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Chapter Seven: Translating Data into Action
The Advisory Team plays its most vital role—rallying datadriven
action—after the situation analysis report is complete
and the findings are publicly available. Regardless of
the scale (national or sub-national) of the situation analysis,
four fundamental actions naturally follow a situation analysis
of orphans and vulnerable children: (1) undertaking
consultation and coordination, (2) developing a strategic
action plan, (3) establishing monitoring and evaluation
strategies, and (4) defining or re-defining a policy and regulatory
framework. Advisory Team members can use the
analysis data to engage other stakeholders in advancing
efforts to achieve these four actions and, thereby, improve
programs for vulnerable children and their families.
This chapter offers suggestions on how situation analysis
data may facilitate action on the findings, discusses the
four fundamental actions noted above, and presents illustrative
examples of how analysis findings can support
community mobilization and inform programming.
Of course we need to do careful planning and
deliberation about the actions we shall take, but
any moment spent on deliberations that does not
lead to decisive action in support of orphans and
other children made vulnerable by AIDS is a
moment tragically wasted.
—Nelson R. Mandela
African Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS
September 2002
I. Facilitating Data-Driven Planning and Action
Mobilizing action among policymakers, community leaders,
organizations, and the public requires, as a first step,
increasing awareness of the impacts of HIV/AIDS on
children and families. Such awareness, by itself, may generate
sympathy, but not necessarily action, so it must be
linked with efforts to generate a broadly shared sense of
responsibility to support and protect those affected and a
clear vision of how to do so. The four key areas previously
noted—consultative planning, strategic action plan,
monitoring and evaluation strategies, and policy/regulatory
framework—offer a comprehensive way to translate
situation analysis findings into action.
Consultative Planning and Coordination
Presenting the situation analysis findings and recommendations
at a broadly inclusive conference is a venue where
Advisory Team members can encourage collective ownership
of the situation of OVC and initiate action. If the
analysis was limited to several districts (e.g., those with
high HIV/AIDS prevalence), a geographically focused
conference is viable. The typical aim of a planning conference
is to establish or revisit coordination structures
for advancing solutions to the needs of OVC. During the
conference, data from the situation analysis and other
sources of information can be used to develop basic principles
and guidelines for establishing consensus on the
status, goals, priorities, standards of care, coordination,
and interventions for a full-scale response.
Involving government officials and key leaders and ensuring
they are briefed on the analysis findings beforehand
enables them to draw attention to emerging problems and
can help attract conference participants and media attention
to the event. Other influential voices include those
who can amplify and transmit key messages, such as religious
leaders and popular sports or entertainment figures.
Public health officials likely do not need to be convinced
about the importance of dedicating time and resources to
HIV/AIDS mitigation; however, the same cannot be said
for policymakers in other sectors, who must confront
pressing priorities of their own. The situation analysis
data can be used to trigger and validate responses and
involvement by multiple sectors, such as the education
and agriculture sectors (e.g., food security issues).
Beyond increasing the visibility of problems, a conference
can help lay the groundwork for an enabling environment
by:
• Initiating discussion and consensus on situation
analysis findings and recommendations
• Persuading ministries and organizations (both those
that are involved and those that are not involved) to
identify and commit to roles and actions
• Identifying potential resources
• Initiating or strengthening coordination, ongoing
dialogue, networking, and building partnerships
• Generating support for a strategy to strengthen
the capacity of affected children, families, and
communities
• Promoting support and actions on recommendations
The situation analysis findings can motivate stakeholders
to lead a mobilization process that creates consensus on
priority areas, enhances program reach and quality,
increases resource leveraging, and promotes collaboration
Conducting a Participatory Situation Analysis of
Orphans and Vulnerable Children Affected by HIV/AIDS
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