The Dutch NGO Both Ends is involved in two Strategic Partnerships for Dialogue & Dissent funded by the Netherlands government. One of them, the Fair Green & Global (FGG) Alliance, support capacity building of civil society organisations (CSOs) to effectively voice their views and hold policymakers and companies to account. The role of dissent is seen to contribute towards equality, equity and justice. The lessons learned by the FGG Alliance to address the concerns of Indonesian CSOs regarding land reclamations in Jakarta Bay Masterplan will be taken up to support CSO involvement in the Manila Bay Sustainable Development Masterplan in the Philippines. The challenges and opportunities for CSO involvement in Dutch-funded interventions in developing countries are briefly outlined. Presentation by Giacomo Galli at the WASH Debate “Dialogue and dissent: Looking at the role of civil society in achieving SDG 6 by 2030”, in The Hague, the Netherlands on 26 June 2019.

1. www.bothends.org
The end of the
poldermodel?
The role of dissent in Dutch
international water policy
Giacomo Galli g.galli@bothends.org

2. Strategic Partnerships for Dialogue & Dissent
Fair Green & Global (FGG)
Alliance
• Strengthening civil society
organisations (CSOs) to
effectively voice their
views and hold
policymakers and
companies to account.
• Working towards
sustainable, inclusive and
community driven
initiatives.
• >1000 CSOs supported
Global Alliance for Green and
Gender Action (GAGGA)
• Focus on grassroots groups
and movements; women
claim their rights to clean
water, food and a clean,
healthy and safe
environment.
• In 2018: 14 women´s funds,
6 environmental justice
funds, 43 NGOs and 364
grassroots groups; 30+
countries.

3. The role of dissent
Providing equal opportunities 
Addressing root causes 
Dismantling power structures

4. Example: Jakarta Bay Masterplan
(NCICD)
• Indonesian CSO’s against
land reclamations; Dutch
masterplan foresaw many
more reclamations
• Local CSO’s excluded from
decision-making
• FGG partners with local
CSO’s to address concerns
to Dutch government
• New design is now
on the table; process
still closed off for CSO’s

5. Example: Manila Bay (1)
Manila Bay Sustainable Development Masterplan
• 30 month project, now halfway
• Local consulting firm and Dutch expert team with NGO’s
• Both ENDS, IUCN and partners in outsider role, early
involvement.
• Clear intention on taking up lessons learnt from Jakarta
Bay
• Large number of meetings, focus group discussions
• Opening up process
• More than adding some elements, it is about asking
different questions & looking from a different lens
“Do not add women and stir”

6. Example: Manila Bay (2)
• Consultation falls short
• Communities cannot
participate on par
• Hostile environment
• What’s on the agenda? Who
defines?
• Reclamations and
displacement campaigns
ongoing, possibly incited by
masterplanning
• Are these worries taken into
account?
• Who gets to speak? Who
else?
• Rights-holders vs
stakeholders; Who benefits,

7. The end of the poldermodel?
Challenges
• CSO’s will step out of dialogue if outcome seems pre-
defined
• Design processes are too determined by ‘experts’
• Economic diplomacy leads to politically desired outcomes,
not challenging the status quo
Opportunities
• More coordination of NL-funded interventions while
pushing for process innovation
• Consider CSO-led ‘people’s plans’ as a viable alternative

8. www.bothends.org
Take-aways
• Water interventions take place in a contested,
social+political reality and become part of this reality
• Dissent crucial part of democracy, this also applies to
water projects
• MFA’s ‘organize your own dissent’ is commendable, more
work needed to integrate dissent in conventional water
management
Contact: g.galli@bothends.org