Photos from the Open Forum Global Assembly

For more of the photos from the global assembly, please click here.

CSO Development Effectiveness Global Framework

Here is the most recent version of the drafte International Framework:

Where does the draft Open Forum Framework come from?
The draft International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness is built on the content generated at the Open Forum National Consultations. The mandate for undertaking this process can be found here.
A first draft of the Open Forum International Framework was developed from the content generated at the over 60 national consultations undertaken between March and August 2010. This first version of the Draft Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness (now outdated!), which was made available in English, French and Spanish in September 2010, was discussed in detail at the first Global Assembly of the Open Forum. A longer Synthesis Report of the National Consultations was also compiled, and is available in English, French and Spanish.

READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE, HERE.

Istanbul CSO Development Effectiveness Principles

Civil society organizations are a vibrant and essential feature in the democratic life of countries across the globe. CSOs collaborate with the full diversity of people and promote their rights. The essential characteristics of CSOs as distinct development actors – that they are voluntary, diverse, non-partisan, autonomous, non-violent, working and collaborating for change – are the foundation for the Istanbul principles for CSO development effectiveness. These principles guide the work and practices of civil society organizations in both peaceful and conflict situations, in different areas of work from grassroots to policy advocacy, and in a continuum from humanitarian emergencies to long-term development. 

1. Respect and promote human rights and social justice

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … develop and implement strategies, activities and practices that promote individual and collective human rights, including the right to development, with dignity, decent work, social justice and equity for all people.

2. Embody gender equality and equity while promoting women and girl’s rights

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … promote and practice development cooperation embodying gender equity, reflecting women’s concerns and experience, while supporting women’s efforts to realize their individual and collective rights, participating as fully empowered actors in the development process.

3. Focus on people’s empowerment, democratic ownership and participation

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … support the empowerment and inclusive participation of people to expand their democratic ownership over policies and development initiatives that affect their lives, with an emphasis on the poor and marginalized.

4. Promote Environmental Sustainability

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … develop and implement priorities and approaches that promote environmental sustainability for present and future generations, including urgent responses to climate crises, with specific attention to the socio-economic, cultural and indigenous conditions for ecological integrity and justice.

5. Practice transparency and accountability

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … demonstrate a sustained organizational commitment to transparency, multiple accountability, and integrity in their internal operations.

6. Pursue equitable partnerships and solidarity

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … commit to transparent relationships with CSOs and other development actors, freely and as equals, based on shared development goals and values, mutual respect, trust, organizational autonomy, long-term accompaniment, solidarity and global citizenship.

7. Create and share knowledge and commit to mutual learning

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … enhance the ways they learn from their experience, from other CSOs and development actors, integrating evidence from development practice and results, including the knowledge and wisdom of local and indigenous communities, strengthening innovation and their vision for the future they would like to see.

8. Commit to realizing positive sustainable change

CSOs are effective as development actors when they … collaborate to realize sustainable outcomes and impacts of their development actions, focusing on results and conditions for lasting change for people, with special emphasis on poor and marginalized populations, ensuring an enduring legacy for present and future generations.

Guided by these Istanbul principles, CSOs are committed to take pro-active actions to improve and be fully accountable for their development practices. Equally important will be enabling policies and practices by all actors. Through actions consistent with these principles, donor and partner country governments demonstrate their Accra Agenda for Action pledge that they “share an interest in ensuring that CSO contributions to development reach their full potential”. All governments have an obligation to uphold basic human rights – among others, the right to association, the right to assembly, and the freedom of expression. Together these are pre-conditions for effective development.

Istanbul, Turkey

September 29, 2010

 Please note, the Istanbul Principles, as agreed at the Open Forum’s Global Assembly in Istanbul, September 28 -30, 2010, are the foundation of the Open Forum’s Draft International Framework on CSO Development Effectiveness. These principles are further elaborated in Version 2 of this Framework, which is being updated and will be found on the Open Forum’s web site, www.cso-effectiveness.org.

