What We Do
Ethical Advocacy
AfricaCanada.org contributes to building ethical advocacy practices.
To reach this goal, we seek to reflect critically on dominant advocacy campaigns in our workshops and on our blog. We promote and engage in discussion rather than alienating certain narratives – we therefore see ourselves as a possible bridge between pure critics and campaigners. Lastly, through our cooperation with the Women’s Advocacy Network, we apply what we have learnt about advocacy by investing locally.
As part of our commitment to ethical, and self-critical advocacy and international engagement, AfricaCanada.org appeared several times in Canadian media and produced several critical pieces on our blog concerning the KONY 2012 phenomenon, as well as holding several live discussions at the University of British Columbia’s Vancouver campus.
The Canadian Perspective
AfricaCanada.org aspires for Canadians to critically reflect on Canada’s current relationship with this region troubled by armed conflict. Therefore we engage with relevant stakeholders – academia, government, politics, UN, non-profit, media and others – in a discussion about how Canada can build a mutually-beneficial relationship with Africa that all Africans and Canadians can be proud of.
In September 2009, as part of its advocacy campaign focusing on sexual violence in the DR Congo, “No More Rape”, AfricaCanada.org released a policy position and discussion report titled ‘The Worst Place in the World to be a Woman or Girl’ – Rape in the DR Congo: Canada, Where Are You? This report outlined Canada’s history in the Congo, its current connections to the conflict, and recommended policies that Canada could adopt in order to alleviate human suffering in the DRC.
Under the auspices of the End Impunity Canada campaign, AfricaCanada.org published a report in April 2010 detailing how the Forces Démocratiques de la Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) rebels are connected to Canada and what Canada could do to eliminate all opportunities for its citizens to support this Rwando-Congolese armed group.
In fall 2010 AfricaCanada.org engaged in a 3 phase policy research and advocacy project. Founded on its previous research and in partnership with The Mark News., we drafted a two page policy brief, followed up with rigorous consultation with experts which culminated in a Mark Feature Series. The final phase of the project was a nation-wide citizen consultation utilizing an online discussion with experts, an interactive art exhibit at the Liu Institute for Global Issues, and online interactive web applications.
To read some of our thoughts on Canada’s current involvement and role in the Great Lakes Region, please visit the blog.
Partners
Women’s Advocacy Network