Step 6.1 Disseminate and communicate the NSDS document
Dissemination and communication of the NSDS is an essential step and process in statistical advocacy for the NSS and must be guided by and consistent with the goals of the wider communication strategy. Suitable strategies to socialize the NSDS among targeted stakeholder groups must be prioritized with the goal of ensuring ownership, accountability, financing, and effective delivery of results. In most cases, advocacy for the NSDS is seamlessly integrated with the overall statistical advocacy in the NSS.
Concrete actions:
- Develop a communication strategy for the NSDS and NSS.
- Prepare a strategy that can motivate the government, development partners, and other stakeholders to finance, implement, and support statistical development activities to address data demand.
- Provide resources to implement the communication activities; integrate costs in the NSDS financing plan and budget.
- Ensure the communication plan is designed using an inclusive lens, with an aim to disseminate statistics that reflect gender and intersectional diversity of the population.
- Publish the communication plan on the NSO website.
- Organize a high-level forum to officially launch and endorse the NSDS to all stakeholders.
- Ensure that the highest statistical body and highest statistical authority spearhead the forum.
- Advocate for the participation of key policy officials from ministries/agencies, the cabinet/governing council, the parliament, and other relevant government institutions.
- Invite leaders and influencers from the business sector, civil society, media, and research and academic community, including data science and innovation-oriented institutions.
- Invite relevant partners in the international development community.
- Develop and disseminate relevant information, educational, and communication materials on key data demand and corresponding NSDS interventions including strategic milestones based on the NSDS results/M&E frameworks .
- Make use of periodic monitoring and evaluation reports in developing content/materials.
- Use relevant media (e.g., print, broadcast, mobile network, the internet, and social media) for different stakeholder groups for targeted response.
- Maximize the use of the NSO website for dissemination and communication.
- Provide link and sharing of NSDS data/information between the NSO website and websites of implementing ministries/agencies.
- Deploy content/materials (e.g., primer or brochure on NSDS) on a routine basis, e.g., every quarter or semester, and every year, and during key statistical forums.
- Outreach materials and content on NSDS implementation should connect to key issues and agendas for national and international development, including gender equality and intersectionality.
- Make sure you control your communication products, which should own your brand. A successful and distinguished brand is a notion of quality and elicits trust and loyalty of your stakeholders.
- Facilitate feedback between NSO and the ministries/agencies, data user groups, development partners, and other stakeholders.
- Provide response options, e.g., direct response through website post, email, social media, or in-person discussion.
- Engage with (or establish) mechanisms to coordinate NSDS implementation on key issues and sectors, such as working groups at sector or thematic levels.
- Document feedback and extract relevant and useful information to include in monitoring reports.
- Establish appropriate mechanism to facilitate feedback between NSO and PARIS21 and other development partners on NSDS guidelines improvement and updating.
