Civic Engagement in Africa Jalal Abdel-Latif UN Economic Commission for Africa GPADCi/vil Society Section GSI UK, 2 December 2009

War and Peace  Fragile and collapsed states Post conflict reconstruction Civic engagement in R % R  Stable but in transition Role of authorities Rules and regulations Terms of Engagement Development policy making

Forces Shaping the Sector in Africa  Enabling Environment: legal identity  Socio Poli-Econ Context: Stable vs. fragile states  Aid flow: effectiveness & expectations  Emerging governance trends Transitions, disclosures, access to information Responsiveness & Volunteerism

CSOs and Public Policy  Growth of nonprofit organizations as service providers in developed market economies  Vehicles of developmental and humanitarian operations in developing countries  Intermediaries for good governance in transitional democracies  Primary contractors in post conflict R & R settings  Instruments of government reform in former command economies Make the central to the public policy agenda

Voice & Empowerment  Whose Voice? Vehicles, intermediaries, coalitions, alliances  Empowering who? Representation Legitimacy Credibility

CSO Roles  CSOs play different roles in conflict-affected and fragile states than in other countries. When public services have broken down due to conflict or a weak public sector, NGOs, religious groups, and other CSOs become more important providers of basic social services. Communities deprived of basic services too may attach lower priority to advocacy and governance efforts.

CSO Governance Function  First, they improve governance from the bottom-up by creating partnerships between CBOs and local governments.  Second, CSOs introduce more participatory approaches to community- level decision-making.  Third, CSOs can play a stabilizing and mediating role in reducing conflict.

Opportunities & Challenges  Expanding civic and citizenry space: Engagement  Increasing Aid flow: Responding to service delivery  Donor grant management changing:  Seeking info, data, knowledge  I4M: Critical  ECA serving as the vehicle

Impact for Money?  Common concern (Shift in aid flow)  Source of tension (Polarization)  Lack of available tools & techniques (measurement))  Increased scrutiny by the legislative (Oversight)  Additives are more than Multilateral transfers (Understated social investment)

CSO Typology  Orientation: Secular vs. Faith based  Legal Status: Formal vs. informal  Local vs. International  Governance vs. service delivery  Membership based vs. non-membership  Self-help and mutual associations  Support Organizations

African CSO networks  Geographic  Sector-focused  Issue based  Passive  Active

Principles  Collaboration and transparency Coalitions with demonstrated reasonable level of alliance building Have greater potential for leveraging partnership  E-readiness: Data & Information exchange & capacity building Focus on electronic information networks, raise their capacity to use modern information technologies, and engage in international development partners  Direction: Country – Sub regional - Continental