Margit van Wessel, Suparana Katyaini, Yogesh Mishra, Farhat Naz, B. Rajeshwari, Rita Manchanda, Reetika Syal, Nandini Deo, Sarbeswar Sahoo 

This report was developed in the context of the research programme Supporting the political role of CSOs for inclusive development. Assumptions underlying Dialogue and Dissent.

It presents the results of a research project that examines a set of assumptions underlying the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs policy programme Dialogue and Dissent. Strategic Partnerships for Lobby and Advocacy and addresses a set of research and policy questions formulated by the Ministry. It does so from a perspective and set of interests defined by the research team. The purpose of the research is to inform future government policy and CSO activity to support and strengthen civil society advocacy roles advancing inclusive development. 

Margit van Wessel, B. Rajeshwari, Farhat Naz, Yogesh Mishra, Suparana Katyaini, Sarbeswar Sahoo, Reetika Syal, Nandini Deo

The Dialogue and Dissent Theory of Change takes the starting point that CSOs can contribute to inclusive and sustainable development. Articulating and communicating the voice of the people, they can address important inequalities in society. In our research, we relate to five (implicit and explicit) assumptions in the Dialogue and Dissent Theory of Change regarding this representative role of CSOs. These assumptions all concern the nature of the representative role of CSOs and how these are shaped in interactions between CSOs, in the contexts in which they move and operate.