. Be polite: Our politicians are entitled to dignity and respect. Be courteous and polite in all your communications.

5. Follow up: Allow at least a month’s time to receive a response – MPs are busy people who represent a lot of constituents. After a month has passed, it is a good idea to follow up with a phone call or an email to the office to ask whether your correspondence has been received and read.

Town Hall meeting with you MP If there is significant support for a key issue in your community and electorate a public event can be a great way to engage people, demonstrate mass support and provide avenues for people to make change.

• One of the most effective lobbying tools is a town hall meeting with your MP. • Choose a good, knowledgeable and confident speaker or speakers to debate or discuss the issues with your MP. If you have a decent amount of support, most MPs will be obliged to attend and present their case.

• If you have 50 or more people willing to attend a town hall meeting in your electorate, contact UNICEF Australia by email at advocacy@unicef.org.au and we can advise you on how to plan your event.

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INSPIRE OTHERS © UNICEF/NYHQ2011-0086/Noorani;

INSPIRE OTHERS

COMMUNITY AWARENESS Talk about it Share your passion for child rights and get those around you thinking about the world we live in and what we can do for children. Use the information you have learned in the ‘Get the Facts’ section of this pack to emphasise your points with evidence.

Host an event Hosting an event can be a great way to build critical awareness and generate support for your lobbying in your community. An event can be as simple as a morning tea or dinner party, or as large-scale as a fundraising ball. The key is to get it started around a current event or issue and make it relevant for those who are learning about the issue for the first time.

Consider the following: 1. Purpose: Before doing anything else, you must decide what the purpose of your event is and communicate this with your potential guests. Is to raise awareness? Public education? Demonstrating broad support to a politician? Fundraising? This will help you determine your approach to messaging in the lead up to, and throughout, the event. What is the benefit to the individual by attending and what is the benefit to society by them taking part? Make the answers to these questions clear from the start.

2. Attendance: Who will attend? Are there any influential people in the community who can attend and support the purpose? Is it only for constituents of a particular politician? How you invite and message the event will need to be nuanced for the different audiences.

3. Follow-up: Is this a one-off event? Or will it be part of a broader, ongoing effort? Make sure you communicate next steps with your guests so you can utilise their interest and enthusiasm on the day.

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Community Fundraising Fundraising is a great way for Child Rights Advocates to raise awareness about the issues affecting vulnerable children around the world and raise vital funds to help UNICEF Australia make an even bigger difference.

A great way to start is to think about what kind of events you enjoy attending. What would you enjoy organising and promoting to your friends and family?

Check out the events UNICEF Australia has coming up that you can take part in or tell us about a fundraising idea you’d like to see organised. Visit www.unicef.org.au/act/fundraising for more information.

Get involved in a community group Find support for your issue through other community groups who share a similar vision. For example, Rotary, Lions, Scouts, Girl Guides and faith groups are likely to already be active within your community and open to hearing good ideas.

Doorknocking

Š UNICEF/NYHQ2010-3000/Pirozzi

A good strategy for spreading the word in the community and engaging local supporters is to meet them in person on their own turf. There are rules and regulations about doing this, so if you are interested email advocacy@unicef.org.au if this is something you would like to do in your area.

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© UNICEF/NYHQ2010-3011/Giacomo Pirozzi

ENGAGING MEDIA

ONLINE MEDIA Many of UNICEF Australia’s Child Right’s Advocates are already online and active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube and writing blogs. Guess what? So are we. Follow us on UNICEF Australia’s social media channels and retweet, share and comment on our posts, or write your own. Here’s a guide to get you started.

Blogging for Child Rights Blogging is a great way to create a sense of community and have your voice heard on issues of child rights and poverty. Take a look at what you should consider before writing a blog post.

1. Identify an issue or topic you’re passionate about. Try to link this topic into current public conversation.

2. What are you trying to tell the audience? What do you want people to do when they finish reading your blog?

3. Break it up. Using pictures, dot points or sub heading throughout longer pieces of writing will help break it up, making it easier to read.

