Advocacy Tips...
What Can We Do?
What can we do?...This is the most frequently asked question after any of our presentations. Below is a sampling of advocacy strategies. Choose something that fits your skills and schedule. The important thing is to break the silence and to turn your compassion and outrage into action.
It seems hard to believe but despite the efforts of so many activists to bring worldwide attention to the genocide, for most Americans, Darfur remains a little understood conflict in some remote, impoverished region of Africa. Without question, educating the public in a straightforward unbiased way about the roots of the conflict and teaching them how they, as global citizens can advocate is paramount in the struggle to save the Darfur region. Our speakers appear almost daily and speak to religious groups, clubs and associations and the general public. Call our DRP offices today (973-274-9424) to request a DRP speaker for your group or community.
Call DRP offices to book a speaker to address your school and contact our offices to request our teaching tools to educate your school about Darfur and suggest ways they can help.
Organize fundraising events at your schools and other community centers for Darfur and donate the proceeds to Darfur organizations such as DRP.
Write the President at comments@whitehouse.gov, the U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalizad at usunpublicaffairs@state.gov and your elected officials urging a stronger U.S. and United Nations response to the genocide.
There are on-going demonstrations and rallies on behalf of victims of the Darfur genocide all across the U.S. To add your voice to the thousands that are trying to bring attention to Darfur stay tuned to the DRP web site as well as the web sites of other organizations.
As seen during the Apartheid era in South Africa, divestment is a powerful political tool able to influence government policy when diplomacy fails. When the supply of foreign cash is strategically cut off, the central government of Sudan will be forced to answer to the international community and address the issue of human rights in Darfur. Investigate the policy of your state to insure they have adopted a Sudan Divestment Campaign. Check with your employer to insure that they aren't investing in Sudan. And check into your personal investments to make sure you aren't unknowingly helping to underwrite the Sudanese government's oppression of the Darfurian people. For more information on targeted investment visit the Sudan Divestment Task Force at www.SudanDivestment.org. To view " An Analysis of Select Companies Operations in Sudan - A Resource for Divestment" click here.
Overall press coverage of the Darfur genocide has been inadequate. There are still so many Americans that don't understand the urgency of the situation because it hasn't been covered extensively enough in the media. Insist that Darfur be covered in the media you subscribe to. Write letters to the editor of the newspapers that do cover Darfur to encourage them to keep the focus on the genocide.
Become a member today and donate what you can afford to help us in our fight to Bear Witness, Seek Justice and Sow the Seeds of Peace. Call our offices today about the many ways in which you can give your time as a DRP volunteer.
Raise your voice for Darfur
