Empowerment of Civil Society Organizations (CSO)

This project is supporting the CSOs so that they could fully carry out their role in the democratic society when participating in its various planning and decision-making processes.

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What is the project doing:

This project is is developing the capacity of Mozambique’s Civic Society Organizations (CSOs) in order to enable them to effectively participate in policy dialogue with the Government and other stakeholders on issues that concern Governance, implementation of the Poverty Reduction Plan, and economic development of the country.This will be achieved through training of CSO and provision of simplified analytical information on national economic development policies, strategies and plans.

The project also assists CSOs in reviewing the new national legal framework, the Law on Associations, in order to help them to consolidate a more enabling environment for their activities.

The project will enhance the research capacity of Mozambican universities in the areas of economy, development and politics through assistance in the publishing of an inter-university scientific journal called Economia, Política e Desenvolvimento .

How is this being achieved:

The members of CSOs at central and provincial level are trained to strengthen their capacities in internal management, resources mobilization and technical skills in order to be able to link policy with implementation at local level.

Training and analytical information is also provided to improve CSO literacy on economic and other development issues to ensure that CSOs will have better skills to monitor poverty assessments, Governments service delivery assessments and analysis of proposed plans and data for the Poverty Observatories (Government - Civil Society Forum) at provincial level.

The activities represent a new focus, following the recommendations drawn from the Civil Society Index study, the first ever comprehensive mapping of CSO in Mozambique. It was based on the Civic Society Diamond analysis methodology. The capacity building training was based on Citizen Cards Reporting methodology.

Research and investigation capacity is stimulated through the support to the inter-university scientific journal.

Why:

Mozambique is rather a young democracy, in which strengthening of all the organs that may ensure democracy, is necessary. In democratic systems, the role of civil society organizations has traditionally been strong in interceding on behalf of their members, and also in monitoring the exercise of power. The CSOs are representing the people in large, and very often especially those, who are the most vulnerable.

The CSOs may play a more professional role in the monitoring process.
The CSOs may better participate in poverty assessments, Government’s service delivery assessments and in planning processes.
The CSOs will be more knowledgeable when analyzing data for the government-civil society forum (Development Observatories) at central and provincial level.
The CSOs have a legal framework

MDGs supported:

MDG 1: Eradicate Absolute Poverty and Hunger
MDG 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women

Who are involved:

The project is implemented by three CSOs:

FDC (Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade)
FDC, the Foundation for Community Development, is responsible for the process of legal framework review and training of CSO. They provide capacity building to local organization on Monitoring the Government plans, monitoring the consultation process and advocate for more transparency and accountability.

GMD (Grugo Moçambicano da Dívida)
GMD, the Mozambican Debt Group, is responsible for the analysis of development issues based on research and management of the Public resources and Public debt. They also provide training to parliamentarians on how to interpret the budget.

New Picture

UEM (Eduardo Mondlane University)
UEM is coordinating the process of publishing and hosting the scientific journal through its Center for Policy Analyses. The other universities involved are the Pedagogical University (UP), the Polytechnic University (ISPU), the Higher Institute of Science and Technology (ISCTEM), the Higher Institute of Public Administration (ISAP), the Higher Institute of International Relations (ISRI), the São Tomás University of Mozambique (USTM), and the Technical University (UDM). UNDP is represented on the scientific board of the journal.

Locations:
National

Results 2007-2009:

A national Civil Society mapping conducted in 2007.The Civil Society Index published in 2008. It created the basis for the CSO capacity building.
In April 2009, the Civil Society concluded an inclusive and participatory review of their new legal framework, the Law on Associations (Law 8/91 of 18 July).The review culminated with the adoption of a draft proposal on the Law on Non-Profit Organizations by the National Validation Committee. The review was led by FCD and supported by UNDP. The law is expected to be approved by the Parliament soon.
The level and quality of CSO participation in the Development Observatories and governance process at central and provincial levels has improved: A total of 200 organizations throughout the country have received institutional capacity building that included field research on primary education, evidence-based advocacy campaigns and the production of CSO policy declaration. Additionally, some CSO-representatives were engaged in a public debt and public resources management workshop with national and international partners, and some others, including female university students, were trained to monitor participatory processes, poverty indicators and public plans.
A Civil Society Platform was established in Ancuabe, Cabo Delgado Province. The platform will stimulate more inclusive participation.
CSOs have provided important contributions to policy formulations and development monitoring processes. The best examples are the production of Common CSOs Position Papers to the Joint Development Assistance Review meetings (with the government and development partners) and the preparation of a Common Position Paper at the Accra Plan of Action on Aid Effectiveness.
The academia of Mozambique, a consortium of eight universities, has shown interest in publishing their research results in a national scientific journal.The first issue of Economia, Política e Desenvolvimento was published in December 2009.

Results 2010:

Lobbying for the approval of the CSO law has continued.
The capacity of the CSOs to participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the national poverty recuction plan and the MDGs has been strengthened.
3 numbers of the inter-university journals were issued, indicating the capacities developed by national academic institutions in debating on the development issues and agenda.
7 session of public debates were organized in 7 provinces to openly discuss Government's strategy of enlarging taxes base.
GMD coordinated the elaboration of 2 position papers analyzing targets and indicators against public and private investments programmes.
GDM facilitated 6 CSO position papers in six provinces, presented at provincial Development Observatories emphasizing public expenditure, quality of social services provided, and infra-structure.
40 persons (facilitators) were trained in public policy analysis to support CSO interventions and improve their capacity to monitor development policies.
30 persons received refreshment courses on budget analysis methodologies (Community Score Card, Public Expenditure Tracking).
100 new SCO activists were trained in 11 districts to assist provincial CSO in monitoring government expenditures.
In four provinces (Gaza, Tete, Niassa and Cabo Delgado) the Civil Society were able to discuss development issues with members of the new Provincial Parliaments. This srengthened CSO capacity to dialogue and address their issues.

Duration:

Initially 3 years, from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2009
Extension: from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011

Project Code: 55081

Donor(s):

The project is funded by UNDP Country Office regular resources and the One UN Fund

Delivery 2010: