Advocacy and Social Justice
Advocacy involves speaking up for the rights of the vulnerable and oppressed. It recognises that those with power, such as governments, businesses, and the social 'mainstream', should be called to use their power not simply to avoid harm but to actively do good.
Advocates identify situations where vulnerable people are being harmed by a misuse of power and, then speak up on behalf of the oppressed, calling on the powerful to act justly.
Scripture calls us to 'seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.' (Isaiah 1.17). Advocacy seeks to bring about change, in line with God’s heart for his world.
Catalyst
Catalyst is our advocacy program for individuals and churches in Australia. The concept is simple - change occurs when we speak out together.
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It is a great way to act on God's call to 'do justice'.
The process begins when people with a burden for justice form a small group that meets monthly to learn about, pray about and act on global justice issues.
Each year Catalyst focuses on a particular global justice issue and groups across the country spend the year advocating for change on that issue.
Visit www.catalystonline.org.au.
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Catalyst groups are resourced by Baptist World Aid Australia. They are provided with bible study materials, training in how to speak to politicians and media, church newsletter snippets, briefing papers, a regular e-newsletter to keep them up to date, a dedicated website and more.
Catalyst groups are part of a wider movement. This means that you are not a lone voice for justice, but part of a wider campaign through which many voices will be heard. This dramatically improves the possibilities for advocacy to be successful.
Key Advocacy Partners
Micah Challenge and the Make Poverty History campaign have played a key part in increasing the quality and quantity of the Australian aid program. Catalyst joins with agencies like these (and others such as Stop the Traffik) for major campaigns and activities, sharing resources and presenting a united front.
Baptist World Aid Australia is also a leading supporter of Micah Challenge Australia.
Visit them at:
www.micahchallenge.org.au
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www.makepovertyhistory.com.au
www.stopthetraffik.org
Through advocacy William Wilberforce and the Clapham Sect brought an end to the Transatlantic slave trade...
Martin Luther King and the US Civil Rights movement effected transformation in civil rights for African-Americans...
Ghandi led a movement that won independence for India...
The Jubilee debt campaign secured tens of billions of dollars in debt relief for poorer countries...
