When people are not confident that their water is safe, or lose trust in the available information, this affects the whole of society according to 4C Strategies consultants Linda Stensdotter Renman and Robin von Euler.
SIWI’s Shared Waters Partnership programme focusses on strengthening cooperation among actors facing challenges on water issues. A main goal of the programme is to improve communication on current and upcoming challenges related to water, climate change and water security. This includes safeguarding confidence in safe water, a topic that has been subject to disinformation and targeted by information influencing activities.
“Resilient and strategic communication is a key element in handling information influencing activities affecting water issues”, Robin continues. “We have just delivered a two day workshop creating an opportunity for delegates from local authorities in a SIWI program to discuss and learn how to communicate strategically when facing such activities”.
“This is very rewarding work and it has given a deepened international and humanitarian perspective on the complex issue of access to safe water. It also allows me and my colleagues an opportunity to live our core values and to contribute to a safer society together with our clients”, says Linda.
Further reading
More information on the programme can be found in an article by SIWI advisor Dr. Martina Klimes in the Global Water forum on how Transboundary Water Issues are affected by information influence activities.
For more concrete tips for communicators on how to tackle information influence activities, The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) has also published a handbook (also available in English).
Linda Stensdotter Renman
Linda is a Senior Consultant at 4C Strategies. She has spent the past three years advising and supporting organisations in the public and private sector with crisis management. Prior to this, Linda spent seven years at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, MSB, working with training and coordination, among other things
Robin von Euler
Robin is a Senior Consultant specialising in strategic, integrated and operative crisis communication. Before joining 4C Strategies in 2018, Robin worked with communication and training at local authorities and prior to that he was employed by the Swedish military for 20 years.