The document summarizes events in Kenya in November 2013 when proposed amendments to the Public Benefits Organizations Act were brought before the National Assembly. The amendments would have significantly restricted civic space and foreign funding for NGOs. Through research, representation, media engagement and public protests, a CSO Reference Group was able to defeat the bill. Key strategies included impact assessments showing the development harm, meetings with MPs, an online petition, and social media campaigns. Narrowly, 83 MPs voted against the bill compared to 73 who voted for it, preserving the independence of Kenya's civil society sector. The conclusion warns that constitutionalism must underpin such progressive laws to prevent future threats to civic freedoms.
A Review of FDRE Civil Society Proclamation No.621/2009Markos Mulat G
This document provides an overview of the Civil Societies Proclamation No. 621/2009 in Ethiopia. It discusses the history of civil society organizations in Ethiopia, the rationale for developing the new law, the law development process, the objectives of the law, key components of the law including different designations for civil society organizations, and implementation strategies. It also notes some of the criticisms of the law from civil society actors who argue it places too many restrictions on their work.
This document summarizes a speech given by Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela at the University of Stellenbosch regarding national development planning in South Africa. Some of the key points made in the speech include:
1) South Africa is implementing its first integrated National Development Plan and is approaching important milestones like the 20th anniversary of democracy and reporting on progress towards UN Millennium Development Goals.
2) For development plans to succeed, there needs to be good governance as defined in the South African Constitution, including democratic principles, the rule of law, transparency and accountability.
3) Lessons from the Public Protector's work indicate governance failures like inadequate public consultation, poor planning and
Role & contributions of ethiopian cs os in legal aid (english)Ghetnet Metiku
This document discusses the role of Ethiopian civil society organizations in providing legal aid services. It outlines how CSOs have historically engaged in legal aid through programs providing legal advice, counseling, representation and education. Major CSOs have assisted thousands of people annually. However, the 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation has impacted CSOs' ability to provide legal aid by restricting foreign funding and certain legal activities. This has led to reduced coverage and CSO disengagement from legal aid. Potential options are considered to enhance CSO involvement within the current framework, such as clarifying the definition of legal aid and costs.
1.IMPACT OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
2.SERVICE DELIVERY
3.PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
4.PRIVATE SERVICE DELIVERY
5.WHY WE NEED PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
6.SOME OF KEY PUBLIC SERVICE
7.DIGITAL SERVICE 'E'
8.POSITIVE IMPACT
9.NEGATIVE IMPACT/ CHALLENGES THAT IMPEDE THESE REFORMS INCLUDE
10.AFFECTING GOVERNMENT REFORMS
RTI
11.CITIZENS CHARTER
12.E-GOVERNANCE
13.THANK YOU
This research paper is on a study of how Zimbabwe can produce a democratic people-driven constitution as a permanent solution to the country's problems of poor governance, violent political conflicts, economic collapse, social disintegration, and international isolation. The purpose of the study was to explore a people-driven democratic constitution-making process that Zimbabweans want. Two groups of research units comprised of 1 120 individuals and 67 institutions were used. The inquiry discovered contextual meaning of six phenomena associated with a people-driven democratic constitution-making process. The study recommends a constitution-making process model that Zimbabwe should adopt to produce a people-driven constitution democratically.
Decentralization and democratic local government in cross river state, nigeri...Alexander Decker
This study examines decentralization and local government in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study aims to determine if state government interference undermines local governments' ability to function effectively. 900 political party members from the state's three geopolitical zones were surveyed. Results showed that political actors perceive local governments in Cross River State are not development-focused due to state interference, contrary to Nigeria's constitution. The study uses institutional theory to analyze how state influence shapes local government administration in the state.
This document summarizes the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees various economic, social, and cultural rights. It discusses the Philippines' commitment to these rights in its constitution and laws promoting issues like non-discrimination, workers' rights, social security, education, health, housing, and more. It identifies gaps and formulates thematic objectives for the ICESCR chapter of the Philippines' Second Human Rights Plan, such as mainstreaming human rights approaches, reviewing relevant laws, improving healthcare access, ensuring workers' safety and benefits, increasing education budgets, and assisting poverty-stricken and conflict-affected areas.
The document discusses several UNDEF-funded projects that aim to promote democracy and empower marginalized groups:
1) A project in 5 Arab countries that will train 600 youth leaders to play a bigger role in civic and democratic life.
2) The first project in Libya to train freelance journalists in safety and strengthen independent journalism.
3) A project in Bolivia to provide legal identity papers and build capacity for indigenous and peasant communities to participate in democracy.
4) Other new projects mentioned include empowering youth in local governance in Malawi and building participatory governance in Cameroon.
5) An in-depth profile of a project in India that gives voice to rural communities through a mobile
A Review of FDRE Civil Society Proclamation No.621/2009Markos Mulat G
This document provides an overview of the Civil Societies Proclamation No. 621/2009 in Ethiopia. It discusses the history of civil society organizations in Ethiopia, the rationale for developing the new law, the law development process, the objectives of the law, key components of the law including different designations for civil society organizations, and implementation strategies. It also notes some of the criticisms of the law from civil society actors who argue it places too many restrictions on their work.
This document summarizes a speech given by Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela at the University of Stellenbosch regarding national development planning in South Africa. Some of the key points made in the speech include:
1) South Africa is implementing its first integrated National Development Plan and is approaching important milestones like the 20th anniversary of democracy and reporting on progress towards UN Millennium Development Goals.
2) For development plans to succeed, there needs to be good governance as defined in the South African Constitution, including democratic principles, the rule of law, transparency and accountability.
3) Lessons from the Public Protector's work indicate governance failures like inadequate public consultation, poor planning and
Role & contributions of ethiopian cs os in legal aid (english)Ghetnet Metiku
This document discusses the role of Ethiopian civil society organizations in providing legal aid services. It outlines how CSOs have historically engaged in legal aid through programs providing legal advice, counseling, representation and education. Major CSOs have assisted thousands of people annually. However, the 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation has impacted CSOs' ability to provide legal aid by restricting foreign funding and certain legal activities. This has led to reduced coverage and CSO disengagement from legal aid. Potential options are considered to enhance CSO involvement within the current framework, such as clarifying the definition of legal aid and costs.
1.IMPACT OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
2.SERVICE DELIVERY
3.PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
4.PRIVATE SERVICE DELIVERY
5.WHY WE NEED PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY
6.SOME OF KEY PUBLIC SERVICE
7.DIGITAL SERVICE 'E'
8.POSITIVE IMPACT
9.NEGATIVE IMPACT/ CHALLENGES THAT IMPEDE THESE REFORMS INCLUDE
10.AFFECTING GOVERNMENT REFORMS
RTI
11.CITIZENS CHARTER
12.E-GOVERNANCE
13.THANK YOU
This research paper is on a study of how Zimbabwe can produce a democratic people-driven constitution as a permanent solution to the country's problems of poor governance, violent political conflicts, economic collapse, social disintegration, and international isolation. The purpose of the study was to explore a people-driven democratic constitution-making process that Zimbabweans want. Two groups of research units comprised of 1 120 individuals and 67 institutions were used. The inquiry discovered contextual meaning of six phenomena associated with a people-driven democratic constitution-making process. The study recommends a constitution-making process model that Zimbabwe should adopt to produce a people-driven constitution democratically.
Decentralization and democratic local government in cross river state, nigeri...Alexander Decker
This study examines decentralization and local government in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study aims to determine if state government interference undermines local governments' ability to function effectively. 900 political party members from the state's three geopolitical zones were surveyed. Results showed that political actors perceive local governments in Cross River State are not development-focused due to state interference, contrary to Nigeria's constitution. The study uses institutional theory to analyze how state influence shapes local government administration in the state.
