Kivu designed a programme of work supporting local think tanks to influence policy on tobacco taxation. This programme is being implemented in both Nepal and Sri Lanka.
In Nepal, we are partnering with a local think tank, the Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI). The project is locally led, drawing on NDRI’s innate understanding of how change happens in Nepal. It is also politically informed, with an approach to policy advocacy that reflects the low salience of tobacco control in Nepal. Kivu’s role has included: developing an advocacy strategy which combines agenda setting and ‘insider’ policy influencing; providing bespoke capacity building support for NDRI; and providing hands-on mentoring to maximise the policy influence achieved.
The programme initially focused on establishing the local think tank as a new and credible player on tobacco control. Having achieved this, it is now adopting a coalition-based approach to policy influencing. NDRI will be at the centre of an alliance of different interests, organisations, and individuals pressuring policy makers to further increase taxation.