Identity, Legitimacy and Accountability: Enhancing Domains CIVICUS-Hauser Center Workshop May, 2007

Enhancing Domain Legitimacy and Accountability  Strengthening legitimacy Defining bases of legitimacy Managing legitimacy with key stakeholders Using legitimacy for domain development  Constructing domain accountability Choosing accountability models Constructing accountability systems Using accountability for domain learning

Bases for Domain Legitimacy  Legal: Complies with existing laws  Political: Represents constituency  Associational: Support by legitimate actors  Normative: Fits core norms and values  Pragmatic: Gives value to stakeholders  Cognitive: Fits expectations and “the way things are.”

Trust in Institutions

Enhancing legitimacy  Conforms to external values, expectations Ex: Explicitly obeys report and audit requirements  Informs publics about fit to expectations Ex: Disseminate annual reports and evaluations  Manipulates symbols and myths to justify domain activities Ex: Celebrities on Board; Adopts “right” structures.  Constructs frames to legitimate domain Ex: Define new role and expectations to fit mission

Domain Accountability Models  Representative: implement member mandate Ex: Mt Apo Campaign to protect indigenous lands  Principal-agent: fulfill sector contract with donor Ex: Child sponsorship NGOs and donor support  Mutual: carry out cross-sector compact to achieve shared goals Ex: Mumbai Housing Partnership relations between community-based organizations and NGOs.

Accountability Management Mechanisms  Transparency: disclosure, reporting systems Ex: Guidestar online reporting systems  Participation: consulting systems, negotiations Ex: Global Reporting Initiative multi-stakeholder assessment process  Evaluation: codes and assessment systems Ex: Pakistan code; Credibility Alliance  Complaint and redress: domain certification, ombudsmen, complaint systems Ex: Child Sponsor accreditation; Australian NGOs

Constructing Domain Accountability Systems  Define domain priorities: Issues for joint action  Negotiate expectations with stakeholders Within domain stakeholders: Who’s in or out? Outside stakeholders: What expectations feasible?  Create domain organizations that can act on collective priorities  Articulate standards, indicators, reporting  Enable performance consequences: complaints and redress systems

International Advocacy NGOs: Accountability Charter IANGO Accountability Charter Environment Labor Ind. People Women Rights Development Human Rights Social Watch CIVI- CUS GRIHC UN Agencies Transnational Corporations International Donors Transnational CSOs IGOs

Using Domain Accountability Systems  Clarify domain identity to domain members and outside stakeholders  Build shared priorities and values for coordinating member joint initiatives  Create domain social capital for future collective action  Build base for wider understanding and legitimacy of domain and its members

Constructing Accountability for Philippine NGOs?  How will PCNC deal with issues raised by the tax reform initiative?  How can CSOs use these issues to enhance civil society legitimacy?  Will PCNC fucntion as a sector accountability system?  How can PCNC advance capacity- building and strategic learning as well as legitimacy?

Constructing Legitimacy and Accountability in Your Domain  What are desirable changes in domain legitimacy and accountability?  What management strategies will increase legitimacy?  What accountability system will improve participation, transparency, evaluation, and redress?  How can that system enhance capacity and strategic learning as well as legitimacy?