Multi-stakeholder Working: Lessons from the Frontline Richard Calland

Conceptual Understanding of MSIs Mode of Governance: ie a decision-making forum about the rules of the game for a particular issue MSIs comprise a process-orientated, joint approach to benchmarking, rule-making and implementation

Mode of Governance: ie a decision-making forum about the rules of the game for a particular issue

MSIs comprise a process-orientated, joint approach to benchmarking, rule-making and implementation

Rules/Lores of the (MSI) Game True joint decision-making power of the participating actors may not be certain…but: Deeper legitimacy for the role of non-state actors at the negotiation table Therefore, MSIs are a step beyond “mere” consultation: NGO stakeholders are active role-players - they are at the table and in the game

True joint decision-making power of the participating actors may not be certain…but:

Deeper legitimacy for the role of non-state actors at the negotiation table

Therefore, MSIs are a step beyond “mere” consultation: NGO stakeholders are active role-players - they are at the table and in the game

MSI Typology* Purpose Drivers & Motive Status & Composition Arena of Intervention *This Typology is drawn from the work of Lucy Koechlin of the Basel Institute of Governance – with whom I am collaborating on a book chapter on MSIs.

Purpose

Drivers & Motive

Status & Composition

Arena of Intervention

*This Typology is drawn from the work of

Lucy Koechlin of the Basel Institute of

Governance – with whom I am

collaborating on a book chapter on MSIs.

Purpose Dialogue/forum Institution-building Rule-Setting Rule Implementation Rule Monitoring

Dialogue/forum

Institution-building

Rule-Setting

Rule Implementation

Rule Monitoring

Purpose/ Area of Intervention Dialogue/ Forum Institution-Building Rule-setting Rule-implementation Rule-monitoring Peace-agreements COIEPA (Angola) National Peace Committees (S.A.) Tax-Reform Guatemala Sustainable development International Alert (Azerbaijan) EITI, Global Reporting Initiative EITI Conflict financing EITI, Kimberley Process Kimberley Process Human Rights Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights

Consensus-Finding Potential of MSIs Compare: Eye on EITI October 2006 Report : Civil Society (PWYP/Revenue Watch) International Advisory Group of the EITI: Final Report, September 2006

Compare:

Eye on EITI October 2006 Report : Civil Society (PWYP/Revenue Watch)

International Advisory Group of the EITI: Final Report, September 2006

… large degree of consensus: Real Implementation by Governments Validation by Companies (including disaggregation) Need to deepen the multi-stakeholder approach Deepen the sub-national system

Real Implementation by Governments

Validation by Companies (including disaggregation)

Need to deepen the multi-stakeholder approach

Deepen the sub-national system

Main Differences/Concerns: Incentives Cheating – ‘bogus’ representation by corporations and especially host governments Particular stakeholders being marginalised Self-selection of CSO participants Some evidence of harassment Co-option…and: Funding/resources Uneven information base

Incentives

Cheating – ‘bogus’ representation by corporations and especially host governments

Particular stakeholders being marginalised

Self-selection of CSO participants

Some evidence of harassment

Co-option…and:

Funding/resources

Uneven information base

It’s all about TRUST…

And POWER!

… OR GOOD, CONSISTENT PROCESS & CLARITY ABOUT OBJECTIVES AND THE RULES OF THE GAME ?

Other Issues/Challenges Differences in language and culture (individual and institutional) Each set of stakeholders has to learn a new lexicon in relation to the other And, to ignore the “parrot on the shoulder” So as to get past previous, often deeply ingrained, prejudices…

Differences in language and culture (individual and institutional)

Each set of stakeholders has to learn a new lexicon in relation to the other

And, to ignore the “parrot on the shoulder”

So as to get past previous, often deeply ingrained, prejudices…

THE CHALLENGE OF VALIDATION Is this just a question of M & E? Or is there a process element? Or, if transparency is the means to the end, is it also about how to measure the ends as much as the means?

Is this just a question of M & E?

Or is there a process element?

Or, if transparency is the means to the end, is it also about how to measure the ends as much as the means?