The International Conference on Civil Society Space discussed strategies to defend and expand shrinking civil society space. Civil society faces increasing pressure globally from states and non-state actors. Restrictions undermine development goals. Participants discussed how to promote enabling environments through multi-stakeholder partnerships and inclusive dialogue. Recommendations included strengthening CSO effectiveness, shifting support to the local level, and improving spaces for civil society participation in policymaking.
Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development (CSCSD) formerly known as Campaign2015+ International is a coalition of over 200 registered civil society and nongovernmental organizations committed to citizens’ empowerment, human rights protection, development and peace in Nigeria.
For decades, global development discussions predominantly revolved around the volume of aid given and received. But the 2002 Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development broadened the focus of discussions to include the quality of the cooperation provided as a key determinant of progress. Both donors and recipients realized they needed to improve how aid was delivered to make it useful for beneficiaries. Oxfam has been actively involved in this debate, pushing for higher quality standards and aid that works for the people who need it most.1 In the years that followed, three High Level Fora on Aid Effectiveness were convened by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): in Rome (2003), in Paris (2005) and Accra (2008). Each forum marked a step forward. In Rome, donor and recipient countries were asked, for the first time, to focus their discussions exclusively on aid quality, with the result that they agreed to harmonize donor practices for improved performance.2 However, this approach left the essential contribution of recipient countries to aid effectiveness out of the equation and raised concerns that even harmonized approaches might undermine country ownership. The Paris forum acknowledged the need to include recipient governments in an ongoing dialogue on how to improve aid and shift the focus of the debate from effective donorship to effective partnership. Developing countries were invited to join the negotiating table on par with their cooperation providers.3 The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness4 committed signatories to respect and implement five basic principles: harmonization of donor policies and practices; alignment to national development strategies; mutual accountability; a focus on measuring and delivering results for people; and ownership of development cooperation. But, beyond making a list of good intentions, Paris also produced a clear scorecard to hold development partners accountable for what they were promising: a set of 12 indicators to measure progress in a number of crucial areas, such as the predictability of aid flows to developing country governments; the use of developing countries‟ financial and administrative systems; and the transfer of technical capacity to local staff. Each indicator included targets and a deadline to achieve them by 2010. Partners also agreed to monitor their own progress towards the governance commitments they made.
Methodology introduction. Overview and step-by-step introduction to theFutures Thinking methodology. Resources: trends and short- and long-term uncertainties. Trends and a list of drivers used to build the scenarios. Existing set of scenarios
Four scenarios build around two economic and political uncertainties. Tools to create new scenarios. Ready-to-use templates. Impact assessment tools. Tools to test the impact on the council for each of the scenarios. Recommendations and indicators. Recommended actions and signals that point to a specific scenario materialising.
This Compendium of Innovative Practices of Citizen Engagement by Supreme Audit Institutions for Public Accountability provides an overview of successful examples and innovations in the engagement of citizens by Supreme Audit Institutions(SAIs). It is indebted to the deliberations on Effective practices of cooperation between Supreme Audit Institutions and citizens to enhance public accountability of the 21st United Nations/International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (UN/INTOSAI) Symposium, held in 2011.
Popular Participation & Decentralization in AfricaJamaity
At the end of World War II, all but three African nations (Ethiopia, Liberia and South
Africa) were ruled by some European State. Then the independence movement began:
first in North Africa with Libya (1951), and over the next five years, Egypt, the Sudan.
Tunisia and Morocco. The Sub-Saharan States soon followed, beginning with Ghana
(1957) and, by 1990, 42 other countries. Being newly independent and largely poor,
the thinking was that if a country could come up with a national plan for generating
and investing a sufficient amount of funds in a manner consistent with macro stability,
then that country would have met the pre-conditions for development. It would
be a “State” (central government) — led process whereby “the flexibility to implement
policies by technocrats was accorded price-of-place and accountability through checks
and balances was regarded as an encumbrance” (World Bank, WDR, 1997). It was not
an unreasonable strategy: national governments populated by good advisers and with
external technical and financial assistance would put the country on the sure path to
growth and development
Fondation Anna Lindh - Creative entrepreneurship call for participantsJamaity
Appel à participation : La Fondation Anna Lindh organise un événement de réseautage "Entrepreneuriat Créatif, Citoyenneté Active: Opportunités pour la jeunesse de l’Euromed ". Lire la suite: http://bit.ly/1jwbm69
Innovative Citizen Participation and New Democratic Institutions: Catching th...OECD Governance
This highlights document covers the main findings and proposals from the Innovative Citizen Participation and New Democratic Institutions: Catching the Deliberative Wave report. Public authorities from all levels of government increasingly turn to Citizens' Assemblies, Juries, Panels and other representative deliberative processes to tackle complex policy problems ranging from climate change to infrastructure investment decisions. Based on the analysis of close to 300 representative deliberative practices, the report explores trends in such processes, identifies different models, and analyses the trade-offs among different design choices as well as the benefits and limits of public deliberation. It also explores the reasons and routes for embedding deliberative activities into public institutions to give citizens a more permanent and meaningful role in shaping the policies affecting their lives.
