The Istanbul Principles and the International Framework

Geneva, SwitzerlandJune 2013

The Istanbul Principles The International Framework on CSO DETools for CSO DE workGroup discussion

Outline

The journey to CSO Development Effectiveness

2005 2008 2011

Accra Agenda for Action

Busan Partnership for

Effective Development Cooperation

Paris Declaration on

Aid Effectiveness

Accra Agenda for Action Paragraph 20

“We will deepen our engagement with CSOs as independent development actors in their own right whose efforts complement those of governments and the private sector. We [donors and governments] share an interest in ensuring that CSO contributions to development reach their full potential.”

Rather than calling upon CSOs to implement the Paris Declaration, the signatories to the AAA“invite CSOs] to reflect on how they can apply the Paris principles of aid effectiveness from a CSO perspective [emphasis added]” [§20a].

Challenges for CSOs

CSOs struggle for

funding

CSOs in North and South need

to adapt to changing aid architecture

Need to define what an enabling environment for

CSOs looks like

Need to advocate for recognition of CSOs’ roles and

voices

Need to raise

awareness on

effectiveness

Broadening aid

effectiveness debate:

human rights,

sustainable development, gender equality

Need for learning

opportunities

CSOs need to

demonstrate their

impact in order to secure

peoples’ support

Need to strengthen and

clarify accountabilit

y

Need to ensure impact for the benefit of the marginalized

CSO DevelopmentEffectiveness

What is CSO Development Effectiveness?

These actions for development will be effective if they bring about sustainable change that addresses the causes, as well as the symptoms, of poverty, inequality and marginalization.

Community OrganizingMonitoring and EvaluationResearch and Policy Dialogue

Platform and Network Formation

Service DeliveryResource Mobilization

Information and Education

Diverse CSO Roles

8 Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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.

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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 the marginalized.

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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 condiitons for ecological integrity and justice

The Istanbul Principles

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

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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.

The Istanbul PrinciplesCSOs 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.

Critical Conditions for Enabling CSO Development Effectiveness

Context – global and local economic, social, political, climatic crises, conflict situations, etc.

Other actors – government, donors, private sector

• First ever global statement from civil society on the effectiveness

of our work in development

• A long-term reference for the civil society sector to guide our collective efforts to improve our

work

• First ever global statement from civil society on the effectiveness

of our work in development

• A long-term reference for the civil society sector to guide our collective efforts to improve our

work

3 Pillars:

-Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness

-Statement on CSO Accountability, guidelines to

implement the principles

- Advocating to governments for minimum standards for more enabling environment for civil

society to operate

- Accompanied by 2 toolkits

The work ahead post-BusanWorking Group on CSO Devt Effectiveness

-Spearhead activities on implementing CSOs own commitments around effective development

-2 global focal points:

-Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) CIVICUS

- Platform to share good practices, lessons learnt and tools for the implementation of Istanbul Principles at country level

Practitioners Activity Guide:Collection of group activities to

facilitate strategic planning for country level implementation of the Principles for

CSO Development Effectiveness

CSO Wiki: Interactive platform and one-stop

resource center for civil society practitioners who want to work on

improving the impact and quality of their development work

TWO NEW IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS! TWO NEW IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS!

6. What is coming up6. What is coming up

Issue to reflect with the group

- How do the principles speak to us/are they (all) relevant to us?

-How do we make these principles work in practice/what is the current level of implementation within the FBOs?

- To what extent are the IPs and to what extent is the International Framework’s understanding of accountability correct and comprehensive