Empowering Advocacy: Sampark’s Role in Maternal and Newborn Health in Maharashtra

1. Advocacy & Communication Sampark

2. SamparkNetwork in knowledge era Sampark means • Blend of Journalism & Activism • Strong grass root links • An organisation based on the triumvirate of Information, Communication & Advocacy • An advocacy model that emerged out of the efforts of socially conscious journalists and pragmatic activists • A Public Interest Advocacy & Communication Resource Organization based in Mumbai

3. Sampark believes that Social change is always relevant But provocative agitations are not.. Patient persuasion can break the strongest resistance & advocacy is the modern science of persuasion..

4. Sampark • Works across NGOs, political parties & media organisations • Initiates dialogue with all the stakeholders • Gathers factual information • Analyzes & frames issues • Facilitates capacity building • Orients, communicates, advocates

5. Sampark Media is booming • An urgent need to demystify media is perceived. • On the other hand, haze about ‘grass root’ in the perception of the-metro-priority-media needs to be cleared.

6. Sampark Thinks that • the challenge before the stakeholders in development sector is in being progressive without negating tradition, and embracing the ‘grass root’ without being orthodox • it is a walk on the tightrope • we possess tools such as appropriate communication & advocacy capabilities that strike a balance and prevent a fall.

7. Sampark Provides capacity building programmes For the activists • Training in advocacy skills • Training in communication skills • Training in documentation skills • Training in campaign designing • Application of RTI Act • Application of NREGA • Orientation to the mainstream media

8. Sampark Plays role to make alliances between • Journalists & activists • Policy makers & NGOs • Opinion makers & volunteers • NGOs working on the same issue in different geographical locations • Professionals & social workers

9. Sampark & MNH Since 1996, we are advocating the issue of Maternal & newborn Health (MNH) Care in Maharashtra. We have made efforts to project & resolve this issue by lobbying with all the four pillars of democracy • Legislature • Executive • Judiciary • Media

10. Sampark & MNH And following happened • An arm of Government machinery was formed to deal with the issue exclusively. • GR was issued to make it mandatory to count & report the number of child deaths. • MNH Mission was set up to handle the issue. • Since 2001, the issue was discussed in each assembly session which resulted in formation of a State level committee. • Our intervention in suo moto case on MNH in Mumbai HC resulted in formation of a committee of activists to monitor government’s efforts to prevent child deaths & malnutrition. (Three of the Sure Start partners including Sampark are members of the HC appointed committee) • Mainstream media was appropriately oriented about the MNH issue in all its aspects. • A strong public opinion was generated on the MNH issue.

11. Sampark in Sure Start Contributes in • capacity building of Lead Partners for advocacy for urban MNH care • sensitization of local media on urban MNH issues • Providing information support to lead partners and consortium members

12. Sampark in Sure Start Contributes in • Arranging training workshops for all partners in advocacy, campaign designing, documentation and communication. • Orienting local media persons on MNH & related issues and organizing partners’ interface with media at each site

13. Sampark in Sure Start Shall make contributions to • Strategise advocacy plan • Identify, document and disseminate cases and other processes • Publish, broadcast & telecast success stories in media