This document summarizes the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees various economic, social, and cultural rights. It discusses the Philippines' commitment to these rights in its constitution and laws promoting issues like non-discrimination, workers' rights, social security, education, health, housing, and more. It identifies gaps and formulates thematic objectives for the ICESCR chapter of the Philippines' Second Human Rights Plan, such as mainstreaming human rights approaches, reviewing relevant laws, improving healthcare access, ensuring workers' safety and benefits, increasing education budgets, and assisting poverty-stricken and conflict-affected areas.
The document discusses several UNDEF-funded projects that aim to promote democracy and empower marginalized groups:
1) A project in 5 Arab countries that will train 600 youth leaders to play a bigger role in civic and democratic life.
2) The first project in Libya to train freelance journalists in safety and strengthen independent journalism.
3) A project in Bolivia to provide legal identity papers and build capacity for indigenous and peasant communities to participate in democracy.
4) Other new projects mentioned include empowering youth in local governance in Malawi and building participatory governance in Cameroon.
5) An in-depth profile of a project in India that gives voice to rural communities through a mobile
This document discusses the concept of public service and the role of the BBC. It notes that a public service is a service provided by the government to its citizens, either directly through the public sector or by financing services. It then discusses how this relates to media and what citizens expect to receive. The document examines whether entertainment should be considered a right. It also outlines the BBC's role in delivering services, achieving social outcomes, and maintaining trust and legitimacy. Finally, it discusses wider issues like competition from commercial broadcasters and the need to consider the public interest regarding competition and potential benefits to consumers.
Zambia: Democracy and Political Participation Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes the politics of constitutional reform in Zambia. It discusses how Zambia has had four constitutions over 49 years of independence, with the process being highly contested. Previous reform attempts did not meaningfully involve the public. While recent presidents tried to make the process more inclusive, it still fell short of expectations due to opposition demands for more participation and government insistence on control. Constitutional changes have rarely altered power dynamics or reflected public aspirations.
1) The document discusses communication channels and barriers within the Nigerian public service. It outlines various written (e.g. memorandums, reports), oral (e.g. meetings, seminars), and non-verbal communication methods used.
2) Barriers to effective communication include psychological factors, physical distance, social distance, and semantic issues. Official barriers are also created by strict secrecy rules.
3) The document concludes with recommendations to abide by the Code of Conduct and relevant rules and regulations to maintain integrity and good public service.
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.
Ghetnet Metiku - The human rights implications of the transformation of the o...Ghetnet Metiku
This document discusses the transformation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU) and its implications for human rights in Africa. It provides background on the establishment and objectives of the OAU and AU. It then compares their approaches to human rights by examining their recognition of rights, normative frameworks, institutional arrangements, and impact. Key points include that the AU Constitution explicitly recognizes human rights, additional protocols have been adopted to strengthen protections, and the AU has the right to intervene in member states during human rights crises, unlike the non-interference policy of the OAU. However, fully assessing the impact remains difficult given the many contextual factors involved.
The document discusses issues with public services in Indonesia, including low quality, bureaucratic problems, and unclear systems. It notes criticisms that services are slow, expensive, closed, and discriminatory. Suggestions are made to improve transparency and consistency in public services through better information delivery between government units and the community.
Media regulation and_practice_in_ugandaAlex Taremwa
This document provides an introduction to media regulation in three chapters. Chapter 1 discusses different forms of media regulation including self-regulation, incentivized regulation, co-regulation, and statutory regulation. Chapter 2 examines media regulation in Uganda, focusing on statutory oversight bodies and the Independent Media Council of Uganda. Chapter 3 analyzes various Ugandan laws governing media and freedom of expression.
Multidisciplinary Journal Supported by TETFund. The journals would publish papers covering a wide range of subjects in journal science, management science, educational, agricultural, architectural, accounting and finance, business administration, entrepreneurship, business education, all journals
1. The document discusses the role and legal basis of local governments in the Philippines according to Republic Act 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991.
2. It outlines the major principles of decentralization like devolution, deconcentration, and debureaucratization. It also summarizes the basic services and regulatory powers transferred to local government units.
3. The Local Government Code aims to empower local units and enhance participation. It increases their financial resources and encourages entrepreneurship. However, implementation faces challenges like limited finances, personnel issues, and lack of expertise.
This document provides a historical overview of media development in Uganda from 1900 to 1986. It discusses the early missionary print publications in the 1900s-1950s that served religious purposes. The first radio station, Uganda Broadcasting Service, was established in 1954 to serve colonial interests. During this period, the media landscape was dominated by religious and government-owned publications and broadcasters. The document outlines increasing government control and restrictions on independent media during the post-independence years under Milton Obote and Idi Amin in the 1960s-1970s. Many private newspapers were banned or faced censorship and intimidation if critical of the government. By the late 1970s, independent print media growth of the 1950s-1960s had largely been reversed
ICLG 2010 (Mohajane & Diale Final Version)Abel Diale
This document discusses strategic considerations for low-cost housing delivery in South Africa, using the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as a case study. It provides background on the history of unequal racial housing policies in South Africa and the current legislative framework and national policies aimed at addressing the massive housing backlog. The study investigated challenges facing delivery of low-cost housing. It found that while over 1.5 million homes have been built since 1994, an additional 2-3 million are still needed. Developers have shied away from low-cost housing due to low profits and risks. The document concludes with recommendations for improving the delivery of low-cost housing.
Understanding the civil service rules & its componentsAquatix Pharma
This document discusses the civil service rules and public service rules in Nigeria. It begins by defining key terms like bureaucracy, civil service, and public service. It then explains the aims of the public service rules, which are to ensure good conduct, loyalty, honesty, and ethical principles among public servants. The document outlines some of the provisions of Nigeria's public service rules, including guidelines around appointment, transfer, leave, allowances, and compensation. It emphasizes that public servants must abide by these rules to efficiently deliver services to the people.
The document discusses the New Public Service movement, which asserts that the primary role of public servants is to help citizens articulate and meet their shared interests through democratic processes rather than attempting to control society. It outlines the theoretical roots of the NPS in democratic citizenship, community and civil society models, organizational humanism, and postmodernism. The document then describes seven principles of the NPS, including serving citizens rather than customers, seeking the public interest, valuing citizenship over entrepreneurship, thinking strategically while acting democratically, having a nuanced view of accountability, serving rather than steering society, and valuing people over just productivity.
Perceived citizens’ reaction over local governments’ financial mismanagement ...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study on citizens' reactions to financial mismanagement by local governments in Imo State, Nigeria. The study surveyed 1840 citizens across 13 local government areas to understand what actions citizens would take if local government funds were misappropriated. Citizens expressed they would take dangerous actions like killing leaders or not voting for them. The study recommends monitoring of local government finances to ensure funds are used for community development.
Importance of Local Government in Democracy and Good GovernanceBilal yousaf
This presentation has discuss the importance of local government in democracy and good governance. The brief introduction of Local Government, Democracy and Good Governance are included with special focus on the importance of Local government.
- The AU has designated 2016 as the African Year of Human Rights but decided to restrict CSO participation in AU Summits, continuing a trend of shrinking civic space across Africa.
- Since 2012, 29 of the 136 restrictive laws introduced worldwide have been in Sub-Saharan Africa, limiting the operations of CSOs through regulations on funding and activities.
- Many governments are using new laws and oversight to obstruct independent civil society voices rather than enhance accountability, threatening citizens' participation in development envisioned in Agenda 2063.
