Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue

Purpose

• A multi-stakeholder dialogue is a process to build a shared understanding on a particular issue, create a common platform among different stakeholders through dialogue, discussion and debate and initiate joint action planning.
• It is used when issues cannot be addressed or resolved by a single set of actors but require co-operation between many different stakeholders or interest groups.
• It is often initiated to bring together various stakeholders with diverse agendas but with some underlying common interest.
• Multi-stakeholder dialogue helps analysis of a particular issue or situation and comes up with new knowledge; thus, newly emerged knowledge helps increase ownership and agreement for new actions.
• More often, it leads to common and agreed-upon actions to be conducted. However, joint action does not imply doing the same thing together; it involves assuming respective roles by different stakeholders for enhancing the overall purpose.
• This interaction and sharing of ideas and perspectives leads to a process of decision-making or finding out solutions or having direction emerge that is broad based and finds support amongst important actors whose interests are strongly affected by the issue.
• Multi-stakeholder dialogue is based on principles of promoting mutual accountability and equity in communication amongst stakeholders.
• This method is of great importance in the arena of development because most development problems demand multifaceted and multilayered solutions that involve a range of actors and stakeholders.

Pre-Requisites

Multi-stakeholder dialogue is not a tool for all kinds of problems or situations. It is possible only where there is a common concern, where dialogue amongst the different stakeholders is possible and/or where listening, reconciling interests or joint solution strategies seem appropriate and within reach. Only under certain circumstances can multi-stakeholder dialogue be used for conflict resolution.

The organization or individual convening the multi-stakeholder dialogue should have credibility in the eyes of other stakeholders. Therefore, the selection of the convener can greatly ensure or influence the outcome of a multi-stakeholder dialogue.

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