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Strengthening regional capacity to support CSOs
Mapping and partnership principles
With little systematic work on how CSOs use research-based evidence
to influence policy processes available in the public domain, it
is hardly surprising that there is even less about how this can
be strengthened. While there are a number of regional and global
directories of Think Tanks, information about organisations in the
south is sketchy, the information they contain is largely descriptive,
and there is very little information about all the other types of
CSOs that use evidence to inform policy processes. The initial plan
to produce a global map of CSOs involved in using research-based
evidence to influence policy and the organisations that support
them has been replaced with a more realistic aim to build a knowledge
base of oganisations involved in this kind of work with which ODI
has had some interaction. See
the Community section of the web site.
A review of the broader literature about north-south partnerships
identified flexibility and accountability as a key success factors.
The review identified two main barriers to effective partnerships:
(i) inequality/power imbalances between partners; and (ii) the partners'
internal management systems. These can be overcome by transferring
responsibility and ownership to the less powerful partner and by
investing in the necessary internal systems to provide effective
support to the partnership. Key areas that need to be clarified
when organisations enter into a partnership are: a) access to timely
and accurate information; b) terms of engagement; c) the legitimacy
of engagement/partnership; and d) procedural review and evaluation
mechanisms. These are elaborated in greater detail in ODI
Working Paper 255: Partnerships and Accountability: Current thinking
and approaches among agencies supporting Civil Society Organisations
or see Partnerships and
Accountability section.
Small-scale collaborative projects
A number of small-scale projects are underway with ODI's existing
research partners to learn more about how they use the results of
the research to influence policy in their own countries, and help
them to do it better. These are described in detail in the Activities
section of the web site. While often difficult to negotiate
and implement because they involve a more collaborative and equitable
relationship than ODI's usual projects (in which partners are contracted
to undertake specific research activities) and need to engage with
local policy processes, which often run along different time-scales
than the research itself, these projects are generating valuable
lessons about partnership processes (see for example Partnership
Brokering) and how southern CSOs engage in policy (one on food
security in sub-saharan Africa has now evolved into a much larger
regional project - see "Forum
for Food Security in Southern Africa".
Southern consultations
A series of consultations to learn more about the role that CSOs
currently play in using evidence to promote development policy and
practice, explore what they need to do it better, and to identify
opportunities for small-scale collaborative work have been held
in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Each of the consultations was
coordinated by a reputable national or regional organisation involved
in policy-related development research, with well established relationships
with CSOs, government and bilateral and multilateral donors. The
consultations included one-to-one meetings, 1½ day workshops
for CSOs directly involved in using research-based evidence to influence
policy and ½ day seminars for a wider group of stakeholders.
The rationale, approach and full reports or these workshops are
available in the regional
consultations section of the site.
The key lessons from the workshops and subsequent discussions were:
- There is strong diversity among civil society organisations
both in the degree to which they try to engage in policy processes
and their capacity to do so.
- Policy processes in most African countries are more strongly
driven by internal politics and the policies and programmes of
bilateral and multilateral aid regimes than evidence from local
research and CSOs often have limited influence.
- The legitimacy and credibility of civil society is constantly
challenged, and their extensive knowledge on development is rarely
given due recognition by policymakers.
- Policymakers frequently doubt the feasibility and practicality
of proposals made by CSOs.
- Both CSOs and government are finding it hard to trust each other
in the new more democratic contexts in many countries.
- CSOs need a better understanding of the policy processes, who
they should seek to influence, and the capacity of government
to respond.
- Authentic and up-to-date of information is crucial for policy
advocacy, but it is frequently insufficient on its own. Evidence
is often conflicting. CSOs need to be able to compare and contrast
evidence from different sources and explain the differences as
well as the similarities.
A strong demand emerged from the workshops for:
- Practical training workshops on policy advocacy skills including
research methodology, strategy development, policy analysis, advocacy,
and communication.
- Other approaches to training including staff exchanges, secondments,
and collaborative work.
- Support with institutional development including human resources,
financial management, partnership, negotiation skills and fundraising.
- Efforts to build the capacity of existing networks in the South
to share information and analysis.
- Funds for collaborative projects and programmes.
Key Outputs:
Key outputs so far include:
Further information about Achievements:
- Achievements index
- Achievements in Outcome 1: Research
- Achievements in Outcome 3: Information
- Achievements in Outcome 4: Global
Projects
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