Bringing CUUSOO style user innovation to Hong Kongmaria jimenez
Nicholas Wang wants to bring the Japanese CUUSOO user innovation platform to Hong Kong to address problems designers face with lack of respect for intellectual property and design freedom. CUUSOO collects user wishes, licenses designs to manufacturers, and allows designers to keep rights and focus on designing. It has proven successful in Japan with products like the MUJI sofa and lamp. Wang plans to start small in Hong Kong by having a designer manufacture a tote bag, then expand by getting more designers and users involved to license more designs to manufacturers and establish the model. Risks include international legal issues, but the goal is to spread user innovation and return more control to creators.
The document discusses how to create an app. It explains that apps add functionality to cell phones and are used for activities like surfing the web, social networking, games, and more. The process of creating an app involves six phases - concept, design, development, distribution, promotion, and maintenance. Each phase is explained in detail, covering topics like deciding on the app idea and target users, designing features and screens, developing the app code, submitting the app to stores, promoting the app, and supporting users. Resources for each phase are also provided.
Saint Valentine's Day originated from a Christian martyr named Valentine who was killed on February 14th for defying the Roman Emperor Claudius II. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius designated February 14th as a day to honor Saint Valentine. It later became a day for exchanging love messages and gifts. In the 1800s, commercial Valentine's Day cards became popular in the United States. Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day of romance and love.
This document discusses the concept of public service and the role of the BBC. It notes that a public service is a service provided by the government to its citizens, either directly through the public sector or by financing services. It then discusses how this relates to media and what citizens expect to receive. The document examines whether entertainment should be considered a right. It also outlines the BBC's role in delivering services, achieving social outcomes, and maintaining trust and legitimacy. Finally, it discusses wider issues like competition from commercial broadcasters and the need to consider the public interest regarding competition and potential benefits to consumers.
Zambia: Democracy and Political Participation Dr Lendy Spires
This document summarizes the politics of constitutional reform in Zambia. It discusses how Zambia has had four constitutions over 49 years of independence, with the process being highly contested. Previous reform attempts did not meaningfully involve the public. While recent presidents tried to make the process more inclusive, it still fell short of expectations due to opposition demands for more participation and government insistence on control. Constitutional changes have rarely altered power dynamics or reflected public aspirations.
1) The document discusses communication channels and barriers within the Nigerian public service. It outlines various written (e.g. memorandums, reports), oral (e.g. meetings, seminars), and non-verbal communication methods used.
2) Barriers to effective communication include psychological factors, physical distance, social distance, and semantic issues. Official barriers are also created by strict secrecy rules.
3) The document concludes with recommendations to abide by the Code of Conduct and relevant rules and regulations to maintain integrity and good public service.
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.
Ghetnet Metiku - The human rights implications of the transformation of the o...Ghetnet Metiku
This document discusses the transformation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU) and its implications for human rights in Africa. It provides background on the establishment and objectives of the OAU and AU. It then compares their approaches to human rights by examining their recognition of rights, normative frameworks, institutional arrangements, and impact. Key points include that the AU Constitution explicitly recognizes human rights, additional protocols have been adopted to strengthen protections, and the AU has the right to intervene in member states during human rights crises, unlike the non-interference policy of the OAU. However, fully assessing the impact remains difficult given the many contextual factors involved.
The document discusses issues with public services in Indonesia, including low quality, bureaucratic problems, and unclear systems. It notes criticisms that services are slow, expensive, closed, and discriminatory. Suggestions are made to improve transparency and consistency in public services through better information delivery between government units and the community.
Media regulation and_practice_in_ugandaAlex Taremwa
This document provides an introduction to media regulation in three chapters. Chapter 1 discusses different forms of media regulation including self-regulation, incentivized regulation, co-regulation, and statutory regulation. Chapter 2 examines media regulation in Uganda, focusing on statutory oversight bodies and the Independent Media Council of Uganda. Chapter 3 analyzes various Ugandan laws governing media and freedom of expression.
Multidisciplinary Journal Supported by TETFund. The journals would publish papers covering a wide range of subjects in journal science, management science, educational, agricultural, architectural, accounting and finance, business administration, entrepreneurship, business education, all journals
1. The document discusses the role and legal basis of local governments in the Philippines according to Republic Act 7160, also known as the Local Government Code of 1991.
2. It outlines the major principles of decentralization like devolution, deconcentration, and debureaucratization. It also summarizes the basic services and regulatory powers transferred to local government units.
3. The Local Government Code aims to empower local units and enhance participation. It increases their financial resources and encourages entrepreneurship. However, implementation faces challenges like limited finances, personnel issues, and lack of expertise.
This document provides a historical overview of media development in Uganda from 1900 to 1986. It discusses the early missionary print publications in the 1900s-1950s that served religious purposes. The first radio station, Uganda Broadcasting Service, was established in 1954 to serve colonial interests. During this period, the media landscape was dominated by religious and government-owned publications and broadcasters. The document outlines increasing government control and restrictions on independent media during the post-independence years under Milton Obote and Idi Amin in the 1960s-1970s. Many private newspapers were banned or faced censorship and intimidation if critical of the government. By the late 1970s, independent print media growth of the 1950s-1960s had largely been reversed
ICLG 2010 (Mohajane & Diale Final Version)Abel Diale
This document discusses strategic considerations for low-cost housing delivery in South Africa, using the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as a case study. It provides background on the history of unequal racial housing policies in South Africa and the current legislative framework and national policies aimed at addressing the massive housing backlog. The study investigated challenges facing delivery of low-cost housing. It found that while over 1.5 million homes have been built since 1994, an additional 2-3 million are still needed. Developers have shied away from low-cost housing due to low profits and risks. The document concludes with recommendations for improving the delivery of low-cost housing.
Understanding the civil service rules & its componentsAquatix Pharma
This document discusses the civil service rules and public service rules in Nigeria. It begins by defining key terms like bureaucracy, civil service, and public service. It then explains the aims of the public service rules, which are to ensure good conduct, loyalty, honesty, and ethical principles among public servants. The document outlines some of the provisions of Nigeria's public service rules, including guidelines around appointment, transfer, leave, allowances, and compensation. It emphasizes that public servants must abide by these rules to efficiently deliver services to the people.
The document discusses the New Public Service movement, which asserts that the primary role of public servants is to help citizens articulate and meet their shared interests through democratic processes rather than attempting to control society. It outlines the theoretical roots of the NPS in democratic citizenship, community and civil society models, organizational humanism, and postmodernism. The document then describes seven principles of the NPS, including serving citizens rather than customers, seeking the public interest, valuing citizenship over entrepreneurship, thinking strategically while acting democratically, having a nuanced view of accountability, serving rather than steering society, and valuing people over just productivity.
Perceived citizens’ reaction over local governments’ financial mismanagement ...Alexander Decker
This document summarizes a study on citizens' reactions to financial mismanagement by local governments in Imo State, Nigeria. The study surveyed 1840 citizens across 13 local government areas to understand what actions citizens would take if local government funds were misappropriated. Citizens expressed they would take dangerous actions like killing leaders or not voting for them. The study recommends monitoring of local government finances to ensure funds are used for community development.
Importance of Local Government in Democracy and Good GovernanceBilal yousaf
This presentation has discuss the importance of local government in democracy and good governance. The brief introduction of Local Government, Democracy and Good Governance are included with special focus on the importance of Local government.
- The AU has designated 2016 as the African Year of Human Rights but decided to restrict CSO participation in AU Summits, continuing a trend of shrinking civic space across Africa.
- Since 2012, 29 of the 136 restrictive laws introduced worldwide have been in Sub-Saharan Africa, limiting the operations of CSOs through regulations on funding and activities.
- Many governments are using new laws and oversight to obstruct independent civil society voices rather than enhance accountability, threatening citizens' participation in development envisioned in Agenda 2063.
