IPA Mission 2017

1. IPAResource on Advocacy IPA Mission 2017 “Our mission is to speak and act in partnership with others for global justice from a contemplative stance in a spirit of oneness with the whole of creation.”

2. Purpose of Presentation The purpose of this information is to develop understanding of the value of advocacy and explore ways to achieve results. The hope is that through these slides Presentation People will be encouraged act in partnership to bring about human rights for all.

3. Advocacy is a series of actions taken and issues highlighted to change “what is” into “what should be”- to create a more just society . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhrLirjp_E8 Following the video think about the level at which you will practise advocacy: local, regional, national or international. In relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which type of advocacy will be best?

4. To think about 1. What type of action is needed, does it relate to SDG’s? We may need local meeting to decide issue, to plan action, so invite friends, write letters to editors, share information, link to specific SDG 2. Do we need local action first with local examples e.g. do we have students forced into marriage? 3. What outcome do we want locally, regionally, nationally, etc? 4. How sustainable is this type of action? Plan strategy e.g. one pager for local MP raising three points and suggested action, sent with request for meeting, have couple attend meeting with MP, address issues on paper sent beforehand, ask for MP response and time, follow up on anything MP asks for and later with thank you for visit.

5. Planning advocacy • Think of your objective • Plan SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound • Map it as clearly as possible • Whom are you approaching – consider the best way that suits them • Prepare what to send before you approach them • Role play your meeting beforehand – be prepared to adapt • Reflect on the outcomes and follow up

6. Preparation • Who will you see? Who contacts them? • What issues will be raised? • What will you send beforehand? • Who will go, who will speak? • What is your timetable if seeing more than one person/group? • What preparation do you need with reading/ research/having accurate facts? • Before visit meet and practise using main speaker, note taker and time keeper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We8-LFos3zQ

7. ACRATH - Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in HumansCountering human trafficking since 2005 • ACRATH appreciates the bipartisan support for policy work on human trafficking. • ACRATH believes positive change has grown out of the genuine collaboration between government and civil society. Snapshot of ACRATH’s work over the past year Over the past year ACRATH exceeded all milestones related to the AGD funding: Example of page 1 sent to Members of Parliament before advocacy visit: Note the positive message conveyed Part of page 2 is on next slide: Note there is too much information in this page

8. 2. ACRATH is asking MPs to address the needs of overseas workers facing forced and exploited labour in Australia. ACRATH is advocating for: The licensing of labour hire companies responsible for placing thousands of overseas workers in Australia. ACRATH believes that these companies need more oversight to ensure overseas workers are not exploited while they work in Australia. ACRATH is asking Minister Cash to begin licensing these labour hire companies. The protection of the rights of overseas workers asking that, during and after compliance raids, investigators consider that the overseas workers may have been trafficked. Payment of back wages to overseas workers, even when they are repatriated, for the work they have done in Australia. ACRATH sees this as an issue of justice for the workers and a means of making the exploitative employers financially liable for huge back wages bills; this would be a deterrent for would-be exploitative employers. 3. ACRATH is asking MPs to support the move to establish a national compensation scheme for people who have been trafficked into Australia. There is no current form of redress at a national level for federal trafficking offences. Because such offences have no state or territory equivalent, inconsistent state and territory schemes offer inadequate redress for victims. Anti-Slavery Australia and the Law Council of Australia have collaborated to develop a discussion paper on this issue. Anti-Slavery Australiahas their point of view on their website at http://www.antislavery.org.au/newsflash/277-the-case-for-a-national-compensation-scheme-policy-paper-by-anti-slavery-australia.html

9. Meeting procedure & follow up Arrive early/on time for each visit. You are likely to be welcomed and information sent beforehand will be appreciated. There may be questions from the information sheet – be prepared. If you don’t know the answer promise to find and send it…. And do this asap. If possible include a story in your meeting: stories have emotional impact. There may be action promised on both sides – note this. Listen carefully and respect the person you are seeing. Thank them for the visit and give a time for follow up… if it is promised. After the visit do an evaluation to assess value of visit. Where feasible measure outcomes. They may take years to achieve!

10. Challenges and Supports Getting the ‘right’ people to advocate Getting access to the right person for the advocacy. Costs involved: time, people, expenses, etc. Need for energetic, patient, flexible team. It is important to have Support People Local leaders, parliamentarians you know. MP’s who may sponsor activity. MP’s known and visited beforehand Congregation backup and sponsorship NGO’s with same goals.

11. Inspiration for Advocacy Jesus: cares for outcasts, those on margins of society, least respected and loved. He loves, listens, accepts, respects and heals them and says “what you did to the least of my brethren you do to me”. Nano: sees a need and responds to it no matter what the cost to herself and always with faith and practicality. Earth wisdom: there is enough for every person if we share more equitably; never use more than we need; believe God will prevail and “all will be well and all manner of things will be well”. “The Spirit of God is upon me, Because God has anointed me To preach good news to the poor. God has sent me to proclaim release to the captives And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed, To proclaim the acceptable year of God.” Luke 4:18

12. Conclusion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dzaM0fCqsg This video focuses on advocacy in relation to a school example. It gives a useful overview of the types of advocacy that can be useful.

13. ‘We Presentation People embody the compassion of Jesus and Nano. We practice non-violence of mind and heart as we listen into the chaos and feel the pain of our time. We find strength in connectedness trusting that our feet know the way and our hearts carry the light.’ (IPA Directions 2017)