CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
e-CIVICUS
A Free Weekly Electronic Newsletter Promoting Civic Existence, Expression & Engagement
14 February 2007
FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
ISSUE No. 324
PUBLISHER
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen
Participation
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kumi Naidoo
DEPUTY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Micha Hollestelle
MANAGING EDITOR
Eric Muragana
COPY EDITORS
Cardinal Uwishaka
OCCASIONAL
CONTRIBUTORS
Andreas Bummel
Pauline Solomons
Vicente García-Delgado
ABOUT e-CIVICUS
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and knowledgeable society.
From Nairobi to Davos: Reflections on the World Social Forum and World
Economic Forum
By Kumi Naidoo, CIVICUS Secretary-General
Dear e-CIVICUS Subscriber,
In late January 2007, the seventh World Social Forum was held in Nairobi, Kenya and the 37th World
Economic Forum was held in Davos, Switzerland. CIVICUS, the International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC), Amnesty International and the Arab Network and Development (ANND), were
some of the civil society groups that participated in both events. In this week’s column, I will reflect
on the World Social Forum and next week’s column will focus on the World Economic Forum. To
read the column on the World Social Forum, please visit
www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral54.htm
CIVICUS Poll Questions
Each week, a new question is posted on the CIVICUS website. Let us know what you think. If you
have any questions you would like to ask, please email editor@civicus.org.
This week’s question: Do you think that the World Social Forum is of added value to the global civil
society? Answer the question at www.civicus.org/new/poll.asp?c=048451
Previous question: Do you think that the work of civil society organisations involved in budget
analysis and advocacy of national budget issues can contribute towards social justice and
strengthening of democracy?
Results: Yes - 89%, No - 9%, Don’t Know - 2%
Comments from e-CIVICUS 322 CIVICUS Poll Question
Do you think that establishing a parliament at the United Nations composed of democratically
elected citizens would be a worthwhile step to strengthen international democracy and civil society?
e-CIVICUS WELCOMES
By Andreas Bummel, Executive Chairman, Committee for a Democratic United Nations - www.unoCONTRIBUTIONS OF CIVIL
komitee.de/en/index.php.
SOCIETY NEWS
e-CIVICUS offers a useful channel At the World Social Forum in Nairobi the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly
through which you and your
(UNPA) has been suggested as an issue for global mobilization of social movements and civil
organisation can share your news,
publicise your events and articulate society organisations in the coming year. Those advocating a UNPA argue that this new body would
have a significant symbolic meaning and long-term impact. Through its establishment, this body of
the issues you face. Please send
us your contributions no later
parliamentarians representing the world’s citizens would signify the emergence of a global ethos
than Tuesday for publication in the distinct of the state-centric ethos of national self-interest. The response to e-CIVICUS poll (Yes coming week to editor@civicus.org.
All contributions must focus on civil 40%, No - 48%, Don’t Know - 12%), however, shows that scepticism remains among civil society
activists. Half of the respondents do not think that the effort would be a worthwhile step. According to
society issues or have a civil
society angle. To read the
a Gallup Survey in 2005 representing 1.3 billion across more than 65 countries, eight out of ten
contribution guidelines, please visit
www.civicus.org/new/media/
e-civicuseditorialguidelinesfinalDraft.doc.
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global citizens believe that in spite of its limitations, democracy is the best system of government.
We need to find an answer to the question how to overcome the huge democracy deficit at the
international level. A UNPA may be part of the solution. But more discussion is necessary about how
civil society would benefit.
CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS
Please send your comments and suggestions on these stories to editor@civicus.org.
Global civil society urges President Putin to review Russia’s NGO law
CIVICUS has joined ten other international non-governmental organisations in writing to
President Putin regarding amendments to Russia’s NGO law. The organisations
encouraged President Putin to conduct a thorough review of the law and its
implementation, thereby demonstrating his commitment to civil society and human rights both in
Russia and globally. For more information on the letter, please visit
www.civicus.org/new/media/Global-civil-society-letter-to-PresidentPutin-february-2007.pdf
Iranian civil society barred from travelling and expressing views abroad
The Iranian government should immediately lift foreign travel bans used to prevent human rights
activists and journalists from attending international forums, Human Rights Watch said. “The Iranian
government is effectively putting the country’s civil society leaders under national house arrest,” said
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “After silencing activists inside
Iran, the government is preventing them from expressing their views outside the country as well.” For
more information, see www.commondreams.org/news2007/0208-11.htm
Global civil society coalition formed to challenge unjustified alarmism and promote rational
debate
In the run-up to the release of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Websites:
www.civicus.org
Change, a group of 26 civil society organisations, from 23 countries, formed a new global coalition.
