INGO Outreach

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International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) are key players in international development. More than ten percent of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to developing countries was channelled through INGOs in 2006, which contributed an additional US$ 20 billion through public fundraising that year. Yet their role in development goes beyond financial provision.

They have become influential advocates for democracy and social justice, important part of civil society coalitions, and play an essential role in humanitarian responses. It is very important, therefore, that the INGO perspective is fed into the global consultation process of the Open Forum. For this reason, the Open Forum will provide a platform to discuss which are key principles of development effectiveness and discuss the issues around the enabling environment that are specific to the INGO sector.

The result of these discussions will become part of the draft framework and recommendations stemming out of the Open Forum and will help to strengthen the collective voice of the sector in the next High Level Forum of Aid Effectiveness in Seoul in late 2011.

Background Paper on INGO Outreach and the Open Forum

Activities

The Open Forum will seek to strengthen communication about the global consultation process with the INGO sector. We will gather the views of different organisations by conducting a survey and other research activities on the principles of development effectiveness and the enabling environment for INGOs. We will present preliminary results in the Global Assembly at the end of September 2010. Other activities will be subject to what the INGO advisory group prioritizes.

NEW ACTIVITY Your contribution needed! INGO´s perspectives on development effectiveness

In order for the Open Forum to gather the feedback of international NGOs (INGOs) on development effectiveness and the enabling environment, we are conducting a 10 minute online survey. The survey is aimed at INGO staff members and can be completed until the 27th of August. Your response to this survey is very important as it will contribute to the Open Forum process: a global consultation taking place in more than 70 countries. This process aims to bring forward an agenda of development effectiveness led and defined by NGOs and CSOs and to create a platform to advocate for an enabling environment for their work. The preliminary results will be presented in the First Global Assembly at the end of September where a space for discussion will be provided. This information will also feed the Open Forum CSO development effectiveness framework and recommendations to be presented in the next High Level Forum of Aid Effectiveness in Seoul in late 2011.

The purpose of this survey is to explore views on the main priorities of INGOs regarding development effectiveness and the enabling environment. It also explores opinions on the mechanisms to encourage compliance with development effectiveness principles.

You can fill out our survey here

Your response and time is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

DEADLINE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY: AUGUST 27, 2010

INGO Advisory Group

In order to ensure effective communication and relevant involvement of INGOs in this process, we seek to establish an advisory group formed by between five to six representatives of the INGO sector. This group should represent a diversity of international organisations working in advocacy, community development, humanitarian issues, etc.

The advisory group will ensure that the activities undertaken by the Open Forum are relevant for the INGO community and that they take into account the diversity of organisations and perspectives in the sector. They can also propose extra activities that aim at strengthening the work with INGOs.

The advisory group currently consists of:

  • Beris Gwyne, World Vision International
  • Sally Nicholson, WWF
  • Pauline Martin, Oxfam International
  • Maliha Khan, Care US
  • Nele Meyer, Amnesty International
  • Natalia Alonso and Mia Haglund, Plan International

Research Component

This component will provide an opportunity to gather information from a wide range of INGOs on the principles of development effectiveness and of the issues around the enabling environment that facilitate or constraint their work. The objective of this component is to identify common principles and approaches of development effectiveness but also the challenges faced by the different INGOs in relation with the multiple levels and relations built around their work.

Outreach component

The objective of this component is to facilitate the participation and involvement of INGOs in the Open Forum process. The activities will aim at:

1. communicating the objectives and importance of the process to the INGO community,

2. establishing a fluid communication between INGOs and the Open Forum,

3. providing a platform for the participation and involvement of INGOs throughout the whole consultation process.

Accountability

We are committed to implement this process with transparency and accountability. All the information and minutes of meetings and activities of the Open Forum will be published on its website. We will also strengthen our communication links with INGOs by sending regular updates on the process and conducting periodic evaluations. The Global Assembly will also serve as a space where INGOs will evaluate the outreach process and agree on ways to consolidate the inputs. The data and results will be publicly shared in several venues, including the Open Forum website, so organisations can use it for their own purposes if they wish.

More information

For more information about the Open Forum Consortium and the global consultation process please browse this website, or write info cso-effectiveness.org. For more information specifically on INGO outreach and the Open Forum, please contact Jeannet Lingan at: icso cso-effectiveness.org