Project That Human VoiceProject That Human Voice

Country Office Communication

Unlocking Political Will For The MDGs

Canberra May 2006 DAC Heads of Information

POLITICS TO MAKE POVERTY HISTORY

Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP,

UK International Development Secretary

Speech 2 February 2006

“If we don’t as donors understand the politics of the places where we work, then our task will be all the more difficult…. making progress is about making politics work. Politics determines the choices we make, what kind of society we wish…And it will be politics that will help to make poverty history”

POLITICS & “VOICES OF THE POOR”

are usually ignored

CLOSING THE GAP NEEDS

Good two-way communication Good two-way communication and …… building “Political Will”and …… building “Political Will”

aspirations vs

expectations gap

VOICES OF THE POOR VOICES OF THE POOR -- PPAPPA

State Legitimacy High

Space for political Opposition(Loyal or Disloyal)

Aspirations

Expectations

t

Eamoinn Taylor, DFID/WaSD

“SWAMP of CONFLICT ”

NB: The lesson of the May 2004 Indian ElectionsThe “have-nots” triumphed

POLITICAL INDICATORS FOR MDG PROGRESS

• Citizen and State relationship – right (discuss with host government)

• Citizen: informed - with voice

• State: responsive, inclusive, accountable, serves the people.

Power distribution

– Inclusion vs Exclusion– Participation– Voice and Accountability

Role of Communication

– The Ties That Bind Citizen to State

PRO-POOR POLITICAL WILL

DFID COMMUNICATION POLICY 2005Work in Progress

GoalUse communication to work more effectively in UK and overseas to achieve the MDGs

Internal External CfD

CAP Communication Strategy

THE HOW OF STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Identify power, influence, pre-dispositions affecting outcome of aid objectives

Frame logical coherent arguments

Credible, authoritative, attractive messenger, tuned in to audience

Right setting - right channels - right timing

Deep, empathetic understanding of audience: social, cultural, political environment

DFID COUNTRY COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

GoX and Civil Society promote CFSC

Advocacy: with GoX, notables and other donors

DFID Sectoral level Service Delivery and devolution media campaigns

Public Diplomacy: HMG wants a Stable Peaceful Prosperous X-istan

FCO/DFID London Press Office Good News Stories etc.

STRATEGIC

TACTICAL

Eamoinn Taylor, DFID / WaSD

BANGLADESH STAKEHOLDER MAP

Small Domestic NGO’s

International NGO’s

Poor directly part in programmes

Non G4 donors

Women & Girls

Lo-Hi

Some GoB Champions

Big domestic NGOs

Media vernacular bodies – Press/TV/Radio

India

US UK Foreign Ministries

G4 Donors

Hi – Hi

Local Government

Lo – Lo

Members of Parliament

GoB

Private sector

Religious extremists

Ruling / opposition political parties

Lo - Hi

Lo

-

Su

pp

ort

-

Hi

Lo - Influence - Hi

THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS

2. Who are our target audiences?

2. Who are our target audiences?

3. What are their current attitudes?

[Baseline data]

3. What are their current attitudes?

[Baseline data]

4. What do we need to tell them?

[Messages]

4. What do we need to tell them?

[Messages]

5. What are the best ways of telling them?

[Channels]

5. What are the best ways of telling them?

[Channels]

6. How are we going to do it?[Strategy]

6. How are we going to do it?[Strategy]

7. DO IT!!!

8. Is the message getting through

[M and E]

8. Is the message getting through

[M and E]

9. What do we need to say/do now?

9. What do we need to say/do now?

Set the agendaSet the agenda

1. What do wewant themto DO!!?

[Objectives]

1. What do wewant themto DO!!?

[Objectives]

Do WE need toChange first?

Do WE need toChange first?

WIFM – “What’s in it for

me?”

WIFM – “What’s in it for

me?”

Adapted from Kevin Murray/Bell Pottinger

DFID CfD AGENDA 2006

• Staff Training: … rolling

• Call down practitioners … in place

• Communication Guidance: Publish Soon

• Annual Comms Conference

• Continuous Learning via M and E

• Establish a Trust Fund with W Bank

IMPLICATIONS FOR DFID COUNTRY PROGRAMMES

• Publish credible CfD doctrine

• Embed doctrine

• Be Politically Savvy •Staff CFSC aware (trained) •Map the broadcast media revolution

CANBERRA CfD DISCUSSION

• Host Government responsible for CfD

• Stable political settlement

• Good CfD in interests of all.

• CfD central to policy dialogue

• Implications for Paris Declaration?

• Donors obliged to engage with host population? Discuss.

CfD in DFID 2006

It’s Work in Progressor

The EndOf

The Beginning