Last month, the Conference on Crimes Against Women celebrated Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month. Officially declared Gay & Lesbian Pride Month in 1999, by then…
When addressing crimes against women, policy is a key component. Whether it be legislation or regulation, policy might be centered around the legal system’s response, or non-legal supports like housing, counseling, economic security, etc. Regardless of system or agency, policy is a fundamental tool used to address and prevent gender-based crimes. But policy isn’t handed down from “on high”, nor is it some mathematical or scientific truth that “just is.” Policies are formulated, implemented, enforced or blocked by people. This workshop will focus on the knowledge, skills, and tools attendees need for effective policy and policy advocacy. The presenter will discuss the importance of understanding human dynamics that underline (and often undermine) policy, how policy agendas are set and how to push for proposed policies. Also to be discussed are strategies on analyzing the players and entities when working on developing and passing policies. The presenter will share tips and tools for crafting “good” policy and policy proposals, examine how to assess unique “policy environment” and increase chances of getting effective policies passed/accepted/implemented.