The field of advocacy work is growing and changing rapidly. The dominant role of major corporations, pressures to reduce the role of the State, new challenges for civil society, globalisation of media and entertainment and new communications technologies are amongst the many factors introducing new challenges and new opportunities. There is clearly much work to be done in exploring not only how best to carry out effective advocacy, but also how best to use the tools of monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment (M & E/IA) to promote learning, improve accountability and assess the value of advocacy.
This article from the journal Development in Practice starts by exploring the complex and changing nature of advocacy work. Advocacy is complex, multi-layered and evolving rapidly. The paper argues that standardised forms of monitoring M & E/IA are likely to be inappropriate for advocacy work. They are likely to provide misleading information, and may create perverse incentives that undermine joint action.
The most fundamental problem in undertaking the M & E/IA of advocacy work is the failure fully to understand the nature of the advocacy process: Its multiple aims, multi-layered structures, shifting timeframes, and the nature of the power structures it aims to influence. Other problems highlighted in the paper include:
- The assumption is that political and institutional change occur in a linear fashion, while in reality they often occur in sudden leaps, in unexpected ways and in response to the most unlikely circumstances
- The continuing attempt by NGOs to assess the impact of their own organisation in isolation from others
- The over-emphasis on short term aims over less visible long term goals.
Key policy implications from the paper include:
- NGOs involved in advocacy at all levels should identify essential elements of their work at the outset and ensure that they monitor and evaluate those areas that they deem most important
- Short term successes of advocacy work may often be won at the expense of longer term aims – such as building capacity amongst partners and contribution to more fundamental change in the future
- An analysis of power and power structures should guide advocacy strategy and the ways in which advocacy can effectively be evaluated
- A successful M & E approach must be flexible enough not only to adapt to external events, but also to be a tool for re-shaping the campaign.
