Hearts, Minds & PolicyCommunications to Promote and Defend Human Rights

ANALYZING TRANSLATING BUILDING

Opinion & Media Research

Social Science Research

Law and Policy

Tools

Training

Strategy

Public Support

& Public Policies to

Expand Opportunity

What We DoOur Approach

Building the National Will to Expand Opportunity in America

Our Tactics

Communications: Planning and strategy Public opinion and media research Participatory message and narrative development Communications tools and training Media placement and production

Law and Advocacy: Legal research and policy analysis Policymaker briefings and education Collaborative advocacy

Policy Milestones

Immigrant integration in Maryland and New Jersey.

Defeating anti-immigrant laws in Nebraska; challenges to citizenship.

Defeat of juvenile life without parole for non-homicide crimes

Health care equity commission in Connecticut.

Senate hearings on Human Rights treaty compliance.

Questions or Comments?

Building Public Support for Human Rights at Home

Telling the Human Rights Story

Telling the Human Rights Story

1. Understanding audiences.

2. Developing a shared narrative.

3. Leading with values.

4. Sharing tools and training.

5. Engaging the media.

6. Remembering popular culture.

Understanding Audiences

Understanding Audiences

Decisionmakers• Policymakers• Swing Voters• Boards of Directors

Influencers• Constituents• Faith Leaders• Editorial Boards• Stockholders

Base• To be Mobilized

Persuadables• To be persuaded

Opposition• To be ignored or

marginalized

1. Consultation with US Human Rights leaders

2. Advocate discussion groups and online survey

3. Initial focus groups in three cities

4. National survey (<1600 N)

5. State Policymaker Interviews (IL & CA)

6. Message Testing of key audiences in 4 cities

Understanding Audiences

Understanding Audiences:Cluster Analysis

1. Human Rights Champions 29%

2. Young Cautious HR Supporters 19%

3. U.S. Human Rights Supporters 21%

4. Anti-U.N.ites 17%

5. Anti-Gov’t Bedrock Conservatives 14%

Understanding AudiencesOpinion Research Findings

1. Human rights as concept is clear and positive; mechanisms unknown.

2. Public places social justice issues in a human rights framework—including economic and social rights.

3. Support, but little urgency for human rights

4. Americans value human rights for:

Affording people dignity, fairness, and opportunity.

Contributing to a better society for all.

Pride in America’s heritage and founding principles.

Understanding Audiences:Opinion Research Findings

5. But perceptions of government and personal responsibility complicate communications—especially on economic rights.

6. Skepticism about treaties and universalism.

7. And communicating about international treaties is a long-term challenge.

Understanding Audiences:Moving Forward on Human Rights

Q48. As you know, the government has many responsibilities and deals with many high-priority issues. Thinking about everything we’ve discussed, which one of the following statements comes closest to your point of view regarding how we should approach the issue of human rights in this country? Compared to other challenges facing the country, do you feel we should: Move aggressively, putting human rights near the top of the list; Move cautiously, trying to make regular progress on human rights problems; Move slowly, dealing with specific human rights problems one at a time; or should we simply allow solutions to human rights problems to evolve naturally?

First Tier Human Rights % saying “strongly should be a human right”

Equal opportunities regardless of gender (86%) Equal opportunities regardless of race (85%) Treated fairly in criminal justice system (83%) Freedom from discrimination (83%) Freedom from torture (83%) Equal access to quality public education (82%)

Leading with Values

Developing a Shared Narrative

Inspirethe Base

Persuadethe Middle

Long-TermShort-Term

BIG THEMES AND VALUES

SpecificMessages

SpecificMessages

SpecificMessages

SpecificMessages

SpecificMessages

SpecificMessages

Marginalizethe Opposition

Developing a Shared Narrative

Narrative PillarsIdentified and Tested

Core Message: It is better for everyone to live in a society that pays attention to human rights, rather than one that ignores human rights.

Values first. Fairness, dignity, opportunity, and pride in America’s heritage and founding principles.

Protect not provide. Emphasize governmental role in protecting rights, even where they require public investment.

Emphasize consensus rights. Freedom from torture and discrimination, right to due process and education.

Treaties and mechanisms last. Explain treaties gradually, practically, and as the coming together of diverse nations and cultures.

Narrative and MessagingCustomized for Issues and Audiences

Tools and training

Media Outreach

???

Remember Popular Culture

www.OpportunityAgenda.org

Successful Campaign: Ending Juvenile Life Without Parole

Ending Juvenile Life Without ParoleResearch and Recommendations:

Human Rights values are in play.

Right to the Opportunity for Rehabilitation.

Greater potential to change and grow.

Young brains and judgment still developing.

Avoid over-dramatizing—e.g., “children” “sentenced to die in prison.”

Accountability matters.

A major victory:

Graham v. Florida“A State is not required to guarantee eventual freedom to a juvenile offender convicted of a non-homicide crime. What the State must do, however, is give defendants like Graham some meaningful opportunity to obtain release based on demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation.”

“We also note … that Article 37(a) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, … ratified by every nation except the United States and Somalia, prohibits the imposition of ‘life imprisonment without possibility of release … for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age.’ … [T]he United States now stands alone in a world that has turned its face against” life without parole for juvenile nonhomicide offenders.”

Immigrant Due Process, Detention, Enforcement

Challenges

"A lot of the anti-immigration movement is jingoistic at best and racist at worst. There is a fear of white people being over run by darker-skinned people.”—Democratic Senate Staffer (www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1195250,00.html#ixzz11ZiTgGnW)

Changing Our Messages

“For people who are in mandatory detention, where they’re automatically detained without an individualized review, that’s arbitrary detention….That’s a violation of international law.”—Human Rights NGO Spokesperson(http://washingtonindependent.com/35526/thousands-of-immigrants-held-in-violation-of-international-law)

Changing Our Messages

"I am concerned because it seems to be an enforcement-only bill, and that is not what we need to have in an immigration system that will best serve our country and will best reflect our constitutional values.

We need a reform to ensure there is greater fairness, due process and equal protection in our immigration system. And that we are putting in place recognitions of the contributions that so many had made to this country over decades and (they) deserve legal protection.”—Tom Saenz, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund

Dueling Narratives

• Law and order• Overwhelming scarce resources • Workable solutions

• Upholding our nation’s values• Moving forward together

Grassroots Leadership

ACLU Immigrant Rights Project

Breakthrough

Legal Momentum

Rights Working Group

Human Rights Watch

Immigrant Defense Project

Center for Constitutional Rights

National Immigration Forum

Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights

House & Senate Judiciary Committee Members

U.S. Human Rts Network

Proteus Human Rights Hub

Detention Watch

Evaluation MethodsQuantitative:

• Internal tracking and reporting• Media monitoring• Online assessment

Qualitative:• Partner surveys• Media and Internet content analysis• External evaluation

Impact:• Legislative and administrative monitoring• Public opinion meta-analysis• Field investigation• External evaluation

EvaluationQuantitative:

• Spokespeople trained and equipped• Stories and sources placed• Audiences reached

Qualitative:• Use of our narrative in media and political discourse• Elevation of campaign ideas in policy arena

Impact:• Fewer rights violations; greater protections• Policies informed by our efforts• Changes in enforcement and practice• Improved public knowledge and attitudes• Greater protection and promotion of human rights of immigrants

and all Americans