Partner2Connect Annual Report 2022

Progress by sector, focus area and pledge type

Sector

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When looking at the overall reported pledges by sector, 56% (113 pledges)were from governments; 20% (40 pledges) were from the private sector;and 14% (28 pledges) were from international or regional organizations.

However, when looking at response rates (pledges reported on as a proportion of pledges submitted), the international organizations sector is the one with the highest rate (47%), followed by the private sector (45%) and UN agencies (38%). Most important to note is that all sectors are reporting above 30%, but also have substantial room to improve.

Focus area

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Looking across the focus areas, 35% of the pledges reported on were for the first one, ACCESS; 34% were for ADOPTION; 25% were for VALUE CREATION; and 6% were for the fourth area, ACCELERATE. This is broadly in line with the proportion of pledges submitted across the four focus areas.

Pledge type

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The analysis by pledge type indicates that 45% of the reported pledges are programmatic, 23% are financial, and 17% are policy-related, whilst advocacy pledges represent 15%. This is broadly proportional to the rate at which submitted pledges align to the four different types. 

The pledges categorized as policy-related or programmatic highlight some of the key steps taken for implementation, which include:

• Conducting background research, and planning and defining the implementation strategy
• Outlining the problem and scoping resources
• Setting out clear monitoring and evaluation processes.

The data also indicates that many of the policy- and programme-related efforts already existed before their submission to the P2C platform, and the intention of the pledge was to expand on or develop the existing policy or programme. Some of the expected outcomes cited by those who reported on policy and programmatic pledges include:

• Increasing the number of beneficiaries of an existing policy, regulation or programme
• Expanding an existing programme
• Modifying or complementing an existing policy or regulation
• Increasing the funding or budget available
• Creating a new programme or policy
• Expanding the programme to other geographies
• Changing minds and shifting the attitudes of stakeholders
• Raising awareness and building capacity.

Pledgers also reported on what they considered were positive unexpected outcomes in their implementation journey: empowering women and youth; sharing best practices, materials and outputs with other countries and organizations; and exchanging challenges and lessons learned, which led to further resource-sharing, open channels for active dialogue, and the provision of additional benefits to existing stakeholders.

Regarding opportunities for collaboration, the overall responses of pledgers seem to reflect the core principles of P2C – notably, that the road towards universal and meaningful connectivity requires a multi stakeholder, multi sectorial approach. Collaboration between pledgers and governments in the country of implementation was the most frequently cited requirement. Other examples of collaboration and integration that were necessary to implement pledges include but are not limited to:

• Cross-government collaboration: between national and local authorities, and between ministerial departments and regional governments
• Collaboration of pledgers who are not based in the country of implementation, with the local government and international and civil society organizations operating in the country
• Collaboration among governments, regulators and telecommunication service providers to advance national digital agendas
• Private sector engagement in programmes related to the pledge, support with building and maintaining infrastructure, and commitment to new initiatives for making devices more affordable
• Collaboration with ITU.

Within the advocacy category, most respondents said the intended outcome of their effort was awareness raising, followed by developing a new programme or project and new regulation/policy change. Some of the measures undertaken by reporting pledgers for assessing the outcomes of their advocacy pledges include:

• Setting targets for online campaigns (e.g. numbers of views, respondents, downloads and beneficiaries reached)
• Media coverage
• Participation and engagement at stakeholder meetings with key indicators like number of attendees.

Direct engagement and consultation with target groups (beneficiaries) also proved to be very important for pledgers in this category. Most of the respondents said they had conducted meetings and roundtable discussions with beneficiaries, as well as holding monthly advisory group workshops and carrying out interviews and surveys.