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Humanitarians work in hostile environments where people are struggling for survival in situations of armed conflict or natural disasters. In such environments, people may have been forced to flee their homes with few—if any—belongings and may have suffered or witnessed human rights violations. Their plight needs to be communicated to the world in a way that will motivate the deployment of the protection and aid they so desperately need. This course will prepare students for the task of advocacy in humanitarian environments. It will focus on the identification of the most vulnerable members of a large group of survivors and the communication of their needs. It will equip students with the skills required to effectively communicate with local authorities as well as the international donor community. Students will learn to write in a different way than the academic style expected in other courses, focusing on effective advocacy messaging. This course is recommended for students who may envisage working directly in advocacy for responding to humanitarian needs. It is also recommended for humanitarian practitioners who wish to prepare for a role in advocacy or are already working in this area. The course will be taught by Professor Anne Edgerton.
Anne Edgerton has over 20 years of experience working in humanitarian organizations, including Relief International, UNOCHA, Child Fund International, and Oxfam. Most recently, she served as the Executive Director of Mental Health America of Virginia. She has also worked in academia as Adjunct Professor at William and Mary College and at the University of Richmond. Her publications include papers on the denial of humanitarian access, humanitarian advocacy, child protection, violent conflict, and the impact of genocide on children.
