Within the socio-political context in which we are working, as human rights defenders we have identified issues we see as unjust and want to try to alleviate. It is useful to assert the change we want to see in our society in order to think critically about how we go about achieving this change.

Process for groups from the same organization:

Step 1. On an area of wall space if possible, using butcher block paper, get participants to write the name of the organization on a piece of colored paper or sticky note and place it in the middle of the paper. Draw an arrow from this paper to the right-hand side of the paper and here, ask participants to brainstorm the goals they want to see achieved in their society, write them on stickies and place them at the end of the arrow, representing the organization's objectives.

Step 2. Ask participants what activities they carry out in order to achieve these goals. For each answer, write it underneath the name of the group or organization in the centre.

Step 3. Give the group sticky-notes or papers of one color (e.g. green) and here, possibly in groups according to their role in the organization, brainstorm the other actors in society which are SUPPORTIVE of the work of the organization, or share these goals. Allow them to brainstorm these (10 minutes) and place them on the left-hand side of the sheet.

Process for groups from different organizations

Step 1: Give each participant a sheet of flipchart paper and ask them to write their own name or that of their organization in the centre, with an arrow going to one side representing their objectives. Here, they write (on stickies or the paper itself) the changes they wish to see in their society.

Step 2: Underneath their name or that of their organization in the centre, they note the activities or projects they carry out in order to achieve these goals. Step 3: On the left-hand side of their flipchart, they identify their allies (as above).

Input (20 minutes)

The next step in the exercise will be to carry out actor mapping, including our allies, but also our adversaries and the neutral parties ambivalent to our work. Carrying out actor mapping is important for a few reasons. From an analytical perspective the mapping helps us: identify our allies and build security networks (we can return to our allies when it comes to building strategies and plans); identify our adversaries, their resources and the ways they may try to stop our work; identify opportunities for building acceptance of our work among neutral elements in society so that they become our allies;

The mapping exercise also helps us understand the perceptions each of us may have and to verify our assumptions. Furthermore, through the process of the mapping, we are able to elaborate on the dynamics that connect the various actors, and how the dynamics affects our security (positively or negatively)

Front Line Defenders Workbook on Security Protection International Manual