Better Governance through Thought and Action Walk before you run A WBI Brown-Bag Lunch Presentation November 18, 2004

Institute On Governance 2 Governance relationships Values CivilSociety PrivateSector Government media Traditions History Cultures

Institute On Governance 3 Walk before you run œGovernment to Citizen Communications œLatvia & 6 Eastern European countries œCIDA & UNDP œStrengthening Social Policy Partnerships œIndonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand & Canada œCIDA

Institute On Governance 4 œGovernment to Citizen Communications

Institute On Governance 5 Principle œSound communication between government and citizens is fundamental to democracy

Institute On Governance 6 Project objectives œSupport healthy two-way flow of information between government & citizens by: œassessing current status œidentifying challenges & opportunities œmaking recommendations to governments

Institute On Governance 7 Approach œnational and international experts selected œpreparation of research œliterature review œinterviews with stakeholders œconsultations or focus groups œreports & recommendations œsharing of findings among experts œreports submitted to governments

Institute On Governance 8 Participating countries œEstonia œHungary œLithuania œLatvia œPoland œSlovakia œSlovenia œOthers...

Institute On Governance 9 Common challenges œDemocracy is young œPolitical structure œCitizen distrust/alienation œCivil service evolving œRole of civil society unclear œConstrained resources œInfluence of media

Institute On Governance 10 Common opportunities œPriorities require coordination œDesire to improve government/citizen communications œOutside support œCommitment to change œYouth & energy

Institute On Governance 11 Overview of common recommendations œSeparate political and administrative roles œCreate awareness at political & administrative levels œSee communications as a policy tool œProvide adequate resources œFoster central coordination œEncourage networking œPromote direct contact with citizens œUse plain language

Institute On Governance 12 Selected effective practices Estonia œGovernment press workers code of ethics œElectronic communications e.g. Public Internet Access Points Hungary œCivic initiative: Tele-cottages œCross-government coordination in early stages

Institute On Governance 13 Selected effective practices Latvia œWorkshops for Cabinet & senior officials œApproved communications policy œCoordination mechanisms established œCommunications integrated into policy development œLegislation on consultation

Institute On Governance 14 Selected effective practices Lithuania œExisting communications directives œCommunications efforts by Foreign Affairs re NATO Poland œ Bulletin of Public Information (BIP) œ ‘Friendly Administration’ program

Institute On Governance 15 Selected effective practices Slovakia œRegular media analysis œHigh quality government internet information Slovenia œPolitical will & operational readiness œSigns of increased resourcing

Institute On Governance 16 What next? œShare results and value added œIntroduce program elsewhere œResearch effective practices œPromote diagnostiques & professional development on: œimportance of government communications œstrategic planning & coordination œcommunications internal to government œfor elected and appointed officials

Institute On Governance 17 Walk before you run œGovernment to Citizen Communications œLatvia & 6 Eastern European countries œCIDA & UNDP œStrengthening Social Policy Partnerships œIndonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand & Canada œCIDA

Institute On Governance 18 œStrengthening Social Policy: Lessons on Forging Government - Civil Society Policy Partnerships

Institute On Governance 19 Principle œPolicies are stronger, more responsive and more successful when civil society is engaged in their development

Institute On Governance 20 œGoals, Objectives and Approach of Project œThe Case Studies œOverall Results œKey Lessons Learned

Institute On Governance 21 Goal œMore effective government - civil society policy partnerships œSocial policy œIndonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Canada

Institute On Governance 22 Key objectives  Build a network linking civil society organizations to key policy officials  Learn how civil society organizations can affect government decisions, and  Build more effective state-society policy partnerships

Institute On Governance 23 Our approach œLocal researchers [Jan 2003] œDraft case studies completed [Sept 2003] œResearchers meeting: Bangkok [Oct 2003] œCase studies completed [March 2004] œRegional meeting of government and civil society representatives: Kuala Lumpur [June 2004] œDissemination

Institute On Governance 24 Project partners œCanadian International Development Agency œIndonesia: Dr. Joe Fernandez œMalaysia:Dr. Denison Jayasooria œPhilippines: Dr. Francisco Magno œThailand: Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan; Dr. Kanokkan Anukansai œCanada: Mel Gill, Synergy Associates œInstitute On Governance: project leader & facilitator

Institute On Governance 25 Case study topics œThailand - prostitution, maternity leave œIndonesia - participation of women in local government, trafficking of women œMalaysia - children’s rights, women’s rights, consumer rights œPhilippines - indigenous people’s rights, children’s rights œCanada - children’s rights

Institute On Governance 26 Overall results œNetwork emerging œCase studies on successful “partnership” between government and civil society œCommon social issues, common lessons

Institute On Governance 27 Lessons learned (1) Understanding partner’s context critical œgovernment context: policy-making process, decision-making and accountabilities œcivil society context: representation, governance and decision-making œdifferent time-frames and time horizons

Institute On Governance 28 Lessons learned (2) Importance of leaders and champions œkey individuals and relationships crucial to moving an issue ahead œthe right champion can be found or converted to the cause

Institute On Governance 29 Lessons learned (3) Structures and processes help œlobbying, public education, advocacy, and participation in consultations and demonstrations œrole of informal mechanisms œtimes for collaboration & times for working separately

Institute On Governance 30 Lessons learned (4) Progress slow and incremental œRelationships, context can change over time œKnow when to push (and not to push) for more

Institute On Governance 31 Lessons learned (5) Gap between policy formulation and implementation œpolicy impact can be weak because of poor monitoring, enforcement and implementation œgovernment needs to create a space to engage civil society post policy-development

Institute On Governance 32 Other lessons œTiming œRole of media œInfluence of international agreements, organizations œChallenges of collaboration between civil society organizations œImpact of public attitudes and beliefs

Institute On Governance 33 What next? œFurther dissemination œPossible future work: œresearch on policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation œbuilding governance capacity of civil society organizations œexploring representation in civil society organizations

Institute On Governance 34 Concluding thoughts œDemocracy depends on citizens and governments respecting each other œcitizens must understand their role and hold governments accountable œgovernments must explain their actions œboth have a role in policy development and implementation

Institute On Governance 35 For More Information

Institute On Governance 36 Questions?