www.civilsocietywatch.org
The Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change seeks to offer a more rational approach to the issue,
www.civicusassembly.org
based on independent evaluations of the evidence and assessments of the policy options. "We
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should not forget that a little over three decades ago temperatures were so low some scientists told
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us we were all going to be chilled," said Franklin Cudjoe, Director of Coalition member Imani: The
Centre for Humane Education, an Accra-based think-tank. For more information, see www.accraTELL A FRIEND
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Concerns over sustainability for NGOs in Indonesia
"Sustainability is the main threat for NGOs, as most of them have weak leadership, poor planning
and poor strategic management," said Artanti Wardhani of the Center for Global Civil Society
Studies (Pacivis). "They are also project-based oriented and dependent on funding agencies," she
told The Jakarta Post after the opening of a training programme on NGO management at the
University of Indonesia. Around 30 people from various NGOs across the country are attending the
two-week training, organised by Pacivis to improve their leadership, strategic planning, financial
management as well as network building. For more information, see
www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20070207.H09&irec=8
Civil society fights immunity for warlords in Afghanistan
An association of 58 civil society and rights groups in Afghanistan has started campaigning against a
controversial bill in the upper house that would grant immunity for all war crimes. “We hope that the
upper house will not endorse this draft, which is entirely against the will of our people and against
the laws of our constitution. We are working hard with other civil and rights groups to avoid its
potential endorsement by the upper house,” Azaryuon Matin, coordinator of the Civil Society and
Human Rights Network (CSHRN), which encompasses 58 civil and rights groups, said in the capital,
Kabul. For more information, see www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/KHII6Y74S7?OpenDocument
Civil Society Watch Monthly
Bulletin
The CIVICUS e-newsletter Civil
Society Watch Monthly Bulletin is
an action-oriented newsletter
distributed to over 7,400 people
around the world, featuring
insightful interviews, updates on
threats to civil society, and
analyses of current situations.
Read more at
www.civilsocietywatch.org
Palastianian women discuss evolution of women's movement
The Civil Forum Foundation joined the Women's Unit in the presence of dozens of women
from centres throughout the northern West Bank in a workshop on capacity building for
female members of the municipal councils and local women. ‘Women have specific rights
to be claimed, but the onus is on others to teach all sectors of female society what they
are’, says Nisreen Sawafteh, manager of the Women's Unit of the Directorate of Local Governance
in the Tubas District. Sawafteh stressed that it is crucial for women to understand the national
human rights charter and laws, and how they apply. For more information, please visit
http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1628
Civil society activists consulted to resolve Terai unrest in Nepal
The government formed talks committee to hold dialogue with the agitating Madheshi community
and also consulted representatives of civil society regarding the process of negotiation. Civil society
members recently visited the strife-torn regions in Terai to conduct field assessments. Lena Sundh,
Head of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, invited representatives from
the eight political parties, civil society and Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) for a joint
discussion on human rights concerns caused by the current unrest in Terai. For more information,
see www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=99690 or
www.nepalnews.com/archive/2007/feb/feb05/news11.php
Nigerian civil society advocates domestication of Child Rights Act
The Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) is advocating for more progress
7th CIVICUS World Assembly:
towards the implementation of the Child Rights Act and of the Convention on the Elimination of all
Acting Together For a Just World forms of Discrimination against Women in all the States of the federation. Civil society observed that
Visit our website for updates on:
"quality education is a right of all children, young people and adults, very crucial in attaining the
Conference Registration,
Education For All by the year 2015". For more information, visit
Conference Programme, Call for
Workshop Proposals, Exhibitor
http://allafrica.com/stories/200702070251.html
Opportunities, News, and
Discussion Board at
www.civicusassembly.org
CIVICUS blog
What do you think? Have your say on
the CIVICUS Blog! CIVICUS seeks to
amplify the voices and opinions of
ordinary people and give expression
to the enormous creative energy
within civil society. Our recently
launched blog gives you the
opportunity to use your voice and
engage with the rest of civil society.
