Seven things that surprised us in our first year working in policy - Lead Exposure Elimination Project

Abstract

Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP) is an NGO advocating for lead paint regulation in countries with high levels of lead poisoning. The article describes seven findings from the first year of LEEP’s operations, providing insights into policy change efforts. They found that the speed of progress with governments was less of a limiting factor than expected, with significant engagement from stakeholders in Malawi. The presence of legally-binding regulations is often insufficient, highlighting the importance of monitoring and enforcement. They also identified low-hanging fruit in the area of lead paint regulation advocacy, such as the lack of data on the lead content of paint in many countries. Initial cost-effectiveness models for Malawi suggest promising results, even in a small country. Remote advocacy has proved viable, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors found that experts were generous with their time and advice, despite LEEP being a new organization. Finally, they discuss the challenging fundraising period between seed funding and larger grants, noting the importance of short-term unrestricted funding for scaling up operations. – AI-generated abstract.