Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

� Researchers, university libraries, other relevant institutions such as hospitals or
schools
� Media and others with a general interest in this topic
� Donors to the campaign
Which of these stakeholders must learn about the campaign results so as to enhance
the chances of reaching the campaign goal and the wider vision it is part of (e.g. public
decision-makers, women’s groups)? Which stakeholders must the campaign team be
accountable to (e.g. campaign management, activists, donors)? Prioritize among
potential users of the report, so as to determine the core target audience for your report
or reports.
How are the users likely to use the results, and in what form should the results be
presented for optimal ease of use?
Design your dissemination strategy in a way that meets the needs of the core audience
for your reports. It is not sufficient to post reports on a website – even though it is
recommended you post evaluation reports to appropriate knowledge exchange websites
such as: the Virtual Knowledge Center to End Violence Against Women and Girls;
Siyanda; the Communication Initiative Network and Pambazuka. At the least, reports
should be sent to key stakeholders in a targeted manner, via email or post. Organizing
an event to disseminate important findings – a meeting with key decision makers, a
seminar or a press conference – can enhance the chances findings will be noticed and
used.
As a rule, written reports and other presentations should be as crisp and clear as
possible (See Research reports). Language may also be an issue – budget for
translation if needed.
Bear in mind: You have to get over the understandable reluctance to share with others
things that may have been a challenge to you or even gone wrong. Just remember that
every lesson is a useful lesson, even if at the time it seemed very negative.
Dissemination is NOT:
� Giving people copies of materials and reports and thinking that is enough – because
it is written does not mean it will be read; if it is read does not guarantee that it will be
understood; if it is understood does not ensure that it will be useful. What you do not
control is whether or not your information will ultimately be used by those you wish to
see use it
� Sending copies of materials to associated groups and asking them to distribute them,
keeping fingers crossed that they do.
� Posting something to a website and trusting users to somehow know that it is there.
� Sending a press release to the media and hoping they do something with it.
� Printing hundreds of copies of reports and presuming people will come and ask for
them.
Finally, do not waste time or resources disseminating materials that are not ready to be
used by others, e.g. results of pilot projects that are only very provisional, or materials
that have not yet been sufficiently tested. In these cases, you may wish to circulate
materials with an explanation of their limits and advising that they are for information
only and should not be quoted or used without further testing. In fact, you might wish to
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Campaigns December 2011