ROOTS 1+2
Advocacy toolkit
Toolkit
www.tearfund.org/advocacy_toolkit
Section B2
The WHY of advocacy
Power and politics
Section B2: What is power?
Power is the ability to influence the behaviour of
people and the circumstances they live in. It
determines who makes decisions, what
decisions are made, when they are made, and
how they are made.
Section B2: What are the different
types of power?
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‘Power to’ do something
‘Power within’ a person
‘Power with’ others
‘Power over’ others
Visible power
Hidden power
Invisible power
Section B2: What are the different
sources of power?
Authority
Collective
Economic
Expertise
Institutional
Privilege
Service
Coercion
Culture
Ethnic
God
Moral
Resource
Section B2: How does advocacy
interact with power?
• Holding decision-makers to account for their
use of power
• Trying to change the way power is used
• Challenging the abuse of power
• Gaining access to power for excluded people
• Helping people to see & use their own power
• Overcoming a sense of powerlessness
Section B2: How is power abused?
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Empty promises
Abuse of privilege
Use of force, violence or coercion
False claims of legitimacy & representation
Poor research & misinterpretation of data
Bribery
Section B2: What is government?
• The legislature (parliament) decides which
laws need to be adopted, changed or
implemented in the country or state
• The executive runs the day-to-day affairs of
the country or state and implements the laws
• The judiciary interprets and enforces the laws
of the country or state
Section B2: What is politics?
Politics is the exercise of power, and the
interaction of people with power.
Participation in politics often depends on the
arena in which citizens can engage with their
government, known as political space. Political
space can be closed, invited or created.