Hearts, Minds & Policy Communications to Promote and Defend Human Rights

1. Hearts, Minds & Policy Communications to Promote and Defend Human Rights

2. Our Approach Building the National Will to Expand Opportunity in America What We Do ANALYZING TRANSLATING BUILDING Opinion & Media Research Social Science Research Law and Policy Tools Training Strategy Public Support & Public Policies to Expand Opportunity

3. Our Tactics Communications: • Planning and strategy • Public opinion and media research • Participatory message and narrative development • Communications tools and training • Media placement and production Law and Advocacy: • Legal research and policy analysis • Policymaker briefings and education • Collaborative advocacy

4. Policy Milestones • Immigrant integration in Maryland and New Jersey. • Defeating anti-immigrant laws in Nebraska; challenges to citizenship. • Defeat of juvenile life without parole for non-homicide crimes • Health care equity commission in Connecticut. • Senate hearings on Human Rights treaty compliance.

5. Questions or Comments?

6. Building Public Support for Human Rights at Home Telling the Human Rights Story

7. Telling the Human Rights Story • Understanding audiences. • Developing a shared narrative. • Leading with values. • Sharing tools and training. • Engaging the media. • Remembering popular culture.

8. Understanding Audiences

9. Understanding Audiences Base • To be Mobilized Persuadables • To be persuaded Opposition • To be ignored or marginalized Decisionmakers • Policymakers • Swing Voters • Boards of Directors Influencers • Constituents • Faith Leaders • Editorial Boards • Stockholders

10. Understanding Audiences • Consultation with US Human Rights leaders • Advocate discussion groups and online survey • Initial focus groups in three cities • National survey (<1600 N) • State Policymaker Interviews (IL & CA) • Message Testing of key audiences in 4 cities

11. Understanding Audiences:Cluster Analysis 1. Human Rights Champions 29% 2. Young Cautious HR Supporters19% 3. U.S. Human Rights Supporters 21% 4. Anti-U.N.ites 17% 5. Anti-Gov’t Bedrock Conservatives 14%

12. Understanding AudiencesOpinion Research Findings • 1. Human rights as concept is clear and positive; mechanisms unknown. • Public places social justice issues in a human rights framework—including economic and social rights. • Support, but little urgency for human rights • 4. Americans value human rights for: • Affording people dignity, fairness, and opportunity. • Contributing to a better society for all. • Pride in America’s heritage and founding principles.

13. Understanding Audiences:Opinion Research Findings • But perceptions of government and personal responsibility complicate communications—especially on economic rights. • Skepticism about treaties and universalism. • And communicating about international treaties is a long-term challenge.

14. Understanding Audiences:Moving Forward on Human Rights Q48. As you know, the government has many responsibilities and deals with many high-priority issues. Thinking about everything we’ve discussed, which one of the following statements comes closest to your point of view regarding how we should approach the issue of human rights in this country? Compared to other challenges facing the country, do you feel we should: Move aggressively, putting human rights near the top of the list; Move cautiously, trying to make regular progress on human rights problems; Move slowly, dealing with specific human rights problems one at a time; or should we simply allow solutions to human rights problems to evolve naturally?

15. First Tier Human Rights% saying “strongly should be a human right” Equal opportunities regardless of gender (86%) Equal opportunities regardless of race (85%) Treated fairly in criminal justice system (83%) Freedom from discrimination (83%) Freedom from torture (83%) Equal access to quality public education (82%)

16. Leading with Values

17. Developing a Shared Narrative Inspire the Base Persuade the Middle Marginalize the Opposition Big Themes and Values Short-Term Long-Term Specific Messages Specific Messages Specific Messages Specific Messages Specific Messages Specific Messages

18. Developing a Shared Narrative

19. Narrative PillarsIdentified and Tested • Core Message: It is better for everyone to live in a society that pays attention to human rights, rather than one that ignores human rights. • Values first. Fairness, dignity, opportunity, and pride in America’s heritage and founding principles. • Protect not provide. Emphasize governmental role in protecting rights, even where they require public investment. • Emphasize consensus rights. Freedom from torture and discrimination, right to due process and education. • Treaties and mechanisms last. Explain treaties gradually, practically, and as the coming together of diverse nations and cultures.

20. Narrative and MessagingCustomized for Issues and Audiences

21. Tools and training

22. Media Outreach

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24. Remember Popular Culture

25. www.OpportunityAgenda.org

26. Successful Campaign: Ending Juvenile Life Without Parole

27. Ending Juvenile Life Without ParoleResearch and Recommendations: • Human Rights values are in play. • Right to the Opportunity for Rehabilitation. • Greater potential to change and grow. • Young brains and judgment still developing. • Avoid over-dramatizing—e.g., “children” “sentenced to die in prison.” • Accountability matters.

28. A major victory:Graham v. Florida “A State is not required to guarantee eventual freedom to a juvenile offender convicted of a non-homicide crime. What the State must do, however, is give defendants like Graham some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation.” “We also note … that Article 37(a) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, … ratified by every nation except the United States and Somalia, prohibits the imposition of ‘life imprisonment without possibility of release … for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age.’ … [T]he United States now stands alone in a world that has turned its face against” life without parole for juvenile nonhomicide offenders.”

29. Immigrant Due Process, Detention, EnforcementChallenges

30. Changing Our Messages "A lot of the anti-immigration movement is jingoistic at best and racist at worst. There is a fear of white people being over run by darker-skinned people.” —Democratic Senate Staffer (www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1195250,00.html#ixzz11ZiTgGnW) “For people who are in mandatory detention, where they’re automatically detained without an individualized review, that’s arbitrary detention….That’s a violation of international law.” —Human Rights NGO Spokesperson (http://washingtonindependent.com/35526/thousands-of-immigrants-held-in-violation-of-international-law)

31. Changing Our Messages "I am concerned because it seems to be an enforcement-only bill, and that is not what we need to have in an immigration system that will best serve our country and will best reflect our constitutional values. We need a reform to ensure there is greater fairness, due process and equal protection in our immigration system. And that we are putting in place recognitions of the contributions that so many had made to this country over decades and (they) deserve legal protection.”—Tom Saenz, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

32. Dueling Narratives • Law and order • Overwhelming scarce resources • Workable solutions • Upholding our nation’s values • Moving forward together

33. Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights Legal Momentum National Immigration Forum Breakthrough U.S. Human Rts Network ACLU Immigrant Rights Project Rights Working Group Detention Watch Immigrant Defense Project Center for Constitutional Rights Proteus Human Rights Hub Human Rights Watch House & Senate Judiciary Committee Members Grassroots Leadership

34. Evaluation Methods • Quantitative: • Internal tracking and reporting • Media monitoring • Online assessment • Qualitative: • Partner surveys • Media and Internet content analysis • External evaluation • Impact: • Legislative and administrative monitoring • Public opinion meta-analysis • Field investigation • External evaluation

35. Evaluation • Quantitative: • Spokespeople trained and equipped • Stories and sources placed • Audiences reached • Qualitative: • Use of our narrative in media and political discourse • Elevation of campaign ideas in policy arena • Impact: • Fewer rights violations; greater protections • Policies informed by our efforts • Changes in enforcement and practice • Improved public knowledge and attitudes • Greater protection and promotion of human rights of immigrants and all Americans