Get ready for UHC Day 2024! Step 3: Amplify the right voices
For this year’s UHC Day updates, we’re sharing steps and tips to help you prepare your campaign. This is the third issue in the series. See below for links to the first two issues:
Step 3: Amplify the right voices
Now that your messages are crafted and ready for delivery, the next step is deciding on the messenger. The impact of your message can differ drastically depending on who delivers it, their proximity to the issue, their credibility and the influence they have. Choosing the right voices to amplify your messages is just as important as the messages themselves.
Jumping back to Step 1, it’s important to think carefully about who your audience is, what their priorities are, and what is likely to resonate with them. In some instances a technical expert with a lot of credibility will make the most impact, while other audiences may be swayed more easily by personal stories and experiences.
For example, policy makers deciding whether to commit funds to universal health coverage (UHC) and financial protection for health might be more influenced by an economic expert, while someone speaking from personal experience of struggling to pay for health services might be more effective at capturing the hearts of the general public.
Some questions you might ask yourself include:
Who is the most credible messenger?
Are they part of the affected population?
Have they already been vocal on the topic, and do their previous advocacy efforts align with your values and goals?
What level of influence do they hold?
Can they deliver your messages with clarity and empathy?
Perhaps one of the most important questions to ask yourself is: Are there any critical voices not being heard? Often the people most affected by an issue are those whose voices are most marginalized. By ignoring these voices we can perpetuate stereotypes and further dismiss or invalidate important experiences and perspectives. Amplifying the most marginalized voices, particularly when it comes to UHC advocacy, will make for a more inclusive and credible campaign.
It is also worth considering logistics when it comes to choosing which voices to amplify. How much does your chosen messenger know about the issues? Will you need to get them up to speed? How and when will you interact with them? What materials and resources will you provide? Do you have the capacity to engage with them regularly and provide the right support? It can be very effective to engage with well-known influencers when advocating on topics like UHC, but it can also take a lot of time and resources, so sometimes a more attainable messenger might be more suitable.
Finding the right messengers and amplifying the right voices can be the key to a powerful and effective campaign. And don’t forget, sometimes the best messenger is YOU!
Quote card template
Show your support for UHC Day 2024, and rally other UHC champions to do the same. Download the ppt file and add your photo, quote, name and title. Then share it on your social media pages to show your support in the lead up to 12 December. Don’t forget to use the #UHCDay hashtag!
If your organization is committed to realizing the right to health, help your senior managers and colleagues with influence to create and share their quote cards too.
And remember to use the advocacy letter to continue to urge decision makers to make UHC and financial protection for health a national priority!