THE CIVIL SOCIETY
ENGAGEMENT
FRAMEWORK
February 2012
Zéneb Touré
1. Rationale
2. Objectives
3. The value added of the CSO Framework
4. Components of the new engagement framework
◦ The three-Tier engagement modality
◦ CSO support to Ongoing AfDB activities
◦ AfDB support to CSOs
5. Mechanisms for CSO engagement

AfDB’s Medium-term Strategy (MTS), 20082012
◦ proposes AfDB support to the involvement of CSOs in
the design, implementation and evaluation of projects
and programs
◦ reiterates the importance of results-based and clientoriented approaches

AfDB’s Long term strategy 2013-2022

Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005)

Accra Agenda for Action (AAA, 2008)

Help the Bank achieve greater results and impacts
through improving the Bank’s collaboration with
CSOs and Strengthen the existing mechanisms for
participation and coordination
◦ Promote staff interaction with CSOs
◦ Strengthen the Bank’s capacity to build cooperative
working modalities with CSOs / Provide operational
guidance for the Bank’s staff
 Development
 Public
impact
outreach/Partnership
 Results
and effectiveness (CSOs : comparative
advantage in terms of cost, timeliness, flexibility, local
knowledge and proximity to the beneficiary population
 Policy

dialogue (Highlight important issues/strategic
orientation
 Ownership
The three-tier engagement mechanism/modality
The AfDB support to CSOs/Capacity building
have been integrated in the view
of consolidating the 1999 Policy on
Civil Society Cooperation
Corporate level
AfDB–civil society policy dialogue at headquarters level
expanded more consolidated over the past years




Encourage greater civil society participation at the Bank’s
Annual Meetings
Define criteria to select CSOs
Institute a learning program for Bank staff/develop tools
Organize consultations between senior management of the
Bank and CSOs on emerging regional issues
Regional/Country level
Increasing CSO participation provides insight into local knowledge
and ensures citizen support of the Bank’s projects.



The Bank country offices : regular consultations with CSOs to
improve CSP, poverty reduction papers : To increase CSO
knowledge about the bank
Mapping of CSOs in country/data base
The Bank regional departments and country offices: CSOs
participation CSP, PBO
Project/operational level
CSOs in Project: better outcomes, lower risks, and increased
development effectiveness. improve project design, quality of
service, public support, increases transparency and
accountability and improving relationships between citizens and
their public agencies.
Develop and institutionalize templates for CSOs
 CSO and beneficiary involvement in monitoring and
evaluating AfDB-supported projects

Comp 2: CSO support to Ongoing AfDB activities
 Integrated
Environmental and Social
Safeguards Systems
 Independent Review Mechanism
 Expanding the role of CSOs in fragile
regional member countries
 Outreach and communication
Integrated Environmental and Social Safeguards Systems
CSOs can be a critical ally to enforce the integrated safeguard
system by:



Identifying impacts on host communities;
Verifying whether those negatively affected are
compensated
Ascertaining whether regional member countries or other
borrowers are fully complying with the bank’s
environmental and social safeguard policies and procedures.
Independent Review Mechanism
CSOs can be:





Effective intermediary in transferring information to communities.
Assist the IRM in understanding the nature and scope of complaints
and the local social and economic circumstances at the local level that
led to the complaints about the projects.
Play a pivotal role in providing information to the IRM’s compliance
review panels and determining whether any harm has been inflicted
on affected communities.
Raise community awareness on the functions of the IRM and the
requirements necessary for submitting complaints.
Help communities acquire skills to engage in dialogue and negotiation
with the Bank
Expanding the role of CSOs in fragile states

Develop CSO capacity in fragile states in terms of service delivery,
community development, advocacy, peace-building and governance

Strengthen the forums for government-CSO communication in fragile
states as those countries face particular difficulties in engaging with
civil society and supporting participatory processes

Provide support to the EITI in fragile states within the context of
natural resources management.

Capitalize on successful CSO experiences in Africa and other regions
and consider forging partnerships with CSOs to document and replicate
these experiences.
Outreach and communication

Expanding CSO engagement with the Bank would require
meaningful communication between the two parties.

CSOs need to be kept abreast of Bank activities and the Bank, in
turn, needs to have basic information about the CSO landscape
on the continent.

To encourage dialogue, the Bank need to strengthen
communication with CSOs, guided by its Policy on Disclosure
and Access to Information.
Mechanism of Engagement with CSOs
Level\Typology of
Engagement
Outreach and Communication
Corporate level
• Portal in the Intranet for internal • Regular consultation on Policies
consultation
• Consultations between Bank Senior management and
• Online library catalogue and
CSOs on emerging regional issues
publishing e-Newsletters
• Annual Meetings
• Media releases
• Bank CSO forum
• Television interviews
• African Economic Conferences
Portal in the Bank Web-site
• Project launching,
• Loan and grant signing
agreements,
Regional/Country level
• Media releases
• Television interviews
• Project launching
• Field visits
Operational/Project
level
Dialogue and consultation
• Regularly convene CSO consultations for Country
dialogue
• Policy and project reviews and assessment
• Guidelines for CSO participation in Policy dialogue,
CSP, RIPS elaboration.
Partnership
• Bank’s CSO database
• CSO as peer reviewers of Bank Policy documents
• Mapping of CSOs in Africa
• Criteria for CSOs selection
• MoU With specialised NGOs/CSOs
• Bank’s participation in the CSO donors thematic group
• CSOs involvement in elaborating CSPs and other
country programming documents.
• CSO involvement in monitoring and evaluating AfDB- • CSOs involvement in project results monitoring
supported projects
• Engaging CSOs/NGOs in project implementation
• Guidelines for Bank staff for CSO participation in the
project design
• CSOs implementation in Bank sponsored initiatives
Civil Society Engagement Framework Consultations
2012
February---------—-------------March -----------------------------April -------------------------May
15
1
1
1- Internal Consultations – Staff
2 - External Consultations- CSO
3 - Online Consultations
1
2
Sensitization and
ownership of Bank
staff within sectors,
departments and
field offices, on the
new CSO
engagement
framework.
3
Sensitization of
CSOs and gathering
comments on new
CSO engagement
framework in
Central, North,
West, South and
Online sensitization.
Gathering of
comments on new
CSO Engagement
Framework on CSO
Portal on AfDB
Website for
comments from all
stakeholders
East Africa.
partners
1