What are the Istanbul Principles? (And what implications

do they have for our work in Canada) – PART II

Public Engagement Hub Webinar, November 8, 2011

Parts I & II: Presentations

• Part I: Aid vs. development effectiveness

• Part II: The Istanbul Principles (IP) – in

principle and practice

•Accra and civil society

•A time for self-reflection

•The Open Forum Process

•The International Framework and the IP

•The Eight Principles – in theory and practice

•Current status ahead of Busan

•Looking ahead – the Open Forum, CCIC, the

ICN and you!

Aid vs. Dev’t. Effectiveness

Charity

Symptoms of poverty

Human needs

Trickle-down

Short term results

Donor driven

Women’s equality

Jobs

A-political delivery

Justice

Root causes

Human rights

Equitable distribution

Long-term outcomes

All dev’t actors*

Gender equality

Decent work

Politics and power

CSO response post-Accra: The BetterAid Platform

Changing the discourse

Evaluate and deepen Paris and Accra

Move beyond aid to development effectiveness

(results → outcomes)

Centrality of rights-based approach, gender

equality and decent work

Support CSOs as development actors and

commit to an enabling environment

Make current aid architecture equitable and just

Back to Accra –

One step forward

•Recognizes CSOs as “independent

development actors in their own right” (§20)

Beyond just service delivery providers

Aid donors ($20-25 bn) and channels ($9 bn)

Aid recipients and development actors – own

priorities, programs, partnerships

Change agents – policy, advocacy,

accountability

•CSOs part of WP-Eff process

Accra: One step forward

Accra envisaged the following for CSOs

To “broaden country-level policy dialogue on

development” (preparing, implementing,

monitoring nat’l dev’t policies and plans) (Para

13a).

To “deepen our engagement with CSOs as

independent actors in their own right…[so CSO

can] reach their full potential” (Para 20), AND

“We will work with CSOs to provide an enabling

environment that maximises their contributions

to development” (Para 20.c).

Accra: One step forward

BUT, “enabling environment” key element legal frameworks and mechanisms to provide

for freedom of association, right to organize

and participate in national

decision-making, free

and open media, etc.

And since then, increase

“disabling environment”

A time for reflection…

•Response to external criticisms of CSOs:

•Aid effectiveness (implementing PD)

•Legitimacy (impacts, representation, credibility)

•Transparency (to constituencies)

•Accountability (volunteerism)

•And internal criticisms

•North-South relationships

•INGOs and local CSOs

•Solidarity

•Multiplicity

The Open Forum

Objectives

1. Create an open process, through

country-based, sectoral/thematic,

regional and global consultations and

multi-stakeholder dialogue.

2. Develop a common CSO vision on DE .

3. Agree on common principles of CSO DE.

4. Provide guidance on how to apply the

principles.

5. Articulate the minimum standards for

an enabling environment for CSOs.

The Open Forum

70 NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS

6 THEMATIC PROCESSES

11 REGIONAL WORKSHOPS

2 GLOBAL ASSEMBLIES

INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR CSO

DEVELOPMENT EFFECTIVENESS

Istanbul Principles for CSO

Development Effectiveness

Statement on CSO

Accountability

Conditions for Enabling

Environment

Overview of the

International Framework 1. Introduction

• Reiterating commitment to CSO DE

• Understanding of DE (and definition of CSO)

• What is unique about CSOs

2. Reiteration of each principle, further background and

then guidance

3. Strengthening mechanisms for CSO Accountability

• Existing practice

• Challenges to strengthening

• Principles to guide stronger accountability practice

4. Critical conditions for enabling environment for CSOs

So what are the eight

Istanbul Principles? 1. Respect and promote human rights and social justice.

2. Embody gender equality and equity while promoting

women and girls’ rights.

3. Focus on people’s empowerment, democratic

ownership and participation.

4. Promote environmental sustainability.

5. Practice transparency and accountability.

6. Pursue equitable partnerships and solidarity.

7. Create and share knowledge and commit to mutual

learning.

8. Commit to realizing positive sustainable change.

…and what does this look

like in practice? 1. Human rights: CIDA policy on disability (Handicap

International), RBA (CCIC)

2. Gender equality: Feminitarianism, farmers co-ops

(Oxfam Canada).

3. Ownership and participation: Haitian beneficiaries

texting (Oxfam Québec), budget monitoring

4. Environmental sustainability: Integrating climate

change into development (Care Canada)

5. Transparency and accountability: IATI compliant

(EWB), Keystone Accountability (Oxfam Canada).

The Istanbul Principles

in practice 6. Equitable partnerships: Transparent budget and

agreements (CHF-Partners in Rural Development)

7. Knowledge and mutual learning: Haiti/Pakistan

evaluation (Humanitarian Coalition)

8. Realizing positive sustainable change: Disaster risk

reduction (CHF, Aga Khan), Climate pilot (CARE).

Busan and the IP

• IP and Siem Reap CSO consensus key input for Busan

• Referenced in Para 19, 3rd Draft Outcome Document

(see next slide for details

• Officially endorsed by the hosts, South Korea

• BetterAid part of negotiating team

• Lost Accra space on policy dialogue

• Our minimum demands around

enabling environment uncertain

For reference: Para 19 BOD

“19. Civil society organisations (CSOs) play a vital role in

shaping development policies and new partnerships,

overseeing their implementation. They also provide services

in areas that are complementary to or go beyond those

provided for by states. Recognising this, we will:

a) Implement fully our respective commitments to enable

civil society organisations to exercise their roles as

independent development actors, with a particular focus

on an enabling environment that maximises the

contributions of CSOs to development.

b) Encourage CSOs to implement practices that strengthen

their own effectiveness, accountability and contribution to

development results, guided by the Istanbul CSO

Development Effectiveness Principles.”

Post-Busan, the IP

and Canada • Form and function of the OF post-Busan

• Implementation and Advocacy toolkits

• Pre/Post -Busan – Canadian engagement (2012-13)

• CCIC AGM – endorsed support for working on IP

• Workshops on DE with ICN, PE Hub, pre-Busan event, blog

• Survey of CCIC and ICN members (January-February)

• Popular materials on each IP with case studies

• Modules on three or four of the IPs (2011) and workshops

2012: And what about you?

1. What is the thing you do best?

2. How could you strengthen your own development

effectiveness on each of the Principles? in the areas

where you are weakest?

3. What are the challenges? What tools would you need?

4. What role could CCIC/ICN play in facilitating this?

No of hte

Fraser Reilly-King

Policy Analyst (Aid)

+1 613 241-7007, ext. 315

freillyking@ccic.ca

www.aideffectiveness.org

www.betteraid.org

www.cso-effectiveness.org

www.ccic.ca

THANK YOU!!