I want to start by thanking the Inter-Council Network (ICN) and Judyannet Muchiri, Policy Officer for ICN for including both my personal reflections as well as my public engagement (PE) work for Cuso International in this research project ‘Feminist, Anti-Racist and Decolonial Approaches to Public Engagement.' I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute insights into the evolving PE landscape, and to highlight methodologies that reflect best practices when engaging Canadians on international development and cooperation issues.
Some examples of best practices include the use of first-person narratives, collaborative content creation, inclusive and positive language, equitable representation and monitoring and evaluation. These practices are foundational in building deeper engagement and must be built into the strategy from the very beginning.
As the African proverb says, “Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero,” is a reminder of privilege, voice, and power. By encouraging community leaders especially women to tell their stories and share their lived experiences and solutions, this enables Canadians to connect with global issues through firsthand knowledge.
At Cuso, our public engagement activities reflect this approach by centering dignified storytelling by how we prioritize community perspectives. Our panels are diverse and equitable, featuring volunteers, alumni, community leaders, and local partners from across the Global South. This representation holds space for local voices that have not always been the centre of conversations in international cooperation.
Our PE strategy is aligned and in partnership with Global Affairs Canada’s public engagement framework, which aims to Inform, Enable, Mobilize, and Converge. As such, our goals include making global issues both relevant and accessible to Canadians, raising awareness, increasing understanding, demonstrating impact, and inspiring collective action and solidarity.
We believe that by continuously evolving and integrating a Feminist, Anti-Racist, and Decolonial approach in our public engagement efforts, we can build advocacy, and influence Canadian behaviours toward a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world for all.
Cuso International (Cuso), is a Canadian-based global organization, dedicated to addressing poverty and creating opportunities for greater equity. With over 60 years of meaningful impact, we focus on addressing the underlying challenges that limit progress.
Grounded in our core values of courage, inclusion, sustainability, & accountability, we leverage innovative approaches and strong partnerships to deliver tangible, lasting results in communities across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada.
Tina Sweeney is dedicated to reducing inequality by engaging Canadians, as Senior Outreach and Partnerships Officer at Cuso International for over a decade, she connects civil society groups to build a sustainable future rooted in ‘a shared humanity.’ Tina champions public engagement to unite Canadians, enabling collective understanding and action on complex global issues. She encourages Canadians to participate in creating a more inclusive and knowledgeable society, increasing global citizenship, and enabling local actions with global impact, while advancing Cuso International’s mission of Sharing skills for better futures.