JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND GET INVOLVED!

The NGO Coalition for an OP- ICESCR (Coalition) is working to ensure the prompt entry into force and the implementation of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR or the Optional Protocol). The Coalition is seeking the involvement of organizations and individual partners willing to support the Optional Protocol process. The Coalition is open to organizations or human rights activists working for the promotion and protection of human rights and on economic and social justice, located anywhere in the world. Specific actions can be undertaken at the national and international levels. Booklet 4 of the Coalition's Advocacy Kit provides comprehensive information about advocacy activities at the national and international levels around the OP-ICESCR. 

The first step for getting involved is to become member of the Coalition. The membership is free and both individuals and organizations that support our cause can join! You can fill out simple membership from and send it to: op-coaltion@escr-net.org, or contact us directly.

WHAT CAN YOU DO AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS AND HOW CAN THE COALITION ASSIST YOU?

A number of advocacy activities/events can be organized at the national and international levels to support the ratification and implementation of the OP­-ICESCR. The NGO Coalition can provide support for the organization of the following activities.  

ACTIVITIES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL  

The activities on the Optional Protocol depend on the context of each particular country. Events that focus on the ratification process and the implementation may be organized in countries that have already signed this instrument. In addition, activities to support the signature are encouraged in countries that so far have not signed the OP-ICESCR or have not expressed any interest on this instrument.

Lobbying the Government

Lobbying shows the government that there is support for an OP-ICESCR. It gives you the opportunity to explain the benefits of signing and/or ratifying the OP-ICESCR and to provide responses to the most common challenges. Lobbying can be directed at civil servants, ministers or influential politicians.

Letters to Government

Normally, the first step to lobbying is a letter sent to relevant government authorities. If your government has signed the Optional Protocol, ask its ratification before commencing other campaign actions, given that it might actually do what you ask. If your country is not among the signatories, request from your Government also to sign the Optional Protocol.

For more information on what to include in the letters addressed to governments and samples of letters, please refer to Booklet 4 of the Coalition Advocacy Kit.

Remember to share responses with other NGOs working on this issue in your country. It would be very helpful if you could also share these with the NGO Coalition (op-coalition@escr-net.org), so that this can assist efforts in other countries. NGO Coalition members may be able to assist, on request, with responses to statements issued by the government containing reasons for refusing to ratify the OP-ICESCR.

Meetings

Holding a meeting is one of the central activities of all types of lobbying. To make these meeting effective, you need to prepare thoroughly, make sure your goals are clear throughout the meeting and not raise too many issues. Focus on the one or two most important messages you want to convey, especially if you have a short meeting.

Before the meeting you need conduct some research and know your facts and as much background information as possible. It is also important to know your government's position in the past on similar treaties. At the meeting keep a positive atmosphere. Listen actively, and show interest in and understanding of the other person's point of view. After the meeting, the delegates should agree on who will be responsible for following up. Remember to send a letter thanking the person for the meeting, reiterating your key message(s) and confirming any agreements reached. For future reference, make a written report of the meeting and share it with other NGOs in your country working on the issue. In order to build a collaborative relationship and strategy, we request that you also share this with the NGO Coalition (op-coalition@escr-net.org).

Expert Seminars

After initial lobbying has been carried out, it may be useful to organise an expert seminar with the involvement of decision-makers to discuss the OP-ICESCR. Holding a seminar might be one of the agreements made in your meetings with government.

Discussion seminars would allow the government to fully consider the implications of ratifying the OP-ICESCR and provide an opportunity for NGOs and academics to challenge counter-arguments. You should invite relevant politicians, influential members of the legislature, bureaucrats, supportive members of the judiciary and legal profession, academics and NGOs, and discuss broadly the issues of adjudication of ESCR.

Building a National Coalition

A treaty ratification campaign is well suited for the formation of a wide coalition involving a broad range of actors since the campaign objective is quite clear and does not require extensive negotiations. In establishing a national NGO coalition, your first step would ideally be to partner with organisations and individuals in your country that have already joined the international NGO Coalition for the Optional Protocol to the ICESCR or ESCR-Net. Other human rights groups in your country may also be interested in joining. However, it is important not to limit the coalition to human rights NGOs. A range of other actors could be invited to join in lobbying efforts and discussions with the government as well as public campaigning where appropriate, including Influential lawyers, national human rights institutions (e.g., national human rights commissions and other specialised human rights commissions), women's groups, especially those that have participated in efforts to ratify the OP-CEDAW, trade unions, NGOs focused on development and poverty eradication.

