MRDI STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2026
At a Glance
Vision
Just and open societies where all people enjoy their rights
Mission
To support the development of a strong and independent media that exercises excellence in journalism, and to empower all people including the marginalised to freely enjoy their right to information, working with partners in Bangladesh and beyond.
Values
- Transparent …in all we do
- Resourceful …in addressing problems
- Belief in Equity …in all outcomes
- Trustworthy …in relationships
- Working in Partnership
✅Strategic Objectives
🔘Programmatic Objectives
1. To develop the capacity of the media to produce quality investigative, objective, ethical, and in-depth reports.
2. To promote people’s access to information.
3. To work toward gender equity both internally and in programmes using a gender transformative approach.
4. To create a free and diverse media environment in Bangladesh.
5. To support the media in their transformation in the use of digital platforms.
🔘Enabling Objectives
1. Human Resources: To develop an efficient team who will contribute to the growth of the organisation.
2. Business Development: To develop the capacity to create and implement long-term projects and services that are aligned with the MRDI vision and mission, and build up trusted relationships with public and private donors and clients.
3. Communications: To ensure that MRDI audiences, both internal and external, can access and understand accurate and up-to-date information about MRDI and its mission through a variety of appropriate media.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL): To develop an effective and robust MEAL system in MRDI with a view to continuously learning lessons and improving the programme quality.
✅KPIs against Programmatic Objectives
🔘Strategic Objectives
1. To develop the capacity of the media to produce quality investigative, objective, ethical, and in-depth reports.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Number of investigative reports in the media supported by MRDI.
2. Number of in-depth reports in the media supported by MRDI.
3. Quality of reports.
4. Actions taken by government or concerned authority after publishing an investigative report supported by MRDI.
5. Number of (a) journalists and (b) students trained by MRDI.
2. To promote people’s access to information.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. No. of RTI applications supported by MRDI.
2. No. of times people supported by RTI Helpdesk.
3. Score showing authorities proactive disclosure of information at (a)Ministry and Division level and (b) District level.
4. The percentage of RTI applications supported by MRDI helpdesk to which authorities respond.
5. No. (a) Govt and (b) NGO staff completing the RTI course.
6. Percentage of people aware of RTI
3. To work toward gender equity both internally and in programmes using a gender transformative approach.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Minimum No. and % of women (whichever is the higher)
– on the MRDI Board of Directors
– In senior staff positions
– All staff (It includes project staffs, number of which cannot be predicted. So, only percentage is mentioned)
2. Attitudes of male staff towards gender objective measured by averaged scores on gender on scale of 1-5
3. No. and % of MRDI supported start-ups led by women
4. Gender training reflected in
(a) % of trainings that include gender as a topic
(b) ‘% of people in training who are women’
• Staff
• Journalists
5. % of staff representing MRDI in external meetings who are women
4. To create a free and diverse media environment in Bangladesh.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Reported incidents of threats on journalists.
2. Percentage of people who trust the media.
3. No. of start-ups with MRDI support.
4. No. of reports published in virtual platform by independent journalists.
5. No. of journalists with increased knowledge on safety and security
5. To support the media in their transformation in the use of digital platforms.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Quality of story-telling pattern.
2. Media Houses website and social media hits.
3. Media House satisfaction.
✅KPIs against Strategic Enabling Objectives
🔘Enabling Strategic Objectives
1. Human Resources: To develop an efficient team who will contribute to the growth of the organisation according to its mission, vision and values.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Appropriateness of the staff structure to meet strategic objectives.
2. Effectiveness of the performance review system.
3. The extent to which digitisation improves working practices.
4. Staff satisfaction with their personal development.
2. Business Development: To develop the capacity to create and implement long-term projects and services that are aligned with the MRDI vision and mission, and build up trusted relationships with public and private donors and clients
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Business Development Capacity
2. No. of long-term projects in line with mission and vision
3. Annual turnover
4. Number of Partnerships with (a) Media Houses; (b) Knowledge Institutes; (c) Donors; (d) INGOs
5. Core funding deficit/surplus
3. Communications: To ensure that MRDI audiences, both internal and external, can access and understand accurate and up-to-date information about MRDI and its mission through a variety of appropriate media.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. The status of the communications system.
2. The degree to which staff know, understand, and are committed to MRDI’s vision, mission and values.
3. Strength of MRDI voice in key issues relating to a strong and independent media.
4. Hits on various MRDI social media platforms
5. Relationship status with key partners such as news managers, Government.
4. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, Learning (MEAL): To develop an effective and robust MEAL system in MRDI with a view to continuously learning lessons and improving the programme quality.
Key Performance Indicators (i.e what will be measured)
1. Capacity of MRDI to implement the MEAL strategic objective.
2. Quality and regularity of collection of monitoring data that is analysed and acted upon.
3. Standard of evaluation studies for each project and the strategic plan
4. The degree to which feedback from the project stakeholders is sought, analysed and acted upon according to an agreed system.
5. The degree to which learning systems are established and are enabling MRDI to learn from and share learning internally and externally.
✅Crosscutting issues
1. Gender: MRDI will work toward gender equity both internally and in programmes, using a gender transformative approach in which both quantitative and qualitative gender analysis will be done, and specific outcomes will be sought to transform unequal power relations between men and women (and other genders) through changes in roles, status and through redistribution of resources. MRDI programmes will challenge existing norms and attitudes that reinforce gender role stereotypes. Causes of gender inequality will be identified and addressed through projects and programmes.
2. Digitalisation: Digitalisation is now urgent both in the media industry and in the way MRDI runs internally. The need to include the issue of digitalisation has been accelerated by the COVID 19 pandemic as print media has declined significantly during that period. Also, access to technology such as smart phones has been increasing rapidly. Priority on digitalisation is also in conformity with the Government plan to build Digital Bangladesh and optimise Information Communications Technology for development. MRDI aspires to use the opportunities for building its own capacity and the capacity of the media industry by practicing and supporting digital transformation. Digitalisation will impact not only on the IT used, but also on the way MRDI works, especially in communication and data management.
3. Value for Money: VfM is often analysed according the 4 Es whereby programmes and organisations should be Economic; Efficient; Effective; Equitable. The VfM framework will consider the ‘4Es’:
- Economic: procure at the least cost for the relevant level of quality. It does not necessarily mean ‘cheapest’ but should also take quality into account.
- Efficient: Convert inputs into outputs in an efficient manner with strong control over the quality of outputs.
- Effective: Outputs from an intervention effectively and sufficiently contribute to achieving the desired outcome.
- Equitable: Ensure that benefits are distributed fairly. Benefits of an intervention should reach equitably to the target groups that may include the most remote and vulnerable parts of the population.