1 PRSPs and the role of Civil Society Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop May 2003

2 Plan for today Priorities and questions from day 1 Civil Society and participation CS and the PRS cycle Some experience to date Opportunities and dangers of engagement Case studies- Vietnam, Ethiopia and Tanzania

3 What is Civil Society? Term Civil Society is used to mean very different things… Definitions Legal frameworks Typologies

4 Descriptive 3 rd sector of associational life between State and Market Includes: NGOs, trade unions, business associations, cooperatives, clubs, religious and interest groups, social movements, media and sometimes political parties BUT in practice often just equated to NGOs

5 Normative CS increases openness, democracy, transparency, accountability, participation, representation etc Which it may… but NOT necessarily (e.g. Interahamwe, militant direct action organisations) Means to an end/end in itself Legal frameworks Distinctly different traditions- licensing existence vs just regulating actions

6 Typologies of CSOs Membership or non-membership Common interest- economic, sport, environment, ethnic… Accountability- broad vs elite Values- faith, ethics, social justice… Location- local/international, northern/southern, rural/urban… Scale- S, M, L, networks, coalitions… Independence- set up by government (or donors or INGOs)

7 And by function… Welfare/service delivery Advocacy Communication Research Monitoring/watchdogs Representation…

8 What is Participation? Again, use to mean all kinds of things… common uses include statement of openness information sharing qualitative data collection methodology consultation on problems consultation on solutions/policies inclusion in design or decision making process joint decision making initiation and control by stakeholders By whom? legitimacy, representation, expertise

9 Opportunities to engage in the PRSP process Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop May 2003

10 Reminder Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring and evaluation Poverty analysis Financing PRSP process: Results oriented, evidence based policy making?

11 Caveats Highly idealised and stylised version of process PRSP is only one part of policy-making process Civil society is only one influence on policy making process Policy making is also heavily influenced by donors Policy also influenced by domestic politics Policy making also takes place at federal/subfederal/local level

12 Poverty Analysis Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Analysis from community/constituency PPA/direct qual research Issue based research and analysis Monitoring and evaluation

13 Policy formulation Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Representing concerns of communities constituencies/networks Gathering opinion/comments on drafts Produce formal statements/comments on drafts Lobby/advocate for particular policy positions Promoting alternative strategies

14 Financing Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Participating in budget formulation Ensuring large CSO expenditures are recognised in the budget Lobbying on financing plan e.g. tax, aid, cost recovery

15 Communication Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Providing information on broader PRS process Disseminating PRS documents Preparing or digesting the PRSP for a specific audience Disseminating digested version Encouraging media to take up issues Collating feedback and communicating to others

16 Policy implementation Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Technical assistance to government officials and service providers Continuing to provide services but within PRS framework Running pilot projects within PRS framework Implementation of (new) poverty programmes within PRS Assisting communities to access PRS funds

17 Monitoring and Evaluation Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Monitoring Poverty analysis PRSP process: the theory Financing Participating in design of m&e systems Taking part in monitoring/evaluation of… i. Aid flows/donor behaviour ii. PRSP process iii. Policy commitments iv. Budget processes v. Inputs/outputs vi. Poverty outcomes Monitoring and evaluation

18 Policy formulation process Policy formulation Communication Policy implementation Poverty analysis Financing Monitoring and evaluation PRSP process: Results oriented, evidence based policy making?

19 Experiences of civil society participation in PRSPs Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop May 2003

20 Over the past 3 years in PRSP countries… Many different approaches have been tried by CSOs to engage with and influence PRSPs Trial and error Learning and capacity development Experience-sharing between countries However, expectations have been raised… There is some disillusionment… But broad consensus there is more space

21 In deciding whether/how to engage, CSOs consider… Are there official spaces for participation? Govt-CS relations Whats the potential for policy influence? Level of awareness among the public/ CSO constituencies Positions of donors – allies or adversaries? Should approaches change over time? Capacity of civil society to influence

22 Insider approaches… Involvement in working groups/drafting committee eg MEJN, Malawi Commenting on draft docs eg Cambodia NGO Forum Attending consultation workshops eg CRDA, Ethiopia Technical assistance to ministries on process eg Action Aid, Rwanda Collaboration on implementation eg UDN in Poverty Action Fund, Uganda

23 Outsider approaches Alternative consultation processes eg Jubileo 2000 Bolivia Proposing alternative policies eg INTERFOROS alternative PRSP, Honduras Critiquing processes eg CA case studies, open letters from Bangladeshi CSOs Using the media eg Uganda Debt Network Conflictive – civil unrest eg Bolivia 2000

24 Involving communities Raising awareness of PRSP eg Swahili version of PRSP, Tanzania; radio programmes Community analysis of poverty eg PPA in Vietnam, Voices of the Poor in Yemen Community consultations on policy eg policy options discussions, Rwanda Community monitoring eg HIPC-Watch Ghana, UDN in Uganda

25 Developing CS capacity Drawing-in organisations that dont normally work on policy ie churches, service delivery NGOs Workshops on advocacy skills eg CA/Trocaire in Rwanda Local policy NGOs working with others to broaden base of skilled organisations eg UDN, Uganda Training of local activists eg MEJN community budget monitoring trainings Economic literacy skills ie budget analysis and connection with policy eg ISODEC, Ghana

26 Working collaboratively Forming networks and coalitions - nationally eg ZIMCOD in Zimbabwe, internationally eg AFRODAD Speaking with one voice to increase influence eg Bolivia CSOs reject PRSP Greater access eg CRDA, Ethiopia Thematic working groups as first port of call for government eg CHAM, Malawi

27 Obstacles to participation Government suspicions of CS eg initially in Malawi Lack of capacity and co-ordination among CSOs Lack of policy influence of CSO contributions and results of participation processes Womens participation limited eg most places! UK Gender and Devt Report eg Tanzania Rush to access HIPC resources eg Mozambique