Public Campaigning and Media Work

Public campaigns and media work may be required in order to complement lobbying if the government appears to be resisting signature or ratification. It may even be necessary to get the issue on the agenda depending on how responsive the government is to public campaigning. In most countries, there will be many actors opposed to the legal recognition of ESCR, and it is therefore preferable to engage in public debates on this issue after ratification. However, where the government resists or delays ratification, these debates will need to occur right away.

If your organization is interested and able to organize a meeting in coordination with the Coalition, please contact us for more information and a fuller proposal.

ACTIONS AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVELS

Raise the issue during international events

National and International NGOs can also undertake lobbying actions during key intergovernmental gatherings and send communications to relevant governments on the need for ratification of the OP-ICESCR.

If you are participating in an international or regional intergovernmental event, such as the OAS General Assembly or the Human Rights Council, please let us know and raise the above issues with your government's representative and also request that sign the OP immediately (if they have not yet done so) and ratify it immediately.

Peer-Pressure: Lobbying State Parties to Promote Ratification

States that have signed or ratified the OP-ICESCR (or who are in the process of doing so) could be encouraged to play a key role in convincing other States to ratify with the object of achieving universal ratification. They can be asked to become "Friends of the Protocol" and advised to carry out the following actions:

• Make their decision to ratify known, for example, by announcing this measure at international meetings, carrying out a media conference to announce ratification and sending communications to other States.
• Propose language in international and regional declarations, as well as in other fora (e.g., Africa-Latin America Summits), encouraging all States to consider ratifying the OP-ICESCR.
• In the context of the Universal Periodic Review, make recommendations to other States to ratify the OP-ICESCR.
• Raise the issue of ratification in other inter-State dialogues on human rights.
• Offer technical assistance or share information on ratification of the OP-ICESCR to other States.

HOW CAN THE COALITION ASSIST TO YOUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS?

At the national level:

The Coalition will be keen to support the efforts of local and regional organizations interested in holding national level discussions. At this time, the Coalition can offer support for meetings/events through:

• Prepararing the necessary basic material for the events, including information on the OP-ICESCR and adjudication of ESCR;
• Coordinating national level events in various countries to ensure a common link and shared output from all the meetings;
• Bringing the results of the meetings to international and regional gatherings organized by the Coalition or its Steering Committee's members:
• Facilitating the participation of international experts and/or representatives of organizations from other countries to share their experience.  
• Animing to have at least one member of the NGO Coalition Steering Committee present in the national level events, when possible and if it is helpful.

The specific format and content of the discussion is country-specific, but, for example, it could include the ESCR situation within the country, specific cases of violations that could be addressed by this mechanism, the existing (or lack of existing) remedies within the country, as well as the current political context of the country. 

Ideally, the event will include at least one national level authority who can clarify the government's plans for signature (if the country has not signed yet the Optional Protocol) and its position on ratification. The gathering will also offer NGOs the space to identify and discuss the opportunities, challenges and possible steps to advance ratification efforts. 

If your organization is interested and able to organize a meeting in coordination with the Coalition, please contact us for more information

 At the international level the Coalition can:

• provide information on the position of specific countries vis-a-vis the OP-ICESCR during the negotiation process;
• share model letters that can be send to countries during international events
• complement local actions with international lobbying tools
• provide assistance in drafting submissions, which could be submitted in international events

SEND US YOUR STORY, TESTIMONY OR THOUGHTS ON HOW THE OP-ICESCR WOULD AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY OR MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

Could the Optional Protocol bring redress to your community, group or organization for ESCR violations? Have you used or been involved with other mechanisms of protection with positive results? Have you, are you organizing any event around the OP-ICESCR. If so, please share your story or testimony with us.  These would be useful and powerful in our letters, websites or other spaces to strengthen our work and build momentum in favor of the Optional Protocol. 

Please make sure to share with us information about your actions and your government's response at op-coalition@escr-net.org.

Become a member of the Coalition to receive updates on the OP as we approach its opening for signatures.  Membership is intended for non-government parties and is useful for communication and coordinated efforts.  To become a member, please complete this short form and return it to op-coalition@escr-net.org.

Booklet 4 -Tools to Lobby Your Country and Advocate for the Ratification and Implementation of the Optional Protocol - of the Coalition's Tool Kit provides in-depth information, resources and templates to assist civil society groups in their lobbying efforts for the ratification and implementation of the Optional Protocol.

See some examples of our recent activity as part of the Coalition's ratification campaign.