Our research involves identifying and engaging with individuals and organisations who have a role in shaping the context in which we are conducting research. These stakeholders include those working at local, national and international levels with interest in, and particularly with influence over, processes that can support equitable access to quality services for the most marginalised.
Such stakeholders have a dual role in the project. They are co-producers of knowledge generated through interviews that draw on their insights, and they are a target audience who can utilise the findings that emerge from the research. Involving them in the research process means every stage in the research is shaped and informed by relevant expertise, but it also sensitises stakeholders to the critical questions of the research, and the issues and challenges experienced by communities in our research sites.
Stakeholders include the urban communities in our research sites, the local and national non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that support them, local and national government agencies, and the private sector service providers who operate in these locations. They also include international organisations such as international NGOs, bilateral institutions (e.g. the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) and multilateral bodies (e.g. The World Bank).
Following the Systems of Provision approach, the project will map the critical stakeholders connected to two key infrastructure services identified through the early research (resident interviews and the household survey). This could include financers, planning authorities, public and private sector providers, workers/employee organisations, user groups and the wider community. Stakeholder interviews with representatives from across these organisations will deepen the understanding of the specific system of provision, and the dynamics, exchanges and dependencies between key actors.
Research teams will organise stakeholder meetings and workshops to bring together diverse stakeholders. The workshops will generate opportunities for stakeholders to co-produce knowledge through generating multi-sector dialogue and forging new connections. The workshops create spaces for community leaders to engage directly with, and be heard by, stakeholders who are engaged in service delivery in the communities, yet who are often removed from the lived experience of community members. This allows learning from each other and provides opportunities for identifying new and relevant responses.
Workshops will also provide a forum to discuss other key products of the research, especially comics and photovoice. Stakeholders will also be approached for individual key informant interviews. These provide an opportunity to engage with stakeholders who are unable to attend workshops and/or discuss issues which are not raised in workshops for reasons of time or confidentiality.