The image above comes from the New Tactics story from Austria titled Tandem©: Cross-cultural exchange between police and migrants that describes a unique and applicable model to improve intercultural understanding between police and immigrants.
Thank you for visiting this conversation summary by the New Tactics online community on Engaging Non Traditional Allies.
In human rights work, sometimes the most impactful partnerships are with allies you wouldn’t expect. Allies outside of what we consider the traditional human rights community can provide access to more networks, expertise and skills to your campaign. In Cairo, for example, Harassmap partners with local shop owners. They help create “safe zones” against sexual harassment. Human rights organizations in Thailand, Liberia and Austria work with police. These allies help promote human rights, professionalism and cross-cultural exchange. Partnerships with businesses and police are not traditional, nor are they easy. But the interdisciplinary nature of these partnerships can lead to successful campaigns.
Questions discussed throughout this conversation included: How are human rights groups identifying and engaging unexpected allies? What can we learn from examples of successful, non-traditional partnerships? What challenges are human rights groups facing in building strong partnerships based on mutual goals? What common ground can be found when missions for both parties are quite different?
Expanding mental attitudes towards allies
Participants shared how they shifted their spectrum of their allies. They engaged with organizations and individuals traditionally thought of as unreachable. Some examples include faith based groups, scientific experts, youth and diaspora populations, and government officials. See the list below for specific tactics shared in this conversation.
- EJUSA works with conservatives on reforming the justice system and campaigning against the death penalty. In Maryland, EJUSA helped run a death penalty repeal campaign and used the savings from repeal. This savings helped them increase services for family members of murder victims.
- The Fako Lawyers Association (FAKLA) based in the South West Region of Cameroon partners with prison administrators to investigate indefinite wait periods among prisoners waiting for trial.
- In Austria, The International Centre for Cultures and Languages (ICCL) adapted the “TANDEM®” program to human rights education with police and migrant populations called “Intercultural-TANDEM®.” It provides a unique and applicable model to improve intercultural understanding.
- The Women Peacemakers Program engages with multiple non-traditional allies in their work. The idea of men as allies of women for gender-sensitive peace resulted in 2009-2010 in the organization of an all-male Training of Trainers (ToT) Cycle. It focused on masculinities, violence and peace. They also have reached out to faith-based women’s groups in gender-sensitive peacebuilding.
- Maiti Nepal works to stop trafficking of women and girls across the Nepal-India border. They involve survivors in the identification and rescue of potential victims.
- The Ekota Sex Workers Association in Bangladesh uses surveillance teams made up of older sex workers. They help rescue girls who are being kept against their will in brothels.
- Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program of AAAS engages with scientists, engineers, and health professionals. They use a variety of ways including: partnering volunteers with human rights organizations, analyzing satellite images to document mass human rights violations, bringing experts’ voices to human rights questions, informing international policy discussions regarding science and human rights, promoting respect for human rights in scientific practice, and defending the right to free and responsible scientific inquiry and practice.
- The Polaris Project has partnerships with Salesforce, Palantir, and Google. They also work with individual engineers, designers, and programmers that work in those spaces. This has helped build their human trafficking hotline and provide technical support for their work.
- Citizens’ Watch, a Russian nongovernmental organization, used a collaborative tactic to engage governmental officials. Often they were seen as the adversary and not considered as partners. Citizens’ Watch recognized the potential for engaging bureaucrats. They engaged those who illustrated a level of interest in advancing human rights.
- In South Jordan, Change Academy for Democratic Studies and Development and the Arab Network for Civic Education (ANHRE) forged relationships with allies in national government agencies and community organizations to advance the right to early childhood education in poverty pockets.
Benefits and barriers to working with allies perceived as non-traditional
Participants began the conversation by discussing how they define non-traditional partners. They shared what the term “non-traditional” connotes. Constituencies or groups who are:
- directly affected/engaged in an issue but assumed to be on the “opposite side” of it.
- assumed to be on the “opposite side” of an issue because of their political orientation.
- historically left out or marginalized from engaging on a particular issue. But they might have a natural affinity or stake in the issue.
- simply not yet engaged on an issue. It has not been a priority for them. They have not seen the issue as affecting them, etc.
Engaging with non-traditional allies requires a multi-dimensional approach. Approaches must take into account different types of non-traditional partners. When approaching these allies, human rights organizations should be strategic. Asking who, what, where, why, when questions. Build an understanding of the power dynamics shaping these relationships. Put yourself in the position of the non-traditional ally, and have an exit strategy.
Partnering with non-traditional allies presents unique challenges and benefits. For example, technical experts may not know what human rights means in principle and practice. But working with these technical experts offers a chance to expand the community of individuals and organizations knowledgeable about human rights.
When engaging with non-traditional allies, it is important to clarify your intent. This will help establish a transparent partnership. Transparency and open communication can help foster cross-issue or cross-movement work. Such as LGBT and women’s rights defenders working together. Or environmental and labor rights coming together on the issues of “green jobs”, etc.
Lessons Learned
Creating authentic relationships is key to successful non-traditional partnerships. Establishing collaborative roles and common ground. Authentic relationships can be one of the primary mechanisms for creating and implementing successful campaigns. This makes it possible to achieve authentic and real change, even if that change is small.
Reaching out to non-traditional allies and building bridges. This is an important part of creating social change through “people power.” Participants shared examples of how they have reached out to non-traditional allies. This included faith-based groups, human rights survivors, and government officials. These organizations often had to shift their spectrum of allies to incorporate these partners.
Partnerships with non-traditional allies often are beset with challenges as a result of unequal power dynamics. Human rights organizations can be vulnerable to misuse by government or corporate partners. To combat unequal power dynamics, organizations should set clear expectations of partnership. Participants highlighted the importance of research the organizations and people they work with.
Resources
Videos
