New approaches can be invaluable in sensitizing a hostile public or achieving a shift in the tone of the media coverage of sex workers.

Advocacy is defined by the International Advocacy Campaign as “taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain the services they need.” While this may seem like it requires special skills or talent, the truth is that most of us have some advocacy experience from our daily lives. As parents, friends, family members, citizens, employers and employees, whether we do it for ourselves or on behalf of others, we have all made use of advocacy at one time or another.

There are many people in society who are ignored and have difficulty in gaining the attention that is needed to make sure their views and opinions are listened to and acted upon. This leads to them being marginalized and socially excluded. Advocacy is a safeguard for people who are socially marginal, discriminated against or otherwise ignored against even further social or political isolation. Through an advocate, advocacy provides the means to redress a social imbalance of power by providing a mixture of: support; indicating how events are likely to develop and providing advice on what course of action should be taken; providing links to other services; sharing information and knowledge to support decision making; and being a ‘voice’ to ensure that people’s rights and opinions are respected. Advocacy also helps people to: develop confidence and assertiveness to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction; become empowered, find strength in numbers and to actively engage in the political, social and economic spheres of their communities.

Advocacy is guided by the principle that every person should be valued, and ensures that people are not ignored and excluded because of the prejudices they face, that lead to lack of respect from others.Advocacy places the person in the centre of its aims and goals, while holding to the principle that everyone has the right to be respected, listened to and involved in the decision-making process, especially on issues that affect their lives. Because it focuses on helping people be heard and getting what they need, advocacy is closely associated with the principles of social justice, civil and human rights.

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Non violent action is any technique of action used to apply pressure or using power without resorting to violence. Non violence is hardly passive, inaction or submission. It is simply any action that does not involve violence. Non violent action many involve:

Acts of omission—that is, people may refuse to perform acts that they usually perform, are expected by custom to perform, or are required by law or regulation to perform;

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Gandhi’s introduction into advocacy and non violent action came when he was contracted as a lawyer to work in South Africa. In 1893, on the night of his arrival to South Africa, Gandhi was ejected from a train for repeatedly refusing to leave the first-class compartment when white passengers objected to his presence.

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Ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. Rosa Parks was a secretary, Ghandi was a lawyer, Martin Luther King Jr. was a pastor, Aurelia Browder was a seamstress, and Claudette Colvin was a student. Some like Jackie Robinson, who was already a distinguished athlete, were in the public eye, but many of the contributors to the fight for social justice, civil and human rights are not widely known. This does not make their contributions to causes or movements any less important. Think of the nameless faceless people who fought segregation in the United States for almost a century.

In this issue we will talk about what is police brutality and misconduct and how some groups fight it with the help of simple use of mobile camera.

In this newsletter issue we introduce you a very interesting case study, which is not strictly connected to sex work, but very useful in general. Namita from Bangalore has told about her participation experience in the News from Rights Activists of this SWAN News issue. In this Advocacy School section we place a short analysis of why the campaign was a success taken from a posting on Guaravonomics website: Three Lessons Activists and Marketers Can Learn From India’s Valentine’s Day Pink Panty Campaign (February 25th, 2009).

In this Advocacy School section we feature a short analysis of why the Pink Panties campaign in India was such a huge success by Gaurav Mishra (visit his blog here).
Even though the campaign is not directly connected to sex work, the tips and strategy can be useful in planning your own actions and campaigns.

Introduction: The Pink Chaddi Campaign as a case study of online citizen activism in India.
NOTE: the article has been edited and shortened by SWAN. Read full version here.

In the previous issue of the SWAN Advocacy School we talked about things to do in the preparatory phase of media sensitization seminars. In this edition, we are talking about the seminar delivery and follow up.

In this and following issue of the SWAN Advocacy School we will talk about organizing sensitization seminars for the media reporters on sex work issues. More