ADVOCACY
RESOURCES
For more information regarding advocacy, check out these comprehensive resources and our FAQ.
UNICEF's Action Center is a key resource for UNICEF advocates. This page is designed to streamline communication between constituents and congressional leaders by providing YOU a prewritten email and an issue/policy overview, and YOUR LEADER a comprehensive assessment of the issue and policy.
UNICEF UM sends a majority of its emails through this action center and uses it as a reference point for what our advocacy should include.
Frequently Asked Questions
Legislative assistants and office staff keep track of constituents' opinions. Whether you leave a 30-second voicemail, leave a public comment at a city hall meeting, or send a message, a tally is kept for reported opinions. As few as seven to ten calls can translate into a representative (1) supporting, (2) cosponsoring, or (3) advocating for legislation.
Why should I call my leaders? Click here.
A few of our members have been interns for The Borgen Project. The Borgen Project is a non-profit advocacy organization for global poverty reduction. During their times as Political Affairs Interns, Regional Advocacy Directors, Administrative Assistants, and more, they gained knowledge about advocacy and U.S. politics, strategies for community mobilization, and came to understand the vital importance of participatory democracy. The Borgen Project provides extensive resources for advocates and constituents, even if you don't work for them. Click the button below to learn more about calling congress. You can watch example videos, see scripts, get questions answered, and so much more.
How do I know what to say? Learn to here
Do I have to be 18 years old to call?
No! You are never too young to stand up for what is right. Let your leaders know what the next generation of voters wants to see and expects to change.
Aren't issues like poverty too big for me to solve?
"While the problem is huge, the solutions are easy, affordable, and proven to work. In 2015 the UN completed its Millennium Development Goals, which in part sought to cut global hunger in half. This goal was achieved early, and the UN now targets zero hunger by 2030. It estimates that this lofty goal can be achieved with an additional $264 billion spent globally per year. This is less than the United States spends on interest payments on the national debt $283 billion and less than half of the U.S. defense budget $612 billion" (The Borgen Project)
What is the difference between advocacy and lobbying?
Why is so UNICEF important?
Since 1946, UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. UNICEF reports that since 1990, the number of children who've died due to preventable causes has fallen by almost 60%.
Throughout its advocacy and lobbying efforts, UNICEF USA Representatives help policy officials understand why investing in UNICEF is important. Its four overarching themes are:
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UNICEF's monumental meach
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UNICEF's strategic partnerships: Kiwanis International, Zonta International, Rotary International, etc.
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The economic advantage UNICEF provides to U.S.-based suppliers when procuring supplies
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UNICEF's unique position for immediate Humanitarian Responses to emergeices such as famines, droughts, conflict and unrest, epidemics, and pandemics
Additionally, UNICEF ensures that governments are equipped to implement and uphold the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols, strengthen societies, provide 'capacity development' tools, amplify voices, and so much more.