Excerpts from the Report on the Philippine Open Forum on CSO Development Effectiveness

The historical and political context where CSOs operate and the key challenges that they are facing.

 The civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Philippines are such broad, diverse, vibrant and continuously growing community. Ventures for Fundraising estimated the number of CSOs to have ranged up to 500,000.

In terms of roles, Philippine CSOs play important roles in enhancing democracy and development for the people. Philippine CSOs are effective in their various roles in democratization, service delivery, humanitarian relief, research, advocacy and public-awareness raising, and shaping social values. They organize among the mass organizations of peasants, urban poor, trade union, indigenous people, health professionals, migrants and women; build and run cooperatives, they are service providers to the grassroots ranging from health, information, social workers, media, social enterprise, livelihood or microfinance and social marketing; CSOs are advocates, campaigning around issues for policy change, and builders of democracy.

In terms of size and scope, Philippine CSOs come in various shapes and sizes – they can be mass organizations, service institutions, networks, foundation, alliance and federations; work at many levels – from the grassroots communities, national and international, and build different kinds of relationships – partnerships, networking, or coordination with governments. They can be as local as farmers’ people’s organization in remote rural communities or neighborhood organizations in urban poor communities; and they can be as national and broad as national federations of peasant organizations, women or even national networks of various organizations on special issues or concerns such as food security, climate change, good governance, etc.

The strength and dynamism of Philippine CSOs lies in its unique political activism, its commitment and resolve to fight against injustice and corruption; and also their strong conviction to work towards meaningful change for their constituencies in particular and the Philippine society in general.

This commitment and resolve has historical meaning as this contributed to the toppling of the Marcos dictatorship in 1986. Five years after, the same commitment led to CSOs protesting the ineptness in governance and corruption in the Estrada administration that eventually lead to his ouster in 2001.
 

To a very great degree, this commitment and resolve of Philippine CSOs resulted to expansion of space and formal government recognition of the CSOs in Philippine Development particularly in the period after the 1986 EDSA people power. The Philippine Constitution guarantees the freedom of speech, association and assembly, significantly however, three sections in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, namely, Articles II, Section 23; Article XIII, section 15 and 16 define and institutionalize the role of CSO in the country’s development. The Local Government Code enacted in 1991 has specific provisions “establishing the role of people power at the local level, the process of accreditation of people’s organizations and non-governmental organizations at the local level and at least a quarter’s representation from civil society or private sector in special bodies at the local level.

 There is no doubt that this official recognition enhances the legitimacy and to some extent institutionalizes the important roles CSOs play in nation and democracy building. HOWEVER, appreciation and actualization of this official recognition varies from one government administration to another. AND, CSOs’ enjoyment of this recognition depends greatly on the CSOs’ assertion of their legitimacy – their right to free association and organization.

To read the whole report, please click here.

From Aid Effectiveness to CSO Development Effectiveness

Sixty-five (65) Civil Society Organization (CS0) representatives gathered together for the Philippine Open Forum on CSO Development Effectiveness from July 27 to July 29, 2010 to share knowledge and experience and build consensus on a CSO development effectiveness framework and define an enabling environment to enhance CSO development effectiveness.  The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG), Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA) Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA), Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and the Caucus of Development NGOs (CODE-NGO) organized the holding of the Philippine CSO consultation.

The third day of the Philippine Open Forum is devoted for the multi-stakeholders’ dialogue.  Key issues discussed during the multi-stakeholders dialogue revolved around the purpose towards building understanding and support for an enabling environment critical to the effectiveness of CSOs as development actors.  CSO participants presented to the government and donor representatives their concerns and recommendations of CSOs on issues such as policies and laws that conflict with CSO principles, the lack of genuine participation or practically token role of CSOs in ODA and development programs, weak human rights protection and culture of impunity, the stringent registration and accreditation for CSOs and the donors’ voluminous requirements for CSO project engagement.  Participants were also able to raise more questions on the impact of ODA projects especially in many parts of Mindanao.