Case Study · Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Leveraging data to drive global advocacy, communications, and policy change
How a global humanitarian organization transformed ground-truth evidence into public pressure, policy influence, funding opportunities, and stronger coordination across countries.
Summary
Turning ground-truth data into a catalyst for change.
Facing a world where 84% of COVID-19 vaccines were concentrated in wealthy nations, a global humanitarian response team set out to bring urgent attention to displaced families excluded from national vaccine roll-out plans.
By combining global evidence with the lived experiences of families across multiple regions, the initiative created a narrative that resonated with donors, generated media attention, and helped influence more inclusive public policy.
8
Countries
Research across East Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
339
Households
Direct survey data representing 1,914 forcibly displaced people.
1 in 1,914
Vaccinated
The defining statistic that made the inequity impossible to ignore.
62
Global engagements
External engagements achieved within two months of launch.
The context
The invisible crisis behind the vaccine gap.
Forcibly displaced people were already largely invisible in national health responses and at higher risk of infection, yet many had no access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The pandemic acted as a force multiplier — deepening inequality and disrupting food security, education, income, and essential services.
The organization needed to move beyond anecdotal evidence and establish a rigorous data anchor for policy, fundraising, and national advocacy.
The approach
Four steps from evidence to influence.
Step 01
Establish a data anchor
1 in 1,914
Global data was combined with hyper-local surveys across eight countries. The study connected vaccine access with broader aftershocks, including a 72% drop in income and increased concerns about child safety.
The result was credible, ground-truth evidence that teams could use for advocacy, communications, and fundraising.
Step 02
Humanize the data
Statistics were translated into urgent human stories and messaging that shifted the conversation from charity to global security and equity.
Country profiles gave national teams relevant evidence, while personal stories put a human face to the findings and maintained a consistent global voice.
Step 03
Create public pressure
The report paired survey findings with evidence from the WHO and United Nations and led with a high-impact infographic for digital readers.
Messaging defined the stakes clearly and created a lasting conversation across locations, contexts, donors, media, and public audiences.
Step 04
Influence policy and stakeholders
450,000+
Teams received coordinated recommendations, messages, and country-level assets for evidence-based lobbying. A grassroots network of faith leaders helped share accurate information, while examples from Jordan and Uganda provided proof of concept for government engagement.
The result
Tangible wins — externally and internally.
External impact
- Media traction: Extensive coverage, including CNN, and requests for private briefings from organizations including the WHO and Gavi.
- Policy change: National policies were influenced to include displaced populations in vaccination plans.
- Accountability: A government investigation in Türkiye was triggered following a request from ECHO.
- Resource mobilization: The findings created new funding and donor-engagement opportunities.
Organizational growth
- Stronger global positioning and deeper partnerships with UNHCR, OCHA, and IOM.
- Unified global-to-local advocacy while preserving national relevance.
- A permanent infrastructure for cross-regional research coordination.
- Greater capacity for large-scale, evidence-based advocacy campaigns.
The impact pathway
Research became action because every stage had a strategic purpose.
Research
The data anchor
Uncovered the 1-in-1,914 vaccination rate.
Messaging
Humanizing the data
Connected health inequity with real family experiences.
Advocacy
Evidence-based lobbying
Secured engagement with global decision-makers.
Policy
Tangible wins
Helped influence more inclusive vaccination plans.
From data to action
Evidence alone does not drive change. Strategy turns it into influence.
Does your organization have a data anchor waiting to become a catalyst for change? We help teams connect research, narrative, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement from day one.