This project funded by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) started in April 2003 with EOD in April 2005. It is a pilot project being implemented in three countries namely Ghana, Mali and Niger by POSDEV member organizations and under the overall supervision of POSDEV.
Under the project citizens at the grassroots level actively advocated for involvement in the decision-making and planning process at the local level to strengthen the practice of good governance and promote economic growth. Project involved training in advocacy and policy analysis; sensitization on existing local government laws; organizing encounters between citizens and their local governments; and organizing village and town meetings. Work was mainly done with existing civil society groups in the community.
Project results included:
This project was funded by ActionAid-Ghana. The main purpose of this project was to strengthen the capacity of Civil Society Organizations and other stakeholders in education at the community and district levels to advocate for Quality Education For All. It covered three districts: Upper Denkyira in the Central Region; Suhum in the Eastern Region and Dangbe West in the Greater Accra Region.
Results achieved included:
POSDEV also provided Technical Support to National Advocacy Committee on Good Governance (NACOGG), an initiative of the Cooperative League of USA (CLUSA) funded under the USAID Government Accountability Improves Trust (GAIT I) Programme.
POSDEV in collaboration with CLUSA and the International Cooperative organized the West Africa Regional Cooperatives Workshop On Cross Border Trade And Market Access in July 2004. The workshop sought to bring together stakeholders to find ways of facilitating increased regional market access for co-operative producer organizations and other types of member-owned businesses in West Africa. It was held in Accra (Ghana) and brought together 51 participants from 12 West African countries.
In September/October POSDEV assisted InterAction (the American Council for Privte Voluntary Action) to launch the second phase of Africa Liaison Program Initiative (ALPI): an initiative that seeks to enhance relationships between development stakeholders ie local NGOs, International NGOs and Donors.
POSDEV was elected as the Secretariat and manager for activities of the Ghana country team; which comprises representatives of national platform and the three stakeholder groups.
The year began with preparations for the regional consultation on decentralization and citizens participation a major component of the POSDEV/IFAD project on Building Sustainable Civil Society Capacity for Advocacy and Policy for Local Development took place in Tolon-Kumbungu, Tamale, Ghana from 1st to 3rd February 2005 with the theme “Promoting Good Governance through Civil Society Empowerment”.
The main objectives included sharing of lessons and best practices on Good Governance and Decentralization in the Sub-Region; obtaining Grassroots perspectives on the recently signed ECOWAS Common Agricultural Policy for West Africa . It also sought to lay the foundation for sub-regional policy advocacy networks.
Participants who were mainly local authorities and representatives of Civil Society Groups were from Mali, Ghana, Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso and South Africa. (Detailed report available on www.posdev.org). Lessons learnt include:
This project was successfully closed in April 2005 with all stakeholders expressing satisfaction at the results obtained especially those relating to local citizens systematically engaging with local government officials on policies.
POSDEV as manager of the above program, successfully facilitated a joint initiative of the Ghana country team to develop a country action plan that seeks to enhance the working environment and relationships between development stakeholders. In line with this POSDEV organized information exchange fora for civil society organizations: to discuss and make an input into the formulation of the Ghana compact to access the USA millennium challenge account; to make inputs for the review of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy II; and to share experiences of various programs supporting citizens? participation in local development decision making.
Also under the country plan, POSDEV is part of the working group, negotiating the formulation of an appropriate regulatory and legal framework for NGO/CSOs working in Ghana. Accordingly several meetings have been held with the sector ministries and among NGOs to consider government?s proposals.
In order to promote mutual confidence and trust among development stakeholders and between government and civil society, the country plan has as its main focus the development of quality standards for the NGO/CSO community in Ghana POSDEV took leadership in developing the project.
By year end, project document had been finalized and approved by all stakeholders in the Ghana country team. A pledge of US$20 000 was received from InterAction to support the project. Implementation is scheduled to start by end of first quarter of 2006.
During the year under review POSDEV was involved in other local advocacy initiatives by Civil Society in Ghana and in Africa and participated in the InterAction forum in Washington and assisted advocacy organizations based in the US with their advocacy campaigns for Africa.
POSDEV also participated in INTRAC?s global conference on Civil Society and Community Development where the Coordinator presented a paper on relationships in the aid chain.
POSDEV participated in the Civil Society World Forum in Turkey organized by ICNL (International Centre for Non-Profit Law) which discussed among others relationships between the State and Civil Society actors, civil society accountability and the regulatory framework for NGOs. There were rich exchanges of experiences from civil society organizations the world over.
Also POSDEV was invited to be part of an African Union led initiative to look at alternative governance models for Africa. POSDEV is now part of the alliance that seeks to lay new foundations for governance in Africa. This initiative is being facilitated by ECDPM based in Brussels. POSDEV also hosted a visit to Ghana by the alliance coordinator from Senegal and arranged dialogues with other civil society organizations.
Development of draft quality standards for NGOs/CSOs & NGO Accountability.
Launch outreach to various parts of the country.