BEIRUT, Lebanon– CPDE sectoral representatives met for a learning session on CSO Development Effectiveness at the sidelines of the 2018 CPDE All Secretariats Meeting in June. All sectors showcased marked improvement in their knowledge, understanding, and in developing their sectoral guidelines for implementing the Istanbul Principles. Below is a summary of initiatives reported:
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The Labour Sector continued further promotion of their Trade Union Development Effectiveness Principles and the creation of tools to help trade unions globally in assessing their own effectiveness and accountability.
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After discussing the Istanbul Principles among its members, the Rural Sector adapted the five principles within their realities and needs.A greater focus on the principle on human rights and social justice were given in relation to the sector’s work on genuine agrarian reform. They are in the process of developing their own guidelines.
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The Indigenous Peoples (IP) Sector streamlined CSO DE principles in IP rights to self-determination and self-determined sustainable development (i.e. right to free, prior informed consent). This was done by organising capacity building activities for IP organisations in Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.
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After publishing a report focused on the development effectiveness agenda in 2016, the International CSOs group developed a work plan connecting this agenda to the broader discussions at the global level.
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Going regional, the FBO sector continued their work on regional capacity development workshops in promoting the Istanbul Principles in relation to humanitarian work
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Newly-constituted sectors like the the Youth and Migrants Sectors have focused on workshops to promote the Istanbul Principles and initiated discussions for developing their sectoal CSO DE guidelines
The implementation also presented good practices of cross constituency partnerships since some of the sectoral initiatives were done in collaboration with CPDE regions and working groups.
CSO has long committed to the Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness as a political statement to their serious work in probing and proving their own effectiveness and accountability.
In 2017, CPDE’s work on CSO DE took another level as all sectors implemented initiatives to deepen their understanding on the Istanbul Principles and to lead in creating sector-specific guidelines for promoting the CSO development effectiveness agenda. These initiatives, however, did not come without challenges as CPDE sectors have varying levels of knowledge, previous work, and understanding of the Istanbul Principles.
The diversity of contexts entails sectors to be more careful not to regard the Istanbul Principles as a prescriptive tool for measuring their effectiveness but as an adaptive measure that can capture the realities of the constituencies while still gauging successfully the effectiveness of their work.
Shrinking and closing spaces for civil society, violations on human rights and attacks on communities not only continued but intensified this year in both developing and developed countries which are impediments for many in advocating for people’s sovereignty and effectively performing their inherent roles in society.
For inquiries, contact Jaz Lumang, Working Group on CSO Development Effectiveness at jlumang@aprnet.org