4. Include a catchy title.

5. Be regular. Consistent blog posts will help you to gain a following.

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Some blogs we like • Poverty Matters www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters • Why Dev www.whydev.org/blog • Tips for not for profit blogs www.clairification.com/2013/02/03/3-ways-to-build-a-nonprofit-blogworth-sharing-rca-series-part-i • UNICEF www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Blog.aspx

Planning a Social Media Campaign You can help support child rights and UNICEF’s work by using your voice on social media.

Follow UNICEF Australia on our social media channels

By sharing, retweeting and linking posts, you can help raise awareness of child rights. Every action you take is an action to speak out and strive for a world where all children can realise their full potential.

Tips on using social media to campaign for change: 1. Find the relevant hashtags and use them. Some good ones to get you started: #auspol #poverty #globaldev #childrights #childrightsaus 2. Keep the message simple but compelling. Provide statistics to let people know how big the issue is and why children need their support 3. Include a shortened link. Sites like www.bit.ly.com are good for shortening links.

4. Retweet, interact and reply to the support you receive online.

To get you started here’s some twitter accounts you may wish to follow: • @GdnDevelopment The Guardian Development Blog • @CastanCentre The Castan Centre for Human Rights Law • @ASRC1 Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

Find your local politician online here: www.tweetmp.org.au/mps/tweeters and let them know how you feel about international aid.

Sample Tweets • #didyouknow in 1990 poverty was the cause of 34,000 children dying every day? Now that number is 19,000. #aidmatters • Australian aid has helped lift 2 billion people out of poverty. Our aid does make a difference. #aidmatters #auspol 18

PRINT MEDIA UNICEF Australia’s Child Right’s Advocates can amplify the UNICEF voice and help spread the word about building a better, safer, healthier world for children.

Here’s a few ways you can amplify the UNICEF voice through the mainstream print media.

Letters to the Editor A letter to the editor can be a powerful and persuasive tool. The letters’ section is one of the most popular pages in many newspapers and widely used by community leaders to gauge public opinion on certain issues.

• Know the issues being covered and make your letter relevant to those issues.

• Make it timely. Letters to the editors need to be sent early in the day to be considered by most daily metropolitan Australian papers.

• Write it to the editor in first person.

• Keep it brief and to the point. Short, articulate letters are better than long, verbose letters.

• Be informed. Don’t fuel a pointless debate.

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© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2682/Shehzad Noorani

• Sign your letters and follow editorial submission guidelines for the paper.

Opinion Pieces Opinion pieces, or op-eds, are written to stir a reader’s emotions while presenting facts that support the author’s point of view.

The guidelines for a letter to the editor also apply to opinion pieces but there are a few extra things to consider.

• Have a clear editorial viewpoint that provides insight.

• Avoid clichés and jargon.

• It’s okay to be controversial, as long as you can also be the voice of reason.

• Base your opinions on facts, never on assumptions.

• Do not point the finger without being able to back up your arguments and never, ever defame an individual.

• Be personal and conversational; it can help you make your point.

• It’s okay to be humorous, provided your topic lends itself to humour.

• Near the end, clearly restate your position and issue a call to action.

Press Releases If you are a community fundraiser, or speaking on issues aligned to UNICEF’s work you may wish to attract a wider media response. Here are a few tips on writing a press release.

The primary purpose of a press release is to deliver something newsworthy about UNICEF to news outlets. Use a press release to; • react to news events or to provide new information to the reader; • drive an agenda and inform the reader about an issue; • advertise an event or key milestone or date; • boast of a success and/or; • distribute a report or key learning.

If you are likely to be speaking about UNICEF programs, international aid or child rights, the UNICEF Australia communications team is available to support you. Email advocacy@unicef.org.au.

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MEDIA GUIDELINES Writing a press release requires a little planning and preparation. Follow UNICEF Australia’s media guidelines to identify the “who, what, where, when, why and how” of preparing a press release.

Who will speak for you?

Make a decision about who will best represent your story. Is it the leader of your group? Is it someone affected by the issue you want to raise? Is it someone working on the issue you want to raise? Is there an expert on your issue? Is your expert a child, or group of children?

