A powerful strategy in the fight against AIDS
For STOP AIDS NOW! lobby is a powerful strategy in the fight against HIV and AIDS, and in improving the lives of people infected and affected by it. Lobby can be defined as a way to formally, semi-formally or informally influence authorities towards the action you want. It can be seen as a relevant way of political participation. Being able to influence policy- and decision-makers in setting and changing goals, laws, policies and funding priorities, is at the heart of a democratic system. It is about trying to influence the way the government meets needs, solves problems and spends public funds. Specifically, lobby usually aims at three political products:
- Influencing the development, implementation, defeat or modification of goals, laws, policies and funding priorities. This is often the most wanted product for organisations: legislations and policies are often long-term and involve financial resources
- Financial allocations
- Granting of assignments
Different levels of lobby
Lobbying can be done on different levels. It can be done in a formal way, for example by writing a letter or offering a petition to a minister. However, many of the lobby activities are done in an informal way; by just talking to or advising decision-makers for example. Formal and informal lobby are in many cases linked. You might for example first talk to several policy-makers before writing a formal letter to a politician or minister. In between formal and informal lobby there is also semi-formal lobby as participating in opportunities for public comment or by being a member, as an NGO, of a government working group. Although the classic definition of lobby is about these types of political lobby, nowadays people also speak about social lobby and internal lobby. The former is not about lobbying towards the government, but towards the private sector. The latter is about lobby within your own organisation. The main reason for this is to enhance cohesion within your organisation.
Lobby versus Advocacy
Although advocacy and lobby are terms often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. Advocacy is broader than lobby and is about speaking out effectively on behalf of one’s cause or community. It is an effort to shape public perception or to achieve change that might require changes in the law. This can for example be aimed at behaviour of individuals or at a companies’ legislation. Advocacy can be conducted through different types of activities: mobilising people at the grassroots, demonstrations, public awareness raising through media, strategic legal actions and lobbying. When talking about lobby, a focused form of advocacy, it specifically refers to efforts to shape public policy and therefore persuade individuals or groups with decision-making power to support your position.
