Engaging Stakeholders

Learning Objectives

 At the end of this session, participants will be

able to:
 Define stakeholder engagement
 Demonstrate knowledge of the stakeholder
engagement process to achieve program
objectives
 Demonstrate how to use stakeholder engagement
to address a variety of program barriers
 Engagement Defined

 To actively participate

 Process of working collaboratively with

various groups of people

 A continuum: from basic awareness 

personal involvement  informed action
 Ownership Fosters Utilization

 The ultimate goal of M&E efforts is to create

useful information that actually gets used.
 Experience has shown that data utilization is
directly linked to the extent of the ownership and
commitment people have in these systems.
 The more people in any locale who know about
the issue and care about it, the greater the
potential for positive growth.
 Stakeholder Engagement

 It is tempting to include only those people who

are likely to support the initiative and share your
vision or only the most limited number of people
required.
 The results will be more relevant and usefulness
if the process engages stakeholders of many
types.
 Stakeholders should represent a diversity of
perspectives, such as…
 Technical specialists
 Development partners
 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private
voluntary organizations
 District and regional health administration
organizations
 National AIDS program
 Ministry of Health, national government
 Stakeholders should be included from various
levels—national, regional and local—as appropriate
to the activity.
 Champions for change
 Recognize the differing roles of stakeholder
groups and individuals
Contributions will vary. For example, different stakeholders may
offer:
 Advocacy at high levels of government
 Greater public awareness through the media
 Technical inputs to the design of the activity
 Resources that can be mobilized for implementing the activity
 Personal involvement, stakeholders directly affected by the
issue at hand.
 Their perspectives can enhance the accuracy,
appropriateness and effectiveness of the activities.
 Engage stakeholders throughout the project
process from design to follow-up

 Stakeholder Engagement should support a three-stage

process: identify, engage and follow up.
 Consider stakeholder engagement not just in the design
phase of the activity, but in an action plan for engaging
stakeholders throughout the project and long after
implementation.
 The further you progress with Stakeholder Engagement
principles, the more powerful the outcome.
 Engaging stakeholders throughout the process, not just at the
beginning and end, can raise awareness of the activity and
facilitate the use of data and information produced by the
activity.
Barriers and Constraints to Stakeholder
Engagement.

 The more stakeholders, the more cumbersome

the engagement process.
 The more stakeholders, the greater the
complexity of project design.
 A large stakeholder group might stimulate
excessive expectations.
 Transparency can add unwanted accountability.
Addressing Barriers and Constraints

 Be clear
 Select optimum stakeholder group
 Explain time and resources limitations
 More is not necessarily better.
 Be considerate of people’s time
 Be politically or culturally sensitive
Audience Analysis

Audience background (knowledge, experience, etc.)

Demographic characteristics
WHAT information is required (audience needs and
interests)
WHY is the Information required
WHEN is the Information required
HOW information will be communicated (format)
 Engagement Process Step 1

 Coming together

 Starting the conversation and dialogue

 Building trust – to think, debate, reflect and

make decisions
Engagement Process Step 2

 Moving forward

 Converting dialogue into action

 Reaching out beyond original group

 Creating dynamic partnerships

 Engagement Process Step 3
 Sustaining momentum

 Building structures (linkages)

 Developing and sustaining leadership

 Assessing and improving programmes

 Measuring and demonstrating change

 Communicating results
Engaging Stakeholders Strengthens
Programs and Information Systems

The data will be useful

The data will be used

Stakeholder Engagement

Ensures that activities are designed to

deliver real-world benefits, improving
the general health and welfare of a
population
 Engagement Strategies

 Creating a compelling vision

 Establishing urgent need
 Leading the change
 Engaging various levels of stakeholder
 Charting transition
 Aligning systems
 Sustaining energy
Stakeholder Engagement
Application
Group Work:

How can YOU use stakeholder engagement to

improve data quality (collection and
management) and information use ??
MEASURE Evaluation is funded by the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) through Cooperative
Agreement GPO-A-00-03-00003-00 and is implemented by
the Carolina Population Center at the University of North
Carolina in partnership with Futures Group, John Snow,
Inc., Macro International, and Tulane University. Visit us
online at http://www.cpc.unc.edu/measure