Bringing CUUSOO style user innovation to Hong Kongmaria jimenez
Nicholas Wang wants to bring the Japanese CUUSOO user innovation platform to Hong Kong to address problems designers face with lack of respect for intellectual property and design freedom. CUUSOO collects user wishes, licenses designs to manufacturers, and allows designers to keep rights and focus on designing. It has proven successful in Japan with products like the MUJI sofa and lamp. Wang plans to start small in Hong Kong by having a designer manufacture a tote bag, then expand by getting more designers and users involved to license more designs to manufacturers and establish the model. Risks include international legal issues, but the goal is to spread user innovation and return more control to creators.
The document discusses how to create an app. It explains that apps add functionality to cell phones and are used for activities like surfing the web, social networking, games, and more. The process of creating an app involves six phases - concept, design, development, distribution, promotion, and maintenance. Each phase is explained in detail, covering topics like deciding on the app idea and target users, designing features and screens, developing the app code, submitting the app to stores, promoting the app, and supporting users. Resources for each phase are also provided.
Saint Valentine's Day originated from a Christian martyr named Valentine who was killed on February 14th for defying the Roman Emperor Claudius II. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius designated February 14th as a day to honor Saint Valentine. It later became a day for exchanging love messages and gifts. In the 1800s, commercial Valentine's Day cards became popular in the United States. Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day of romance and love.
A partnership framework for coordinating resources in Kenya April 2014irunguh
This document discusses establishing partnerships between county governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kenya to better coordinate resources and services for citizens. It provides an overview of NGOs in Kenya, outlines what could enable or disable collaboration, and proposes partnership principles of shared ownership, transparent governance, active citizenship, and shared prosperity. The goal is to improve policy and practice, reach more people efficiently, ensure public priorities, and promote social cohesion.
The Anti Islam Dutch Film – Comment, Criticism And AdviceAbdullah Baspren
The document provides commentary and advice on an anti-Islam Dutch film. It discusses:
1) The film maligns Islam through misquotations, fabricated images, and out-of-context clips in an attempt to falsely link Islam to terrorism.
2) The film's attempts to insult Islam have backfired, increasing interest in learning about the true teachings of Islam.
3) Many non-Muslim groups and leaders have condemned the film for promoting hate and being factually incorrect in its portrayal of Islam.
Produzione orale e ascolto in internet: Podcasting e VideosharingGiulia Covezzi
Alcune informazioni e consigli su come utilizzare i podcast e i siti di videosharing nella lezione di lingua e su come realizzare un podcast con i propri studenti.
Formative assessment is a fluid process that occurs throughout learning to improve student understanding. It focuses on the learning process and is used to provide feedback and make adjustments to better support students. The primary purpose of formative assessment is to improve learning by making student understanding visible.
The document describes EdReady, an online math and English readiness program developed by the NROC and funded by the Gates Foundation. It was piloted in five states starting in 2013 and aimed to provide customized study plans for students based on various placement exam results. The program also provides real-time performance reports for instructors, schools, districts, and states. A full public and custom version was slated for release in winter 2014.
When starting a new job, employees should inquire about the company's 401(k) plan from human resources or knowledgeable managers to determine if they are eligible. If eligible, 401(k)s allow contributions of up to 15% of an employee's paycheck, with companies providing matching contributions. For those ineligible for a 401(k), alternatives include Roth IRAs, traditional IRAs, pensions, CDs or bonds. Roth IRAs offer tax-free growth of principal and fewer restrictions on withdrawals than other options.
The document discusses enterprise system implementation. It describes the implementation process and potential pitfalls like lack of management commitment and inadequate budgets. It also covers post-implementation phases and "second wave" implementations to further improve systems. Case studies are presented on implementation at a company and measuring impact through order productivity improvements.
Report - Hurricane Sandy’s Untold Filthy Legacy: Sewageclimate central
Explore the wheres, whats, and hows of the 11 billion gallons of sewage that overflowed into rivers and other waterways, largely as a result of record storm-surge flooding that swamped the region’s major sewage treatment facilities.
BICSI is holding their regional conference in Denver next month. The conference will cover the latest standards and practices for cabling infrastructure design and installation. Attendees can earn continuing education credits by attending educational sessions at the conference.
NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS REGULATORY BILL: A threat to Civil Society?CSR-in-Action
The proposed bill seeks to establish a federal regulatory commission to oversee non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria. If passed, the bill would require all NGOs to obtain licenses from this commission every two years in order to operate. Critics argue this would infringe on civil liberties and is reminiscent of authoritarian overreach, as existing laws already provide oversight of these groups. Supporters counter that more transparency is needed from some NGOs regarding their finances. Overall, the bill faces opposition from those who believe it threatens civil society in Nigeria.
Caveat - VOLUME 04/I, SEPTEMBER 2009 - LBH MasyarakatLBH Masyarakat
With the current House of Representatives nearing the end of its working term, and the deadline for passing certain crucial bills on the horizon, this edition focuses on the downfalls of the ongoing deliberation process and the key
concerns we have with some of the key legislation. The main report will examined the problems with rushing unfinished bills through parliament, including the impact of
ignoring public concerns surrounding the law making process. Three bills passed into Indonesian law this
month are given special attention in the main report. Despite widespread condemnation from many civil society
groups, the laws on Narcotics, Health and Films were swept into law with a resounding vote of support. In the Narcotics and Health bills in particular, religious and
moral values were drawn upon to justify some of the more controversial measures, sidelining human rights concerns and respect for democracy and the rule of law.
We hope this trend of rushing through controversial laws without adequate deliberation or consideration of public
concerns is not one that continues in the upcoming House. Indonesia’s core values of pluralism and democracy could be in jeopardy otherwise.
Two draft laws still being considered – the law on the Corruption Court and the State Secrecy Bill – are thankfully still being run through the legislative process. In this case,
the government has answered the public appeal for these crucial laws to face tougher questioning to iron out any kinks, a move we strongly agree with.
The additional feature looks at the legislation process again, this time closely examining the Draft Law on Legal Aid. As a legal aid institute, this bill – if passed – will
significantly impact on our operations and potentially threaten some of the initiatives we have launched nationwide. In particular, LBH Masyarakat has identified four aspects of this draft law that demand further investigation: the focus of the legislation itself, the definition of who or what is a legal aid provider and also a legal aid recipient, and the scope of legal aid overall. We are
still urging the House to address our concerns regarding these particular elements of this bill.
The final article is an opinion piece titled “Counterterrorism must not flout human rights”. In this article, Ricky Gunawan
reiterates LBH Masyarakat’s call to respect human rights even in the fight against terrorism, as discussed in last month’s CAVEAT. The piece examines the revelations of alleged CIA torture against terrorism detainees in the United States and places it in the context of Indonesia.
The document provides an overview of the history and roles of civil societies in Kenya. It discusses how civil societies first emerged in the 1920s to fight colonial oppression and advocate for citizens' rights. They played a key role in Kenya's independence movement and transition to multiparty democracy. Today, civil societies address a wide range of issues like fighting disease, advocating for disabled peoples' rights, and promoting peace. However, tensions sometimes arise between civil societies and the government, which sees some as anti-government. The document also profiles one social entrepreneur working to promote employment for youth with disabilities.
Silencing voices, closing space assessing the enabling environment for civil ...Dr Lendy Spires
- Many civil society organizations around the world have faced deteriorating conditions in recent years, with increasing restrictions on their operations through laws and regulations. This includes mandatory registration requirements, vague reasons for denying registration, and restrictions on foreign funding.
- A global partnership of civil society organizations has developed a framework to assess the enabling environment for CSOs, looking at constitutional protections of rights, laws and regulations, and the ability of CSOs to engage in policy and access information.
