Advocacy

Why is Tearfund involved in advocacy?

We want to address the underlying causes of poverty and injustice, as well as supporting communities experiencing the impacts of them.

Advocacy doesn’t just raise awareness of a problem. It always seeks to change the policies, practices, systems, structures and attitudes that are at the root of the problem.

Even when speaking to leaders and policymakers hundreds of miles away from the people we serve, our advocacy boosts the impact of our work within local communities by ensuring people can reach their God-given potential for generations to come.

What does our advocacy look like around the world?

Tearfund staff and partners have been involved in advocacy initiatives over many years, at local, national and international levels.

SSome of the areas we currently focus on in our advocacy work are:

• The climate crisis
• Gender inequality
• Conflict and peacebuilding
• A global plastics treaty
• Aid cuts
• The role of local churches and church movements

We do this by influencing policies and practices, leading church movements, and campaigning alongside our supporters. By addressing these global challenges in a way that’s integrated with our programmes, we’re tackling the root causes of poverty and making sure that local communities are equipped to fulfil their God-given potential.

Why does advocacy matter to the church?

In almost every community around the world, you will find a local church. This is why working through local churches is at the heart of how we work to transform communities, but also plays a vital role in challenging the root causes of poverty.

It is part of the mission of the church to speak out against injustice, support people living in poverty, hold those in power to account, and encourage people to speak out for themselves.

Our understanding of this mission is rooted in Jesus’ command to love our neighbours as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Love for our global neighbours can look like providing help during an emergency or working alongside communities to build a better future.

Local churches often understand the needs of their community better than anyone else, and so they can play a number of strategic roles in advocacy work:

• Churches can mobilise large numbers of people to pray and take action
• Churches have credibility with many national governments and can be a trusted voice on moral issues
• Churches can link to wider networks

When issues of injustice are causing harm to people, love involves taking action to put things right and working to change systems, laws and attitudes.