REGIONAL FORUM ON CSO GOVERNANCE

CSO ACCOUNTABILITY: A GLOBAL SNAPSHOT AND PUSH FACTORS

December 13, 2011

Borithy LUNExecutive Director

Vision: A strong and capable civil society, cooperating and responsive to Cambodia’s development challenges

Host of the 2nd Global Assembly for CSO Development Effectiveness – Siem Reap 28-30 June 2011

MISSION

VISION

CCC Vision 2015

Goal 3: Influence DPs

Goal 4: High quality services

Goal 2: Enhance Effective Cooperation

Goal 1: Strengthen Collective Voice

Integrity

Cooperation

Responsiveness

Quality

Goal 5: Greatest impacts with a few resources

What is Good Governance?Good  governance  means  the  effective  management  of resources  in  a  manner  that  is open,  transparent,  accountable,  equitable  and  responsive to people's needs

Orock Thomas Eyong Promoting Good Governance in the Management of NGO

 April 2001 

What is accountability?The processes through which an organization makes a commitment to respond to and balance the needs of its stakeholders in its decision-making processes and activities, and delivers against this commitment

From the One World Trust GlobalAccountability Framework & Reports

 

Why be Accountable? Normative

Instrumental

Internal

External

Live up to Mission and Values

Ethical demand by staff and board of Governance

Preventive against scandals and negative publicity

Social contract and quality assurance

Fiduciary custodian of public resources /funds

Model the “talk” instead of walk the talk

Downwards as well as upwards

Consistently groomed for statutory obligation

How are NGOs responding to the accountability challenge?Organizational and sector initiatives

Self-regulation as a preventative and protective tool

Civil society space and role in governance

Search for integrity and establishing ‘good’ performance as a sector

How are NGOs responding to theaccountability and governance

challenges?Initiatives Sector Level Organization Level

Certifications X XPeer reviews X XInformation services X XStandard Operations Procedures (SOP)

X

Reporting frameworks XConflict of Interests X XComplaint Mechanisms XTransparency Policies X XCode of ethics/conduct X XPartnership principles X X

Global Snapshot of CSO self Regulation

Oneworldtrust.org/csoproject/

Oneworldtrust.org/csoproject/

Oneworldtrust.org/csoproject/

What makes a “strong and effective” self-regulation initiative?Quality design and structure of the initiative, in particular to the following aspects:

The authority of the scheme to grant and withdraw accreditation

The level of stringency of the system

The imposition of /adherence to high standards

Strong verification mechanisms

Key operational issues1. There is no one size fits all approach

2. Social, political and regulatory context

3. Detailed standards need to be balanced with wide participation

Key operational issues3. Important to prevent self-regulation from becoming a

tiresome tick box exercise rather than a tool for improving performance

4. Weak compliance mechanisms undermine overall mandate of scheme

5. Leadership/ownership in organizations and sector are essential for reform

CSO self-regulation: key political factors

Self-regulation is an accountable and responsible tool for improving performance and good governance NOT a tool to control.

The relationship of self-regulation with formal regulationat state level, and their complementariness needs to be better understood

Self regulation is a behavior change tool, it can aid organizations to be naturally transparent and accountable over time. Legal framework will legally punish organizations for poor governance.

Thank you