Church denominations and networks engaging in advocacy

Indicator Phrasing

Number of church denominations and networks integrating advocacy, campaigning or social accountability into Church and Community Transformation (CCT)

Indicator Phrasing

INDICATOR PHRASING: Number of church denominations and networks integrating advocacy, campaigning or social accountability into Church and Community Transformation (CCT)

What is its purpose?

Demonstrating the scale of CCT through measuring the number of different denominations and networks actively advocating campaigning and/or using Social Accountability mechanisms at the national or regional levels

How to Collect and Analyse the Required Data

Definitions:

‘Denomination’ refers to a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church (including Mega Churches) which governs, shares doctrine and resources a group of churches.

Mega churches can be counted as a denomination, even if they don't use that title themselves, if they have governance across smaller churches.

A denomination should not be counted if it merely has some facilitators who have been trained in CCT. This is about strategic engagement with the denomination.

Church denominations can be engaged directly by Tearfund or indirectly through partners and allies.

 

‘Church Network' refers to a group or system of interconnected churches that are non denominational in nature. They do not have an overarching governance system, but instead share similar values and commit to sharing resources (learning, best practices, strategic issues and in some cases financial resources). A church network should not be counted if it merely has some facilitators who have been trained in CCT. This is about strategic engagement with the church network. Church networks can be engaged directly by Tearfund or indirectly through partners and allies.

‘Integration into CCT’ will be defined by church denominations and networks who have one of the following elements:

a) CCT advocacy  or social accountability is a formalised part of the CCMP (Church and Community Mobilisation Programme) training process and is seen in the overall project through outlined advocacy objectives, indicators and deliverables that will be monitored and measured at project level. 

b). Stand alone CCT Advocacy and Social accountability innovation initiatives taken by the church denomination or network despite no formalised inclusion in the project objectives.

c). National church leaders being envisioned and mobilised to influence national governments through campaigns e.g. Haiti We Want, Zimbabwe we want, As Born Among Us etc. 

d) Denominations and/or networks encouraging Church led communities that are engaging local governments on issues that affect the community using advocacy approaches and tools e.g. Social accountability tools (not necessary doing CCMP e.g Church Mobilisation,)

 

Integration should lead denominations and/or networks to be actively advocating to decision makers. 

'Actively advocating': Refers to denominations and church networks that are subsequently advocating using social accountability tools to advocate for change. This could include any of the following:

- identified community and national issues,

- identified government as a key resource;

- participating in Government policy making processes

- engaged in dialogue with decision makers at all levels through calls, email, letter, petition or other

- conducting lobbying meetings,

- written press statements and/or policy briefs,

- coordinated campaigns

- used any other social accountability tools to advance good governance

How?

To monitor denominations and networks integrating advocacy into CCT, Tearfund or partners should encourage denominations or networks to keep a log of advocacy strategies and actions taken, as well as their subsequent response.

This is best done alongside a wider advocacy plan which includes mapping key stakeholders (national strategic coalitions, networks and allies) and national policies relevant to the identified issue and its implementation to local level (resources, government plans, identified resources, etc).

Country teams should monitor all their engagement with church denominations and networks within a “Stakeholders mapping” spreadsheet. This mapping should reflect and track the engagement and relationships Tearfund has with church denominations and church networks that are being strategically targeted. In the narrative for this indicator, please either attach this mapping sheet, or state the names and countries of the denominations and networks integrating CCT advocacy detailing the specific forms of active advocacy used.

This monitoring should be the result of a joint conversation between country teams, CCT, TNE and Advocacy cluster advisors and Advocacy country office advisors where relevant, in order to facilitate alignment over country support and impact.

Regional level relationships will be monitored separately, between the CCT, TNE and Advocacy cluster advisors and Advocacy country office advisors where relevant.

Where Tearfund has had a catalytic role, church denominations, networks or other allies should be encouraged to take this approach to help them effectively support facilitators.

Who collects?

CCT coordinators at country level should monitor church denominations whose capacity on CCT Advocacy and social accountability is being built; monitor the progress at all levels regularly and keep progress updated.

The Social Accountability Advisor, Advocacy cluster advisors or/and Advocacy country office advisors should provide support on advocacy mapping and tracking the denomination/network advocacy activities and validate the data.

TNE and CCT advisors should provide support in the mapping of church denominations, prioritising, support and advice for strategic relationship building and monitoring the progress.

 

Important Comments

To understand where Tearfund funds have been used (directly or have funded a partner to do training) and where Tearfund has influenced or catalysed users can look at where this data is added and narrative within track.

Advocacy and Social Accountability are pillars to strengthen CCT’s impact and Scale Up

This guidance was prepared by Tearfund ©

Propose Improvements