CSOs Experiences in Social Protection AUC/AU Workshop Pan Afric Hotel, Nairobi March 2011 Tavengwa M Nhongo Africa Platform for Social Protection

The APSP The Africa Platform for Social Protection (APSP) was established by a group of national and regional organisations from across the African continent as a response to the growing demand for voice and more active engagement of African civil society in the shaping of Social Protection policies, programmes, and practices in Africa. It is a network of individuals and organizations operating at national and regional levels, with a commitment to promoting and strengthening the social contract between states and citizens.

The Experiences of CSOs Defining CSOs CSOs as the small grassroots groups CSOs as the small organised groups and registered locally or nationally CSOs as big national/regional organisations CSOs as the large international NGOs The presentation looks at all

Experiences of CSOs The INGOs Have made huge contributions to raising awareness on Social Protection Have supported efforts to generate evidence through pilots, reviews, research Have supported training/capacity building of those in government and the NGOs (e.g. EPRI courses) Have funded and supported programmes on SP But Franchophone West Africa has not had the same level of support

Experiences of CSOs CSOs – national level and grassroots organisations Have largely remained out of the wider action on Social Protection Have not managed to push the demand for SP from the grassroots Have largely not engaged with the policy dialogue at the local and national government level

A way forward Value the contributions of the CSOs and involve them (donors, govts, UN, AU, RECS, etc) CSOs to work with and along governments since their ownership of programmes will ensure sustainability CSOs to collaborate -not compete/duplicate efforts CSOs to work with smaller organisations as partners CSOs to work with grassroots organisations to increase demand of SP from the bottom Include Franchophone Africa in the agenda

A way forward Demand from the top Government action and buy in SP Demand from the grassroots

Thank you