- Evidence shows that in many countries, governments have imposed onerous registration requirements, brought politically motivated legal actions against dissenting groups, and restricted the ability of CSOs to receive foreign funding for advocacy work. While problems exist even in democratic countries
Bond briefing-lobbying-bill-final 08 sept 2013arosebond
The document discusses a proposed bill called the Transparency of Lobbying, Non Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill. It summarizes concerns that have been raised about the bill, including that it was introduced with very little consultation and risks undermining democratic participation through excessive regulation of civil society groups. The document outlines specific concerns that the bill's restrictions could prevent charities and NGOs from campaigning on important issues in the year before elections and make it difficult for them to understand and comply with the complex rules. It calls for the bill to be put on hold to allow more consultation and input from affected groups.
This document summarizes a study on human rights in the context of deepening integration within the East African Community (EAC). The study found that while the EAC treaty outlines areas of collaboration, it does not specifically address human rights. Concerns around human rights violations were identified in EAC countries, including issues with media control, gender inequality, and treatment of opposition groups. The study recommends mainstreaming human rights within EAC structures by establishing an East African Human Rights Commission.
The Challenges of Implementing Freedom of Information Act by the Civil Societ...Triple A Research Journal
This document summarizes a study that investigated the challenges faced by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in implementing the Freedom of Information Act in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study found that CSOs encountered challenges related to procedures for obtaining information, delays in information release, and conflicts with the Official Secrets Act. Most information requests made by CSOs under the FOIA took longer than the 7 day timeframe stipulated by the law. The document recommends addressing the identified challenges through engagement with relevant legal authorities and amendments to the legislation.
The Challenges of Implementing Freedom of Information Act by the Civil Societ...Triple A Research Journal
The study was carried out to determine the challenges and difficulties
encountered by the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lagos State,
while utilising the FoIA to access information. The study was
predicated on two theories - Public Sphere, and Social Responsibility
theories. The objectives, among other things, were to investigate and
evaluate the duration odd time expended in accessing information
under the FoIA and the challenges and difficulties encountered, while
utilizing the FoIA. Interview schedule was used to elicit information
from the three CSOs – SERAP, CLO, MRA purposively selected.
Analysis revealed that the CSOs in Lagos state encountered
challenges and difficulties in the areas of procedure, release of
information, and the effect of the Official Secret Act 1962, amongst
others. The study also found out, that majority of the information
accessed under the FoIA by the CSOs in Lagos state were accessed
outside the seven (7) days’ timeframe stipulated by the FoIA in
Section 4. Based on the forgoing, it was recommended, amongst
others, that the difficulties and challenges identified by this study
should be, urgently, presented or tabled before the appropriate
quarters – Attorney general, who the law imbued with the supervisory
function over the implementation of the FoIA; and to the National
Assembly for amendment.
Keywords: Civil Society Organisations, Challenges, Freedom of
Information Act, Implementation
Bond briefing on lobbying bill summary final 09 sept 2013arosebond
The document discusses the Transparency of Lobbying, Non Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill introduced by the UK government. It summarizes concerns that the bill is flawed and could restrict civil society groups from campaigning on issues in the year before elections. The organization Bond is calling on the government to put the bill on hold and conduct wide consultations with interested parties to develop regulations that balance transparency while still allowing democratic participation.
Raymond Atuguba on why we must eat the Ghana ConstitutionAmos Anyimadu
This document provides an introduction and overview for an upcoming lecture by Raymond Atuguba titled "Ebi Constitution we go Chop: An Examination of Article 1(1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana". The introduction discusses the speaker's past experiences receiving both praise and criticism for previous public comments and lectures. It then outlines the goals and scope of a long-term project to thoroughly analyze each provision of Ghana's 1992 constitution through various lenses. The upcoming lecture will focus on analyzing Article 1(1) as part of this larger constitutional analysis project.
2013 uncrpd parallel report of the philippine coalitionAkkapp Pasig
What: (UNCRPD 2014) Persons With Disabilities Sensitivity Dialogue With Media Practitioners...
Where: Luxent Hotel (51 Timog Avenue, South Triangle 1103 Quezon City, Philippines)...
When: June 30, 2014 - Monday...
What Time: 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. ...
The document discusses arguments made by Cambodian government officials for needing an NGO law and examines whether these arguments are justified. It finds the claims around addressing crime, terrorism, and transparency concerns are not valid given existing Cambodian laws. The document determines the true motivation is political control of NGOs, as the law would restrict their lawful activities and criticism of the government through restrictive registration and potential criminalization.
Transparency and Accountability in Ggovernance in IndiaDr Lendy Spires
Civil society organisations (CSOs), consisting of non-state, non-political, citizen initiatives, often with a focus on the needs of specific groups among the poor (such as the Scheduled Castes), have been active in India for many years. One root for this activism can be traced to developments after the Emergency of 1974-75 when fundamental rights were suspended for a brief period. Civil society, in a spontaneous but un-coordinated reaction, stood up for the defence of fundamental rights against the Emergency and worked to overthrow the government that imposed the emergency in the elections that followed Introduction 1
A major issue that has engaged civil society attention is corruption. India ranks low on the Transparency International Index. Many believe that corruption is now deep rooted in Indian society and is the main obstacle to economic growth. There is talk of a ‘criminal-politician’ nexus; many elected representatives have been accused of serious crimes. Since then it has blossomed in many ways. 2 Over the last ten years, civil society organisations have demanded transparency—understood as timely access to reliable and relevant information—as a prerequisite to accountability in governance. Civil society has also begun to demand that its views be considered in the formulation of policies and programmes, in the implementation of programmes, and in social audit, especially of those programs meant for the poor.
Institutions to fight corruption—the Central Vigilance Commission, the Lok Ayuktas—have been set up. Civil society has made considerable gains in this area. For example, by taking recourse to the courts and winning its case, civil society has now made it mandatory for anyone standing for election to declare their assets and disclose if any criminal cases are pending against them. It is a big step forward, but there is still much to be done in the area of electoral reforms.
Transparency and Accountability in Governance in IndiaDr Lendy Spires
This document provides background information on the evolution of civil society organizations (CSOs) in India over the past few decades. It notes that CSOs have grown from confronting the government in the 1970s to now engaging more with government and demanding transparency and accountability. The document outlines several examples of CSOs working on issues like the right to information, budget analysis, and monitoring government programs. It also discusses how CSOs have increasingly worked together in networks and influenced policies at various levels of government.
The document discusses democracy in Hong Kong and the author's experiences studying there. Some key points:
1) The author interned at an organization promoting Hong Kong democracy and witnessed the Legislative Council and protests.
2) The functional constituency system, where only half members are elected, is undemocratic.
3) While economic growth has occurred, democracy has declined as Beijing delays universal suffrage until 2017.
4) Issues like human rights, women's rights, and education have improved but the political system remains stagnant.
American Research Journal of Humanities & Social Science (ARJHSS) is a double blind peer reviewed, open access journal published by (ARJHSS).
The main objective of ARJHSS is to provide an intellectual platform for the international scholars. ARJHSS aims to promote interdisciplinary studies in Humanities & Social Science and become the leading journal in Humanities & Social Science in the world.
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.
Parliamentary Supremacy Undermined? An Analysis of Parliamentary Debates in India on International Financial Institutions (1984-2009)
The Centre for Financial Accountability aims to strengthen and improve financial accountability within India by engaging in critical analysis, monitoring and critique of the role of financial institutions – national and international, and their impact on development, human rights and the environment, amongst other areas. For more information visit http://www.cenfa.org Get in touch with us at info@cenfa.org
We also publish Finance Matters, a weekly newsletter on the development finance. Archive can be accessed at http://www.cenfa.org/newsletter-archive/
To subscribe, email us at newsletter@cenfa.org
(R1) 245 words
Public opinion concerning policy issues.
