Thank you for visiting this conversation summary by the New Tactics online community on Powerful Persuasion: Combating Traditional Practices that Violate Human Rights.

Traditions and rituals are often supported by strongly held cultural beliefs.  The deep roots of traditional cultural practices can make it very difficult to change behaviors that are harmful. Often, the key to this kind of cultural shift is respectful, patient, community-led persuasion. All working towards creating movements for change.

In Ghana, it may have taken 10 years to change the harmful practice of Trokosi (taking young girls as slaves to atone for the bad deeds of a family member). But a coalition of organizations and community leaders were able to free thousands of girls. Eventually abandoning the practice in hundreds of communities. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Tostan and their partners engaged communities to learn about the harmful impacts of Female Genital Cutting (FGC). They educated men and women about their rights, and discussed how to prevent these health problems in the future. Their work has seen remarkable success. So far, over 6,500 communities from Djibouti, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Somalia and The Gambia have abandoned FGC and child/forced marriage. Rather than blaming or criticizing, these groups encourage dialogue around these practices. They discuss their impacts on the development of local communities.

In this conversation practitioners shared their experiences and questions on persuasion tactics.

Tactic examples shared in the conversation:

• Child Rights International Network (CRIN) utilized collective advocacy fight for childrens rights. They supported local advocates, campaigners, and NGOs in national and local settings. In doing so they built a campaign against the inhuman sentencing of children.
• Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program (CEP) was expanded on. They allowed the community to explore their human rights together. They worked to help the community understand how to use human rights in a practical manner and express them internally.
• Tostan integrating a Mobile Phone for Literacy and Development module into the CEP. It helped to speed up positive social transformation in communities.
• The first social mobilization team in was created in The Gambia. They did so by engaging interconnected villages in discussions about key topics.
• As part of the UN’s “Free & Equal” campaign, they filmed everyday people talking about some of the issue they face around LGBT rights. These films helped to start difficult conversations around taboo issues.
• Hosting The Daughters of Fire. The India Court of Women brought together 40 national organizations in Bangalore. They also shared 30 personal testimonies of violence and resistance with expert witnesses. In doing so they fought against Violence against Women.
• Challenging community beliefs and providing incentives and alternatives. As was done to build a campaign against Trokosi, a system of servitude, in Ghana.
• Utilizing a citizen campaign and getting an issue “out there”. A petition was started on Change.org to get Amazon to change it’s policy on books that advocate the physical abuse of children.
• Collaboration between different actors working at different levels. These include a combination of media coverage, NGO condemnation, and UN intervention. Combined they worked to overturn the sentencing of a 15-year-old female rape victim in the Maldives. Sh was to receive 100 lashes after being accused of having premarital sex .
• Utilizing drama and the arts to encouraging people to speak up at S.A.F.E. Maa in Kenya.
• Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse (SWAGAA) helped organize a public ceremony against abuse. The ceremony was for local men to show and promise to never raise their hand in violence. Swazi Men take a stand against domestic violence.
• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held public declarations in communities in Senegal and Niger. These declarations included; collection of signatures on traditional colorful cloth, certificates of recognition, and public weddings of uncut girls. By doing so they worked to persuade these communities to abandon FGC/M.
• Creating a television series to get an issue “out there” and talk about it outside of the home, in more public area.
• In Chakwal, Punjab, Pakistan they took community leaders to villages where girls education was common place. They then arranging meetings with parents of these girls and community leaders. They did so to encourage families to send their girls to school.
• After a string of sexual abuse scandals, advocates and researchers recognized the need for sex education. They collaborated to build a campaign for basic sexual education for younger children.
• The Council of Europe created the the One in Five campaign. They supported a simple rule – The Underwear Rule – to combat child sexual abuse.
• The National Tribunal on Violence Against Women in Nigeria engaged those affected by the unjust practice. They did so through various tactics includinga Mock Tribunal to Advance Change. Iraq Veterans Against War engaged in a similar way, through tactics like discussions on disability.
• A UK Channel 4 documentary about Polio vaccinations in northern Nigeria H highlighted the importance of legal reform. They worked to bring sustainable change for a community. Organizations employed the same tactics in a fight against the kalamai practice in Nepal.
• Taking a holistic approach to end harmful practices.

Why use persuasion when combating traditional practices that violate human rights?

What is Persuasion

Participants began by discussing what they mean by ‘persuasion’. They then talked about what they mean by ‘traditional practices that violate human rights’. Various commenters help define the terms. They disscussed creating an opening for a dialogue that comes from within a community. Highlighting “the use of non-aggressive, non-coercive and populist campaigning methods”. Additionally, one individual commented that ‘persuasion is a main tool in any conversation, it is also an art that can be learned’. They also included a definition specific to female genital cutting.

