PRSPs and the role of Civil Society

1. PRSPs and the role of Civil Society Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop 19-22 May 2003

2. Plan for today • Priorities and questions from day 1 • Civil Society and participation • CS and the PRS cycle • Some experience to date • Opportunities and dangers of engagement • Case studies- Vietnam, Ethiopia and Tanzania

3. What is Civil Society? Term Civil Society is used to mean very different things… • Definitions • Legal frameworks • Typologies

4. Descriptive • 3rd sector of ‘associational life’ between State and Market • Includes: NGOs, trade unions, business associations, cooperatives, clubs, religious and interest groups, social movements, media and sometimes political parties • BUT in practice often just equated to NGOs

5. Normative • CS increases openness, democracy, transparency, accountability, participation, representation etc • Which it may… but NOT necessarily (e.g. Interahamwe, militant direct action organisations) • Means to an end/end in itself Legal frameworks • Distinctly different traditions- licensing existence vs just regulating actions

6. Typologies of CSOs • Membership or non-membership • Common interest- economic, sport, environment, ethnic… • Accountability- broad vs elite • Values- faith, ethics, social justice… • Location- local/international, northern/southern, rural/urban… • Scale- S, M, L, networks, coalitions… • Independence- set up by government (or donors or INGOs)

7. And by function… • Welfare/service delivery • Advocacy • Communication • Research • Monitoring/watchdogs • Representation…

8. What is Participation? Again, use to mean all kinds of things… common uses include • statement of openness • information sharing • qualitative data collection methodology • consultation on problems • consultation on solutions/policies • inclusion in design or decision making process • joint decision making • initiation and control by stakeholders By whom? legitimacy, representation, expertise

9. Opportunities to engage in the PRSP process Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop 19-22 May 2003

10. Reminder Policy formulation Financing PRSP process: Results oriented, evidence based policy making? Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring and evaluation Policy implementation

11. Caveats • Highly idealised and stylised version of process • PRSP is only one part of policy-making process • Civil society is only one influence on policy making process • Policy making is also heavily influenced by donors • Policy also influenced by domestic politics • Policy making also takes place at federal/subfederal/local level

12. Poverty Analysis Policy formulation Financing • Analysis from community/constituency • PPA/direct qual research • Issue based research and analysis PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring Policy implementation

13. Policy formulation Policy formulation Financing • Representing concerns of communities • constituencies/networks • Gathering opinion/comments on drafts • Produce formal statements/comments on drafts • Lobby/advocate for particular policy positions • Promoting alternative strategies PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring Policy implementation

14. Financing Policy formulation Financing • Participating in budget formulation • Ensuring large CSO expenditures are • recognised in the budget • Lobbying on financing plan • e.g. tax, aid, cost recovery PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring Policy implementation

15. Communication • Providing information on • broader PRS process • Disseminating PRS documents • Preparing or digesting the PRSP • for a specific audience • Disseminating digested version • Encouraging media to take up issues • Collating feedbackand • communicating to others Policy formulation Financing PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring Policy implementation

16. Policy implementation • Technical assistance to • government officials • and service providers • Continuing to provide services • but within PRS framework • Running pilot projects • within PRS framework • Implementation of (new) • poverty programmes • within PRS • Assisting communities • to access PRS funds Policy formulation Financing PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring Policy implementation

17. Monitoring and Evaluation • Participating in design • of m&e systems • Taking part in • monitoring/evaluation of… • Aid flows/donor behaviour • PRSP process • Policy commitments • Budget processes • Inputs/outputs • Poverty outcomes Policy formulation Financing PRSP process: the theory Communication Poverty analysis Monitoring and evaluation Monitoring Policy implementation

18. Policy formulation process Policy formulation Financing PRSP process: Results oriented, evidence based policy making? Communication Poverty analysis Policy implementation Monitoring and evaluation

19. Experiences of civil society participation in PRSPs Finnish Aid in a PRS Context Helsinki Workshop 19-22 May 2003

20. Over the past 3 years in PRSP countries… • Many different approaches have been tried by CSOs to engage with and influence PRSPs • Trial and error • Learning and capacity development • Experience-sharing between countries • However, expectations have been raised… • There is some disillusionment… • But broad consensus there is more space

21. In deciding whether/how to engage, CSOs consider… • Are there official spaces for participation? • Govt-CS relations • What’s the potential for policy influence? • Level of awareness among the public/ CSO constituencies • Positions of donors – allies or adversaries? • Should approaches change over time? • Capacity of civil society to influence

22. Insider approaches… • Involvement in working groups/drafting committee eg MEJN, Malawi • Commenting on draft docs eg Cambodia NGO Forum • Attending consultation workshops eg CRDA, Ethiopia • Technical assistance to ministries on process eg Action Aid, Rwanda • Collaboration on implementation eg UDN in Poverty Action Fund, Uganda

23. Outsider approaches • Alternative consultation processes eg Jubileo 2000 Bolivia • Proposing alternative policies eg INTERFOROS alternative PRSP, Honduras • Critiquing processes eg CA case studies, open letters from Bangladeshi CSOs • Using the media eg Uganda Debt Network • Conflictive – civil unrest eg Bolivia 2000

24. Involving communities • Raising awareness of PRSP eg Swahili version of PRSP, Tanzania; radio programmes • Community analysis of poverty eg PPA in Vietnam, Voices of the Poor in Yemen • Community consultations on policy eg policy options discussions, Rwanda • Community monitoring eg HIPC-Watch Ghana, UDN in Uganda

25. Developing CS capacity • Drawing-in organisations that don’t normally work on policy ie churches, service delivery NGOs • Workshops on advocacy skills eg CA/Trocaire in Rwanda • Local policy NGOs working with others to broaden base of skilled organisations eg UDN, Uganda • Training of local activists eg MEJN community budget monitoring trainings • Economic literacy skills ie budget analysis and connection with policy eg ISODEC, Ghana

26. Working collaboratively • Forming networks and coalitions - nationally eg ZIMCOD in Zimbabwe, internationally eg AFRODAD • Speaking with one voice to increase influence eg Bolivia CSOs reject PRSP • Greater access eg CRDA, Ethiopia • Thematic working groups as first port of call for government eg CHAM, Malawi

27. Obstacles to participation • Government suspicions of CS eg initially in Malawi • Lack of capacity and co-ordination among CSOs • Lack of policy influence of CSO contributions and results of participation processes • Women’s participation limited eg most places! UK Gender and Devt Report eg Tanzania • Rush to access HIPC resources eg Mozambique