In the framework of the in-depth review of ECOSOCC ordered by the Executive Council of the African Union to make the organ effective and efficient, I have made this presentation to a group of experts to inform the process - Seychelles, 30 October 2017
12 September to 17 September 2011-Training Course on “Social Mobilization and Rural Development” Organised by AHK National Centre for Rural Development & MA, Islamabad
The Constitutional Transitions Clinic ‘back office’ has, from 2011 to 2014, prepared
a series of thematic, comparative research reports on issues in constitutional design
that have arisen in the Middle East and North Africa. Zaid Al-Ali, Senior Adviser on
Constitution Building at International IDEA, acted as an adviser on these reports and
oversaw International IDEA’s participation in the report-drafting process. The United
Nations Development Programme’s Regional Center provided both material and
substantive support in relation to the last three of the six reports.
The first three of these reports are jointly published by Constitutional Transitions and
International IDEA. The second three are jointly published by Constitutional Transitions,
International IDEA and the United Nations Development Programme. The reports are
intended to be used as an engagement tools in support of constitution-building activities
in the region. The full list of reports is:
• Constitutional Courts after the Arab Spring: Appointment Mechanisms and Relative
Judicial Independence (Spring 2014)
• Semi-Presidentialism as Power Sharing: Constitutional reform after the Arab Spring
(Spring 2014)
• Political Party Finance Regulation: Constitutional reform after the Arab Spring (Spring
2014)
• Anti-Corruption: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East and North Africa (Fall
2014)
• Decentralization in Unitary States: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East
and North Africa (Fall 2014)
• Oil and Natural Gas: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East and North
Africa (Fall 2014)
Remarks by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Secretary-General of The 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development
Day 2 Implementing the UNCCD : Involvement of civil society through a gende...elodieperrat
Workshop on Alignment & implementation of National Action programmes with the UNCCD 10-year Strategy in the Arab Region
League of Arab States (18- 20 June 2014), Dubai - UAE
Summary GPI side-event in Global South-South Development Expo 2018: Triangular Cooperation in the Era of the 2030 Agenda - contributions to the BAPA+40 Conference.
The Internet, social media, smartphones, and access to real-time information have not only made people’s daily lives easier, but have changed citizens’ expectations of how products and services are delivered. This shift affects not only the way citizens view and interact with businesses; it has also raised expectations in their interactions with government.
People are demanding transparency, accountability, access to information and competent service delivery from their governments. They also expect policies and services to be tailored to their needs and address their concern
Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development (CSCSD) formerly known as Campaign2015+ International is a coalition of over 200 registered civil society and nongovernmental organizations committed to citizens’ empowerment, human rights protection, development and peace in Nigeria.
For decades, global development discussions predominantly revolved around the volume of aid given and received. But the 2002 Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development broadened the focus of discussions to include the quality of the cooperation provided as a key determinant of progress. Both donors and recipients realized they needed to improve how aid was delivered to make it useful for beneficiaries. Oxfam has been actively involved in this debate, pushing for higher quality standards and aid that works for the people who need it most.1 In the years that followed, three High Level Fora on Aid Effectiveness were convened by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): in Rome (2003), in Paris (2005) and Accra (2008). Each forum marked a step forward. In Rome, donor and recipient countries were asked, for the first time, to focus their discussions exclusively on aid quality, with the result that they agreed to harmonize donor practices for improved performance.2 However, this approach left the essential contribution of recipient countries to aid effectiveness out of the equation and raised concerns that even harmonized approaches might undermine country ownership. The Paris forum acknowledged the need to include recipient governments in an ongoing dialogue on how to improve aid and shift the focus of the debate from effective donorship to effective partnership. Developing countries were invited to join the negotiating table on par with their cooperation providers.3 The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness4 committed signatories to respect and implement five basic principles: harmonization of donor policies and practices; alignment to national development strategies; mutual accountability; a focus on measuring and delivering results for people; and ownership of development cooperation. But, beyond making a list of good intentions, Paris also produced a clear scorecard to hold development partners accountable for what they were promising: a set of 12 indicators to measure progress in a number of crucial areas, such as the predictability of aid flows to developing country governments; the use of developing countries‟ financial and administrative systems; and the transfer of technical capacity to local staff. Each indicator included targets and a deadline to achieve them by 2010. Partners also agreed to monitor their own progress towards the governance commitments they made.