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DO identify an ideal spokesperson for

your issue.

DO offer up quotes from this spokesperson.

DO provide contact details for your

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DON’T be generic. Journalists want to quote someone.

DON’T forget newsrooms often operate outside of normal business hours. Is your

spokesperson.

spokesperson available to take calls early

DO prepare your spokesperson for

or late? If not, please specify when your

interviews with a journalist.

spokesperson is available.

DO take care when putting a child, or group of children, forward as a spokesperson.

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DON’T let your spokesperson go in alone.

Prepare them for their interviews with a journalist.

What to provide You need to be clear about the message you want a news or journalist to write about, or broadcast. This is the message readers or listeners will receive. Have a go at explaining it out loud. If you can articulate it quickly and easily, you’ve got a good message. If it’s a struggle, have a go at rethinking the core issues.

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DO outline the issue you want publicity for.

Can you explain it in a nutshell?

DO provide key facts.

DO offer up a photo opportunity.

Remember to get the permission of a parent or carer if children are to be photographed. Newsrooms avoid stories where children need to be photographed because of the time required to get this permission. Help them by providing it.

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DO proofread any written material you plan to send to a journalist or newsroom.

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DON’T feel you need to write the article for the journalist. You can write an article but it’s likely it will be changed.

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DON’T provide infographics or art, unless you’ve spoken to a journalist about supplying these.

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DON’T take the photograph, unless you’ve spoken to a journalist about supplying photos.

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DON’T just run a spell check over your work. Read it carefully, or have someone else read it to ensure it makes sense.

Where to target your efforts It’s a great idea to be reading news in a paper or online and taking note of the journalists and mastheads or programs who write about your issue. Once you’ve decided a particular journalist, masthead or program to cover your story, make contact. You could introduce yourself and pitch your story informally to see whether there’s interest, or send your release directly.

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DO identify journalists, mastheads or programs that write about your issue.

DO make contact with identified journalists, mastheads or programs to see

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DON’T spam journalists or news desks that don’t cover your issue.

DON’T waste a journalist’s time. Newsroom deadlines are always looming and the

whether they’d be interested in covering

demands of an editor will be a journalist’s

your story.

priority.

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DO keep your contact brief and to the point.

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DO offer up your own contact details. You

DON’T leave without supplying your details. Make it easy for a journalist to find you again.

never know when a journalist may need to get your expert opinion on an issue.

When to approach a newsroom Newsrooms are busy places and news is breaking all the time.

If you story is relevant to a current news issue approach an identified journalist as soon as possible to see whether they’d be interested in your organisation, community or campaign groups’ stand on an issue, or your spokesperson’s opinion.

If your story is outside the news cycle of a current issue, make contact around a peak in the cycle of your own news event. For example, news of a funding announcement could be a good reason to contact a newsroom. Your release should be with the news desk on the day of your announcement, if not a day or two before. If necessary place an embargo on the release to let the newsroom or journalist know your news can’t be made public until a specified day and time.

If your story is an event, give the newsroom time to publicise it. Two weeks prior to publication – that is the publication you want your item in – is customary.

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DO be ready to respond to breaking and current news events. That may mean having a spokesperson who can readily talk on your subject matter, or issue.

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DON’T let an opportunity slip by. If it does, prepare for the next one.

DON’T expect a newsroom to be able to publish your story if you supply

DO give a newsroom time to properly

information late. Be aware of the days your

cover your issue.

masthead publishes and make an effort to find out how many days before publication they need your release.

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Why is this story important Be clear about the changes you want to see, or the result you want from your story being published or broadcast. Again, it’s easiest if you can articulate this. Have a go at saying what you want out loud; often what you say out loud is what you should be writing down. It’s also a good idea to have thought about the reaction readers or listeners might have to your story and compile responses.

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DO know what you want to happen after your story has been published or

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DON’T forget to plan for the response to your story being published or broadcast. If the

broadcast.

issue is sensitive, don’t inflame debate. Offer

DO congratulate your team and

clear, informed and educated answers.

