Informing Decisionmakers to Act (IDEA)
With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, IDEA—Informing Decisionmakers to Act—increases support among policy audiences for effective health and population programs around the world.
In implementing IDEA, PRB brings a fresh vision to policy communication. By increasing the flow of accurate, understandable information about population, family planning, and reproductive health to policy audiences, IDEA enhances efforts carried out by civil society, the public sector, the development community, and donors. IDEA will develop materials on priority issues in cutting-edge formats; train and support media to influence policy change; build the communications capacity of institutions, researchers, and advocates; and nurture a community of policy champions.
To strengthen advocacy and communication targeted to decisionmakers, IDEA will highlight these program activities:
- Creating multimedia presentations to support family planning and reproductive health. IDEA engages decisionmakers in priority countries to develop state-of-the-art multimedia presentations, featuring Trendalyzer, thus broadening support and stimulating new commitment to family planning and reproductive health.
- Reaching policymakers through improved media coverage. IDEA influences decisionmakers by training journalists to better understand population, family planning and reproductive health, and gender issues; sponsoring study tours and participation in conferences; and building networks and providing ongoing support for news stories. IDEA also works with journalism schools to strengthen future editors' and reporters' understanding of population and health issues.
- Building capacity and nurturing new champions. IDEA broadens the knowledge and skills base of advocates about family planning and other key development issues—including gender, youth, and the environment. Key strategies include training researchers, program managers, and advocates in effectively communicating data and research to decisionmakers; sharing information through communities of practice; and live and online events that promote global dialogue.
- Expanding user-friendly data resources. IDEA empowers advocates and decisionmakers through print and electronic information, highlighting the policy relevance of current data and research; the impact of population growth on development; and the links between reproductive health, gender, the environment, and youth.
"We are excited about this important expansion of our work with USAID," says William P. Butz, president and CEO of PRB. "We will be able to reach more decisionmakers with information that strengthens health and population policies and programs, advances development goals, and improves the reproductive health of women around the world."
Contact: Jay Gribble, 202-483-1100, idea@prb.org.
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