The document summarizes an agenda for a two-day peer-learning exchange between CIVICUS, NCVO, and AGNA partners focused on enabling legal environments, civil society/government relations, and advocacy strategies. Day 1 includes sessions on legal environments led by David Robinson and government/civil society relations led by Ivan Cooper and Ratna Manjari. Participants will discuss challenges and develop best practices. The exchange aims to share expertise, case studies, and create resources to support enabling environments for civil society organizations.

1. CIVICUS: World Alliance for
Citizen Participation
and
National Council for Voluntary
Organisations (NCVO)
welcomes AGNA partners to the
London peer-learning exchange
2-3 July 2012
www.civicus.org

2. AGNA Peer-Learning Exchange focus on:
•An Enabling Legal Environment for Civil
Society
•Civil society/ Government Relations
•Advocacy strategies
www.civicus.org

3. AGNA PEER-LEARNING EXCHANGE
Day 1: Legal Environment and Government Relations
Time Activity Person leading
09: 30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:30 Welcome and introductions Ben Kernighan and Oli Henman: NCVO.
Objectives and outcomes for AGNA peer-learning Megan MacGarry and Andrew Firmin:
exchange CIVICUS.
10: 30 – 11:00 Session 1: Legal Environment David Robinson: ANGOA
Report from Survey responses
11: 00 – 11:30 Status on laws which either enable or prevent civil David Robinson: ANGOA
society input on policy
- Discussion
11:30 – 12:00 Lessons from the United Kingdom on Charity Law and Karl Wilding: NCVO
enabling legislation
12:00 – 13:00 Lessons and examples from Japan Yoshi Shiraishi: JAPA
What can be done to make legislation generally David Robinson: ANGOA
enabling?
- Discussion
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
www.civicus.org

4. 14:00 – 15:00 Session 2: Government/ Civil Society Ivan Cooper: The Wheel
relations
Ratna Manjari: VANI
State of relations between
governments and civil society in
AGNA member countries and
examples from Ireland and India.
Discussion: What works and what are
the challenges?
15:00 – 16:30 Developing a Good Practice Guide on Oli Henman: NCVO
government civil society relations and
an enabling environment for AGNA Ivan Cooper: The Wheel
members
- Workshop and discussion
16:35 – 17:00 Wrap-up of discussions and action Megan MacGarry and Oli
plans Henman
17:00 - 18:30 Return to hotel Ben Kernighan
19:00 - 21:00 Dinner with host NCVO
www.civicus.org

5. Objectives
• Learn from each others expertise
• Share case studies and examples from our
different contexts
• Create list of best practices and lessons learnt
• Focus on way forward and creation of toolkits
or resources for all members
• Outcome report for all AGNA post event
www.civicus.org

6. Session leaders
• Session 1: Legal environment: David
Robinson, AGOA
• Session 2: Government/ civil Society
relations: Ivan Cooper, The Wheel
• Session 3: advocacy strategies: Tim Delaney,
National Council of Non-Profits
www.civicus.org