New publication: Knowledge Brokering from the Global South: Mobilising Knowledge for Climate Advocacy
SouthSouthNorth, The Broker
Knowledge brokering is an important strategy for climate advocacy, and knowledge brokers can serve as a bridge between diverse perspectives on climate change and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities. So far, perspectives on knowledge brokering have predominantly come from the Global North, with little attention to the experiences of organisations brokering knowledge in the Global South.
In 2023, The Broker (a Dutch-based knowledge brokering organisation working in the field of sustainable international development) and SouthSouthNorth teamed up to facilitate a mutual learning journey with Southern-based knowledge partners of the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) programme to collectively explore concepts of knowledge brokering and evidence-based advocacy, sharing experiences, successes and challenges in using knowledge for climate advocacy in practice. VCA partners including IEB, Revista Emancipa, C4Ledger, ALIN, and SSN participated in an online workshop and story-telling session. Building upon this collaborative journey, VCA is pleased to present a new publication that offers insights into some of the important lessons learned, knowledge questions and gaps in this field.
The publication, “Knowledge Brokering from the Global South: Mobilising Knowledge for Climate Advocacy” presents a synthesis of relevant resources from academic and grey literature coupled with insights from VCA partners and colleagues in Paraguay, Brazil, Kenya, Indonesia and South Africa. The focus is on understanding knowledge brokering for climate advocacy, highlighting the evolution of the concept, strategies used, and the crucial role of power dynamics. It emphasises the complexity of navigating between impartiality and advocacy in decision-making processes, particularly in contexts of social injustice and exclusion. Building on insights from the knowledge partners the following definition of knowledge brokering for advocacy was formulated.
Knowledge brokering for advocacy is the strategic use of knowledge to build partnerships, provide legitimacy, and influence decision-making. It involves networking, aligning knowledge in advocacy networks, and using evidence strategically to inspire change. This includes gathering local perspectives, identifying impactful cases, and connecting knowledge holders to influential spaces to amplify voices for collective action.
The publication highlights the crucial role of multi-stakeholder engagement, inclusive communication, and coordination in knowledge brokering for advocacy practices. While recognising challenges such as policymaker’s prioritisation and time constraints, it offers various strategies to tackle them. Additionally, the annotated bibliography offers relevant resources on knowledge brokering for advocacy, facilitating further learning.
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