The Bahá’í community in the UK and elsewhere has been very effective in raising support in parliaments and governments for the plight of the Bahá’ís in Iran.
Yesterday I wrote about the short debate in the House of Lords
How do we get this kind of support?
Of course, this kind of parliamentary intervention, the EU statement and other forms of public condemnation of the actions of the Iranian government, don’t happen by chance. A lot of hard work by the Bahá’í International Community and by the external affairs representatives of National Spiritual Assemblies, the elected Bahá’í councils of the different countries, has to happen before parliaments and government ministers will offer such unconditional support.
Five basic pointers for success in influencing government
Over the years that colleagues and I have worked to inform and influence the British government about the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran, we’ve learned a lot of lessons. Lots of do’s and lots of don’t dos. Here are five basic pointers for any non-governmental organization that wants to successfully influence government.
- Build good working relationships with Ministers, parliamentarians and officials. Help them to want to help you.
- Be appropriately friendly. Your opposite numbers in government are human too.
- Acknowledge good work done and thank people for the efforts they make on your behalf.
- Don’t demand. Don’t shout.
- Build a reputation for reliability and truthfulness
- Providing accurate and timely information about your issue.
- Giving out of date or inaccurate information will blow your reputation out of the water and no one will listen to you.
- Follow up with suggestions for action that are within the competence of people to achieve. Don’t have unreasonable expectations.
- Understand the limitations the political system imposes on the people you work with.
- Hold an annual reception in a prestigious venue to thank those you’ve worked with over the year.
There are many other things you need to do as well, but these are some good starting points.
Technorati Tags: government, parliament, NGO, lobbying, Barnabas Quotidianus
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This is really useful advice Barney. Common sense really, but great to have all in one place.
A great many of these point go beyond lobbying to everyday life – if you take out the parliamentary references, it’s a blueprint for getting on with your fellow human beings.
With huge respect for Persia as the “Cradel of Baha’i Faith”, would you please stop referring to the merciless and misanthropic system as “Iranain Government”.
Iran regime would be highly appropirate.
Tess, the advice comes from years of experience and from sometimes witnessing NGO representatives embarrassing themselves by not following this guidance. As you say, it is a blueprint for getting on with our fellow human beings. In fact, there really is no magic to working with government officials, MPs, etc, beyond the normal business of building good human relationships.
Cyrus, my dictionary defines “regime” as ” government, system of government, authorities, rule, authority, control, command, administration, leadership”. Normally, of course, “regime” has a negative tone and connotations – and it’s understandable you would want to use the term in that way. However, whatever we may think of those who govern Iran right now, they are still the official and legitimate government of Iran.
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