Methodology introduction. Overview and step-by-step introduction to theFutures Thinking methodology. Resources: trends and short- and long-term uncertainties. Trends and a list of drivers used to build the scenarios. Existing set of scenarios
Four scenarios build around two economic and political uncertainties. Tools to create new scenarios. Ready-to-use templates. Impact assessment tools. Tools to test the impact on the council for each of the scenarios. Recommendations and indicators. Recommended actions and signals that point to a specific scenario materialising.
This Compendium of Innovative Practices of Citizen Engagement by Supreme Audit Institutions for Public Accountability provides an overview of successful examples and innovations in the engagement of citizens by Supreme Audit Institutions(SAIs). It is indebted to the deliberations on Effective practices of cooperation between Supreme Audit Institutions and citizens to enhance public accountability of the 21st United Nations/International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (UN/INTOSAI) Symposium, held in 2011.
Popular Participation & Decentralization in AfricaJamaity
At the end of World War II, all but three African nations (Ethiopia, Liberia and South
Africa) were ruled by some European State. Then the independence movement began:
first in North Africa with Libya (1951), and over the next five years, Egypt, the Sudan.
Tunisia and Morocco. The Sub-Saharan States soon followed, beginning with Ghana
(1957) and, by 1990, 42 other countries. Being newly independent and largely poor,
the thinking was that if a country could come up with a national plan for generating
and investing a sufficient amount of funds in a manner consistent with macro stability,
then that country would have met the pre-conditions for development. It would
be a “State” (central government) — led process whereby “the flexibility to implement
policies by technocrats was accorded price-of-place and accountability through checks
and balances was regarded as an encumbrance” (World Bank, WDR, 1997). It was not
an unreasonable strategy: national governments populated by good advisers and with
external technical and financial assistance would put the country on the sure path to
growth and development
Fondation Anna Lindh - Creative entrepreneurship call for participantsJamaity
Appel à participation : La Fondation Anna Lindh organise un événement de réseautage "Entrepreneuriat Créatif, Citoyenneté Active: Opportunités pour la jeunesse de l’Euromed ". Lire la suite: http://bit.ly/1jwbm69
Innovative Citizen Participation and New Democratic Institutions: Catching th...OECD Governance
This highlights document covers the main findings and proposals from the Innovative Citizen Participation and New Democratic Institutions: Catching the Deliberative Wave report. Public authorities from all levels of government increasingly turn to Citizens' Assemblies, Juries, Panels and other representative deliberative processes to tackle complex policy problems ranging from climate change to infrastructure investment decisions. Based on the analysis of close to 300 representative deliberative practices, the report explores trends in such processes, identifies different models, and analyses the trade-offs among different design choices as well as the benefits and limits of public deliberation. It also explores the reasons and routes for embedding deliberative activities into public institutions to give citizens a more permanent and meaningful role in shaping the policies affecting their lives.
In the framework of the in-depth review of ECOSOCC ordered by the Executive Council of the African Union to make the organ effective and efficient, I have made this presentation to a group of experts to inform the process - Seychelles, 30 October 2017
12 September to 17 September 2011-Training Course on “Social Mobilization and Rural Development” Organised by AHK National Centre for Rural Development & MA, Islamabad
The Constitutional Transitions Clinic ‘back office’ has, from 2011 to 2014, prepared
a series of thematic, comparative research reports on issues in constitutional design
that have arisen in the Middle East and North Africa. Zaid Al-Ali, Senior Adviser on
Constitution Building at International IDEA, acted as an adviser on these reports and
oversaw International IDEA’s participation in the report-drafting process. The United
Nations Development Programme’s Regional Center provided both material and
substantive support in relation to the last three of the six reports.
The first three of these reports are jointly published by Constitutional Transitions and
International IDEA. The second three are jointly published by Constitutional Transitions,
International IDEA and the United Nations Development Programme. The reports are
intended to be used as an engagement tools in support of constitution-building activities
in the region. The full list of reports is:
• Constitutional Courts after the Arab Spring: Appointment Mechanisms and Relative
Judicial Independence (Spring 2014)
• Semi-Presidentialism as Power Sharing: Constitutional reform after the Arab Spring
(Spring 2014)
• Political Party Finance Regulation: Constitutional reform after the Arab Spring (Spring
2014)
• Anti-Corruption: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East and North Africa (Fall
2014)
• Decentralization in Unitary States: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East
and North Africa (Fall 2014)
• Oil and Natural Gas: Constitutional Frameworks for the Middle East and North
Africa (Fall 2014)
Remarks by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Secretary-General of The 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development
Day 2 Implementing the UNCCD : Involvement of civil society through a gende...elodieperrat
Workshop on Alignment & implementation of National Action programmes with the UNCCD 10-year Strategy in the Arab Region
League of Arab States (18- 20 June 2014), Dubai - UAE
Summary GPI side-event in Global South-South Development Expo 2018: Triangular Cooperation in the Era of the 2030 Agenda - contributions to the BAPA+40 Conference.
