WITNESS empowers human rights organizations around the world to incorporate video as an advocacy tool in their work. Rooted in the power of personal testimonies and in the principle that a picture is worth a thousand words, WITNESS and its partners’ videos have been used

Since 2000, the Human Rights Observatories Network has worked with youth groups in various regions of Brazil, inspiring them to learn about human rights and to learn how to report on and to monitor their communities’ access to rights.

In Cebu City, more than 70% of the population is classified as urban poor. A group of Non-Government Organizations with programs and services for the urban poor organizations bonded together and worked with urban poor groups to create an alliance, Task Force Tawhanong Pagpuyo (TFT), to respond to the growing numbers of victims who experienced evictions and demolitions of their houses. TFT presented and advocated for alternatives to government development plans that involved wholesale demolition with no alternative relocation sites. TFT organized a conference of urban poor leaders to identify issues and alternative solutions and followed this with research and case studies. These materials were presented to the local government and housing agencies.  Simultaneously, training was conducted for judges who issue the demolition and eviction orders. The alliance succeeded in developing and getting representatives on to a local housing board and assisted in preparing a comprehensive shelter plan for the city.  As a result, guidelines for demolition and eviction were adopted and judges now coordinate with the local housing board to ensure compliance. The number of demolitions and evictions was substantially reduced and when they did occur, relocation sites were identified in advance.

Amnesty International-the Netherlands recognized the power and potential of new text-messaging technology (SMS). The organization used it to attract new members (especially young people), build awareness of the campaign against torture and encourage people to respond quickly to urgent action appeals. About 520 new members joined as a direct result of the SMS campaign and over 5,000 more responded to the SMS urgent action appeals.

For a detailed exploration of this tactic, please click on the following link to consult our tactical notebook, <b><a href="http://www.newtactics.org/en/SendingOutanSMS">Sending Out an SMS: A rapid-response mobile phone network engages a youth constituency to stop torture fast</a></b> by Anneke Bosman.

MAHR uses traditional human rights monitoring methods to document human rights abuses, but has made a practice of adapting this methodology to address emerging human rights issues.  The approach has been used to document violations of women's human rights such as domestic violence, rape, employment discrimination, sexual harassment in the workplace and trafficking in women and girls for commercial sexual exploitation.  The findings on violence against women in 22 countries have been published in reports that include an analysis of each country's legislation related to women's rights and of the local law enforcement system, as well as recommendations on bringing laws and practice into conformity with international human rights obligations.

For a detailed exploration of this tactic, please click on the following link to consult our tactical notebook, <b><a href="http://www.newtactics.org/en/FamiliarToolsEmergingIssues">Familiar Tools, Emerging Issues</a></b> by Jennifer Prestholdt.

The Korean Women Workers’ Association United (KWWAU) organized a highly successful campaign gaining public and government awareness and support for increasing the minimum wage, improving government policies for sub-contracted women workers and prosecuting businesses that violate the minimum wage system. In 2000-1, a survey conducted by KWWAU documented that 23% of the sub-contracted workers surveyed received significantly less than the minimum wage. It was discovered that the minimum wage system did not protect workers employed in small and medium sized businesses.  The campaign effectively utilized media—using cartoons, images and other innovative tactics— in 9 different cities in the summer of 2001 which resulted in more than 15,000 people signing KWWAU’s petition. As a result of public outrage, rather than the usual 4% increase, the government wage committee raised the minium wage by 12%. The KWWAU was the first to focus on increasing the minimum wage.  In 2002, many unions and civil organizations established the "Minimum Wage Network" to improve wages and the minimum wage system.  Subsequent efforts have resulted in a yearly minimum wage increase of more than 10%.

For a detailed exploration of this tactic, please click on the following link to consult our tactical notebook, <b><a href="http://www.newtactics.org/en/EngagingtheMedia">Engaging the Media: Building support for minimum wage reform</a></b> by Jee Hyeon Kim.