People who speak up for rights

Advocacy means taking action or speaking out to support a cause or the rights of others. In Aotearoa New Zealand, Dame Whina Cooper led a 1975 hīkoi from Te Hāpua to Parliament to call attention to Māori land loss. Kate Sheppard helped organise the campaign for women’s suffrage; in 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote in national elections. Dr Teremoana Kohu-Morgan has worked to strengthen Pasifika voices and improve health and education outcomes. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela opposed apartheid, a system that enforced racial separation and unequal rights. Malala Yousafzai campaigns internationally for every girl’s access to education. Greta Thunberg began a school strike for climate action, drawing attention to young people’s concerns about their future. These advocates used different methods, but each drew attention to an issue and encouraged people to consider change.

Understanding and reflecting