The Internet, social media, smartphones, and access to real-time information have not only made people’s daily lives easier, but have changed citizens’ expectations of how products and services are delivered. This shift affects not only the way citizens view and interact with businesses; it has also raised expectations in their interactions with government.
People are demanding transparency, accountability, access to information and competent service delivery from their governments. They also expect policies and services to be tailored to their needs and address their concern
Kepa, a Finnish NGO Platform for development CSOs, and the Embassy of Finland in Tanzania organized a joint seminar on the 23rd of March called ”Joint action for creating enabling environment for civil society in Tanzania”. The aim of the seminar was to bring together different actors, civil society organizations, donor partners and representatives of governmental institutions in Tanzania to discuss on how together take action for enabling environment for civil society in Tanzania. This presentation summarizes the main points of the seminar discussion as well as the proposed solutions for shrinking civic space we collected from participants during the day. Also some additional information and links are added after the actual seminar. The content is divided into four parts 1) what is civil society space and current trends, 2) how the space is shrinking i.e. current challenges and hindering factors, 3) solutions for tackling the challenges and ways forward.
Ensuring Citizen-led Accountability of the Sustainable Development Goals.Humentum
Community members stand to gain or lose the most from SDG's, but do they have the tools to be active participants in the process? Hear practical examples of how others have empowered citizens to raise their voices concerning SDGs and accountability. Walk away with insights, methods, and tools including exposure to an online tool sharing platform available to all.
This is a recap report on the seminar organized by JFRC on 18 April 2015 about the policies of tripartite partnership between the public sector, the civil society and private sector.
In the failure of the formal accountability channels, social accountability is slowly becoming an effective response to governance deficit. Understanding good governance is a prerequisite to understand social accountability. Social Accountability is an approach towards enforcing & building accountability that relies on civic engagement in which citizens participate directly or indirectly in demanding accountability from service providers and public officials.
Accountability is no longer between the state only and citizens. Non state, national and transnational actors are now, heavily involved in all stages of the production of public goods.
The influence of corporate interests in the provision of public goods and services, as well as the entry of several unregulated providers poses a big threat to accountability and inclusion.
The strategies below represent the practical ways in which CSOs have applied the notion of social accountability to the context and issues of concern to their members, constituents and beneficiaries.
Strategic Litigation
Participatory Budgeting
Mobilisation and Networking
Social Audit, Monitoring and Evaluation
Information Communication Technology
Participatory Planning and Decision-making
Consultations and Stakeholder Participation
Accountability Reporting/Investigative Journalism
Participatory Procurement and Financial Management
Social Accountability is a journey.
The work of social accountability is not a sprint but marathon.
1 - Stronger Local Partnerships-Tom Jones.pdfOECDregions
The 13th OECD Rural Development Conference was held in Cavan, Ireland on 28-30 September 2022 under the theme "Building Sustainable, Resilient and Thriving
Rural Places".
These are the presentations from the Conference parallel session "Building Stronger Local Partners: Bringing new stakeholders and partners to the table to amplify the rural voice in policies and strategies".
For more information visit https://www.oecd.org/rural/rural-development-conference/.
Similar to Conference highlights - OECD Civil Society Days 2019 (20)
OECD presentation on financing for sustainable development in the COVID-19 era and beyond. Filling the SDG financing gap and aligning resources in support of sustainable and inclusive development.
Reporting issues. Providers of development co-operation beyond the DAC (countries, multilateral organisations and philanthropic foundations).
WP-STAT formal meeting 1-2 July 2019.
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
Understanding the Challenges of Street ChildrenSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Russian anarchist and anti-war movement in the third year of full-scale warAntti Rautiainen
Anarchist group ANA Regensburg hosted my online-presentation on 16th of May 2024, in which I discussed tactics of anti-war activism in Russia, and reasons why the anti-war movement has not been able to make an impact to change the course of events yet. Cases of anarchists repressed for anti-war activities are presented, as well as strategies of support for political prisoners, and modest successes in supporting their struggles.
Thumbnail picture is by MediaZona, you may read their report on anti-war arson attacks in Russia here: https://en.zona.media/article/2022/10/13/burn-map
Links:
Autonomous Action
http://Avtonom.org
Anarchist Black Cross Moscow
http://Avtonom.org/abc
Solidarity Zone
https://t.me/solidarity_zone
Memorial
https://memopzk.org/, https://t.me/pzk_memorial
OVD-Info
https://en.ovdinfo.org/antiwar-ovd-info-guide
RosUznik
https://rosuznik.org/
Uznik Online
http://uznikonline.tilda.ws/
Russian Reader
https://therussianreader.com/
ABC Irkutsk
https://abc38.noblogs.org/
Send mail to prisoners from abroad:
http://Prisonmail.online
YouTube: https://youtu.be/c5nSOdU48O8
Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/libertarianlifecoach/episodes/Russian-anarchist-and-anti-war-movement-in-the-third-year-of-full-scale-war-e2k8ai4
Jennifer Schaus and Associates hosts a complimentary webinar series on The FAR in 2024. Join the webinars on Wednesdays and Fridays at noon, eastern.