During my reading this week public opinion seemed to live or die by volume in terms of its effectiveness. A large group that is united in it's opinion on a topic can push change, but a large group broken up into several smaller opinion groups can cause a slow down in policy setting by voicing different ideas, concerns, and options. Kingdon pointed out that public opinion is usually “rarely well enough formed to directly affect an involved debate among policy specialists over which alternative should be seriously considered” (Kingdon, 2003, p 66). I can see how public opinion can be both informative and confusing for public officials at the same time.
When considering situations where public opinion succeeded in swaying public policy and/ or sent a clear message- Ireland's vote to amend their constitution and approve same sex marriage came to mind. This historic moment occurred on May 23, 2015 and it is the first time a nation has legalized same sex marriage through a popular vote. Social media was used heavily by people on both sides leading up to the vote. I feel that this is a good example of the public voicing a desire for change, spreading their message to gain support, and following through in large numbers. In terms of influencing change with political leaders, Ireland's Minister for Health Leo Varadkar revealed that he was gay for the first time during the campaign.
This is a prime example of what public opinion can do when the people are able to agree on a policy change. The vote in Ireland was years, likely decades, in the making and there were political, activist, and public groups on both sides of the argument working to forward their agendas and ideas. I feel that public opinion was a huge factor in carrying the yes vote.
You can watch a news video about the vote here:
(R2) 245 words
After reading this discussion post I knew immediately what I wanted to center my discussion post about. Being that my area of concentration is going to be criminal justice, I can't help but bring up police reform. Police reform is a big topic in the U.S. right now. Understandably, many cities across the nation want more accountability for the police. I work for a police department and I can tell you, I support accountability for the use of deadly force in police departments. I also strongly support the prosecution of officers found to abuse their powers and position. So this brings me to the "8 Can't Wait" movement. This movement is a project by Campaign Zero that is trying to bring change to police departments by using their voice and the voice of citizens to demand change in the legislature and at the department level for restrictions on the use of deadly force. The 8 things this campaign asks for are to require de-escalation, require a duty to intervene, ban chokeholds and strangleholds, require warning before shooting, ban shooting at moving vehicles, and to exhaust alternatives bef.
Six years of the Kilimani Project Foundation, 2018irunguh
This October 2018, the Kilimani Project Foundation marked six years of place-based organising in Kilimani ward, Nairobi county, Kenya. More www.kilimani.co.ke Twitter @kilimanispeaks
Over 2016, residents, businesses and leaders seek to transform public spaces in Kilimani under the #KilimaniRising pilot project. Hosted by the Kilimani Project Foundation, you can follow more on Twitter: @kilimanispeaks FaceBook: KilimaniSpeak
Ihoughton Strengthening Accountability Against Multi Lateral Agreements V031011irunguh
The document discusses the expanding influence of African multilateral institutions like the African Union, and citizens' efforts to hold governments accountable to progressive human rights standards. It provides two case studies: 1) The State of the African Union Coalition, a coalition of 10 CSOs that publishes biannual reports on government compliance with AU policies and advocates for citizens' freedoms. This has led the AU to request expedited ratification of treaties. 2) A Malawi campaign lobbying MPs and monitoring dispensaries that increased health budget allocation from 8% to 21% of the total budget. The document argues citizens are increasingly claiming rights enshrined in AU instruments to influence governance.
Presentation To Pan African Coalitions V171111irunguh
The coalition aims to track and engage citizens, governments, and the African Union on key democratic and human rights standards. Through national compliance reports and a continental report, it seeks to inform and empower citizens, influence states to implement policies, and build inclusive platforms. The coalition proposes co-publishing future union reports and conducting a leadership project to assess candidates for AU commission positions and frame key issues. It outlines a possible timeline and 2010 research design involving common protocols, indicators, and validation processes across multiple countries.
The document reflects on a decade of advocacy coalitions from 2003-2012. It breaks down the work into three phases:
1) 2003-2005 focused on advocacy around Africa at G8 and WTO summits.
2) 2005-2009 expanded advocacy to and within Africa at UN and AU summits around issues like debt relief and increasing development finance.
3) 2010-2012 saw advocacy shift more to implementation of AU standards through multi-country programming and large grants.
Key lessons included the importance of digital media, co-constructing campaigns around partner priorities, building public awareness for policy change, and constructing multi-layered, multi-country campaigns to enable agency at all levels.
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
Food safety, prepare for the unexpected - So what can be done in order to be ready to address food safety, food Consumers, food producers and manufacturers, food transporters, food businesses, food retailers can ...
AHMR is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed online journal created to encourage and facilitate the study of all aspects (socio-economic, political, legislative and developmental) of Human Mobility in Africa. Through the publication of original research, policy discussions and evidence research papers AHMR provides a comprehensive forum devoted exclusively to the analysis of contemporaneous trends, migration patterns and some of the most important migration-related issues.
The Antyodaya Saral Haryana Portal is a pioneering initiative by the Government of Haryana aimed at providing citizens with seamless access to a wide range of government services
About Potato, The scientific name of the plant is Solanum tuberosum (L).Christina Parmionova
The potato is a starchy root vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum, a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United States to southern Chile
Synopsis (short abstract) In December 2023, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 30 May as the International Day of Potato.
UN WOD 2024 will take us on a journey of discovery through the ocean's vastness, tapping into the wisdom and expertise of global policy-makers, scientists, managers, thought leaders, and artists to awaken new depths of understanding, compassion, collaboration and commitment for the ocean and all it sustains. The program will expand our perspectives and appreciation for our blue planet, build new foundations for our relationship to the ocean, and ignite a wave of action toward necessary change.
Preliminary findings _OECD field visits to ten regions in the TSI EU mining r...OECDregions
Preliminary findings from OECD field visits for the project: Enhancing EU Mining Regional Ecosystems to Support the Green Transition and Secure Mineral Raw Materials Supply.
Contributi dei parlamentari del PD - Contributi L. 3/2019Partito democratico
DI SEGUITO SONO PUBBLICATI, AI SENSI DELL'ART. 11 DELLA LEGGE N. 3/2019, GLI IMPORTI RICEVUTI DALL'ENTRATA IN VIGORE DELLA SUDDETTA NORMA (31/01/2019) E FINO AL MESE SOLARE ANTECEDENTE QUELLO DELLA PUBBLICAZIONE SUL PRESENTE SITO
A guide to the International day of Potatoes 2024 - May 30th
Protecting civic space in Kenya IHoughton SMuchai March 2014
1. Ihoughton & SMuchai Protecting Civic Space, March 2014 1 | P a g e
Protecting Civic Space Against #NGOMuzzle Laws in Kenya(1)
Submission to SID Journal Issue on Governance
By Irũngũ Houghton and Stephanie Muchai(1)
Running Header: Protecting Civic Space
Abstract: This article captures the background and events of November 2013 in Kenya. A set of
thirteen amendments to the Public Benefits Organizations Act 2013 were unexpectedly brought to the
National Assembly. If they had passed, they would have fundamentally affected civic space, democracy
and development. It offers lessons and reflections on the state of governance and civil society in Kenya
and the challenges of protecting and advancing fundamental freedoms within a new constitutional
order.
Keywords:
Human rights, CSOs, civic space, Kenya, development, democracy, CSO Reference Group,
#NGOMuzzle, Society for International Development, Kenya Dialogues Project
‘We said that Kenyans had enacted the best and most progressive Constitution in the world.
The struggle for this Constitution was by the civil society….’ Hon. Fatuma Ali, MP
‘Regulation and accountability is important but let us … not take away the freedom and space
within which the public benefit organisations act and operate.’ Hon. Oyugi, MP
‘Alongside many of my colleagues here were the alumni of the civil society at one time…as we
are trying to streamline those that are very wayward, we may end up suffocating the NGOs...’
