CHHELD participated in the 2-day write-shop on advocacy strategies and engagement on Amplifying Progressive Taxation. This is part of activities for the Sudden Opportunity Grant project, funded by OXFAM and facilitated by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Community Conciliation and Development Initiative (CCADI) and CSOs working under the Rivers State Tax Justice and Governance Platform (RSTJ&GP). The write-shops held on 25th & 28th of April 2023 at Aldgate Congress Hotel, GRA Phase 3, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Day 1 of Capacity Building Write-shop
The training session began introductions of the attendees. Attendees in the event were cut across traders’ associations, civil society organizations and the media. Mr. Kelechi Amaechi, the coordinator of the Rivers State Tax Justice and Governance Platform welcoming attendees and stating the objectives of the write-shop, which is aimed at improving the knowledge and capacity of all stakeholders in the civil society, traders’ association, on ways to advocate and demand for an inclusive, fair and progressive tax system is promoted in Rivers State. Representatives from the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANT), Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) shared goodwill messages with the participants.
The team leads of the clusters of CSOs working on the project under the Rivers State Tax Justice and Governance platform (RSTJ&GP) gave progress reports from engagements with various markets in Rivers State to know the taxes collected and how taxation is been carried out, the challenges and needs of the market. Cluster 3 which makes up 4 organizations; Centre for Human Rights, Health, Ethnic Harmony and Livelihood Development (CHHELD), Jamessira, Centre for Peace and Development (CDP) and Centre for Creative Development Strategies (CCDS) was represented by Mr. Daniel Akpan of CCDS where he spoke on team’s engagements with the Rumuomasi and Rumuolumeni markets in Obio-Akpor LGA of Rivers State.

The training session on Advocacy Strategies and Engagement on Amplifying Progressive Taxation was facilitated by Mrs. Rita Kiagbara. She defined advocacy as a tool for putting a problem on the agenda, providing solutions to problems and building support for acting on both the problem and solution. Advocacy is not only about influencing public policy, but also and first of all influencing public opinion.
The facilitator, Mrs Rita Kiagbara also took participants through the processes in the Advocacy cycle, which are:
a. Assessment of the problem
b. Establishment of objectives and goals
c. Planning activities
d. Implementing planned activities.
e. Monitoring and evaluation
The participants during the session deliberated on current challenges faced by some traders in Rivers State as a case study and recommended some plans of actions to advocate for a solution from the government and other agencies based on the advocacy strategies shared during the session.

Day 2 of capacity building write-shop
The second write-shop held on the 28th day of April, 2023. The sessions were on Rights-based approach to advocacy, and strategic communication and facilitation skill building. These sessions were facilitated by Mrs. Rita Kiagbara and Mrs. Evelyn Williams, the Executive Director for Light Hope Succor Worldwide Initiative.
Mrs. Rita Kiagbara who facilitated a session on advocating from the Rights-based approach. She began the session with a pre-test on the subject of discuss. In order to effectively advocate for individuals and groups, she pointed out that it is important to note how the issue violates the human rights of citizens of the country. Human Rights are basic rights and freedoms based on our common humanity which is needed in order to live together with dignity. Some human rights include: right to freedom of expression, right to freedom of religion or conscience, right to property, right to vote, right to privacy, right to an adequate standard of living, etc. Human rights relate to and depend on each other, for example, it would be hard to exercise your right to freedom of expression without the right to health being fulfilled. It is important to use the right words and terms during advocacy to the government and other duty bearers, to remind them that it is the right of individuals who pay various forms of taxes to enjoy basic amenities and infrastructures, and these amenities and infrastructures should not be seen and done as an act of philanthrophy to the citizens, but as their rights. Rights-based approach to advocacy holds institutions and powerful people accountable for their responsibilities to those with less power. Rights-based approach differ from the ‘needs-based’ or ‘welfare’ approaches that create dependency on the government and its agencies

The “FAIR” approach was discussed with participants which means; Facts, Analyze rights, Identify responsibilities, and Review actions.
Facts: this involves gathering information on the experiences of individuals involved and the important facts to understand. Information can be gathered via pictures and videos of victims, this serves as evidence when demanding for a course during advocacy.
Analyze rights: this is developing an analysis of the human rights at stake during advocacy.
Identify responsibilities: identify what needs to be done and who is responsible for doing it.
Review actions: this is the making of recommendations for action and later recall and evaluate what has happened as a result of the advocacy.
The session ended with a group session and presentation from the attendees



The second speaker on strategic communication and facilitation skill building was Mrs. Evelyn Williams. This session aims at improving the skills on attendees on facilitation. A facilitator is an individual that makes things easy, help a group or team to achieve results in interactive events by using a range of skills and methods to bring the best out in people as they work together. Some facilitation skills include attending, observing, active listening, communication, and questioning. Qualities that expected of a good facilitator are:
a. Patience and good listening skills
b. Self-awareness and openness to learn new skills.
c. Good sense of humor
d. Confidence without arrogance
e. Good life experience and a good grasp of common sense
f. respect for the opinion of others and not imposing ideas.
g. Practice in creative and innovative thinking
h. Ability to create an atmosphere of confidence among participants
i. Flexibility in changing methods and sequence
In order to facilitate a session, it important the facilitator learn to handle difficult situations during facilitation by identifying points og agreements, reformulate contributions to highlight common ideas, encourage people to build on the ideas of others, test for false census and test census for relevance/motivation.

The write-shop came to a close with a closing remark from Mr. Kelechi Amaechi, coordinator of Rivers State Tax Justice and Governance platform.