Have your say by visiting
http://civicus.civiblog.org
Accountability: Crunch time for Asia’s civil society
’The reality is that civil society throughout Asia is suffering an identity crisis’, says Chandran Nair.
’Asia’s civil society needs to carve itself an identity distinct from the west’s “brand-name”
organisations. Asian civil society organisations clearly face challenges, not least competing with
international reputations. Unfortunately, what makes western or western-backed NGOs seem more
credible is at the heart of the friction. Their leaders, invariably westerners with fine credentials, are
often not the most appropriate to be leading work in Asia’, stressed Chandran Nair, founder and
chief executive of the Global Institute for Tomorrow, a pan-Asian non-profit think tank. For more
information, see www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=4882
PERSPECTIVES ON THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND THE GLOBAL CALL TO
ACTION AGAINST POVERTY
This section provides major civil society news on MDGs and poverty reduction campaigns, working
towards achieving the MDGs in 2015.
Uruguay to host GCAP Constituency, National Coalitions meeting
Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) campaigners from over the world will gather at the
Global GCAP Constituency and National Coalitions’ Meeting that will take place in Uruguay's capital
Montevideo from 2-4 April 2007. Each national platform will send delegate(s) to the meeting. There
will be other ways of taking part in the meeting as well. For example as a GCAP Europe
representative or as an international organisation. For more information, please visit
www.whiteband.org/News/gcapnews.2007-01-11.9066346319
CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISM ON GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS
This section provides updates and analyses of civil society’s growing role at the global level.
NGO Accountability: One size does not fit all
By Vicente García-Delgado, CIVICUS UN Representative
The concept of “Accountability” has gained much prominence in the current social debate
including, more recently, the issue of “NGO Accountability”. This is a welcome
development because it suggests a more mature collective awareness of the need to be
more sensitive to the potentially adverse consequences of our actions on the life of other
people and the biosphere. Being more aware of our responsibility to avoid or at least minimize the
possibility of unintentionally causing undue harm through our actions and decisions, civil society
becomes more evolved, more civil, more civic and authentic. For more information, see
www.civicus.org/new/content/monthcolintro28.htm
Participation of civil society at the 8th Global Civil Society Forum
The 8th Global Civil Society Forum (GCSF-8) met from 3-4 February 2007, at the United Nations
Office in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting was organised by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
with support from the African Council for Communication Education. About 160 participants,
representing civil society organisations (CSOs) from around 50 countries, attended GCSF-8. For the
first time, participants engaged in active discussion with UNEP’s Executive Director, allowing for a
direct and open exchange of information and views. For more information, see
www.iisd.ca/ymb/csf/html/ymbvol133num1e.html
CAPACITY BUILDING
Report - Capacity building: lessons from ADB water resources project in Indonesia
Experience from an Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported capacity-building project
during 1995 to 2002 in Indonesia highlights a number of lessons that may be relevant to
future projects. One of the most important ones being that, in the water sector, capacitybuilding projects should be demand-driven and considered only where the demand from senior
management is clear and unequivocal. For more information on the Capacity Building Project in the
Water Resources Sector: performance evaluation report please visits
www.adb.org/Documents/PPERs/INO/26190-INO-PPER.pdf
DONOR PROFILE
Bernard van Leer Foundation
The Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) is a private foundation that promotes the overall
development of young children (ages 0-8 years) growing up in circumstances of social and economic
disadvantage. Grantmaking is organised into two programmes, the Country Programmes, which
focuses on selected countries in Africa and the Thematic Programmes which center on a set of
themes, including, in Africa, family and community strengthening, support and capacity-building for
organisations. BvLF does its grant-making to selected partners and rarely accepts unsolicited
proposals. For more information, please see www.bernardvanleer.org
MEMBER PROFILE
Hisaar Foundation
Hisaar Foundation is a foundation for water, food and livelihood security based in Pakistan founded
in the second half of 1999 and first half of 2000. The Foundation is established to bring together
issues of water, food and livelihood and to seek solutions relevant for the water-food-livelihood
nexus in an integrated manner. The Foundation is involved in several programmes, which include
major relief and rehabilitation operation for earthquake victims in northern Pakistan and Azad
Kashmir. For more information, please e-mail Shahbano Aliani, Director of Programmes and
Campaigns at hisaar@zab.net.pk.
