In a statement called the Geneva Declaration, civil society organisations from around the world highlighted the importance of promoting trust to provide an enabling environment for CSOs, amid today’s multiple crises.
The CSOs were gathered for a conference on trust-building organised by the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness, in the lead-up to the Development Cooperation Summit in Geneva, Switzerland last 10 December 2022.
CSOs argued that, “CSO Development Effectiveness can only be fulfilled when civic space is protected and there is trust among development actors. Trust-building is crucial to create enabling conditions for local initiatives and
organisations to thrive.”
The signing organisations also called for “the implementation of declarations and commitments made in Paris, Accra, Busan, Nairobi and now Geneva, on CSO enabling environment and development effectiveness,” and committed to take the necessary steps to promote trust and strengthen our partnerships with other stakeholders.
The declaration ends with calls to various development stakeholders, including members of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation, governments, DAC or development assistance committee donors, and all providers of development assistance, around steps to promote trust and to reverse the trend of shrinking civic space, ensure CSO Enabling Environment, and promote the realisation of CSO development effectiveness.
Read the full declaration here.#