Recordings are on YouTube and the company website.
https://www.youtube.com/@jenniferschaus/videos
This session provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (commonly known as the Uniform Guidance) outlined in the 2 CFR 200.
With a focus on the 2024 revisions issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), participants will gain insight into the key changes affecting federal grant recipients. The session will delve into critical regulatory updates, providing attendees with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate and comply with the evolving landscape of federal grant management.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the rationale behind the 2024 updates to the Uniform Guidance outlined in 2 CFR 200, and their implications for federal grant recipients.
- Identify the key changes and revisions introduced by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in the 2024 edition of 2 CFR 200.
- Gain proficiency in applying the updated regulations to ensure compliance with federal grant requirements and avoid potential audit findings.
- Develop strategies for effectively implementing the new guidelines within the grant management processes of their respective organizations, fostering efficiency and accountability in federal grant administration.
Canadian Immigration Tracker March 2024 - Key SlidesAndrew Griffith
Highlights
Permanent Residents decrease along with percentage of TR2PR decline to 52 percent of all Permanent Residents.
March asylum claim data not issued as of May 27 (unusually late). Irregular arrivals remain very small.
Study permit applications experiencing sharp decrease as a result of announced caps over 50 percent compared to February.
Citizenship numbers remain stable.
Slide 3 has the overall numbers and change.
What is the point of small housing associations.pptxPaul Smith
Given the small scale of housing associations and their relative high cost per home what is the point of them and how do we justify their continued existance
Presentation by Jared Jageler, David Adler, Noelia Duchovny, and Evan Herrnstadt, analysts in CBO’s Microeconomic Studies and Health Analysis Divisions, at the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Summer Conference.
Many ways to support street children.pptxSERUDS INDIA
By raising awareness, providing support, advocating for change, and offering assistance to children in need, individuals can play a crucial role in improving the lives of street children and helping them realize their full potential
Donate Us
https://serudsindia.org/how-individuals-can-support-street-children-in-india/
#donatefororphan, #donateforhomelesschildren, #childeducation, #ngochildeducation, #donateforeducation, #donationforchildeducation, #sponsorforpoorchild, #sponsororphanage #sponsororphanchild, #donation, #education, #charity, #educationforchild, #seruds, #kurnool, #joyhome
Up the Ratios Bylaws - a Comprehensive Process of Our Organizationuptheratios
Up the Ratios is a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the gap in STEM education for underprivileged students by providing free, high-quality learning opportunities in robotics and other STEM fields. Our mission is to empower the next generation of innovators, thinkers, and problem-solvers by offering a range of educational programs that foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.
At Up the Ratios, we believe that every student, regardless of their socio-economic background, should have access to the tools and knowledge needed to succeed in today's technology-driven world. To achieve this, we host a variety of free classes, workshops, summer camps, and live lectures tailored to students from underserved communities. Our programs are designed to be engaging and hands-on, allowing students to explore the exciting world of robotics and STEM through practical, real-world applications.
Our free classes cover fundamental concepts in robotics, coding, and engineering, providing students with a strong foundation in these critical areas. Through our interactive workshops, students can dive deeper into specific topics, working on projects that challenge them to apply what they've learned and think creatively. Our summer camps offer an immersive experience where students can collaborate on larger projects, develop their teamwork skills, and gain confidence in their abilities.
In addition to our local programs, Up the Ratios is committed to making a global impact. We take donations of new and gently used robotics parts, which we then distribute to students and educational institutions in other countries. These donations help ensure that young learners worldwide have the resources they need to explore and excel in STEM fields. By supporting education in this way, we aim to nurture a global community of future leaders and innovators.
Our live lectures feature guest speakers from various STEM disciplines, including engineers, scientists, and industry professionals who share their knowledge and experiences with our students. These lectures provide valuable insights into potential career paths and inspire students to pursue their passions in STEM.
Up the Ratios relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers to continue our work. Contributions of time, expertise, and financial support are crucial to sustaining our programs and expanding our reach. Whether you're an individual passionate about education, a professional in the STEM field, or a company looking to give back to the community, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference.
We are proud of the positive impact we've had on the lives of countless students, many of whom have gone on to pursue higher education and careers in STEM. By providing these young minds with the tools and opportunities they need to succeed, we are not only changing their futures but also contributing to the advancement of technology and innovation on a broader scale.