RESOURCES
CIVICUS Civil Society Index Report ‘Civil society in Nepal: Searching for a Viable Role‘
The Civil Society Index Report ‘Civil Society in Nepal: Searching for a Viable Role’ was produced by
the CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) and its country partner, Institute of Cultural Affairs of Nepal.
For many decades, one of the major disabling factors was the country's volatile political
environment. In the last few years, the political system of the country was changed several times
and this directly affected the functioning of civil society. In 2006, Nepalese civil society has
demonstrated its strength by participating in the recent movement to put an end to the autocratic
regime of King Gyanendra and reinstate democracy. Although spearheading the movement for
democratic change, Nepalese civil society is still faced with several challenges in the newly
democratic Nepal, particularly the promotion of transparency and the impact on policy processes.
For more information, see http://civicus.org/new/CSI_Nepal.htm
The NGO Accountability Debate report
On 19 January 2007, United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS)
hosted a panel discussion and book launch at UN Headquarters on the subject of NGO
accountability. The panel discussion fostered a debate on the role of NGOs within civil
society and global governance, as concerns about the role and accountability of NGOs have been
voiced from different quarters in recent years. Questions regarding to whom NGOs should be
accountable, the complexities and risks in regulating NGOs, the relations between the state and civil
society, and the debate regarding NGO representation, were some of the issues up for debate. For
more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/UN-NGLS-launch-report.pdf
Universal Human Rights Index
The Universal Human Rights Index has been developed by the Institute of Public Law of the
University of Bern, Switzerland, in collaboration with LexUM, the University of Montreal's justice
system technologies laboratory. The Universal Human Rights Index (Index) is designed primarily to
facilitate access to human rights documents issued by the UN human rights treaty bodies and the
special procedures of the Human Rights Council. The Index provides a new tool for searching the
observations and recommendations of these expert bodies. The Index offers instant access to
objective and comprehensive UN information on human rights situations around the world. For more
information, see by country, rights and body, please visit
www.universalhumanrightsindex.org/en/about.html
New Installment of “What’s being done on…Effective Networking”
The World Movement for Democracy Secretariat announces a new instalment of “What’s being done
on…Effective Networking”. The instalment on “Effective Networking” focuses on how networks
emerge, how they work, and under what conditions they are able to operate most effectively. For
several months at a time, World Movement for Democracy Secretariat highlighted, in “What’s being
done on…Effective Networking” the activities of various organisations in different global regions, and
links to important resources, that are focused on a particular theme or area of democracy work. For
more information, see www.wmd.org/wbdo/wbdoEffNet.html
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
CDRA Biennial Practice Conference Revealing practice; re-imagining purpose; claiming our
place
8-11 May 2007, Western Cape, South Africa
The Community Development Resource Association (CDRA) biennial practice conference, a
gathering of about 100 people, is a space for development practitioners from all over the world to
meet, learn and innovate together. It strives to add to an emerging developmental discipline in the
development sector not from the perspective of theory but from the experience of thinking
practitioners. For more information, see www.cdra.org.za/WhatsNew/Whats%20New.htm
Annual Meeting for the Alliance for Global Sustainability
18-21 March 2007, Barcelona, Spain
This year’s Alliance for Global Sustainability (AGS) Annual Meeting, under the theme “Pathways to
our common future”, is hosted by the Technical University of Catalonia (UPC). The meeting is open
for industry representatives, politicians, researchers, students, NGO representatives and interested
public. For more information, please contact Christina Lundéhn, AGS Focus Center Coordinator at
e-mail secretariat@agsevent.org. For further details, visit www.agsevent.org
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Small Grants Programme 2007 in Philippines
Application Deadline: extended to 15 February 2007
The Small Grants Programme support projects that promote or test social accountability
mechanisms and tools that could enhance responsiveness of programmes to the needs of
marginalized groups, improve efficiency of public services, broaden participation and promote civil
society partnership. Priority shall be given to innovative social accountability mechanisms that
support reform on education, health, roads improvement and social protection in the Philippines. For
more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Small-Grants-Program-Philippines.doc
Fellowships available to investigate human rights impunity
Application Deadline: 7 March 2007
The “2007 SEAPA Journalism Fellowship Programme” is organised by the Southeast Asian Press
Alliance. This year a total of 15 fellowships are available under the theme “Human Rights Versus a
Culture of Impunity in Southeast Asia.” All fellows will be required to attend pre and post program
workshops. Potential fellows should be mid-career journalists with a minimum of five years
experience. Applicants should have some experience writing about social, economic and political
issues. Although reports may be produced in the fellow’s language proficiency in spoken English is
required. For more information on the fellowships, see http://snipurl.com/18uxu or www.seapa.org
COURSES/WORKSHOPS
Master of Arts in Gender and Peacebuilding 2007-2008
Application Deadline: 31 March 2007, University for Peace, Costa Rica
The Master of Arts in Gender and Peacebuilding is composed of eleven intertwining
courses and a thesis project that offers a combination of theoretical and practical
knowledge, incorporating historic and current events from around the world. The
Programme is distributed over a three-term timeline (two semesters and one research term).
