Development Assistance Committee Members and Civil Society

Description

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is clear on the need to engage civil society organisations (CSOs) in implementing and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals. With their capacity to bring the voices of those on the frontlines of poverty, inequality and vulnerability into development processes, CSOs can help to ensure no one is left behind. In order to work to their maximum potential, CSOs need members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to provide and promote enabling environments. This study provides a comprehensive review of the various ways in which DAC members support and engage with civil society. It argues that they can do more to make their civil society policies and practices effective. To that end, the study provides action points for further discussion with DAC members, CSOs, and others, to be developed into a guidance or a recommendation for how members can improve the effectiveness of their work with civil society, and, by extension, make environments for CSOs more enabling. Foreword Acknowledgements Abbreviations and acronyms Executive summary Key findings Action points for DAC members Action points for the OECD DAC Overview Key findings Defining CSOs and civil society Policies for working with CSOs and civil society Objectives for working with CSOs and civil society Advantages and disadvantages of working with CSOs and civil society How financial support is provided Who receives financial support Dialogue and consultation with CSOs and civil society Administrative requirements Monitoring for results and learning Accountability and transparency of CSOs and members Action points for DAC members Action points for the OECD DAC References 1 What the literature says about civil society organisations and Development Assistance Committee members 1.1. Introduction: Civil society organisations in development co-operation 1.2. Defining civil society and CSOs Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.3. Member CSO and/or civil society policies Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.4. Objectives for working with CSOs and civil society Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.5. How financial support is provided Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.6. Who receives financial support Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.7. Dialogue and consultation with CSOs and civil society Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.8. Administrative requirements Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.9. Monitoring for results and learning Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons 1.10. Accountability and transparency of CSOs and members Existing guidance Insights from the literature: Ongoing challenges and lessons References Notes 2 Working with civil society: Findings from surveys and consultations 2.1. How members define CSOs and civil society 2.2. Member CSO and/or civil society policies 2.3. Objectives for working with CSOs and civil society 2.3.1. Service delivery (programme implementation) 2.3.2. Human rights and democratisation (programme implementation) 2.3.3. Strengthening civil society in partner countries 2.3.4. Enhancing partner country CSOs’ capacity 2.3.5. Enhancing member country CSOs’ capacity 2.3.6. Public awareness raising in member countries 2.3.7. Humanitarian-development-peace nexus 2.4. Advantages and disadvantages of working with CSOs 2.5. How financial support is provided 2.6. Who receives financial support 2.6.1. Member country, international and partner country-based CSOs 2.6.2. Diverse civil society actors 2.7. Dialogue and consultation with CSOs and civil society 2.8. Administrative requirements 2.9. Monitoring for results and learning 2.10. Accountability and transparency of CSOs and members References Notes 3 Action points going forward 3.1. Action points for DAC members 3.1.1. Greater commonality is needed in member definitions of civil society and CSOs for shared understanding and to reflect civil society diversity 3.1.2. Policies for working with civil society and CSOs are needed to ensure clarity and transparency of objectives 3.1.3. Members should embrace two types of objectives for working with CSOs and civil society to make the most of the sector’s intrinsic and instrumental value 3.1.4. Financial support mechanisms and flows need to reflect the two types of objectives for working with CSOs and civil society 3.1.5. More financial support should be made directly available to partner country CSOs and more diverse civil society actors 3.1.6. More, and more meaningful, dialogue with CSOs and civil society is needed especially at partner country level 3.1.7. More effort by more members to reduce the administrative requirements of CSO support is required to lower transaction costs for members and CSOs alike 3.1.8. Further flexibility and adaptability in results monitoring, with a commitment to learning, are required for greater relevance, ownership and sustainability 3.1.9. Accountability and transparency of both CSOs and members need more attention, as they share responsibilities within enabling environments 3.2. Action points for the OECD DAC References Annex A. Methodological note Annex B. DAC member financial flows for CSOs Table B.1. Official development assistance to and through CSOs, 2010-18 (USD million, disbursements, constant 2018 prices) Table B.2. Official development assistance through CSOs, 2010-18 (USD million, disbursements, constant 2018 prices) Table B.3. Official development assistance to CSOs, 2010-18 (USD million, disbursements, constant 2018 prices) Table B.4. Volume of official development assistance through CSOs by sector, 2010-18 (USD million, disbursements, constant 2018 prices)