Mapping the Expectations of the Dutch Strategic Partnerships for Lobby and Advocacy

Abstract

The research project also will be a reference point regarding the mid-and end-term evaluation of the strategic partnership mechanism. MethodologyThe research questions were answered employing the following methods: 1. Document analysis: an analysis of all 25 programme documents, plus partnership agreements and annexes; 2. Analysis of background data regarding the involvement of Embassies; 3. 33 semi-structured (group) interviews with NGO staff, their contact persons at Ministry Departments and Embassy staff; 4.An online survey amongst 538 partner organizations in low-and lower-middleincome countries (with a 40% response rate). Summary of findingsCollaboration and added value The basic idea of the Strategic Partnership is accepted as legitimate: Ministry and NGO staff overall approach it rather positively, with openness to exploring possibilities, including the reshaping of relationships and roles. Collaboration is expected to happen in a range of areas: information exchange, brokering and facilitation, mutual influencing and joint lobby & advocacy. NGO Alliances generally aim for more intensive collaboration than the Ministry NGO Alliances generally perceive more strategic value in the partnerships than Ministry or Embassy staff.I.e.they see added value to lie in the capacity of the Ministry to open doors; its convening power; its capacity to act as an ally and target for partners; its capacity to help protect activists.The perceived leverage of the ministry thereby plays an important role in NGOs' expectations regarding added value of partnership. Ministry staff see more practical added value in the partnership: strengthening the capacity of civil society, adjustment of NGO programmes to match their activities, and access to local information and networks. While the programme title 'Dialogue and Dissent' suggests a central place for differences in viewpoints and interests, expectations for collaboration and added value are predominantly rooted in perceived alignment of agendas and approaches. Expectations of partnership are influenced by existing role conceptions and practices of collaboration.Considering partnership from a more conventional perspective, some interviewees wonder 'what is really new here'?Opportunities The Strategic Partnership programme is expected to offer more open and equal relationships, interactions and open-ended forms of working relationships. Based on this, new collaborations are expected to offer opportunities: (i) to make use of synergies more strategically; (ii) to make potential frictions more productive; (iii) to combine capacities of all actors involved, contributing to empowerment of local partners; (iv) to provide space to reconsider evaluations more from a partners in low-and lower-middle-income countries of the partnership element in the programme.This report presents the results of this research, conducted between February and November 2016. ObjectivesThe objective of this research project was primarily to establish a baseline regarding the expectations of partnership as a strategic instrument to achieve policy objectives.A second objective was to identify key issues for a learning agenda for the Ministry, Alliances and their partners.An overview of expectations of the partnership between Ministry and NGOs (within the context of the Dialogue and Dissent framework) may provide a better idea whether extent assumptions underlying partnership are shared among participants.It can also provide a view on the nature, spread and background of convergences and divergences amongst participants.This knowledge can be used to feed into strategies to realize the full potential of partnership, addressing added value, opportunities, risks and other challenges.The analyses emerging from this research will facilitate reflection amongst participants and, where needed, reconsideration of assumptions to help developing and refining approaches and practices with regard to partnership.Getting to know the various expectations allows DSO/MO to better substantiate its forum function in promoting this learning agenda for the strategic partnerships.VI V X IX 7. Suggestions for a learning agenda 58 7.1 NGOs 58 7.2 Department contact persons 60 7.3 Embassies 61 7.4 A common learning agenda?62 8. Conclusion 64 8.1 Summary of findings 64 8.2 Themes for further development and monitoring of the programme 67 References 73 Appendix 1. 25 Dialogue and Dissent partnerships: number of countries 74 Appendix 2. Netherlands diplomatic missions 75 Appendix 3. Overview Royal Netherlands Embassies and number of partnerships 76