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 Policy
Engagement: How Civil Society Can be More Effective
Civil society organisations (CSOs) make a difference in international
development. They provide development services and humanitarian
relief, innovate in service delivery, build local capacity and advocate
with and for the poor. Acting alone, however, their impact is limited
in scope, scale and sustainability. CSOs need to engage in government
policy processes more effectively.
With increased democratisation, reductions in conflict, and advances
in information and communication technologies, there is potential
for progressive partnerships between CSOs and policymakers in more
developing countries. However, CSOs are having a limited impact
on policy and practice, and ultimately the lives of poor people.
In many countries they act on their own or in opposition to the
state, leading to questions about their legitimacy and accountability.
Their policy positions are also increasingly questioned: researchers
challenge their evidence base and policymakers question the feasibility
of their recommendations.
The first part of this report shows why and how better use of evidence
by CSOs is part of the solution to increasing the policy influence
and pro-poor impact of their work. Better use of evidence can: (i)
improve the impact of CSOs’ service delivery work; (ii) increase
the legitimacy and effectiveness of their policy engagement efforts,
helping CSOs to gain a place and have influence at the policy table;
and (iii) ensure that policy recommendations are genuinely pro-
poor.
The second half of the report outlines how CSOs can engage more
effectively in policy processes. It includes strategic and practical
advice regarding how CSOs can overcome the main challenges to policy
engagement. These challenges and some effective ways of addressing
them are outlined.
In some countries, adverse political contexts continue to be the
main barrier to informed policy engagement. But often, the extent
of CSOs’ influence on policy is in their own hands. By getting
the fundamentals right – assessing context, engaging policymakers,
getting rigorous evidence, working with partners, communicating
well – CSOs can overcome key internal obstacles. The result
will be more effective, influential and sustained policy engagement
for poverty reduction.
View Policy Engagement Briefing Paper
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