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supporters of your successes.

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DON’T forget to acknowledge supporters.

A simple thank you is often enough to have them respond to your next call to action.

How will readers or listeners get involved There are many ways supporters of UNICEF Australia can help champion children’s rights. It’s great to promote these ways in your contact with a journalist or a newsroom.

Calls to action could be to sign a petition, call their MP, come to your event, discover more about UNICEF’s work, donate, or to give a UNICEF Inspired Gift that aligns with your subject matter or issue.

Other calls to action could be to attend an event, share an item by way of social media or be a community fundraiser.

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DO share ways supporters can get involved.

DO sign off with key phone contacts or website details. For UNICEF Australia those are 1300 884 233 and www.unicef.org.au.

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DON’T be shy in giving readers and listeners other options to be involved.

DON’T forget to add information about how a reader or listener can make contact.

Children should be heard It is so important to give children and young people an opportunity to speak for themselves. You do need to ensure your child spokesperson’s rights are protected and Australia laws governing the reporting on children are upheld. A good guide is to seek the permission of the child’s parent or carer to speak and be photographed, or filmed. Journalists and news desks avoid stories that require a child, or children, to be photographed because of the difficulty getting a parent or carer’s permission. Make this easy for them.

Most news agencies post their stories online, so be aware this will create a permanent digital profile for the child.

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©©UNICEF UNICEF/Solomon Australia Islands-2006/Pirozzi

FURTHER INFO

UNICEF’S WORK IN AUSTRALIA UNICEF Australia advocates for Australian children facing challenges in realising their rights. One of the ways UNICEF Australia does this is as co –chairs of the Australia Child Rights Taskforce. The taskforce is a coalition of more than 130 organisations specialising in different areas: advocacy, lobbying and direct service delivery to specific groups.

The taskforce is united in lobbying Government to make Australia a great place for all children.

As a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) the Australia Government must report to the United Nations (UN) every five years. This report is a review of how the government is implementing the CRC and protecting children in Australia. The Child Rights Taskforce wrote a shadow report called Listen to Children in 2011 which can be found at www.unicef.org.au/downloads/Advocacy/ Listening-to-children-single-web.aspx

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The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child released its most recent report on Australia’s efforts to implement the CRC in June 2012 and requested the Australian Government to prioritise and address the following issues:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children • Widespread and systematic discrimination of indigenous persons.

• The lack of provision and availability of basic services.

• The overrepresentation of indigenous children in the juvenile justice system and in out-ofhome care.

• The increased likelihood of violence among indigenous communities, especially against girls and women.

• The effective and meaningful participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons in policy formulation, decision-making and implementation processes for programs affecting them.

Asylum-seeking and refugee children • The need for an independent guardian for unaccompanied minors to resolve the high conflict of interest where the legal guardian of an unaccompanied minor rests with the Minister for Immigration.

• The indefinite and mandatory detention of children who are asylum-seekers, refugees or in an irregular migration situation without judicial review.

children in out-of-home care • Data collection and research into the 51 per cent increase in the number of children placed in out-of-home care between 2005 and 2010.

• Inadequacies and abuse occurring in the State’s system of out-of-home care.

• Examining the root causes of the extent of child abuse and neglect.

children living with a disability • Opportunities for inclusion in mainstream education.

• Support for parents and carers of children with a disability.

• The prohibition of the non-therapeutic sterilisation of children.

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REPORTS & HELPFUL LINKS UNICEF Child Survival Progress Report www.unicef.org/publications/files/APR_Progress_Report_2012_11Sept2012.pdf State of the World’s Mothers Report www.savethechildren.org/atf/cf/%7B9def2ebe-10ae-432c-9bd0-df91d2eba74a%7D/STATEOF-THE-WORLDS-MOTHERS-REPORT-2012-FINAL.pdf UN Millennium Development Goals Report mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2012/English2012.pdf UN Committee of the Rights of the Child – Final Report regarding Australian Children 2012 www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/crc/docs/co/CRC_C_AUS_CO_4.pdf For more information on UNICEF’s approach to programs visit: www.unicef.org.au/Discover/What-we-do.aspx Download UNICEF’s flagship reports at: www.unicef.org.au/About-Us/Publications.aspx

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/unicefaustralia

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/UNICEFAustralia

CONTACT US Get in touch with the UNICEF Australia Advocacy team and let us know what you think, what else you would like included, or to ask questions and make comments.