Courses will be taught in intensive three week time periods requiring 45 hours of class work under
the guidance of a highly qualified professor and recognized international guest lecturers. For more
information and application procedure, please visit www.upeace.org/academic/masters/GPB.cfm
Heinrich Böll Foundation: Summer School 2007
27 July - 4 August 2007, Washington, USA
The fifth Summer School of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) on "Engendering Economic Policies
in a Globalising World,” will focus on a critical analysis of the gender implications of the International
Financial Institutions’ policies and projects. In this context, one of its aims is to raise awareness and
to build capacity to develop joint strategies to affect the policies and projects of the International
Financial Institutions with regard to its focus on poverty reduction and a commitment to gender
equality and gender mainstreaming. To download the application form, log at www.glowboell.de/media/de/txt_rubrik_5/ApplicationForm_SS2007.pdf. For more information on the
programme, visit www.glow-boell.de/media/de/txt_rubrik_5/Ankuendigung_ProgrammSS2007.pdf
CALL FOR PAPERS/SUBMISSIONS/PROPOSALS/NOMINATIONS
Call for Proposals: World Bank: Development Grant Facility 2007
Application Deadline: 19 February 2007
The Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) requests proposals to provide programme grants to civil society
organisations in sub-Saharan African countries whose governments have endorsed the Extractive
Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) or are likely to endorse EITI by December 31, 2007. The
proposals are available in English (www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldBank-CALL-FORPROPOSALS-1.4.07-English.pdf) and French (www.civicus.org/new/media/WorldBank-CALL-FORPROPOSALS-1.4.07-French.pdf)
Call for Applications: Master's in Public Policy
Application Deadline: 1 June 2007, Central European University, Hungary
The Central European University (CEU) offers a one-year Master's in Public Policy programme in
media policy work or those already embedded in a policy-making community. The programme
begins with a taught element comprising core courses and a range of elective courses (34 credits).
The curriculum combines an analysis of the economic, ethical, legal and political dimensions of
policy-making with case studies that give students opportunities to pursue specific interests in more
depth. For more information, see www.ceu.hu/dpp/degree/dg.htm or
www.ceu.hu/dpp/degree/ipp.htm and www.ceu.hu/dpp/degree/mit.htm
APPOINTMENTS
Regional Advocacy Coordinator
Application Deadline: 19 February 2007
Oxfam GB regional office
Location: West Africa, Dakar, Senegal
For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/Regional-Advocacy-Coordinator-Oxfam-GBWestAfricaFeb.07.doc
Internships
Application Deadline: 2 March 2007
Saferworld
Location: London, UK
For more information, see www.saferworld.org.uk/docs.php?lang=en&id=861
Correction: The editorial team of e-CIVICUS wishes to alert its esteemed readers that after
publishing in the last e-CIVICUS 323 edition an advert for a position of Humanitarian Affairs Officer
with the International Relief Agency (IRA). We have serious reasons to believe that the advert came
from a sophisticated spam. Although we cannot prove beyond reasonable doubts that the
information came from dubious sources. We strongly advise our readers to exercise caution before
they submit any job application to the said organistion. Please accept our sincere apologies for any
inconvenience caused by this unfortunate mistake on our part.
Communications and Learning Officer
Application Deadline: 05 March 2007
Institute of Development Studies
Location: Brighton, UK
For more information, see www.ids.ac.uk/ids/recruit/185_C&LOfficer_Ad.htm
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