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Advocacy

Advocacy means influencing decisions, policies and practices. Felm and its partners use dialogue, policy recommendations, campaigns and the media to advance human rights, just peace, climate justice and locally led development.

Samvad girls, women’s group members, and other women campaign against child marriage, domestic violence, and gender-based violence, while promoting the rights of women and children.

Felm’s advocacy challenges legal, economic and public structures that perpetuate poverty and discrimination. It strengthens the long-term results and impact of our partners’ work at the local level. We also support our partners’ participation in international decision-making forums. 

Our policy recommendations and practical solutions draw on academic research and evidence gathered by our partners, focusing on the following themes: 

  • Human rights advocacy strengthens the rights of all people, especially those in vulnerable and marginalised situations. We support individuals and communities in claiming their rights and influencing decisions that affect their lives. We focus particularly on the rights of persons with disabilities and on advancing gender justice. 
  • Peacebuilding supports inclusive and locally led processes that strengthen dialogue, trust and social cohesion in fragile contexts. It brings the voices of marginalised groups into efforts to build sustainable and just peace. We prioritise women’s meaningful participation and leadership in peace processes and decision-making. 
  • Climate justice advances equitable and locally led responses to climate change that reflect the needs and rights of those most affected. It strengthens community resilience, promotes environmental sustainability and brings marginalised groups into climate-related decision-making. 
  • Locally led development places decision-making power, resources and leadership with local actors so that development is grounded in community priorities and knowledge. It strengthens local capacities and partnerships and supports sustainable, inclusive results, with particular attention to marginalised groups and equitable participation. 

Our Partners

Felm conducts advocacy with civil society organisations through campaigns and events. We also work through the international ecumenical networks of the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance. In Finland, we are part of Fingo, the umbrella organisation of Finnish civil society organisations. 

Together with our long-term partners, we bring local perspectives and evidence into national and international policy discussions. We also engage directly with decisionmakers and public officials to advance shared policy goals. 

Our work