How can advocacy messages be tailored in order to scale-up anticipatory action?

Dr. Nikolas Scherer, Manager for Policy & Advocacy on Anticipation and Disaster Risk Financing at the Anticipation Hub opens the session by posing the question that will guide the session: what sort of advocacy messages can be tailored to best support National Hydrological and Meteorological services and Disaster Risk Management agencies toward the shift to anticipation? In this interactive session, core policy goals with a focus on DRM and hydro-met agencies in Africa, are identified and discussed in dialogue.

Lydia Cumiskey, Partnerships Consultant with the Anticipation Hub, details 6 key messages, which include supporting joint data collection, developing agreements that institutionalize collaboration across sectors and agencies, increasing capacities, and engaging communities in data collection and feedback mechanisms. Nikolas then takes over again to detail key tasks targeted toward DRM agencies, stressing the importance of mobilizing financial resources from donors and government, recognizing the role of anticipatory action, formalizing collaboration, and supporting that joint training are part of the advocacy strategies for the future of anticipation in the region.

Following the presentation of key messages, the session participants are split into breakout rooms to discuss advocacy strategies, potential challenges, and possible opportunities. Discussions are lively and highlight key resources to be utilized, the need to scale up capacity-building at a local level, and the main barriers that organizations face in sharing information and tailoring messaging for high level decision-makers.
Conversations like this help the future of anticipatory action for all!