Top 7 Reasons to Forge Organizational Alliances
- Alliances increase the likelihood of reaching people who haven’t addressed violence prevention issues, particularly men and boys.
- More people will that understand violence prevention benefits everyone, not just some groups.
- Because gender-based violence has roots in all levels of our society, we need to find ways to engage more people at every level [link to social ecological model].
- Different people trust and respect different social, economic, cultural, and political organizations, so messages about ending violence can have more reach, credibility, and impact when they come from these groups.
- Involving more organizations can lead to increased resources and opportunities for violence prevention.
- You may educate influential people who are outside your normal reach about the importance of violence prevention. Men are disproportionately in these positions of influence, so reaching them may lead to a range of far-reaching benefits, including improved funding and a better climate for new laws and public policy.
- The process of creating alliances with other groups can unleash new energy, creativity, insights, and abilities within your own organization.
Reflection Questions
Answering these questions will help you and your colleagues think through the reasons for forging organizational alliances and help you persuade others of the importance of this strategy.
- What are the most important reasons for broader alliances? Why are these reasons important to you?
- What in your personal and professional experience has led you to believe we need to work with a more diverse spectrum of organizations?
- How will broader alliances contribute to the goal of ending gender-based violence?
Discussion Board
Share your thoughts and learn what other people are saying about the benefits of expanding alliances.
Exercise: Expanding Alliances
This exercise is for organizations that wish to examine the possibility of building new alliances in order to increase the impact of their work.
