PEOPLE UNLIMITED

1. North–South Relationships in International Cooperation: Challenges & Experiences Julie E. Ferguson, Knowledge Sharing, Hivos.com PEOPLE UNLIMITED Hivos wants to contribute to a free, free, fair and sustainable world. Local, independent organisations play a critical role in this. Hivos is convinced that if people are given a fair chance, they have nearly endless possibilities. Hivos. People unlimited. EADI IMWG 9 Sept 2004 Maastricht

2. Agenda • Challenges & Experiences • Brief introduction • Donor perspective (Hivos) • Partner perspective (APC) • Constituency perspective • Do the policies work?

3. Introducing Hivos • Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation • Dutch NGO est’d 1968 • 2 central policies • Civil Society Building, Sustainable Economic Development • 6 themes • Economic activities & Credit, Sust. Development & Env’t, Gender women & dev’t, HR & Aids, Arts & Culture, ICT • 5 main activities • Funding, lobby, networking, education, knowledge sharing • www.hivos.nl

4. A. Hivos perspective • Twin-track approach • Hivos ICT Policy 2000 – 2004: Access for All – Equal Opportunities in Cyberspace • Advantage of mainstreaming: • Sectors are ‘forced’ to address the issue • Advantage of sector approach: • Dedicated allocation of resources (budget, people…) x1000

5. Mainstreaming ICTs Effort Consciouscompetence Consciousincompetence Unconsciouscompetence Unconsciousincompetence Time Source: Geoff Parcel

6. Challenges of mainstreaming • Multitude of mainstream issues • Reporting, officer needs to know ‘everything’… • Financial accountability • Where does the mainstream issue come back in the financial reporting? (7% sector expediture should be for ICT) • ‘Impact’ measurement • Real impact beyond ‘buzz words’ in reporting (to please donor?) • Sustainability issues • Depends on constant push by ‘champion’ • Easily phased out upon budget cuts/reallocation • Knowledge sharing • How to get lessons back?

7. B. Partner perspective • Hivos implements its policy through strategic partners… • e.g.: APC • ICT Policy Monitor http://africa.rights.apc.org • Goal: “to enable CSOs to engage in ICT policy development to promote an Information Society based on social justice and human rights. The ultimate aim being that governments and policy makers recognise that access to and the use of ICTs is a basic human right.” • Means: • ICT policy monitor: researching & analysing ICT policies from a CSO perspective • Information resource (www), awareness raising, empowerment Thanks to Anriette Esterhuijzen & Emmanuel Njenga of APC for sharing their thoughts on this!

8. Challenges • Reaching stakeholders • Reaching and engaging stakeholders… • …whilst avoiding ‘tug of war’! • Moving beyond information to implementation of policies • Governments often lack the capacity to implement policies • “Ownership” issues • The policy is not the end goal but often required for multilateral funding. Generating realistic and feasible policies. • One-sided approach • Ensure a broad vision; often a narrow approach includes e.g. infrastructure but not IP, governance, software, e-commerce… • What they do – versus what still needs to be done! • There is so much still to be done – how to cover all bases?!

9. C. Constituency perspective • Challenges: • Access to policy discussions • Skills to participate in these • Ensuring coverage of their issues: balancing minority interests vs. marginal interests (tug of war) • ‘Animators’/’mediators’ in policy discussions (translating/negotiating/dealing w. power relations) • Capacity for strengthening local abilities at national/international level • Effective networking & knowledge sharing

10. So, do our policies work? • Yes: • Awareness-raising • Capacity development • Networking • Lobby • No: • Implementation of policies at gov’t level • CS participation • PPPs • Awareness • Maybe: • Access • Strategic use of ICTs • Additional instruments • Multi-stakeholdership • Knowledge sharing • Strategic approach?

11. j.ferguson@hivos.nl www.hivos.nl