Session 8 Communication Strategy Maria Jacobson, UNDP Water Governance Facility, SIWI

1. Session 8 Communication Strategy Maria Jacobson, UNDP Water Governance Facility, SIWI Marie Laberge, UNDP Oslo Governance Centre

2. Outline • Why should a communication strategy be planned systematically? • What are four basic steps of the communication planning cycle? • What are the relationships between: • a policy agenda (what needs to change) • the communication agenda (how to influence change) and • the action plan (activities to support the communication agenda)

3. Need to go beyond awareness-raising Using communication to influence policy and practice of institutions For communication to be effective: Identify what needs to change (evidence-based) Fully understand the processes by which change can take place (evidence-based) Need to reflect the specific location and context A ‘misguided’ communication strategy can backfire... Why should a communication strategy be planned systematically?

4. Decision-making: Commitment-making and organising a management plan to implement a communications strategy Policy-agenda setting: Identifying targeted changes – aims and objectives Communication-agenda setting: Determining how best to influence change – influencing strategy, concerned audiences and tactics Action planning: Identifying activities to engage different decision-makers, influentials and concerned audiences What are four basic steps of the communication planning cycle?

5. Reach an agreement on how decisions will be made: By the research Group ? The Advisory Group? Or establish a separate Communication Task Force, constituted by communication stakeholders? Nominate a ‘spokesperson’? Ensure broad-based ownership & participation in the implementation of the communication strategy Stage 1 – Decision-making

6. What is the critical element we want to change to improve water integrity? Are we after a change in the law (if so, which law)? Do we want increased transparency in procurement processes (if so, how can this be done)? Or do we merely want a change in the actions of officials running the processes? Have we properly understood the reasons why corruption has become rampant? Have we identified where responsibility has failed? Do we have a common voice when it comes to suggesting alternative ways of doing things? Stage 2 – Policy Agenda-Setting: Identifying what should change

7. The focus should be limited to 1 or 2 of the most important recommendations (to ensure highest impact of communications resources) Communication objectives should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time bound. Objectives should specify the outcome being sought, not the activity propose. Stage 2 – Policy Agenda-Setting: Identifying what should change

8. Stage 2 – Policy Agenda-Setting: Identifying what should change

9. Stage 2 – Policy Agenda-Setting: Identifying what should change – Example 2

10. Identify what ‘channels of influence’ to use – which concerned audiences or ‘influentials’ to communicate with in order to put pressure on the policy-makers to take action. To develop an ‘influencing strategy’: A) Understand the policy-making process: draw a flowchart setting out all the stages of the policy-making process and identifying the people or institutions involved at every stage B) Pinpoint the ‘decision-maker’: what to do to reach them, how to engage with them, what specialised materials need to be prepared for them, what tone or approach to use in a face-to-face meeting with them C) Understand the advocacy environment: list all the relevant factors that may affect advocacy on water corruption Stage 3 – Communication Agenda-Setting: Determining how to best influencechange

11. To develop an ‘influencing strategy’ (continued): D) Assess your advocacy capacity: Perform an honest assessment of the resources available for undertaking a communication strategy (funding sources, staff & their skills, reputation of an organisation) E) Understand the various stakeholders (the people or groups affected by the issue or who can influence the outcome): will they be for or against the objectives, or neutral? F) Make choices: Choose what approach to take and which stakeholders will be the channels of influence. With a focus on a few targets, there is a greater chance of making a breakthrough. G) Determine messages and tactics:Brief & concise H) Tailor your communications for the receivers of the message: Are they the decision-makers? Are they ‘influentials’ or opinion-shapers? Are they concerned audiences? Are they media organisations? Stage 3 – Communication Agenda-Setting: Determining how to best influencechange

12. Stage 3 – Communication Agenda-Setting: Determining how to best influencechange

13. Stage 4 – Action Planning

14. Some media issues in water integrity advocacy • The media can be a ‘double-edged sword’ for anti-corruption reform • The media can play an important role in building awareness and shaping public opinion • But in many cases the media tend to sensationalise individual cases rather than focus attention on the issues that breed corruption & the changes that are really needed • A debate in the ‘court of public opinion’ may make the government more defensive rather than open about changing policy • A low-key visit to the policy-maker’s office to quietly present analysis and put forward proposals can be a more time- and resource efficient way of getting the change you want • Never go the media with unverified claims: You risk destroying your own reputation • The media tends to prefer real ‘stories’ they think will interest the public

15. The Yemen caseNational Communication & Awareness Strategy for IWRMDeveloped by the National Water Resources Authority of Yemen • Selecting relevant awareness messages • Problem-based analysis: Listing the main water problems, their causes, possible solutions and awareness messages derived from this analysis • Example: ‘Groundwater depletion’ 2) Identifying communication ‘targets’, the means of reaching the targets (‘communication tools’) and specific activities • Here, the messages conveyed in the problem-based analysis are grouped in around key objectives for the communication strategy • Example: Objective 4 – ‘Control the extraction and use of water resources’

16. The Macedonian caseManual for administrative procedures in municipalities Developed by the Association of Local Governments of Macedonia • Decentralization resulted in unequal application of administrative procedures in various municipalities • Assessment methodology served to identify integrity risks at municipal level in areas of urban planning, procurement, and public financial management • Based on assessment findings, a Manual written in user-friendly language was published: • To explain citizens in simple terms how to access public services, in a step-by step format • To promote a more uniform provision of services by civil servants across the country, by providing a compendium describing the procedures which should be applied nationwide

17. Planning ahead: Implications for the communication of the Tajik assessment?