Your Stakeholder Analysis Needs Backroads, Not Just Highways

“Inclusion isn’t just about who is present, it’s about who has power.”

That’s a principle many of us in the gender and social inclusion space live by. Yet, time and again, we see well-meaning projects stumble because they relied on stakeholder lists that reflected visibility, not equity.

It’s easy to map ministries, donors, and big-name NGOs. But what about the informal women’s collectives? The migrant groups working in the shadows? The elders and youth who don’t have titles, but hold the trust of their communities?

A stakeholder analysis without an inclusion lens is like mapping a city and leaving out the backroads. You’ll get somewhere, but not where real life happens.

So how do we shift the way we do stakeholder analysis to reflect the messy, layered realities of power, voice, and exclusion?

1. Start with Who’s Not in the Room

Before we pull out the flip charts or sticky notes, pause. Ask: Who benefits from how things are now? Who bears the brunt of decisions, but isn’t here to speak?

Sometimes it’s the women who gather water at dawn, or the youth organisers holding their community together on WhatsApp. Maybe it’s the migrant workers, the elders without formal titles, or the local faith leaders shaping norms behind the scenes.

These aren’t fringe players. They’re essential to lasting change.

2. Map Informal Power, Not Just Job Titles

We tend to think in org charts and acronyms. But real power? That lives elsewhere too.

In one community I worked with, it wasn’t the mayor or the Non-governmental Organisation NGO lead who had the most sway, it was the woman running the local market stall. Everyone trusted her. People listened to her. She wasn’t on anyone’s official stakeholder list. But she could make or break the program’s success.

Power doesn’t always carry a business card. Your stakeholder map should reflect that.

3. Bring the intersectionality lens

Here’s where it gets nuanced.

Someone might hold formal influence, yet still face marginalisation in other ways. A female programme manager from a low-income background. A disabled community rep. A young ethnic minority leader working in a traditional hierarchy.

So don’t just ask, “Who are they?” Ask: “Where do they stand in relation to power, identity, and access?”

Inclusion means noticing these overlaps, and not assuming a single identity tells the whole story.

4. Don’t Just Engage the Easy-to-Reach

The biggest risk? Designing your engagement strategy around convenience.

It’s easier to consult people in capital cities. People who speak the “right” language. People with phones and stable internet.

But what about:

• Remote villagers with no signal?
• Non-literate parents?
• Refugees wary of official spaces?
• Informal workers who can't afford to miss a day of income?

Inclusion takes intention. Budget for interpreters, stipends, trust-building partners. Make the effort, because those voices matter.

5. Update Your Stakeholder Map Often

Too many teams treat stakeholder analysis like a one-and-done checkbox. But power shifts. Allies evolve. People step up (or disappear).

Keep your map alive. Review it regularly. Ask:

• Who’s gained influence since we started?
• Who’s been sidelined?
• What alliances have formed or broken?

This isn’t about perfection, it’s about staying responsive.

Inclusion Isn’t a Step. It’s a Practice.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from decades in this field, it’s this: The most transformative insights often come from the margins. And yet, if we’re not intentional, we’ll keep designing projects that miss those insights entirely.

So next time you sit down to do a stakeholder analysis, flip the script. Start not with who’s there, but with who’s missing, and why.

Want to go deeper into this approach? In a few days I’ll be hosting a webinar soon on inclusive stakeholder analysis, sahring practical strategies, case examples, and more. Only 5 spots available. Sign up here