Up the Ratios Bylaws - a Comprehensive Process of Our Organization
Conference highlights - OECD Civil Society Days 2019
1. 1
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CIVIL SOCIETY SPACE
6 June 2019 - OECD Conference Centre, Paris
HIGHLIGHTS
The International Conference on Civil Society Space took place on 6 June 2019, on the occasion of the
first Civil Society Days1
(4-7 June 2019) organised jointly by the OECD DCD and the Task Team on CSO
Development Effectiveness and Enabling Environment (Task Team). Development co-operation
stakeholders, including members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), aid providers, partner
country governments, multilateral institutions, civil society organisations (CSOs) and academia came
together to tackle the challenges of shrinking civil society space. They discussed strategies to better
defend and expand that space, build trust and form multi-stakeholder partnerships for the
implementation of the 2030 Agenda, with a focus on SDGs 16 and 17. The discussions were informed by
the GPEDC’s 3rd
Monitoring Round of Results for Indicator 2 which assesses the enabling environment for
civil society to operate and contribute to development; the working paper on OECD’s Study: ‘How DAC
Members work with civil society’ which will form the basis of new DAC guidance for effective support to
and partnerships with civil society; and the Act Alliance / IDS / DFID synthesis report on the implications
of civic space for the SDGs.
The conference contributed to an effective, coordinated response to the trend of closing civil society
space, with interventions from the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly
and of Association, Clément Nayaletsossi Voule; the Irish Minister for European Affairs, Helen McEntee;
the Secretary-General of Amnesty International, Kumi Naidoo; and the Deputy Attorney General of
Ethiopia, Geleta Seyoum, - among others2
.
1 Other events included: a DAC-CSO Dialogue Meeting in which CSOs and DAC Delegates held policy discussions and exchanged updates on their respective agendas
and priorities in line with the DAC-CSO Dialogue Framework; a brownbag lunch on the role of CSOs in South-South and triangular co-operation; a half-day workshop
with the first DAC Community of Practice on civil society, which gathered feedback from experts on new DAC guidance for effective support to and partnerships with
civil society; the b-iannual meeting of the International Donor Group; and the bi-annual multi-stakeholder meeting of the Task Team.
2 Opening remarks were delivered by the OECD Deputy Chief of Staff, Juan Yermo and the Director of the Development Co-operation Directorate, Jorge Moreira da
Silva. Addresses were also given by: the Assistant Director-General and Director of Partnerships and Innovation of Sida, Alan AtKisson; the Coordinator of the Malian
Office of the Prime Minister, Modibo Mao Makalou; the Executive Director of PIANGO, Emele Duituturaga; the Chair of the OECD Development Assistance Committee,
Susanna Moorehead; the Co-Chairs of the Task Team; and representatives of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC), the World Bank,
the Institute of Development Studies, the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Funders Initiative for Civil Society.
2. 2
Taking stock of the challenges facing civil society
● In recent years, civil society actors have come under increasing pressure in many parts of the world,
both in developed and developing countries. Freedom House documents more than a decade of net
declines in political rights and civil liberties in countries worldwide34
- including freedoms of peaceful
assembly and of association. Human rights and advocacy organisations – including women’s
organisations – are victims of this shrinking space.
● From around the globe, there are testimonies of the shutting down of civic space, the closing of
debate and dialogue, and the adoption of restrictive legislation5
regulating CSOs, including with
respect to their funding, registration, taxation, and burdensome procedures. Restrictive legislation
and repressive practices have led to stigmatisation, harassment, and even criminalisation of civil
society actors.
● The measures taken by States to counter terrorism, violent extremism and money laundering have, in
many places, limited the ability of civil society actors to carry out their work.
● Restrictions to civil society space undermine the achievement of Agenda 2030, are incompatible
with the goal of leaving no one behind, and endanger development commitments to inclusion,
equality and sustainability.
Major outcomes of the discussion
● Civil society space is under pressure from several angles. Civil society faces attacks not just from
state but also non-state actors including corporations, religious actors, populist movements, and
organised crime. Closing space goes beyond restrictions on freedom of association and assembly – it
includes for example restrictions on digital freedoms ranging from surveillance and on-line
harassment to shutdowns.
● Space is both shrinking and changing: over the last few years we have seen the growth of
conservative civic movements and more fluid, informal, and decentralised citizen mobilisation and
popular organisation, including large-scale protest movements often times led by youth; as well as
new types of digital activism.
● New forms and new actors raise questions about how to promote an enabling environment across
all civic freedoms, and what are the mechanisms for challenging the actions of non-state actors.
