What is building alliance?

80 Training Manual on Advocacy, Lobbying and Negotiation Skills for Indigenous Peoples in Climate Change and REDD+ 3.4.2. Why network and build alliances? For most advocates, establishing alliances with like-minded individuals and organizations is one of the most important steps in advocacy campaign for the following reasons: Ȉ Creates strength and power in numbers by adding voices and resources; Ȉ Increases access to policy-makers; Ȉ Expands an advocate’s base of information and expertise; Ȉ Creates new networking and partnership opportunities; Ȉ Generates cost-saving opportunities; Ȉ ŽŽ‘™•ˆ‘”ƒ†‹˜‹•‹‘‘ˆŽƒ„‘—”ƒ†Ž‡••†—’Ž‹…ƒ–‹‘‘ˆ‡ơ‘”–Ǣƒ† Ȉ Leads to an exciting sense of “synergy”—the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. ‘”‹†‹‰‡‘—•…‘—‹–‹‡•ƒơ‡…–‡†„›Ϊƒ†…Ž‹ƒ–‡…Šƒ‰‡ǡ–Š‡ „‡‡Ƥ–•‘ˆ™‘”‹‰™‹–ŠƒŽŽ‹‡•ƒ•‡–‹‘‡†ƒ„‘˜‡ƒ”‡˜‡”›”‡Ž‡˜ƒ–ƒ† critical in conducting advocacy campaigns for the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples. Š‹•‰‘ƒŽ‹•‘–‡ƒ•›–‘ƒ…Š‹‡˜‡ƒ†–ƒ‡•ƒŽ‘–‘ˆ‡ơ‘”–Ǥ–ƒŽ•‘‹˜‘Ž˜‡• †‹ơ‡”‡–ƒ†˜‘…ƒ…›…ƒ’ƒ‹‰•–”ƒ–‡‰‹‡•ǡƒ†Šƒ•–‘„‡•—•–ƒ‹‡†ˆ‘”ƒ Consultation with the Special Rapporteur on IPs during the 3rd EMRIP Session. Picture Credit: Mr. Adrian Lasimbang 81 0286WUDWHJLHV6NLOOVDQG0HWKRGVLQGYRFDF\DPSDLJQV long period. Thus it is critically important to have allies among individuals, ‹ƪ—‡–‹ƒŽ‹†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ•‘”’‡”•‘ƒŽ‹–‹‡•ǡ˜ƒ”‹‘—•‘”‰ƒ‹œƒ–‹‘•ǡ‹•–‹–—–‹‘•ǡ and agencies among others. Further, there is also a lack of knowledge and awareness of the general public on indigenous peoples’ rights so having allies and networks that can actively support indigenous peoples rights and issues is a big step in ‰ƒ‹‹‰„”‘ƒ†‡”•—’’‘”–ƒ†‹ƪ—‡…‹‰’—„Ž‹…‘’‹‹‘ǡ†‡…‹•‹‘ƒ‡”•ǡ ƒ†‰‘˜‡”‡–‘ƥ…‹ƒŽ•Ǥ‹‡™‹•‡ǡƒ…Š‹‡˜‹‰–Š‡‰‘ƒŽ‘ˆ–Š‡ƒ†˜‘…ƒ…› campaign requires a lot of resources and is long term requiring broader „ƒ•‡‘ˆ•—’’‘”–‹†‹ơ‡”‡–ˆ‘”•Ǥ 3.4.3. With whom should IPs leadersorganizations communities build alliances and network? A natural starting point for identifying potential allies is to consider individuals and organizations dedicated to achieving similar goals. This can then be broadened to individuals and organizations that can play ‘”…‘–”‹„—–‡–‘•’‡…‹Ƥ…‡‡†•ǡ‘”…ƒŠ‡Ž’ƒ††”‡••‡›’”‘„Ž‡•ǡ‘” challenges in implementing the advocacy campaign, and or, meeting the goalsobjectives. Alliance building and networking should be done not only at the local level but also at the sub-national, national and international levels, based on your capacity to also sustain your allies and ‡–™‘”Ǥƒ”‹‘—•Ž‡˜‡Ž•‘ˆƒŽŽ‹‡•ƒ†‡–™‘”•…ƒ’”‘˜‹†‡†‹ơ‡”‡–ƒ† complimentary forms of support. Forging a mass alliance Š‹•‹•–Š‡—‹Ƥ…ƒ–‹‘‘ˆƒ„”‘ƒ†ƒ••‘ˆ…‹–‹œ‡•ƒ”‘—†ƒ’ƒ”–‹…—Žƒ”‹••—‡ or a general cause. It is the bringing together of groups and individuals so that they can address the issue or work for the cause in an organized and concerted manner. This is a horizontal level of alliance building as it is generally the formation or coalitions established by communities ƒơ‡…–‡†„›ƒ…‘‘‹••—‡‘”’”‘„Ž‡ǡ‘”‘”‰ƒ‹œƒ–‹‘•ƒ†‹†‹˜‹†—ƒŽ• from the same sector, facing common problems. A mass alliance may be short-term or long-term, loose or tight, informal or formal, depending on –Š‡ƒ–—”‡‘ˆ–Š‡‘„Œ‡…–‹˜‡•–Šƒ–‹–•‡„‡”•‘”ƒƥŽ‹ƒ–‡•Šƒ˜‡ƒ‰”‡‡† upon. For indigenous peoples, forming a mass alliance is desirable as it bridges broader unity and cooperation between and among communities confronted with the same or similar problems.