What’s 'new' about New Tactics?

People often ask us what is “new” about New Tactics.

The answer is simple: Every person can take an idea and change it into a new tactic for their organization. The ideas may not be completely new, but as you learn about different tactics and adapt them to your situation, you’ll have a new way to approach your goal.

We all know that nothing stays the same. Governments change policies. New technologies like Facebook and Twitter are developed. Social trends evolve. That’s why it’s important to continually think about different tactics. A tactic that didn’t work in one situation, may still be successful at a later time or in a different situation.

For many years, the human rights movement focused primarily on three main tactics:

  • Setting international expectations through  treaties, agreements and resolutions 
  • Monitoring how governments follow the standards
  • Denouncing or shaming government action and inaction.

Using these three tactics, individuals and organizations have been able to expand human rights worldwide.

But individuals and groups have proven that there are countless ways to advance human rights. By applying new tactics to your strategy, you can become even more effective in your work.

We’ve compiled more than 200 tactics that human rights defenders have used successfully. Explore human rights tactics that you can use in your own work.

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