Coordinating the participation of the concerned public actors

Although most policies are still conceived in “sectoral” terms and fall under the responsibility of a line Ministry, the level of interconnectedness among the different branches and levels of government has reached a point in which such a vertical or silo approach cannot deliver proper results anymore. The need to promote a whole-of- government approach is still one of the most challenging issues of public policy, as bureaucracies are still organised along rigid hierarchical lines and shared competencies can easily derive into personal rivalries and turf wars.

Once again, policy dialogue brings a soft solution to this long-standing problem, as it broadens the base of stakeholders engaged in devising and implementing policy initiatives and somewhat forces the incumbent officials to step down from their ivory towers to openly discuss the reasons behind their choices. The ensuing exchange of views becomes even more comprehensive when it involves officials from different ministries, as each of them can bring into the discussion their own perspective on the topic at stake and jointly explore ways to overcome their internal constraints.

In INSPIRED Armenia, where the goal was to ensure reflection on reform related to gender equality in the workplace, the project led to overall enhanced coordination of actors working in the field. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, primarily responsible for Labour Rights in Armenia, got engaged in the project and helped to raise awareness on the Roadmap for Reform up to the different branches of the Government, and managed to change the agenda of the executive branches towards reform. This has been crucial in the project's success, as CSOs opened a direct communication channel with public decision-takers to further monitor the implementation of the Roadmap for Reform, and keep providing inputs in relevant reforms.