● Too often, the shrinking of civil society space is followed by pointing finger at partner country
governments for adopting restrictive legal and regulatory frameworks. However, the responsibility is
shared across many actors, including development co-operation providers,
international/intergovernmental organisations, local governments, the private sector, and CSOs. Also
civil society actors play a role, with demands for accountability an ongoing challenge for their own
effectiveness, and power imbalances restricting space for important civil society actors, including new
civic movements. INGOs are contributing to shrinking space by using local civil society to advance
their own agendas and competing for funding and voice. Through their own practices - the way they
provide financial support in particular – donors/aid providers contribute to disenabling environments
for civil society. By using CSOs as implementing agencies, partnerships with CSOs become
3 Freedom House, 2017. Freedom in the World 2017
4 Regular updates available through CIVICUS Civil Society Monitor. See also CIVICUS, 2015. State of Civil Society Report 2015 and CIVICUS,
2016. CIVICUS Annual Report 2016.
5 Since 2013, 181 new civil society regulations have been proposed or enacted (ICNL), 67% of which were restrictive, negatively affecting CSO’s
ability to register, operate, advocate, and receive funding.
3. 3
transactional rather than transformative; funding priorities and mechanisms are perceived as driven
by donors’ own programming interests, thus having a negative impact on civil society’s
independence, legitimacy and effectiveness.
● The close relationship between enabling civil society space, the realisation of human rights, and
fostering an environment conducive to development is essential and of great importance.
● An enabling environment for civil society that fosters inclusive dialogue and partnerships at the
global, regional and national levels - is an essential element to achieve the SDGs, in particular SDGs
16 and 17. Interaction, engagement and ways to identify opportunities for greater collaboration are
needed more than ever.
● Space for civil society engagement in policy dialogue has become more inclusive in global fora.
However it remains relatively limited at the national level. At both global and national levels – while
civil society voice and representation are increasingly accepted, participation takes place on a rather
ad hoc and superficial basis rather than in a systematic and meaningful way. Consultations are taking
place on national policies and donor aid policies, but CSO inputs are not consistently used to inform
policy-making nor are there clear feedback mechanisms6
. In addition, decision-making processes are
still exclusively government and donor-driven.
Creating enabling environments for CSOs: examples of good practice
Donor country governments
● The Citizens’ Assembly in Ireland which consisted of 100 citizens who considered and submitted
reports on a number of key national issues to the Parliament; and the Citizens’ Dialogues on the
Future of Europe which allowed individuals and organisations of all backgrounds in Ireland to make
their voices heard on the future direction of the European Union.
● Ireland’s new policy for international development - A Better World - which includes a reiteration of
Ireland’s firm commitment to support and protect civil society space.
● The guiding principles for Sida’s engagement with and support to CSOs which promotes core
support, long-term collaboration/agreements; and simplified reporting requirements.
Partner country governments
● The new law governing CSOs in Ethiopia which ushers in a new era marked by a more open
operating environment for civil society. The new law repeals and revises a series of past repressive
laws which restricted and controlled the activities/areas of engagement, forms of
coalitions/partnerships, and funding of CSOs. The Government took a bottom-up approach,
consulting and engaging civil society during the drafting of the law.
● Inclusive consultative processes led by the Government of Mali and its efforts to engage, through
dialogue and cooperation - civil society in the development and implementation of policies such as
the new development plan for 2019-2023.
● The role played by the Ugandan NGO National Bureau in terms of structuring the engagement of
CSOs and acting as an interlocutor for strengthened cooperation between CSOs, donors and
government at the country level.
6 GPEDC 3rd Monitoring Round of Results for Indicator 2
4. 4
International / intergovernmental bodies
● The OECD DCD/DAC approach to development cooperation and the recent DAC reform process
which integrate civil society in its work and assist members toward more effective cooperation with
CSOs. This is marked by the implementation of the DAC-CSO Dialogue Framework since July 2018;
increasing engagement with civil society in DCD work streams; peer learning among DAC members in
a new Community of Practice on Civil Society; and changes that are being undertaken to improve
donor practices and policies including through the development of new policy guidance.
● The World Bank’s Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA) programme - a multi-
stakeholder collaboration framework that supports civil society, governments, and the private sector
to work together to solve governance challenges. It connects civil society projects to state-led sector
reforms expanding opportunities for CSOs to co-create locally identified solutions to pressing
governance problems with the public sector.
● The UN-HRC 2018 resolution on Civil Society Space: engagement with international and regional
organisations, championed by a cross-regional alliance led by Ireland, Chile, Japan, Sierra Leone and
Tunisia.
International / donor country-based CSOs
● Amnesty International’s efforts to shift power to the local level by building a more inclusive human
rights movement in partnership and alliance with local CSOs on the ground, as is the case in Ethiopia,
rather than trying to establish offices in all partner countries.
CSOs in partner countries
● In Jemna (Tunisia), community leaders put in place a transparent and accountable civil organisation
– the local board of trustees - to run a 180-hectare state-owned date palm plantation (oasis). The
board of trustees contributed to local development by returning profits from date auctions back to
the community and reinvesting these on needs identified by the community (i.e.: buying an
ambulance, renovating the school and rebuilding a covered market).