We love hearing from our Child Rights Advocates.

Email us at advocacy@unicef.org.au or phone (02) 8917 3203.

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GLOSSARY Advocacy: a deliberate process, based on demonstrated evidence, to directly and indirectly influence decision makers, stakeholders and relevant audiences to support and implement actions that contribute to change.

Advocate: is a person who engages in a deliberate process, based on demonstrated evidence, to directly and indirectly influence decision makers, stakeholders and relevant audiences to support and implement actions that contribute to change.

Aid: the contribution of financial and other assistance given to developing countries for humanitarian emergencies and development, usually by Governments.

Asian Development Bank: a multilateral development finance institution that finances development in the Asia and Pacific region with the aim of reducing poverty.

Best interests: taking any action or step that is most beneficial for the person.

Bipartisan: to represent, or have the support of two parties.

Call to action: the action or next step you want people who have engaged in a campaign to take.

Child Participation: the inclusion of children in process and decisions that impact their lives.

Defame: to attack the good name or reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously anything injurious; slander; libel; calumniate.

Digital profile: how a person is represented online.

Dignity: an individual or group’s sense of self-respect and self-worth, physical and psychological integrity and empowerment.

Electorate: a geographical area represented by a member of parliament.

Embargo: a prohibition on the publishing of news about a particular matter, often until after a specified date.

Empowerment: to give power or authority to; to cause a person or group of people to feel confident and in control of their own life.

Extreme or absolute poverty: usually refers to people living on less than the benchmark of $1.25 per day.

Federal Parliamentarians: elected members of the House of Representatives in the national Parliament.

Hashtag: a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media sites such as Twitter to identify messages on a specific topic.

Independent guardian: someone who is entrusted by law with the care of the person/s or property, or both, of another, such as a minor or of some other person legally incapable of managing their own affairs.

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GLOSSARY Infographics: visual representations of information or data, e.g. as a chart or diagram.

International development: development to achieve greater quality of life for humans, particularly in developing nations and often targets the reduction of poverty. The right to development states that humans are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realised.

Lobbying: to seek to influence a legislator or try to get support for a cause on an issue.

Mastheads: a statement printed at the top of the front page in all issues of a newspaper, magazine, etc., giving the name, owner, staff, etc.

Message: a communication, as of information, advice, direction, or the like, transmitted through a messenger or other agency.

Minority Government: a government formed by a party or coalition of parties and Independents, which does not have a majority in the House of Representatives in its own right.

MP: a Member of Parliament in either house of parliament.

Outside the news cycle: an issue that does not fall into the subjects being covered by a news desk in a particular period. Daily news cycles start early and peak at midday and again at 6pm, and more recently, again at 9pm.

Poverty: the condition of being poor with respect to money, goods, or means of subsistence.

Proofread: to read in order to detect and mark errors to be corrected.

Spokesperson: the principal advocate or practitioner (of a movement, organisation, etc.), considered as speaking on its behalf.

Stunting: preventing from growing or developing properly.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): an international human rights treaty that sets out the basic rights of children and the obligations of governments to fulfil those rights for the survival, development, protection and participation of children.

Undernourished: having insufficient food or other substances for good health and condition.

World Bank: an international finance institution helping governments in developing countries reduce poverty by providing them with money and technical expertise they need for a wide range of projects.

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Thanks to Graphic Design Intern Alana Richardson for designing this advocacy pack.

For further information contact the UNICEF Australia Advocacy Team Level 4, 280 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Phone: (02) 8917 3203 Email: advocacy@unicef.org.au www.unicef.org.au/promiseme

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