Hon. Kabando wa Kabando, MP
Introduction
Post independent governments in Kenya systemically violated human rights and heavily
curtailed freedoms of assembly, association and expression in particular. Members of civil
society were systemically harassed, intimidated, tortured and killed for attempting to exercise
these rights and pierce secrecy, corruption and nepotism veils.(2) Civil society organizations
who attempted to research, advocate or support communities to advocate in the public
interest were attacked, banned or de-registered by state agents on trumped up charges.
Among others, two critical moments mark a turning point in this ugly side of Kenya’s history;
the election of a liberal democratic Government in 2003 and the promulgation of a new
constitution in August 2010.(3) This Constitution contains one of the world’s most
comprehensive and visionary Bill of Rights which among other rights, guarantees freedoms of
assembly, association and expression.
The adoption of a new constitution offered a re-set or re-boot button for the country. The PBO
Sector was not exempt from this. Regulated by the NGO Coordination Act (1991) and a
Sessional Paper (2006), the last two decades have seen the coordination of the sector atrophy
under the weight of reduced funding, a weak apex body in the Kenya National Council of
NGOs and its splinter bodies, growth of regional and sectoral networks, lack of public
accountability and divisions between PBO actors.(4)
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Among numerous attempts by the Government and PBOs to bring vision and effective
leadership to the sector, several PBOs came together to form the CSO Reference Group to
work towards the development and implementation of a legal and regulatory framework for
organizations that do public benefit work(5). This initiative sought to improve organizational
accountability, internal governance and transparency. The Public Benefits Organizations bill
sponsored by Member of Parliament Hon Sophie Abdi Noor(6) brought focus to all the
formations seeking to transform the sector including the NGO Coordination Board,
Government NGO Coordination Bureau, the NGO Council(s) and other various networks.(7)
While the PBO Act received Presidential assent by Mwai Kibaki in 2013, it is yet to be
operationalized. Despite the stated aspiration of the Jubilee manifesto(8) to manage the
State’s relationship with the PBO sector in accordance with internationally recognized best
practices, the Cabinet Secretary has declined for over a year to announce the commencement
of the Act. A central consequence of this is that the sector, state or the public cannot apply the
regulatory and accountability framework contained in the Act. The sector, state and the public
are in legal limbo.
What happened?
Thirteen proposed amendments to the PBO Act were published in the omnibus Statue Law
(Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2013 on Friday 1 November 2013.(9) This was met with
disbelief within and outside of the PBO sector. The amendments signaled an intention to
violate constitutional protections of freedom of association(10), Sessional Paper on NGOs
(2006)(11), the Jubilee Manifesto (2012)(12) and the Public Benefits Organizations Act
(2013).(13)
Surprisingly, despite news coverage of the published bill in the People newspaper, most
Members of Parliament (MPs) were initially unaware of the significance of the entire Bill for
49 laws already enacted by Parliament. On the other hand, those familiar with the Bill
emphatically declared that the Jubilee majority in Parliament would pass this law regardless
of any form of opposition from the PBO sector. Meeting for the first time on 7 November
2013, members of the CSO Reference Group resolved to raise public awareness, open dialogue
with public officials and resist the draconian legislation.
How was the bill defeated?
The CSO reference Group met regularly from 7 November through to 6 December 2013. These
meetings regularly attracted upwards of 50 representatives of development, human rights and
governance PBOs. Both national and international PBOs attended each of the meetings.
Indeed, that the Bill had produced such unity across such diversity must have been one of the
most remarkable unintended impacts of the Bill. Four major strategies were deployed by
different working groups; research, representation, media engagement and public street
action.
A key pillar in the messaging around the Bill derived from two impact assessments carried out
by the CSO Reference Group and Health NGOs Network (HENNET).(14) The documents
demonstrated that the proposed amendments to the PBO Act were set to cripple 8,260
organizations, endanger Kshs 80 billion in annual development assistance and lead to the
3. Ihoughton & SMuchai Protecting Civic Space, March 2014 3 | P a g e
entrenchment of 250,000 employees most of whom are primarily Kenyans. More broadly,
without any alternative financing strategy by the Government, the bill would shut overnight
hundreds of thousands of clinics, schools, housing, water projects, civic education and legal
aid programmes. In the health sector alone, it was estimated that 47 percent of health funding
would be drastically cut. Twenty million Kenyans would lose access to basic health care. 6.8
million people would no longer have facilities for HIV testing and the 1 million Kenyans on
ARV treatment would be at serious risk.
This analysis proved compelling particularly for those MPs drawn from constituencies with
high poverty incidence particularly Rift Valley, Coast, Nyanza and North Eastern. MPs
attributed 25 percent of the non-formal education in Garissa and 90 percent of the water-
points in Ijara, northern Kenya to PBOs. To quote one of the Jubilee MPs, ‘this Bill is
parliamentary suicide for us.’ The Coast, Nyanza and North Eastern generally voted for the
opposition CORD. It could not have escaped Jubilee political strategists that to deny largely
opposition areas development assistance, would be to harden a future voter base against it in
future.
Over the four weeks, members of the CSO Reference Group sought out or were sought by
public officials from the Kenyan Executive, the National Assembly, Senate and Development
Partners. In the National Assembly, both CORD and Jubilee MPs were informed on the
importance of the Amendment bill. An analysis of the Assembly by the CSO Reference Group,
revealed that no less than a third of the MPs in Parliament were former employees or
beneficiaries of PBOs. These meetings were a key contributor to the rejection of the Bill.
Invoking the National Assembly Standing Orders, the Clerk invited public input on the bill.
Several organizations submitted petitions calling for the rejection of the amendments. On the
morning of 25 November, by invitation only, a single opportunity was offered for
organizations to appear before the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. Appearing before the
Committee, PBO leaders and the Commission for the Implementation of the Commission
pressed the Committee to withdraw the Miscellaneous Amendments altogether or drastically
amend them. They argued that the Amendments would substantive changes to existing laws,
were being rushed through National Assembly and were, in the case of the PBO Act
amendments, anti-developmental.
Like the representation work, PBOs worked together across agencies to coordinate mass and
new media work. A key pillar of this work was the publication of a petition for citizens to sign
their opposition to the bill. The petition was launched in the city center marking the start of a
public procession on 14 November 2013. The petition was also uploaded online to capture
wider audiences. In total, 17,170 people had signed the petition online or in person within a
week. The signatories came from a various counties most notably Nairobi, Kisumu, Siaya,
Machakos, Makueni and Kitui. On 21 November, the petition was received in the National
Assembly by Hon Members Gladys Wanga, John Mbadi and Keynan Adan among others.
Additionally, 1,500 leaflets were circulated to MPs and members of the public highlighting in
plain language the impact of the proposed amendments to the PBO Act to Kenyans and to the
PBO sector. A number of press conferences and briefings took place on radio, television, as
well as the national newspapers in English, Kiswahili and other Kenyan languages.
4. Ihoughton & SMuchai Protecting Civic Space, March 2014 4 | P a g e
The CSO Reference Group noted that just prior to the proposed amendments to the PBO Act,
retrogressive media laws had been tabled in Parliament.(15) The Media laws and the proposed
amendments to the PBO Act signaled to the Group a deliberate legislative onslaught on the
civic democratic space for association and expression. A combined media-PBO approach
sought to raise public awareness of the proposed legal provisions affecting both sectors; the
potential impact on the country and violations to constitutionally protected rights.
