presented must be verified.102 In particular, if personal testimonies are used, their reliability should be assessed so that their use will not cause harm.103 Setting the tone for the meeting is decisive for its success.104 Engaging respectfully with the stakeholders and complying with customs, cultures, and hierarchies are very important. Finding a common interest in changing the situation and showing understanding for the authorities may often be more impactful than criticising.105 A combination of several follow-up activities can increase the impact of, and dismantle resistance to, change. It is worth actively maintaining the line of contact and monitoring the stakeholder’s activities to continue the dialogue and measure the impact of the intervention.106 Advocacy meetings are rarely effective by themselves and will usually have to be complemented by other communication that is able to increase the pressure on decision-makers to act. Moreover, it is important to recognise that effective advocacy is aimed at changing attitudes that sustain human rights violations,107 among political decision makers as well as the general public. Questioning belief systems is particularly relevant for ensuring the rights of suspected and accused persons as they are often viewed as criminals rather than rights holders. Consequently, the public and political interest in procedural guarantees is rather small. Effective communication on human rights has received increased attention and helpful guidance has been produced by organisations such as the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA).108 10 Keys to Effectively Communication Human Rights (FRA) 1. Tell a human story 2. Identify issues of broader interest to the general public 3. Trigger people’s core values 4. Cut a long story short 5. Get visual 6. Embrace positiviy 7. Give your message an authentic voice 8. Strengthen communication with media 9. Diversify communication strategies to address different audiences 10. Ensure sufficient resources for your communication work Figure 5: 10 Keys to Effectively Communicating Human Rights (FRA) Participants in the project highlighted the importance of going beyond providing information about the rights of defendants to focus on changing negative attitudes towards them in awareness-raising programmes. Consequently, awareness-raising programmes aiming at eliminating attitudinal barriers should appeal emotionally to a community for it to see, for instance, disability-based discrimination and exclusion as unfair or unjust for the community itself and not just “others”. The project provided numerous opportunities to advocate for strengthening procedural rights 102. ibid 11. 103. ibid 11. 104. Ibid 18. 105. Ibid 5; Suntinger and Birk, ‘Appreciative Inquiry: Mobilizing Potentials within Police‘ (2020) 7. 106. The Advocates for Human Rights, ’Chapter 7: Advocacy’ (2014) 116. 107. OHCHR, ‘Awareness-Raising Under Article 8’ (2020). 108. FRA, ’10 Keys to Effective Communicating Human Rights’ (2018). 38