Civil society organizations (CSOs) are key actors in development that have valuable contributions to make. They play a multitude of roles - including in relation to humanitarian assistance, service-delivery, research and policy development, and pursuing accountability from governments and other stakeholders – all of which can significantly contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CSOs are expected to play a critical role in implementing the SDGs and in monitoring their progress. It is therefore urgent that CSOs meaningfully and effectively engage in development processes.
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But what is needed for CSOs to be able to do so? This Online Interactive Guidance offers some answers to that question. It takes participants through a history of the international commitments that call for this multi-stakeholder collaboration; what this means in practice for different development actors; and the benefits that can ensue through means of good practice examples from countries across the globe.
Learning objectives
Following the completion of the 5 modules of the Online Interactive Guidance, participants will be able to:
• Describe the rationale behind the need to engage civil society in development processes;
• Define the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness as key components to ensuring effective engagement of CSOs in development;
• Recall the international commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness;
• Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of different development actors in ensuring effective engagement of CSOs in development;
• Identify practical ways in which governments, donors and civil society can engage to create a CSO enabling environment and ensure CSO development effectiveness;
• Identify good practices for a CSO enabling environment and development effectiveness;
• Indicate the benefits that can ensue from implementing good practices;
• Translate the international commitments and apply these to their own context.
Set-up
The Online Guidance will lead participants through the modules that each play a part in creating an environment in which CSOs can meaningfully and effectively contribute to implementation and monitoring of international development processes.
Module 1 will examine the CSO-related commitments that the international community has subscribed to and will provide an introduction to the four ways in which these can be realized.
Module 2 will explore the means towards creating effective multi-stakeholder dialogue, which is key to creating a CSO enabling environment.
Module 3 will examine CSOs’ own responsibility in ensuring their effectiveness, accountability and transparency in their day-to-day operations.
Module 4 will delve into how providers of official development cooperation can effectively work with and for CSOs.
Module 5 is the concluding module and will examine how a country’s rules and regulations can determine an enabling environment for CSOs to operate in.
Syllabus
WEEK 1: Introduction to effective civil society engagement in international development
WEEK 2: Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue (MSD)
WEEK 3: CSO Development Effectiveness, Accountability & Transparency
WEEK 4: Official Development Cooperation with CSOs
WEEK 5: Legal & regulatory environment + closing
