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16 February 2010
The CIVICUS programme Civil Society Watch (CSW) works to protect and defend the space for civil society to freely operate around the world.
CSW aims to mobilise quick, principled and effective responses to events that threaten civil society's fundamental rights to collectively express, associate and organise. CSW builds on CIVICUS' long-standing role as a global voice in defence of civic rights. It also contributes to CIVICUS' mission to strengthen civil society worldwide and protect space for civic expression, particularly in those areas where it is under threat.
CIVICUS and the International Center for Not-for-profit Law are working together to develop an Early Warning System to identify and respond to the initial signs of threats to civil society. CIVICUS and ICNL believe that by addressing the first signs of danger, we can alert both activists and decision-makers and possibly prevent such threats from progressing further.
The Early Warning System aims to identify the preparation of restrictive laws or the move towards restrictive practices so that effective advocacy can take place before enactment rather than after, once governments are vested in the result.
CIVICUS piloted the Early Warning System from September 2008 to March 2009 in Vietnam, Philippines, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, USA, Lebanon and the Solomon Islands. An evaluation and revision of the methodology is currently underway, however, country updates continue.
Democratic and inclusive governance is seen as key for fighting poverty, achieving sustainable development and social justice. There is now growing consensus that such a system of democratic governance has to involve ample opportunities for citizen and their organizations to engage with government – what is usually termed ‘participatory governance’.
However, in reality, such opportunities remain rare and citizens in both the North and the South express growing disillusionment with their governments – citing problems of lack of transparency, responsiveness and accountability. Human and citizen rights are not fully acknowledged nor respected and, as a result, ordinary citizens are largely excluded from governance processes and the making of decisions that directly affect their lives.
Around the world, citizens suffer from a lack of adequate information, lack of awareness and acknowledgement of human and citizen rights and inadequate opportunities for meaningful dialogue and negotiation with public actors. In many countries all over the world, civil society organizations have been at the forefront of advocating for greater citizen participation in public life.
The growing prominence of civil society around the world brings with it a greater public responsibility and accountability. The Legitimacy, Transparency and Accountability (LTA) Programme is committed to the enhancement of legitimacy, transparency and accountability of civil society organisations (CSOs) - as well as the public trust in CSOs - by improving their individual and collective governance.
It also builds on CIVICUS efforts to promote new, more participative and accountable models of governance and partnership. The LTA Programme, is an initiative to promote ethical practice and agreed codes of conduct for civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as for funders, governments and business.
This programme aims to build the capacity for CSOs to respond to challenges to their roots, authority, and right to speak on behalf of broader constituencies. Ultimately the programme is aimed at strengthening the influence and public standing of CSOs, and their ability to act effectively, with integrity and for the public good. It relates to CIVICUS vision of a society in which the roles of civil society in development and governance are recognised, respected and fulfilled.
Pat Hanley
Social Planning & Research Consultant
email: lawler.hanley@slingshot.co.nz
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