The past two decades have seen an explosion of political voice across the developing world. This discussion paper collects key insights and lessons that have emerged from a series of activities run by the Development Progress project exploring whether, how and why voice can become a catalyst for change.

Analysing key aspects of voice and using infographics to provide a visual illustration of some of the most important mechanisms through which people across the world seek to exercise their voice, the paper also brings together the different opinion pieces that were commissioned from a variety of experts on issues ranging from elections to constitutions to new information technologies.

A significant contribution to a timely, constantly evolving debate, the discussion paper invites readers to explore voice from a critical perspective, seeking to better understand when, how and why it can be effective, and to join us in challenging assumptions and working through the complex, sometimes counterintuitive landscape that constitutes voice.