Multi-stakeholder dialogue and collaboration
● The Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation (GPEDC) and the Task Team (which
celebrated it’s 10-year anniversary) are examples of multi-stakeholder partnerships and efforts that
promote CSO development effectiveness and enabling environment.
Recommendations
All actors
● Re-think the support to CSOs and civil society at large, both individually and together in multi-
stakeholder approaches.
● Understand how new actors and spaces (national populist parties, protest movements, digital
platforms) are impacting on development; take stock of and review policies and practices of support
to and engagement with civil society.
5. 5
● Make space more available for multi-stakeholder dialogue with CSOs, particularly at the
local/country level as a key element of civic space - to benefit from civil society’s insight and
experience and allow CSOs to contribute to defining and monitoring policies.
● Increase the effectiveness of consultations by making them more institutionalised, regular,
predictable and transparent.
● Strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships for the SDGs with CSOs, including at the country level.
● Join forces and build coalitions across civil society, donors, governments and media. However, keep
in mind that not every engagement is an opportunity. Consider partnerships on a case-by-case basis;
identify the most progressive elements/actors in the most progressive countries.
● Refrain from distinguishing civil society from local community to avoid stigmatising local
community. Civil society is embedded in local community.
● Implement the Belgrade Call to Action: Positive Measures for Enabling Civic Space towards
Maximising Civil Society Contributions to the SDGs.
● (Governments and donors in particular) - Institutionalise CSO participation in their own processes
and provide the means for systematic consultations and meaningful engagement at global and
national levels (i.e.: translating documents into local language so they can be consulted by local
CSOs).
● Address both the symptoms and root causes of closing civic space which is part of a broader
backsliding of democracy, rule of law and human rights.
● Strengthen policy coherence and coordination – between sectors, between development actors,
and between the global and local/country levels. The last point implies aligning global commitments
with / translating global commitments into action at the local level (for example, some governments
who are parties to global commitments are the same governments who adopt restrictive legislation).
International mechanisms and advocacy have proven very useful for spreading awareness, building
norms, and placing pressure on governments. It is effective when complemented by strong action at
the national level that is locally-led.
● Change the rhetoric around youth: young people are not waiting to become the leaders of
tomorrow. They are claiming their right to action today. They play an important role in spurring mass
mobilisations of other segments of society to engage – including prior generations.
Partner country governments
● Ensure that their legal and regulatory frameworks facilitate people’s ability to organise and operate
CSOs, in theory and in practice.
● Improve how they dialogue with CSOs on national policies.
● Play a role in encouraging other partner governments to strengthen the enabling environment in
their respective countries.
Donor governments
● Provide effective development cooperation for CSOs that allows CSOs to be effective and responsive
to local priorities (local ownership of CSO programming is essential for development results).
6. 6
Examples include: increasing core support to CSOs as independent development actors in their own
right; supporting civil society partners’ efforts to strengthen their own effectiveness, including their
transparency and accountability.
● Strengthen civil society as a sector by fostering a strong, vital, pluralistic and democratic civil society,
for example: by supporting change agents within partner governments who want to promote an
enabling environment.
● Lead by example by strengthening policy coherence between foreign policies on civil society and
the promotion and protection of civil society space domestically. One example relates to the need
to improve space for dialogue with CSOs, including on development policies.
● Shift the focus to the local level / localise support: The most effective efforts to counter and block
restrictions to the environment for CSOs have been led by local civil society - often working in
coalition. The most effective way to strengthen civil society is through local support in order to build
a diverse and resilient civil society at country-level that serves marginalised communities. This
requires: shifting more resources toward initiatives that are locally anchored and nourish civil society
at ground level; core support and/or other mechanisms for channelling resources quickly and flexibly
to national and local actors; capacity building and stronger collaboration amongst civil society and all
development actors.
CSOs
● Distinguish access to power versus influence over power; avoid mistaking the opportunity to
dialogue with power as access to power. Rebalance CSOs’ gaze: not only look at those with power,
and if they are going to deliver on their commitments, but also turn the gaze to those who are
powerless and whose voices need to be brought into forums.
● Strengthen CSO effectiveness including the power balance in CSO partnerships, CSO transparency
and multiple accountabilities in line with the Istanbul Principles. CSO accountability is also an
essential leverage to counter the trend of restrictions on civil society space at country level.
● Formal INGOs and organised civil society need to address new civic activism; they need to reflect on
whether their structures are still fit for purpose and consider ways to decentralise power to
strengthen new civic actors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact the OECD DCD/FOR Unit (karin.fallman@oecd.org; marilyn.cham@oecd.org) or
the Task Team Secretariat (devoogd@iss.nl).