To achieve any level of success it is vitally important you obtain stakeholder and government approval. Developing and implementing a plan through a single or small collection of likeminded organisations will deliver limited impact and scale. The more support gained from influential stakeholders, the more impact the plan is likely to achieve.
The government, whether local, regional or national, will also help to ensure any plan is institutionalised and sustainable. The government may play varying roles throughout the planning process and implementation phase e.g. help establish evidence through hospital data, develop appropriate national policy and engage with NGO’s to encourage participation with intervention delivery.
Governments will change over time so it’s important to establish multiple strong relationships and be prepared to work with different ministries and departments to reduce sole dependences.
Why it is important
Active participation by all stakeholders
Policy development
Secure funds
Gain delivery partners
Credibility
Publicity
Provides longevity/institutionalisation/allows for scale
Challenges and considerations
Corruption
Managing relationships
Having to technical capacity to develop and write a credible plan
Complex government structure
Bureaucracy
Others agendas/competing issues
Changing governments/stakeholders/positions
Methods
Cost/benefit analysis
Round table discussions
Workshops
Lobbying/advocacy
Broadening the scope of the programme (gender, climate etc)
