A Primer on the CSO Development Effectiveness Process October

History (1): Getting CSOs on board Advisory Group: created by the OECD DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness in January 2007 to give civil society an opportunity to enrich aid effectiveness agenda; will be discontinued after its final meeting in October 2008 Regional consultations “Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness” (Brussels, Cotonou, Hanoi, Kathmandu, Lusaka, Managua) North-South Civil Society Dialogue (Nairobi, November 2007) International Forum on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness (Ottawa, February 2008) Main statements: Paris Declaration is not applicable as such to CSOs. The scope and roles of CSOs in development is broader and distinct from that of governments and donors. CSOs are development actors in their own right.

History (2): The way to Accra 2005 Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness 2007 Creation of the Advisory Group on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness February 2008 International Forum on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness: side meeting starts CSO effectiveness process June 2008 Exploratory Meeting on CSO Effectiveness: Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness launched September 2008 High-Level Forum in Accra: AAA offically recognises CSO development effectiveness process

Exploratory Meeting in Paris (June 2008) Who? Over 70 representatives from networks, platforms and individual CSOs from around the world Objective: Building consensus on objectives, mechanisms, dialogue with stakeholders and governance of the CSO effectiveness process Main result: Launch of a global Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness for the biennium Progress report: summarises the key agreements reached on the meeting for the Accra High-Level Forum

What the Open Forum is commited to … The Open Forum … 1.Will elaborate CSO effectiveness principles focusing on the diverse roles of CSOs as development actors 2.Will build consensus based on national and regional activities and consultations 3.Will be an inclusive and multi-stakeholder process, managed and led by CSOs 4.Will need to be owned by CSOs from both the North and the South to be credible and relevant 5.Will especially take into account gender issues 6.Will focus on development effectiveness, not aid effectiveness

What the Open Forum aims for … An open, inclusive and representative process, owned by CSOs around the world, taking into gender issues A vision on development effectiveness based on national and international policy dialogue as a tool for awareness raising Common principles regarding CSO development effectiveness Guidelines on how to apply these principles and documentation of good practices for context-relevant mechanisms A consensus for engaging in a political dialogue with donors and governments to address the needs for enabling environments for CSO effectiveness, based on the recognition of the distinct roles and voice of CSOs as development actors in their own right

Driving forces: Who is guiding the process? Global Facilitation Group 25 CSO platforms and networks; provides overview, coordination, leadership and visibility to the Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness Supporting Organisation Currently: CONCORD Chosen by GFG; will be in charge of practical aspects of the CSO effectiveness process (communication, website, logistical and administrative support, fundraising)

Africa: FECONG (Mali) AFRODAD CSPR (Zambia) REPAOC (West and Central Africa) Asia: SANSAD (South Asia) IBON International APRN PCFS Europe: CONCORD Nordic+ Group European Union Presidency Group Latin America and the Caribbean: ALOP UNITAS (Bolivia) Coordinadora Civil (Nicaragua) Middle East and North Africa: Arab NGOs Network for Development (ANND) North America: InterAction (USA) CCIC (Canada) Pacific: Australien Council for International Development (ACFID) International CSO Networks: Plan International CARE International ITUC ACT Development Caritas/CIDSE CIVICUS Women's Organisations: Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APFWLD) Composition of the GFG

Accra Agenda for Action – a success? In the AAA, donors and goverments commit to … “Deepen our engagement with CSOs as independent development actors in their own right whose efforts complement those of governments and the private sector. We share an interest in ensuring that CSO contributions to development reach their full potential.” “We welcome the CSOs’ proposal to engage with them in a CSO-led multistakeholder process to promote CSO development effectiveness.” “We will work with CSOs to provide an enabling environment that maximises their contributions to development.”

What’s next? Creating the conditions and tools for national and sectoral processes National and sectoral consultations on principles guiding CSO development effectiveness Global CSO Forum to agree on effectiveness framework; National and regional processes on implementation of agreed principles Building a multi-stakeholder vision on development effectiveness 4th High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness 2011: multi-stakeholder declaration on development effectiveness?

The pilot phase of the Open Forum is financially supported by CSO contributions and by: More information