Southern Voice

What Southern Voice does

Southern Voice is a non-profit network founded in 2013 and headquartered in Lima, Peru, that convenes 71 think tanks across 35 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean to produce evidence-based research on the Sustainable Development Goals and rebalance knowledge asymmetry in global development policy debates. The organization's core products are research outputs (State of the SDGs reports, Global South Perspectives publication, policy briefs), knowledge tools (the Resilience and Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool), multimedia (The Compass vodcast), and convening events (biennial conferences in Nairobi 2023 and São Paulo 2025, plus regional roundtables). Its go-to-market is community-led: the network leverages its tri-regional membership to produce research authored by Global South experts, then disseminates it through formal partnerships with the OECD, UN agencies, G20/T20 task forces, the UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory Board, and FAO processes to influence multilateral policy debates.

The business model is grant-funded non-profit operations with no commercial pricing. Revenue derives from institutional grants and development partnerships, primarily the British Academy and IDRC (for the Strengthening Think Tanks Initiative and Evidence-Informed programme), with historical support from the Ford Foundation and UN Foundation. Day-to-day operations are managed by a 16-person secretariat led by Executive Director Margarita Gómez (appointed March 2024, succeeded Andrea Ordóñez) under governance by a Steering Committee with regional representation and a Chair (Dr. Rose Ngugi of KIPPRA-Kenya). Customer/beneficiary segments are horizontal: Global South think tanks as primary members, international organizations and policymakers (OECD, UN, G20) as institutional users of the research, and civil society/development practitioners as downstream consumers of freely available publications.

Name

Southern Voice

Legal name

Southern Voice

Website

https://southernvoice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Southern Voice is a Lima-based non-profit network of 71 think tanks across 35 Global South countries, producing evidence-based research on the Sustainable Development Goals and convening regional dialogues to influence multilateral policy through OECD, UN, and G20 partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Think Tank Network

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

Keywords

• Think tank network
• Policy research
• Sustainable development
• Global development
• SDG research

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Institutional Partnerships: Southern Voice operates as a non-profit network funded through grants and partnerships with international organizations, foundations, and development agencies. The network receives support from funders including the British Academy, IDRC, and participates in funded initiatives with organizations like the UN Foundation and Ford Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Southern Voice is a non-profit network of 71 think tanks from the Global South, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Lima, Peru. Its core offering is convening member institutions to produce evidence-based research, policy analysis, and advocacy on the Sustainable Development Goals, while amplifying Southern perspectives in global policy forums including the United Nations.

Product overview

Southern Voice is a network of 71 think tanks from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean that serves as an open platform for generating and promoting high-quality, evidence-based analyses for global dialogue on the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. The organization's offerings include research publications such as the State of the SDGs reports and Global South Perspectives; tools like the Resilience and Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool for think tanks; events including biennial conferences; and initiatives such as the Challenge Fund for Evidence Use, Southern Voice on Global Development, the 1 for 8 Billion Campaign, and the Strengthening Think Tanks Initiative. The network also produces The Compass vodcast and various policy briefs addressing global development challenges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Southern Voice on Global Development (SVGD): Flagship initiative providing Global South perspectives on international development cooperation
• State of the SDGs
• Global South Perspectives (GSP)
• The Compass
• Challenge Fund For Evidence Use
• Strengthening Think Tanks Project

