When a big idea meets real-world campaigning: How one European citizens' initiative is rethinking its strategy

Some European citizens' initiatives ask the European Union to solve a specific problem. Others aim to change the way the system works.

The organisers of the European citizens' initiative “No more double standards on human rights” belong firmly in the second category. Their proposal is far-reaching: they call on the EU to establish a standardised oversight of human rights across the Commission's areas of competence in its external action with third countries, ensuring that human rights violations are assessed consistently and followed by proportionate action.

It is a proposal about changing the rules rather than responding to a single event. And while the organisers believe this could have a lasting impact, they have also discovered that explaining a systemic reform is far more challenging than campaigning for one concrete issue.

The ECI Forum spoke with initiative organisers Dorothy Morrissey, Faryda Hussein and João Leite about the reality of running such a challenging campaign—what surprised them, what they would do differently and how they are adapting their approach, drawing in part on advice they received from the Forum's experts.

A campaign born from shared values

Although the three organisers come from different professional backgrounds, they are motivated by the same concern: they believe that the European Union should apply its own human rights principles more consistently in its external relations.

For Portuguese scientist João Leite, the initiative grew from growing disappointment with the gap between the EU's values and what he saw in practice.

"We need to do something to make the EU stronger in defending human rights for everyone. We need to fight for a European Union that can bring more peace and dignity to everyone, because that's really the place where I want to live."

Dutch civil servant and former EU official Faryda Hussein describes a similar motivation, rooted in her professional experience.

"We need a system that does not depend on critical voices for doing the right thing. It should do the right thing by default."

For Dorothy Morrissey, who previously worked in humanitarian affairs and development for the EU, the initiative is ultimately about protecting the credibility of the Union itself.

"I want to see an EU that defends human rights universally, not just in some countries... I think this will also make the EU stronger."

When changing the system is harder to communicate

The organisers quickly discovered that communicating a proposal aimed at changing an entire system is very different from campaigning around one specific problem.

(Editor's note: The Initiative “Demand the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in view of Israel’s violations of human rights” gathered 1,300,129 signatures in six months.)

In contrast, the ECI “No more double standards on human rights” does not ask citizens to support a single policy decision. Instead, it proposes a permanent framework that would apply consistently to all future cases.

That distinction proved harder to communicate than the organisers expected.

João reflects that they initially believed the strength of the idea would naturally attract support.

"We felt it was such a horizontal initiative that could touch any citizen... but the numbers of signatures we have been collecting are not really reflecting what we were feeling."

Faryda believes the challenge lies in the initiative's very nature.

"What we're calling for with this ECI is that actually the system by default would make sure that these situations are addressed... But explaining to people what the system is, what the errors are and why it's not happening by default—I think it is difficult for people to grasp."

Their experience highlights an important lesson for future organisers: the broader the reform you propose, the more carefully you need to explain why it matters to citizens' everyday understanding of Europe.

A good idea is only the beginning

Another lesson came as a surprise. The organisers assumed that because they believed their proposal addressed a universal issue, they would naturally build a broad coalition around it. Instead, they soon realised that building a broad network of supporters would be one of the campaign's biggest challenges.

Media attention remained limited. Civil society organisations did not automatically join the campaign. Networks they expected to mobilise often proved harder to activate than anticipated.

Dorothy admits this was one of the campaign's biggest surprises.

Learning and adapting with support from the ECI Forum

The slower-than-expected start was undoubtedly disappointing. But rather than losing heart or pressing ahead with the same approach and hoping for the best, the organisers are continuing to adapt the campaign as they learn what works and what doesn't. They continue to test new ways of explaining their message, build new partnerships and reach new audiences—determined to give the campaign fresh momentum.

Giving up is simply not on the agenda. As Faryda says, with characteristic self-irony:

"I want this to succeed. I want to have the luxury of getting on with my daily work as a civil servant assured that my institutions are not fostering genocide or war crimes or just being complicit in what's happening around the world.”

This kind of determination has also shaped the way the campaign is evolving. As part of this broader effort to strengthen the campaign, discussions with experts from the European Citizens' Initiative Forum encouraged the team to work on its strategy and efficiency, simplify its messaging, make better use of social media, explore collaboration with influencers and put more human faces behind what had previously been presented largely as a legal proposal.

The campaign is now focusing more heavily on Instagram, shorter and more frequent content, as well as campaigning at universities, with student organisations and professional networks, while continuing to look for partnerships that can help expand its reach.

Dorothy says one important realisation was that success depends less on the size of your team than on the quality of your communication strategy.

Success isn't measured only in signatures

The campaign is still ongoing, and the organisers remain realistic about the challenge ahead. But none of them regrets launching the initiative.

For Faryda, success is measured not only by whether an initiative reaches one million signatures.

“Even if we do not succeed in the signatures, we will succeed in getting the message across to maybe 900,000 people. And that in itself can be a success."

João agrees that participating in an ECI has value regardless of the final outcome.

"There are things that are worth fighting for regardless of the outcome... At least I will remember that when there was the moment for change, I was there trying to do something."

Dorothy offers perhaps the most practical advice to future organisers:

"I would encourage people to go for it... but prepare beforehand, speak to other organisers and make very concrete what you're trying to achieve."

For anyone considering launching their own European Citizens' Initiative, their experience is a timely reminder that even the strongest idea needs a strong communication strategy and a professional team behind it. And when challenges arise—as they often do—organisers do not have to face them alone. The European Citizens' Initiative Forum offers expert advice, practical guidance and opportunities to learn from organisers who are willing to share not only their successes, but also the obstacles they encounter along the way.

"We're just a group of EU citizens. We don't have a political group or an NGO behind us... getting those numbers has been extremely, extremely challenging."

Looking back, João now believes future organisers should invest as much effort in partnerships as they do in developing their proposal.

"Regardless of the quality of the idea, it's very, very important to have a strong network—either a coalition of organisations and NGOs or high-quality influencers. That will be essential to reach one million signatures."

Do you need support with your campaign? Ask an expert is our free advisory service, where experienced legal, campaign and fundraising specialists can help you overcome challenges at every stage of your European citizens' initiative.

Further reading

• How to organise a campaign – The Forum's practical guidance on planning, building a team, collecting signatures and accessing expert support. A natural first stop for organisers looking to adapt their strategy. 
• How to amplify an ECI campaign: lessons from experts and successful campaigners– Practical advice on working with influencers, creating engaging content and expanding your campaign's reach—topics the organisers of "No more double standards on human rights" are now actively exploring. 
• Real-world strategy tips from campaign organisers – Successful organisers share how they structure campaign teams, coordinate across countries and adapt their strategy throughout the campaign. 
• When campaigns crash: ECI crisis tactics that work  – Every campaign faces unexpected setbacks. Learn practical ways to respond to challenges, maintain momentum and adapt when plans change. 
• One million signatures is not the finish line: what ECI organisers need to do after success – Even campaigns that reach one million signatures face new challenges. This companion article explores what comes after signature collection and how organisers can prepare for the next stage.