Advocacy Toolkit

Contacting Government Officials

Contacting government officials is an important way for you to take an active role in influencing public policy. As current and future health professionals, you have a powerful voice and a special interest in protecting and promoting human rights. There are several ways to make your voice heard. You can call your government officials for urgent, time-sensitive issues, or you can write to them to more fully explain your position. You can also request an in-person meeting to directly convey your message, or you can attend town hall meetings and public forums to publicly raise their awareness.

In addition to influencing public policy, contacting government officials has significant benefits at the grassroots level. As you seek to advance your larger agenda, you strengthen your PHR chapter by engaging each of your members and building relationships with your fellow activists and allies. Calling, writing, or meeting with government officials not only provides a great opportunity to advance your issue, it also provides a powerful learning opportunity and an invaluable experience for your PHR members. Policy change can take a long time, so perseverance and commitment are important. Making each member feel like a vital part of your organization will strengthen your organization and create a lifelong connection to human rights advocacy.