Voice stands for an inclusive world where empowered rightsholders are able to express their views and demand their rights for responsive and inclusive societies.

We do this by providing different type of grants for projects promoting diversity and inclusion of ALL in Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, and Indonesia. We aim to amplify and connect thus far unheard voices to leave no one behind. The connections are also made and deepened via our exciting Linking & Learning approach.

“No one will be left behind [in the collective journey to end poverty and inequality]. We will endeavour to reach the furthest behind first.”

Manifesto of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Voice’s raison d’etre.

Our dream and journey are visualised in an exciting Theory of Change, building on three pathways To Empower, To Amplify and To Influence. Experience shows these pathways are non-linear, intertwined and influence each other. The Voice ToC seeks to strengthen the capacity of (informal) groups, organisations and networks to influence, to find strategic allies among powerholders and duty-bearers, and to promote collaboration within civil society to defend rights in an ever shifting civic space.

You can click on the image below to download the full text of the ToC.

The first three years of implementing Voice (2016-2019) confirms social change processes follow a complex path where change shifts over time. In many instances, the contextual changes in countries have drastically altered the relationship between civil society organisations and government, demanding a different set of responses. Reflecting on the original assumptions underpinning the ToC and the harvested outcomes, we observe and acknowledge the diversity of empowerment, amplification and influencing processes happening at multiple levels and for different rightsholder groups.

Based on the above Voice took the recommendations from the Mid-Term Review to heart and revised its ToC and underlying assumptions to reflect the steps and phases in social change, both in the spheres of control and influence of Voice.