NUTRITION
CLUSTER
ADVOCACY
Objectives of the session:
1. Brief introduction to Advocacy and Humanitarian Advocacy
2. Presentation of the Nutrition Cluster Advocacy Strategic
Framework
3. Discussions in working groups and plenary
4. Validation of the Advocacy Strategic Framework
1. WHAT IS
ADVOCACY?
Advocacy is the strategic and tactical process of
influencing decisions
Communication
is a tool through which advocacy is manifested
Engagement is the partnership and collaboration
required to make advocacy most effective
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF ADVOCACY:
• It is about change (in policy, practice, attitudes and political enabling
environment)
• Aims to achieve lasting and positive change in peoples’ lives
• It is strategic. It is planned. With clear goals and objectives
• It is a long term process rather than a one-off event
• It is not an end in itself
• It draws legitimacy and credibility from knowledge and experience
(evidence-base)
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMANITARIAN ADVOCACY
Generally carried out by humanitarian
organisations with operations in-country
Organisations rely on the host government to
operate in the country
This complicates advocacy towards the host
government
One-programme approach
Strong linkages operations-advocacy
Legitimacy for advocacy comes from operations in
the field
Humanitarian principles tends to be the starting
point for advocacy
Allied to thematic concerns on which there are
established positions
Timing is essential
In sudden-onset crisis messages tend to be ‘lowest
common denominator’ and very broad for the first
days and more detailed as more information
becomes available
Humanitarian advocacy is most effective when it
is based on information gathered at the field
level
“ Whilst engaging on discussions about the right balance
between operations and advocacy work, it should be
acknowledged that there never has to be a clear choice
between ‘maintaining programmes’ and ‘speaking out’. It is
hard to imagine a situation in which it is impossible to
engage in advocacy – the question is more about how
advocacy is best carried out
[Source: Oxfam Humanitarian Advocacy Toolkit 2010]
The emphasis is on the right choice of advocacy
approach and mitigation of risk
HUMANITARIAN ADVOCACY RISKS & MITIGATORS
RISKS
Security risks/restrictions to ability to
operate
MITIGATORS
Consider private advocacy approaches over
public statements
Emphasise negotiations (collaboration) rather
than confrontation
Relationship risk/damage to long-standing
relationships
Reputational risks/damage to organisational
reputation
Expectation risks/creation of unrealistic
expectations
Ensure advocacy is based on knowledge and
expertise from the field
Most change comes incrementally. Manage
expectations of rapid change to avoid
disillusionment or anger
Other observations:
• Nutrition cluster composed by NGOs and UN Agencies – different mandates, mission and aims
and relationships with governments (may not always hold the same line)
• Collaborative advocacy is felt to be ‘essential’ in emergencies
• Take advantage of the complentarity between organisational approaches – NGOs maybe
more outspoken that UNICEF/sometimes it helps playing different roles
• UNICEF ‘double hat’ problem that arises from representing both an agency and a Cluster does
not seem to matter for advocacy in the same way as it does when it comes to fundraising
• Established policy frameworks and messaging allows general thematic issues to be easily and
quickly allied to specific messages about a particular crisis
UNICEF Humanitarian Advocacy Review: Organisational Comparison paper. 2011
2. NUTRITION
CLUSTER
ADVOCACY
STRATEGIC
FRAMEWORK
THE PROCESS
Participatory and inclusive process:
1. Advocacy Session during the GNC Working Group Meeting in March 2015 to identify
key cluster priorities for advocacy
2. Online questionnaire developed based on output from Working Group Meeting to
gather broad views from cluster coordinators and partners on identified priority areas
for advocacy (51 response from all agencies actives in the cluster)
3. Advocacy Workshop in Geneva in July with GNC SAG, GNC-CT and global partners
to work on the first draft of the Advocacy Framework base on responses to the
questionnaire
4. Validation of the Advocacy Strategic Framework by the collective during the GNC
Annual meeting
NUTRITION CLUSTER DEFINITION OF ADVOCACY
Humanitarian nutrition advocacy is a strategic
and evidence-based process aiming to make
lasting changes to policies, practices and
behaviours that safeguard and improve the
nutrition of individuals affected by
emergencies
ADVOCACY STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
PURPOSE
• To provide a high level overall strategic direction and focus for nutrition cluster
advocacy efforts at all levels for the period 216-2019
• To serve as a global roadmap to support the development of common positions and
messages to influence the global nutrition agenda
• To act as an umbrella for more context-specific advocacy at a national level aligned as
much as possible with global goals and objectives for which key messages/positions
would be progressively developed and which could also inform national work
• An overall framework to support operational advocacy at all levels to advance and
support programmatic priorities
FORMAT AND CONTENT OF THE
ADVOCACY STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK
• Goal areas - Aligned with the GNC Strategic Plan
Broad statements of the change we want to see.
Communicate a distinctive set of priorities to provide focus
for national and global advocacy and to support linkages [thematic]
• Objectives and results- Specific statements that contribute to the achievement of a
“bigger”.
[Current external context, opportunities ahead, GNC contribution to date]
• Indicators to support Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation
HOW WILL BE THE FRAMEWORK
IMPLEMENTED?
