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Civil society in Sierra Leone

Civil society in Sierra Leone. Donor support for “demand-side” governance Lucy Hayes CCIC International Forum Ottawa, 4 th February 2008. Background. Research in Sierra Leone in September 2007

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Civil society in Sierra Leone

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  1. Civil society in Sierra Leone Donor support for “demand-side” governance Lucy Hayes CCIC International Forum Ottawa, 4th February 2008

  2. Background • Research in Sierra Leone in September 2007 • Aid and accountability – interviews with donors, CSOs and government representatives • Part of larger Eurodad project • Launch of final report end March in Brussels and 11th April in Washington, DC Advisory Group International Forum

  3. Overview • CSO context • Support for CSOs • Lessons learnt • Clarity of role • Procedures and governance structures • CSO representation and participation • Donor transparency Advisory Group International Forum

  4. Strong role in bringing about democratic change But quite fragmented between urban professional and community based organisations Weak umbrella groups Many international NGOs – both ‘implementers’ and ‘partnership’ groups CSOs in Sierra Leone Advisory Group International Forum

  5. Funding of CSOs • Sierra Leonean CSOs traditionally get most of their funding via international NGOs • Lot of competition for resources Advisory Group International Forum

  6. Donor support to CSOs • One fifth of ODA (US$63 million) spent on NGO sector. About half of this again through INGOs • USAID: channels all money through primarily US organisations – e.g. NDI, CARE, Management Systems International • Irish Aid: significant amount through multi-annual partnerships via Irish NGOs • EC: through INGOs. Attempt to give small grants to national CSOs failed because of “heavy procedures” • DFID: used to fund some CSOs directly, but now channels almost all money through intermediary called ENCISS Advisory Group International Forum

  7. Donor project although looks like an organisation • Established in 2005 as a DFID project that has been managed by CARE. • £7.5 million (c. US$15 million) for 3 year project • Latest evaluation proposes it evolves into independent institution Advisory Group International Forum

  8. ENCISS:between CS and state • Enhancing interaction and interface between civil society and the state to improve poor people’s lives • Broker relationships between CS and State, including information provision • Build capacity of CSOs through trainings and small grant schemes • Empower particularly non-urban groups • Focus on PRS and Decentralisation processes Advisory Group International Forum

  9. Reasons for creating ENCISS • DFID looking for way to engage more with national Civil society • Address lack of trust between civil society and state • Improve demand-side accountability and transparency – critical for PRS and decentralisation processes • EC in 2008 to also channel money for CSOs through ENCISS Advisory Group International Forum

  10. Lesson 1: Clear role crucial to avoid creating tensions • Confused identity of organisation • Not a CSO, but acting in competition with some CSOs. e.g. HIPC monitoring at local level • Many donors view it as a CSO • High-profile organisation with evident large operational budget • Unfulfilled expectations as a result of lack of disbursement of small grants Advisory Group International Forum

  11. Role of ENCISS as provider of small grants was severely hampered by heavy procedural arrangements CSOs disheartened by complicated log-frame procedures Cumbersome internal governance structures Lesson 2: Need apt procedures and governance structures “The work and documentation that they required us to do, the kind of frameworks and matrix – you would spend over a year in these things” (Christian Lawrence, Campaign for Good Governance) Advisory Group International Forum

  12. Lesson 3: Intermediary structures must not occupy CSO space • ENCISS seen by many donors as being a key CSO representative • Only participation in PRS policy dialogue spaces is by ENCISS representatives • Donors’ response to questions regarding CSO participation – “we have Enciss”. Advisory Group International Forum

  13. Lesson 4: More donor transparency needed • Lack of information fuelling lack of trust • 1/3 of Sierra Leoneans rely on rumour as their information source! • CSOs don’t know the details of aid. Not enough breakdown of how DFIDs £40 million, World Banks $47 million are being spent etc. Advisory Group International Forum

  14. More information • Subscribe to Eurodad e-newsletters • PRS- Watch and Debt- Watch at www.eurodad.org • More information on Eurodad work on aid effectiveness • lchayes@eurodad.org Advisory Group International Forum

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