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VOICE, CONVERSATION, DIALOGUE - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Argument 2 from the Direct Impact Evidence

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There are considerable impact data in this collection related to strategies with a significant focus on informed conversation and dialogue - from amplifying the voices of those most affected in those discussions to enhancing domestic partner conversation.



This fact suggests that a vitally important social change, community engagement, and behaviour change strategy for long-term impact on core development priorities involves creating the space for and facilitating the process of conversation, dialogue, and debate on often very sensitive and difficult issues. This strategy also requires investment.

Example Data

StrategyImpact
Raising Voices

Violence Reduction of 21%

Community Conversation

Neonatal Mortality down 19%

Critical Reflection and Dialogue

Sexual Violence down 25%

Partner Discussion

Contraceptive Use Increased 1.57 times

Critical Discussion

Partner Violence down 55%

Policy Implication: That development organisations, local to international and small to large, adopt overall policies that stress the importance of open and informed dialogue, debate, and conversation on their priority issues as a central element of the core policy principles that drive their work; with an emphasis on equity and the voices of those most affected and marginalised.



Strategy Implication: That development organisations implement strategies that focus staff time and institutional resources on the core roles and capacities required to convene, facilitate, and expand dialogue and debate on the core issues that are the focus for their work, including: publicly posing key questions; introducing accurate facts; amplifying the voices and perspectives of those people directly affected by the issue in question; identifying and supporting key stakeholders to share their perspectives; organising platforms for this dialogue to happen (e.g., a series of local consultative dialogues, online space(s), national media debates); creating networks of key decision-makers; and others.



Investment Argument Implication: That the compelling evidence demonstrating the direct impact of voice, conversation, and dialogue SBC engagement across some core, high-priority development issues - for example, related to the very difficult issue of intimate partner violence (IPV), there was a 21% reduction in overall IPV and 25% and 55% reductions in sexual and physical violence, respectively - are advocated to funding organisations as further input to their data-driven investment decision-making.

 

Links to other strategic and investment Implications

INTRODUCTION: Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implications - SBC Direct Impact Evidence

WOMEN'S NETWORKS and GROUPS - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implication 1 from the Direct Impact Evidence

PARTICIPATORY ACTION - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implication 3 from the Direct Impact Evidence

DIGITAL NETWORKS - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implication 4 from the Direct Impact Evidence

STRUCTURAL CHANGE FOCUS - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implication 5 from the Direct Impact Evidence

OVERVIEW AND GAPS - Policy, Strategy, and Investment Implications - SBC Direct Impact Evidence

... and this specific look at the implications for action on a 2 key child protection concerns. 

Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage: Impact Data with Action Implications

 

Comments

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Submitted by Bill Walker (not verified) on Mon, 07/17/2023 - 16:41 Permalink

Just wondering if there is any evidence that Community sensitisation using voice conversation and dialogue contributes to these outcomes? And if so where is the evidence?

Why the focus on direct impact data?

A common challenge from policy makers, funders, community members, people directly experiencing development issues, and governments is: Demonstrate your Impact. Prove that what you are doing works. The high quality, highly credible data presented on the cards below is designed to help you answer that question for your social change, behaviour change, community engagement, communication and media for development, strategy formulation, policy engagement and funding initiatives. At this link filter the research data to your specific interests and priorities

Why a playing cards design?

There is a physical pack of cards with this data (to get a copy please request through the comment form for any card). The card approach allows for easy identification and selection of relevant direct impact data in any context. For example if talking with a donor and you need to identify proof of impact say "take a look at the 7 of Hearts". Quick access can be provided to high-quality data for many areas of your work – funding, planning, policy, advocacy, community dialogue, training, partner engagement, and more. A card deck is also engaging, easy to use and share, a conversation starter, and a resource - and they are fun and different. So we kept that design for the online images as it can serve similar purposes. 

What are the criteria for inclusion?

The impact data presented meets the following high standard for inclusion criteria:

  • Positive change or trend in a priority development issue;
  • Social change or behaviour change strategy or process;
  • Randomized Control Trial or Systematic Review methodology;
  • High quality peer review journal published;
  • Numeric impact data point
  • Published since 2010.