• Priorities and activities defined as part of the GNC annual planning process
• Cross-team and cross-partner working and planning at both global and national levels
• Maximise the capacity of cluster partners to engage and support advocacy at both global and
national level
• Creation of an Advocacy Taskforce –ideally formed by advocacy staff from partner
organisations- to lead on advocacy
• Monitoring of progress
• Advocacy toolkit
GOALS
RATIONALE
GOAL 1: Humanitarian response is well coordinated,
aligned and integrated for an effective, timely and
quality nutrition response to address the nutritional
needs of emergency affected populations
Focus on policy change for an effective response for
nutrition impact, ensuring response to the nutritional needs
of all population groups in all emergency contexts.
Focus on changes at operational/coordination level
(including inter-cluster linkages) rather than at the
humanitarian system level to ensure it falls within the
Nutrition Cluster responsibilities.
Seeks to enhance internal alignment within the Nutrition
Cluster and with overall humanitarian actors.
GOAL 2. Sufficient resources are mobilised for an
effective, timely and quality nutrition response to
address the nutritional needs of emergency affected
populations
Focus on resource mobilisation for nutrition in emergencies,
with a specific focus on nutritional impact and resource
mobilisation for identified underfunded areas such as
contexts of protracted crisis and low GAM levels.
Resource mobilisation refers to financial and human
resources as well as supplies.
GOAL 3: Appropriate preparedness, response and
recovery strategies are included as part of the global
and national nutrition agendas to safeguard the
nutritional needs of emergency affected populations
Focus on preparedness, response and recovery to link up
nutrition in emergencies and development within the cluster
mandate ensuring that the expertise, technical knowledge
and role played by the Nutrition Cluster is captured
3. WORKING
GROUPS
DISCUSSION
30 mins discussion
6 groups – approx. 12 people per group
Groups 1&2 – discussion on Goal 1
Groups 3&4 – discussion on Goal 2
Groups 5&6 – discussion on Goal 3
5 mins feedback to plenary
Questions:
1.Does the goal, objectives and results respond to
the challenges to nutrition impact in
emergencies?
2.Is any major challenge not reflected? (If so,
propose wording)
3.Additional comments on current external
context, opportunities ahead, activities
4.Any other comments on this Goal or the
Strategic Framework in general
GOAL 1
Coordination, integration and alignment for
effective humanitarian nutrition response
OBJECTIVE
RESULT
OBJECTIVE 1.1: Nutrition analysis are consistently included Result 1: The Nutrition Cluster is appropriately activated in
in the Humanitarian Country Team decision-making
new nutrition emergencies as per the nutritional needs of
emergency affected population
processes for appropriate cluster activation to
respond to the nutritional needs of emergency affected
populations rather in contexts with low GAM levels
OBJECTIVE 1.2: Clearly articulated nutrition-specific
and nutrition-sensitive approaches are
systematically included in emergency responses of
other relevant clusters (in particular WASH, Food Security
and Health Clusters)
Result 1: Nutrition-sensitive objectives are included,
implemented, monitored and evaluated in relevant cluster
plans (WASH, Food Security and Health Clusters in
particular)
Result 2: IYCF-E interventions are systematically included,
implemented, monitored and evaluated in emergency
responses of the Nutrition Cluster and other relevant
clusters
GOAL 2
Resource mobilisation for nutrition in
emergencies
OBJECTIVE
RESULT
OBJECTIVE 2.1 Increased allocation of resources for
nutrition in emergencies in underfunded areas
Result 1: Increased funding for neglected nutrition
interventions (e.g. IYCF-E, micronutrients
supplementation)
Result 2: Increased funding to address the nutritional
needs of neglected population groups (e.g. the
elderly, pregnant and lactating women,..)
OBJECTIVE 2.2 Increased allocation of resources for
nutrition in emergency response in protracted and
slow-onset crises
Result 1: Nutrition response has adequate resources in
protracted and slow-onset crises
GOAL 3
Preparedness, response and recovery strategies
included in the global and national nutrition agendas
OBJECTIVE
RESULT
OBJECTIVE 3.1: Improved transition of emergency
nutrition programmes to development from cluster
coordination to sector coordination systems at sub-national,
national, regional and global levels including improved
government leadership
Result 1: Preparedness, response and transition for NiE is
included in costed and adequately funded national nutrition
plans and coordination mechanisms
OBJECTIVE 3.2 Strategic engagement with development
actors to improve preparedness, response and
transition in crisis prone and affected countries in the
humanitarian-development continuum
Result 1: Countries within the SUN Movement mobilize support
for NiE as an essential component of national and/or sector
plans and actions to address malnutrition in crisis prone and
affected countries
Result 2: The REACH Approach is spearheaded by neutral
facilitators who work closely with the UN country team and
government officials, including the SUN focal point, and other
stakeholders to facilitate improved multi-sectoral nutrition
governance in twelve countries.
Result 3.3: Resources for capacity building include Nutrition in
Emergencies in pre- and in- service education and training
curricula
LINKAGES GLOBAL/NATIONAL ADVOCACY
Global Advocacy
National Advocacy
- Provides themes for
advocacy and establishes
positions (humanitarian
system and nutrition
thematic)
-Context-specific
- Supports country-specific
advocacy at the international
fora
(ie: increases donors support
for assistance/protection;
ensures humanitarian access,
support reform of
international humanitarian
system)
-Aligned as possible with
wider thematic frameworks
for which key
messages/positions exits