Products and services

• Southern Voice Think Tank Network Membership A membership-based network that brings together 71 think tanks from the Global South to collaborate on policy research and advocacy related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Membership is offered to policy research institutions in developing countries.
• SDG Policy Research and Publications Evidence-based research reports and policy briefs on the Sustainable Development Goals, produced by the network's member think tanks and intended for multilateral institutions, policymakers, and development partners.
• UN ECOSOC Advocacy and Engagement Advocacy and engagement with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, leveraging Southern Voice's Special Consultative Status to channel Southern think tank perspectives into UN policy discussions on the SDGs.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Plataforma CIPÓcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 May 2026Plataforma CIPÓ, a Southern Voice member, concluded the 2026 Global Policy Dialogue on Post-COP30 Climate Implementation in Salvador, Bahia. Southern Voice participated through Javier Aliaga Lordemann from INESAD, bringing Global South perspectives to climate governance discussions.
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Southern Voice partnered with OECD to convene regional roundtables across Africa, Asia, and Latin America between March and April 2026 as background research for the OECD Conference on the Future of Development Co-operation. The dialogues informed Southern Voice's flagship initiative, Southern Voice on Global Development (SVGD).
• UN Secretary-General's Scientific Advisory BoardflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 October 2024Southern Voice became one of 12 global networks to join the Scientific Advisory Board of the United Nations Secretary-General.
• HDP Nexus CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Southern Voice joined the Fighting Food Crises along the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus Coalition, co-chaired by g7+, SIPRI, FAO, and WFP. The coalition brings together over 65 members working on food security and conflict.
• PCSD PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2017Southern Voice joined the PCSD Partnership - a multi-stakeholder platform for enhancing policy coherence for sustainable development. Partners include OECD, CGD, IISD, and DIE among others.
• Global Partnership for Sustainable Development DataflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2015Southern Voice joined as an Anchor Partner of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, contributing perspectives from the Global South to working groups on Country Level Data Roadmaps, Global Data Collaboratives, and Resource Alignment.
• IDS (Institute of Development Studies)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDS collaborated with Southern Voice on developing the Resilience and Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool as part of the Strengthening Think Tanks Initiative.
• AERC (African Economic Research Consortium)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAERC collaborated with Southern Voice on developing the Resilience and Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool.
• ECDPM (European Centre for Development Policy Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice joined forces with ECDPM for two events in September 2018 about Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development. A workshop and conference took place in Maastricht and Brussels.
• DIE (German Development Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice partnered with DIE alongside ECDPM for policy coherence workshops and conferences in 2018.
• T20 (Think 20)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice served as co-chair of Task Force 4 (Solidarity and SDGs), focusing on accelerating G20's implementation of the SDGs. Multiple member institutions participated in various T20 Task Forces.
• SAIIA (South African Institute of International Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAIIA hosted T20 events alongside IDG and participated in COP30 representing Southern Voice.
• SDPI (Sustainable Development Policy Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSDPI represented Southern Voice at COP30 and participated in T20 processes. Executive Director Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri contributed to panels on climate policy.
• CIPPEC (Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIPPEC participated in T20 Task Force 4 and represents Southern Voice in Latin America.
• Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAI co-hosted an event with Southern Voice and ETTG in Rome on food systems transformation and FAO priorities.
• European Think Tanks Group (ETTG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice and ETTG jointly published policy proposals for FAO on food systems transformation in the Global South.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice engaged with FAO through events on food systems transformation and contributed to discussions on FAO's role in addressing food security priorities.
• UN FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Foundation co-hosted the launch of the Global State of the SDGs Report 2019 alongside Ford Foundation and collaborated on policy briefs.
• Global Alliance for CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Voice participated in events alongside the Global Alliance for Care on care economy in the multilateral system.
• On Think TankscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with On Think Tanks for the Young Think Tankers initiative and pitching contest.
• Club de MadridminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClub de Madrid participated in events with Southern Voice including the launch of Global State of the SDGs Report.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ECDPM (European Centre for Development Policy Management): ECDPM is a Europe-based think tank focused on EU development policy and international cooperation, directly comparable to Southern Voice in its convening role between think tanks and multilateral processes. The two organizations have co-hosted joint events on policy coherence for sustainable development, indicating overlapping mandates and constituencies.
• DIE (German Development Institute): DIE is a German policy research institute producing research and policy advice on global development and international cooperation, comparable to Southern Voice in addressing sustainable development governance. Both organizations partnered on the 2018 PCSD workshops and conferences in Maastricht and Brussels.
• ODI (Overseas Development Institute): ODI is a leading global affairs think tank producing research on international development and humanitarian policy, comparable to Southern Voice in shaping evidence-based policy on SDGs and global development cooperation. Both serve as bridges between researchers, policymakers, and multilateral institutions.
• IAI (Istituto Affari Internazionali): IAI is an Italian think tank conducting research on international politics and global governance, comparable to Southern Voice in bridging research communities with multilateral policy processes. IAI co-hosted events with Southern Voice and ETTG on food systems transformation and FAO priorities.
• IISD (International Institute for Sustainable Development): IISD is a research and policy organization focused on sustainable development, directly comparable to Southern Voice's focus on SDG implementation and policy coherence. Both organizations are members of the PCSD Partnership alongside OECD and CGD.
• CGD (Center for Global Development): CGD is a US-based think tank focused on global development economics and policy, comparable to Southern Voice in producing influential research on international development cooperation. Both are engaged in the PCSD Partnership and address policy questions on SDG progress and effectiveness of development aid.
• SAIIA (South African Institute of International Affairs): SAIIA is a leading African think tank on international affairs, comparable to Southern Voice in producing policy research and engaging multilateral processes including T20 and COP30. SAIIA hosted T20 events alongside IDG and represented Southern Voice at COP30.
• AERC (African Economic Research Consortium): AERC is a pan-African economic research network producing policy-relevant research, comparable to Southern Voice as a regional research consortium addressing development policy. AERC collaborated with Southern Voice on the Resilience and Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool.

Emerging players

• On Think Tanks: On Think Tanks is a community of practice supporting think tanks globally with research on think tank ecosystems, partially comparable to Southern Voice in supporting research institutions. The two organizations partner on the Young Think Tankers initiative and pitching contest.

Broad incumbents

• European Think Tanks Group (ETTG): ETTG is a consortium of European think tanks working on EU development policy, comparable to Southern Voice in representing a regional think tank perspective in global policy debates. ETTG and Southern Voice jointly published policy proposals for FAO on food systems transformation.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SouthernVoice
• Facebookfacebook.com/SouthernVoice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southern-voice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Southern Voice