Change From Within

One participant referred to the Social Norm Theory. The theory states that a social norm is more important than legality in making decisions. Another participant commented that, “for sustainable change to occur, all members of the community need to be involved in all activities.” Participants agreed that ‘the change has to come from within’, and the social nature of the practice needs to be considered.

Long-term Change

Often, it takes time for a social change to occur, especially one that is built around culture and beliefs. Patient persuasion is important. As one participant noted, “there are just so many factors at play that cause these rights violations and environments that allow them to persist and are resistant to change”. All participants commented on the complexity of societal change. They concluded that a plan is necessary for long-term, sustainable change. Several participants commented that persuasion, while it takes time, does achieve results.

Perspectives on Persuasion

When working with persuasion, several viewpoints were raised. Including the age old debate of Universal Human Rights discourse vs cultural relativism. They also discussed legal reform vs social / cultural reform. One commenter stated that persuasion should be the first response to dealing with human rights issues. They went on to say that generally, legal reform follows popular demand. So persuasion must reach people and get them to engage with the issue. Another individual stated that the key to ending such practices lies in changing the social norms themselves.

The Importance and Challenges of Legal Reform

Legal advocacy can challenge “abuses of rights that are based on absent or weak laws or on laws that represent an abuse of right in and of themselves”. As one participant stated, laws are the cornerstone of human rights, and that legal advocacy is essential to achieve legal reform. Another participant warned that if legislation is used badly, it may drive a practice underground.

Combining Legal Reform and Societal Change

Orchid Project, combined legal and cultural reform and discussed legislation in a wider context. Their discussion was about Female Genital Cutting (FGC). Their specific theory of change around ending FGC places legislation in a society open to change. But, they commented that the most effective methods of ending FGC start at the community level. Highlighting that legislation is a pillar that supports this, rather than the other way around.

Reflection: What can others learn from your experience using persuasion?

The Importance of Dialogue

Several participants agreed that dialogue is crucial, especially around taboo issues. Getting an issue “out there”, and persuasive dialogue are important when working with traditional and religious leaders. Additionally, public ceremonies and rituals can play an important role in persuasion. Working holistically was another key point in persuasion. One participant commented that better understanding of the situation helps people to accept the idea of change. They highlighted that this understanding can be done through information and demonstration. CRIN highlighted the importance of dialogue and awareness raising. They stated that patient persuasion is the best option for working with traditional communities.

Creating a Broad Movement

An enabling environment is crucial in working with persuasion. The more factors that are brought into play, the greater the chance of success. Another individual built upon this, referring to “organized diffusion”. Organized diffusion is the outreach and systemic spreading of information. For example, Tostan utilizes this in their programming.

Challenges to Persuasion

Participants found that sometimes a tactic was successful in one area of the world or topic area, but not successful in another. Participants discussed media use in societal change. They shared examples of utilizing it as both a strength and a challenge. These included increasing international coverage (strength and challenge). As well as sharing stories of sexual harassment. Finally they mentioned creating non traditional superheroes for TV.

Other challenges that were mentioned included having both a large grassroots movement and professional skilled activists, having enough local campaigners on board, how and when to introduce legal reform regarding traditional practices, and translation misunderstandings.

Resources on persuasion and combating traditional practices

• The International NGO Council on Violence against Children released a report about harmful practices and violations of children’s rights. Violating Children’s Rights: Harmful practices based on tradition, culture, religion or superstition.
• From Motivation to Solution: A Strategy Tool by Philippe Duhamel (on the New Tactics website). A tool to start exploring reasons for the traditional practices that exist. Helping to identify motivations and alternatives. Other articles by Philippe include: 7 tips for respectful persuasion and 8 Powerful Persuasion Tactics
• Joining Forces: Engaging men as allies in gender-sensitive peace-building. A New Tactics conversation in 2011, includes summary, tactical examples and resources.
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) website has resources on on Ending Violence Against Women. Including case study examples, approaches, guides and their own  “Cultural Sensitive Programming Approaches”.
• Tostan will be opening a Training Center, based in Thies, Senegal in 2015 to share models, lessons learned and collaborate with others. Here, is their website for more information.
• Facing Fundamentalisms newsletter, produced by AWID’s Challenging Religious Fundamentalisms program, regularly disseminates resources (guides, videos, analysis, articles, etc.).
• Two UNICEF publications: Cases Studies on UNICEF Programming in Child Protection (March 2013) and “Changing a Harmful Society Convention: Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting” (2005).
• Tostan monthly newsletter – shares stories about the work of partner communities.
• Orchid Project theory of change for ending FGC, located on their website.
• Orchid Project resource map – links news, country pages and academic articles on FGC to geographic location.
• What is FGM? and Document – What is Female Genital Mutilation?, reports by Amnesty International.
• Department for International Development has practice paper on how to note on Violence against Women and Girls. A Practical Guide on Community Programming on Violence against Women and Girls (2012). Provides examples and lessons learned around various issues.