“People have a strong role to play in development and the right and duty to participate”
As development actors continue mobilization towards the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, the Open Forum is honoured to present a video message from democracy leader and Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on the important role of CSOs in development and the political life of a nation.
For the few who may not know her, Aung San Suu Kyi has been relentlessly working for years to promote democracy in her country, Burma (Myanmar). An active campaigner with the National League for Democracy, her calling has been a struggle and resulted in persecution and extended periods of detention under house arrest. But Aung San Suu Kyi persevered in her political action, becoming a powerful inspiration in her country and around the globe. Supported by governments and pro-democracy activists worldwide, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1991. Following over 15 years of intermittent house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi was freed again in November 2010. Today, her work continues as she advocates for democracy and people’s participation.
First shown at the formal launch of the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness in Paris on 6 October 2011, the video from Aung San Suu Kyi provides challenging and inspiring messages on some of the topics “nearest to her heart” – the role of civil society organizations in development and multi-stakeholder cooperation.
These messages link directly to the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness, which is the statement from global civil society on the standards that guide its work as independent development actors. Most importantly, the International Framework includes a strong statement on the minimum standards for an enabling environment from governments and donors — for civil society cannot be true to their own effectiveness principles without an enabling context in which to do their work.
Sadly, the disenabling environment trends persist in many countries of the world, both North and South. The message of Aung San Suu Kyi is therefore deeply relevant in the run up the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, where civil society is actively advocating for the CSO Key Messages and Proposals, including the acknowledgement of the International Framework and the provision of a more enabling environment for civil society development actors.
Please click here to view the video address of Aung San Suu Kyi.
View the transcript of the video address in English, French and Spanish.
Please click here to view more civil society voices on development effectiveness!
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