Policy Influencing and Advocacy

Child Marriage

Key Achievements

Background

The Policy Influencing and Advocacy Unit (PIA) oversees the Institute’s interventions in policy influencing and advocacy domain. Specifically, the PIA is created to provide technical support to different groups of ‘organised’ (such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community based organisations (CBOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs) etc) and ‘organic’ civil society (such as the social movements, online personalities, bloggers etc.) to participate in shaping policy discourses; engage policymakers and institutions and in policymaking processes.

Strategic Ambition

The unit undertakes its work through two main streams:

Connecting and Convening:
The Institute creates spaces and platforms for different groups of civil society to connect, deliberate, share and learn about topical policy issues that affect the development of the region and its citizenry. The tactical spaces and platforms are used to enhance civil society’s engagement and collaboration with government, the private sector, development partners and institutions working on critical policy issues. The PIA unit facilitates these multi-stakeholder engagements on critical issues, thereby ensuring inclusive and engaged civic voices that shape public agenda, proffer policy alternatives, monitor performance and demand accountability.

Influencing and Advocacy:
WACSI through this strategic ambition aims at influencing institutions, policies, legislation and funding practices to ensure civil society in West Africa has an enabling environment in which to operate. We do this through continuous engagement with policy actors and policy institutions and in collaboration with a diverse group of civil society and development partners. Programmes and initiatives implemented focus on increasing awareness on and the adoption of innovative and sustainable strategies for resourcing civil society for development in West Africa. Additionally, education and awareness raising is provided to ensure that CSOs operate in line with established norms and standards to promote accountability.