Civil society
Civil society organizations worldwide contribute in unique and essential ways to development as independent innovative agents of change. Acknowledging this important role, the HLF4 will be the first OECD high level event where Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will officially take part as equal development actors alongside governments and donors.
As a full member of the OECD Working Party on Aid Effectiveness (WP-EFF), BetterAid - an open platform for all CSOs participating in aid effectiveness processes - will bring forward a comprehensive agenda to HLF4 that encourages renewed partnerships towards a more equitable development cooperation system. It will be one that focuses clearly on human rights standards, the centrality of poverty reduction, gender equality, social justice, decent work, and environmental sustainability.
Despite full recognition at the HLF3 in Accra as “development actors in their own right”, many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are still facing policies and practices that are undermining or severely limiting their roles as development actors.
Nevertheless, through the Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness, CSOs have made substantial progress towards defining their own role and effectiveness as development actors. In a global process involving thousands of CSOs from more than 70 countries, the Open Forum is working to build a consensus on commonly accepted principles of CSO development effectiveness and on minimum standards for an enabling environment where CSOs can fully apply and strengthen their specific roles in development.
In September 2010, CSOs adopted the Istanbul Principles Istanbul Principles and will bring to Busan an International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness – a collective statement of common CSO development effectiveness standards. In addition, the Multi-Stakeholder Task Team on CSO Development Effectiveness and Enabling Environment within the WP-EFF co-chaired by the Open Forum has developed a common statement of Key Asks for Busan from civil society, partner governments and donors.
BetterAid's partner organisation Reality of Aid, together with IBON International, is currently implementing the country-level process of their program: "Country Outreach for Broad Implementation of the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)”. The program seeks to achieve greater and more meaningful involvement of CSOs in bringing change in aid effectiveness policy and practice.
Civil society’s vision for Busan
BetterAid and the Open Forum have developed a common statement for the HLF4 – CSOs on the Road to Busan – Key Messages and Proposals.
In their common statement, CSOs are calling upon all development actors to achieve a bold forward-looking outcome at the Busan Fourth High Level Forum. Substantial progress in four inter-dependent areas of reform is essential for a meaningful and ambitious Busan Compact on Development Effectiveness:
- Fully evaluate and deepen the Paris and Accra commitments
- Strengthen development effectiveness through practices based on human rights standards
- Support CSOs as independent development actors in their own right, and commit to an enabling environment for their work in all countries
- Promote equitable and just development cooperation architecture.
Istanbul Principles and the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness
The Open Forum held an extensive series of national, regional and thematic consultations, which have been consolidated into the Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness. These principles guide the work and practices of civil society organizations in both peaceful and conflict situations, in different areas of work from grassroots to policy advocacy, and in a continuum from humanitarian emergencies to long-term development.
These principles are part of a larger International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness, which includes not only the principles that guide our work as development actors, but also practical guidance on how to implement these principles, and messages around CSO accountability and an enabling environment for CSOs.
Shadow Report of the Survey on Monitoring the Paris Declaration
“Democratic Ownership and Development Effectiveness: Civil Society Perspectives on Progress since Paris” focuses on two critical areas in development and international cooperation: “democratic ownership” of country development plans and strategies, and “development results for people”. With 35 contributions, 32 of which are reports from aid-recipient countries, the report collates evidence from in-country research, meetings and interviews with government officials, donors and civil society organizations.
CSO Evaluation Reports
Civil society has also produced many varied monitoring and evaluating reports that provide evidence from across all regions to inform the debate and outcome from Busan. Some of these can be found here: http://betteraid.org/en/betteraid-policy/other-publications.html
More information
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