Constructive Dialogue : Communication for Development in Water, Sanitation, and Infrastructure Projects
This report organizes the contents, lessons learned, and conclusions of this workshop and is geared toward project and institution leaders and managers, as well as persons responsible for project execution who are interested in taking advantage of the benefits derived from the inclusion of Communication for Development (CfD) components in their projects so as to increase their effectiveness, impact, and sustainability over time. The brief theoretical overview of the concept of CfD and the processes and approaches that it can entail (chapter one), the document reviews the importance of CfD in project design and implementation of projects, in particular those related to water, sanitation, and infrastructure (chapter two), and provides examples and outlines communication related challenges in these areas. Through a practical view focused on the presentation of experiences and lessons learned in three specific cases, namely, building citizen engagement in Pakistan, developing a mass transit system in Colombia, and creating a water culture in Mexico, the evidence supports the strategic value of CfD in ensuring the smooth progress of a project (chapter three), and the benefits and advantages that supplement and shape a development proposal. This is followed by a review of strategies aimed at establishing dialogue that fosters the effective participation of all groups involved. Emphasis is placed on such topics as research as a point of departure for project design, the establishment of environments conducive to behavior change by persons involved, the use of advocacy to foster engagement by decision makers, and the use of CfD in handling and resolving conflicts and promoting project sustainability in the future (chapter four). The final chapter (chapter five) assesses the most significant aspects of the last group activity conducted at the workshop. This assessment underscores the significant lessons learned at the event and such pending tasks as project teams relative to the communication components and/or strategies encountered during the design or implementation process.
| Summary: | This report organizes the contents,
lessons learned, and conclusions of this workshop and is
geared toward project and institution leaders and managers,
as well as persons responsible for project execution who are
interested in taking advantage of the benefits derived from
the inclusion of Communication for Development (CfD)
components in their projects so as to increase their
effectiveness, impact, and sustainability over time. The
brief theoretical overview of the concept of CfD and the
processes and approaches that it can entail (chapter one),
the document reviews the importance of CfD in project design
and implementation of projects, in particular those related
to water, sanitation, and infrastructure (chapter two), and
provides examples and outlines communication related
challenges in these areas. Through a practical view focused
on the presentation of experiences and lessons learned in
three specific cases, namely, building citizen engagement in
Pakistan, developing a mass transit system in Colombia, and
creating a water culture in Mexico, the evidence supports
the strategic value of CfD in ensuring the smooth progress
of a project (chapter three), and the benefits and
advantages that supplement and shape a development proposal.
This is followed by a review of strategies aimed at
establishing dialogue that fosters the effective
participation of all groups involved. Emphasis is placed on
such topics as research as a point of departure for project
design, the establishment of environments conducive to
behavior change by persons involved, the use of advocacy to
foster engagement by decision makers, and the use of CfD in
handling and resolving conflicts and promoting project
sustainability in the future (chapter four). The final
chapter (chapter five) assesses the most significant aspects
of the last group activity conducted at the workshop. This
assessment underscores the significant lessons learned at
the event and such pending tasks as project teams relative
to the communication components and/or strategies
encountered during the design or implementation process. |
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