Indeed, the combined attack on media and civil society operational environments gave rise to
the twitter hashtags #NGOMuzzle and #MediaMuzzle. Social media was highly effective in
raising public awareness. The Twitter hashtag #NGOMuzzle trended on 14 November 2013. A
week later @LGE_EastAfrica amusingly used the same hashtag to promote a 32 inch
television set. The media covered and highlighted the two street actions that took place in
Nairobi protesting the proposed amendments to the PBO Act and proposed media bills. The
short notice and limited mobilization opportunity meant that there was a relatively low
turnout of the public at the protest; however the coverage of the street actions raised
awareness of the impending damage of the proposed changes to the PBO Act.
Power and interests
Supporters of the proposed amendments to the PBO Act made two main arguments. Firstly,
that the PBO sector chronically suffers from a lack of effective apex leadership and insufficient
regulation. Poor public transparency, poor accountability to the state and possible duplication
of efforts is the result. Secondly, that the sector is overly dependent on foreign donors ‘hostile’
to the Jubilee Government and are being used to fight the President and Deputy President in
the ICC trials.(16)
Although the amendments originated from the Ministry of Devolution and National Planning,
the technical staff at the Ministry disowned a number of the amendments especially the 15
percent foreign funding cap. This was later to be repeated in conversations with senior public
officials in the Office of the President and National Assembly. Indeed, it was initially unclear
what economic and political public policy objective was being served by this restriction on
foreign funding. Meeting with the CSO Reference Group, NGO Council and NGO Board on 21
November, the Cabinet Secretary suggested that the 15 percent was a basement rather than a
ceiling figure but offered no practical ways how this discretion would be operationalized.
Nevertheless, this would pave way for national Government to seize 85 percent of the funding
currently coming to PBOs.
Reaction to the bill came from a number of quarters in November. PBOs under the CSO
Reference Group were quick to point out that the amendments substantively changed the
spirit and letter of the PBO Act. The NGO Council expressed their concern with the 15 percent
cap while encouraging Government to find ways of holding the sector accountable. The NGO
Coordination Bureau(17) called for tighter regulation citing terrorism concerns. Staff from the
secretariat of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance privately noted their concern with impact that
this would have on service-providers such as banks, hotels, food and medicine distributors
among others.
5. Ihoughton & SMuchai Protecting Civic Space, March 2014 5 | P a g e
A leading business newspaper columnist noted that while he were not a ‘blind apologist for
non-governmental organisations, civil society, or the voluntary sector in general…(he still
found) the law which the government wants to introduce to regulate NGOs and civil society
institutions is anachronistic to the extreme’. An evening news programme SMS poll found a
slim majority of its viewers were in favor of the amendments. A political advisor noted that
the amendments would present the President with another domestic and international
credibility problem as he and his Deputy were trying to win back international support for his
Presidency. Another pointed out that Government domestic development policy was being
blindsided by the ICC process.
A Senator with a long history of participation in the sector noted that the proposed
amendments to the PBO Act were the consequence of PBOs losing their oversight and
leadership role. He urged that it was time for CSO introspection. How could they raise the
performance bar, focus less on donors and more on citizens? Human rights activists argued
that the amendments were symptomatic of a growing obsession to control institutions that
contribute to checking excesses of the state. A Development Partner agency representative
noted that the bill was being watched very closely in their capitals and its passing would have
‘consequences’ not only for PBO funding but the state’s public budget as well.
In the end, the arguments that directly mattered came from a small number of vocal MPs
from both sides of the National Assembly on Wednesday 4 December 2013 as the bill came for
final reading. Nine legislators urged the house to reject the bill as it violated the constitution,
attempted to pass substantive amendments to over 49 Acts bundled in a single bill and was
anti-developmental.
Hon James Wandayi argued, ‘Some of the freedoms that we presently enjoy in this country;
some of the freedoms that have made some Hon. Members [of Parliament] to sit here today,
have been gained because of the contributions of the NGOs.’ Hon James Nyikal stated, ‘We
should even get a way of really getting rid of miscellaneous amendments, if it must be there
then it really must be confined to what is explained as minor amendments that do not effect
basic changes in Acts.’ 164 out of 349 MPs were present. 83 voted against the bill, 73 voted for
the amendments.(18) Narrowly, the National Assembly averted the destruction of a 50 year
old sector.
With the power of hindsight, what actions ultimately proved to be most directly effective?
While all actions contributed to the rejection of the bill by National Assembly Members,
probably the most effective were those that related to relationship building, information
sharing and face to face discussion with legislators. What proved least ineffective was the
attempt to mobilize the public or beneficiaries to march or voice their concerns on the issue. A
combination of limited resources and very short window for action may have been factors in
this, but going forward this will require attention.
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Conclusion
The amendments to the PBO Act 2013 threatened freedoms of association. In this regard, they
were ultimately an attempt to simultaneously legalize rights violations and grab Kshs 68
billion from the PBO sector. The amendments are a powerful reminder that unless
constitutionalism underpins a progressive constitution there are no guarantees. In early
February, unofficial reports state that the President urged MPs to support the Statute Law
(Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill and especially the 15 percent cap when tabled again in
Parliament later in 2014. At the time of writing this article the relationship between National
Government and the PBO sector are still tense. The failure of the Cabinet Secretary for
Devolution and Planning to announce a commencement date for the PBO Act ironically
provides ammunition for those that say the sector is unregulated and the funding would be
better managed by National Government. Or, just perhaps, is this the intention?
Notes
1 While both authors are active members of the CSO Reference Group, this article is based on personal
experiences and written in their personal capacity. They can be followed at @irunguhoughton and
@parchedoasis The authors have chosen to use the new term of Public Benefits Organizations (PBOs) instead
of the more familiar Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
2 In 2014, many key leaders in civil society, the political class, mass media and the private sector were active in
rolling back the culture of silence, compliance and fear.
3 Constitution of Kenya 2010 - http://kenyalaw.org/kl/index.php?id=398
4 For a historical analysis of the Kenyan NGO Sector, see Prof. Patricia Kamere-Mbote ‘Operational Environment
and Constraints for NGOs in Kenya’ 2002, http://www.ielrc.org/content/w0002.pdf
5 http://www.pboact.or.ke/the-pbo-act/cso-reference-group
6 Before joining Parliament, Hon Sophia Abdi Noor was herself a PBO leader having led a women’s rights NGO
Womankind in Garissa among other roles.
7 The divergent interests and tensions between the various formations could themselves be the subject of a
detailed and interesting article. Some are not yet resolved. They include whether the existing structures of the
Council and Board will automatically become the Federation and regulatory Body, the balance between
vertical regulation by Government or more horizontal self-regulation by the PBOs, what roles international
and Kenyan NGOs should play and even whether PBOs should.
8 http://issuu.com/jubileemanifesto/docs/jubilee_manifesto
9 http://www.penkenya.org/UserSiteFiles/public/Proposed%20PBO%20ACT%20Ammendments%202.pdf
10 Article 36, Constitution of Kenya 2010
11 Sessional Paper No 1 of 2006 on Non Governmental Organizations -
http://www.ngobureau.or.ke/Docs/sessional%20paper%20no%201%20of%202006.pdf
12 http://issuu.com/jubileemanifesto/docs/jubilee_manifesto
13 http://www.kenyalaw.org:8181/exist/kenyalex/actview.xql?actid=No.%2018%20of%202013
14 http://www.csakenya.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86&Itemid=89
15 Kenya Information Communications (Amendment) Bill 2013 and Media Council Bill (2013)
16 The President and Deputy President of Kenya have been charged with for crimes against humanity at the
International Criminal Court. The President’s case has since been suspended pending the Court’s request to
collect more evidence to meet the high evidentiary standards required after key witnesses dropped out.
17 http://www.ngobureau.or.ke/
18 See Hansard report on discussion of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2013
http://ow.ly/vbKeM