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Southern Voice is a network of 51 think tanks from the Global South, all contributing to the global dialogue on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our member organisations are based in 27 countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia; all are dedicated to leveraging quality local data and research to enhance the debate on the SDGs and increase the 2030 Agenda’s impact on the South.
Southern Voice’s Mission
Our ultimate aim is to address the existing ‘knowledge asymmetry’ and ‘participation deficit’ in the global dialogue on development. We do this by 1) stimulating, generating, and disseminating high-quality evidence-based analysis on the SDGs, empowering Think Tanks from the Global South; 2) actively embedding Southern research in the global discourse on the SDGs; and 3) promoting space for deliberative evidence-based policy making and ensuring governments are held accountable for effective delivery.
Southern Voice’s Vision
Southern Voice envisages a world in which power has been realigned between countries. The result would be a fair and equitable engagement on global issues, and the advancement of a world in which people’s rights and needs are met and sustainable development is achieved.
Southern Voice’s Story
The founding members of the network were awardees of the multi-donor Think Tank Initiative (TTI), currently hosted by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), in Ottawa. The idea to launch the initiative was taken at a TTI awardees meeting in Cape Town, South Africa in 2012.
An expert group meeting (EGM) held in Dhaka in 2013 endorsed the activity plan of the initiative. This group elected a steering committee and agreed on the immediate inputs to be sent to the UN High Level Panel on Post-MDGs.
To date, Southern Voice has addressed multiple national, regional and global platforms, highlighting its perspectives on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
To date, Southern Voice has addressed multiple national, regional and global platforms, highlighting its perspectives on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Together, we have developed the COVID-19 Digital Knowledge Hub in the Global South. This interactive space compiles research from countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America on the impact the pandemic is having on those regions. The issue of vaccine access and equity has been our main focus in 2021. We have published a number of articles on this and hosted an event with the UK Royal Society of Arts on it.