Many issues, from development and aid effectiveness to climate justice, from reforms
in key intergovernmental institutions to the advancement of the rights of vulnerable and marginalised groups, are tackled at the global level but have their impact at the local level. CIVICUS works to enhance the effectiveness of civil society in governance processes in order to influence key decision makers from the national to global level. In 2010, activities under this theme were conducted primarily under the auspices of the participatory governance project, the development effectiveness and cooperation project and through CIVICUS' representation at the United Nations. Key achievements During 2010, the Participatory Governance (PG) project focused on building the capacities of civil society activists. Key achievements include: • The launch of the PG Exchange [www.pgexchange.org], an online resource centre to enable practitioners to access tools and engage in knowledge sharing and peer learning on participatory governance. The site contains over 30 different participatory governance tools and approaches and has received an enthusiastic response from around the world. • The provision of 'innovation' grants to 14 groups - four in Cambodia, four in Central America and six in the MENA region - to strategically selected participatory governance initiatives. • Regional sharing and learning events in Cairo, Mexico City and Phnom Penh to bring together mentees, innovation grantees and other stakeholders to share and learn from experiences. Throughout 2010, the Development Effectiveness and Cooperation project contributed to the work for the Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness and BetterAid to ensure effective engagement by a diversity of civil society actors in the international development effectiveness debates. Through its UN representatives in New York and Geneva, in 2010 CIVICUS undertook a variety of advocacy and convening activities to support CIVICUS, its members and partners to achieve their goals at the UN, including: • Supporting the mission from CIVICUS' Philippine partners to the UN Human Rights Council. • Assisting CIVICUS partners from Eurasia engage with Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Bodies. • Holding a side event during Belarus' Universal Periodic Review process in the UN Human Rights Council. • Chairing the Executive Committee of Non-Governmental Organisations associated with The United Nations Department of Public Information. Looking Forward In addition to ongoing convening and advocacy activities at the United Nations, 2011 will see several key events on the global agenda, notably the High Level Forum for Development Effectiveness in Busan and COP 17 on Climate Change in Durban. CIVICUS' activities during the year will relate directly to ensuring civil society effec- tiveness in the global debates and decision-making processes around these two events as well as continuing to strengthen the capacity of civil society from the local to global to engage in governance processes. About the Participatory Governance project The Participatory Governance (PG) project [Link] focuses on building the capacities of targeted civil society actors to influence and participate in public decision-making processes at local and national levels. The project activities are part of a multi-dimensional capacity-building strategy focusing on: i) knowledge generation and sharing; ii) direct skills transfer and promotion of participatory governance tools and approaches; iii) networking and bridge-building; and iv) promotion of innovation. About the Development Effectiveness and Cooperation project Under the auspices of the Development Effectiveness and Cooperation (DEC) project [Link], CIVICUS partakes in a variety of activities to promote civil society participation in, and transparency of, international processes on development and aid; to promote democratic ownership of aid and development and enhanced government accountability at the local and national levels; and to support processes addressing the effectiveness of civil society organisations as development actors. About CIVICUS representation at the United Nations CIVICUS currently has representatives at the United Nations in Geneva and New York [Link]. The purpose of its representation in both locations is to enhance the space and impact of civil society in decisionmaking processes. Systematic engagement with the UN allows CIVICUS to pursue all three of its strategic directions through both advocacy and convening activities. |