Information You Can Use:
A Bi-monthly Service for the UN and Civil Society
Volume I, Issue 4, August-September 2004

Civil Society Observer is a bi-monthly package of documentation of various kinds from all political persuasions to keep you informed of developments related to NGOs and civil society.
It is divided into four sections:

• In the Press – snapshots of how NGOs and civil society are being portrayed by the media and news outlets around the world;
• Trends and Debates –this features academic and scholarly discourse on the role and significance of NGOs and civil society in the contemporary world;
• CSOs and the Multilateral System – position papers, statements and other documents delivered by civil society and NGOs at multilateral and international meetings and events. It also carries documentation relating to NGOs and civil society emanating from the multilateral system.
• CSO Research – featuring analysis and research originating from civil society and NGOs.

These articles offer a snapshot of how NGOs and civil society are being portrayed and profiled in the press around the world.

An Idea Lost in the Rubble
The New York Times - 20 August 2004
Gil Loescher

As conflict escalates in war-torn countries, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, humanitarian workers have become targets of violence. With humanitarian organizations depending too often on funding sources from parties involved in the conflict--added to the humanitarian role sometimes adopted by soldiers (i.e., food distribution) --the line between humanitarian activities and military campaigns is being blurred. This article outlines a series of steps that should be taken to help separate the activities of the military and those of humanitarian organizations. (read)

NGOs Have a Critical Role to Play in Development
Financial Gazette (Harare) - 26 August 2004
Tongai Muchena

In Zimbabwe, the government is calling for greater transparency in the non-governmental sector by implementing a registration system for NGO activities. While the government purports that this will ensure NGO compliance with Zimbabwe law, most notably its constitution, the author of this article suggests that this will restrict the work of NGOs, particularly in the area of human rights and good governance. (read)

The New Revolution
The Yemen Times - 2 August 2004

An increasing number of NGOs are becoming involved in donor-funded projects in developing countries, especially on a community/grassroots level. The expansion of this area of expertise is amounting to what this author considers the burgeoning of an NGO revolution. While some developing country governments are resisting by creating obstacles for NGOs, this author contends that it is better for governments to join rather than withstand this growing movement. (read)

NGOs: Another Wing of US Foreign Policy
The Yemen Times - 29 August 2004

This op-ed piece was written in response to the New Revolution article (see article 3A above) and offers a contrasting view of the work of NGOs in the Middle East. The author perceives the NGOs as playing a part, whether directly or indirectly, in bringing secular capitalism to Muslim countries - a threat that he argues can be thwarted if governments display more caution and suspicion towards NGOs. (read)

Are the NGOs Really Fighting HIV/AIDS?
Ghana News Agency - 20 August 2004
William Dodzi Ezah

With the number of HIV/AIDS cases increasing at a steady rate in Ghana, NGOs are mobilizing resources to combat the deadly disease, but are these resources being used efficiently? The author of this article argues that NGOs are neglecting their role as sex educators for people at risk, which is becoming counterproductive in Ghana's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. (read)

Afghan Minister's Remarks Anger UN and NGOs
PakTribune (Pakistan) - 10 September 2004

The United Nations and NGOs side together and responded with great concern to accusations that NGOs operate under corrupt practices in Afghanistan, which are to blame for the violence against them. In countering the accusations, the NGOs and the UN stressed for the adoption of rules to regulate the activities of NGOs in order to draw clear distinction with illegitimate commercial organizations. (read)

Stop Competing, Start Co-operating!
New Strait Times (Malaysia) - June 2004
Kasmiah Mustapha

NGOs in developing countries tend to be fragmented and territorial, which, according to the author, is weakening their ability to effect change, especially with regard to government policies reforms. To address this challenge, the author suggest that NGOs must come together under a united front regardless of the differing agenda and issues they pursue. (read)

Statements and positions from NGOs and civil society are featured here to demonstrate how these actors relate to the UN system and use multilateral fora to advance the issues they champion. Also featured is documentation on civil society and NGOs emanating from the multilateral system.

Statements by NGOs on the report of the Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations-Civil Society Relations
New York -- August/September 2004

In responding to the Panel's recommendations on strengthening UN-Civil Society relations, non-governmental organizations opted to deliver individual statements through which they detailed areas of concern or support. Below are statements submitted by three different non-governmental organizations:

- Global Policy Forum Statement (read)
- Amnesty International Statement (read)
- World Federalist Movement Statement (read)

NGO Caucus' Final Report on the Intergovernmental Working Group on Voluntary Guidelines for the Implementation on Right to Food
NGO Caucus (IGWG 3) - July 2004

Negotiations on the Voluntary Guidelines for the Implementation of the Right to Food failed to reach consensus in July at the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO). Civil society organizations were discouraged by the obvious lack of political will among governments, but are still looking to build on the positive achievements of the meeting and continue to press for final adoption of the Guidelines. (read)

NGO Welcomes the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination's Ruling on Discrimination Against Non-Citizens
International Federation for Human Rights - 13 August 2004

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) welcomes the recent adoption by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) of a new General Comment regarding discrimination against non-citizens and calls upon Member States to comply. (read)

Statement of the Asia Pacific NGO Forum on Beijing +10
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law & Development-- August 2004

Ten years after the Beijing Conference on Women, an NGO Forum on Women, Law and Development was organized to enable civil society representatives to strongly and fully re-affirm their commitment to the Beijing Platform for Action. (read)

This section draws on the scholarly/academic discourse on the significance of NGOs and civil society in both international and national political landscapes.

Globalizing Human Rights Through Extraterritorial Obligations
FIAN International - 2004

For many, the typical case of a right to food violation involves a state that violates a victim's right in its own territory - a violation of internal obligations. But in recent times, human rights activists and legal experts have been drawing attention to the fact that the character of many violations goes beyond that. (read)

The International Criminal Court: An Opportunity for Women
Women's Human Rights Net (WHRNet) - August 2004

The International Criminal Court (ICC) recently began its first formal investigation to judge crimes committed in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This special report addresses key aspects of the ICC, such as gender crimes and related case law, gender-sensitive proceedings and the possible implications of implementing international standards nationally to advance women's human rights. (read)

Hear No Evil, See No Evil: the UN Security Council Approach to Human Rights Violations in the Global Counter-Terrorism Effort
Human Rights Watch -- 10 August 2004

The Security Council is currently restructuring its work on counter-terrorism, bolstering the efforts of its Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) with the establishment of a fully staffed Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED). Although the CTC has unequalled power to compel governments to explain their actions and has set up a mandatory counter-terrorism reporting system for all UN Member States, that reporting system currently includes no human rights component. This briefing paper analyzes the work of the CTC to date, reviewing in detail a number of country reports submitted to the CTC and other CTC documents. (read)

South-South Cooperation: Trade as a Means!
Cuts International -- 2004

It has been argued that South-South cooperation should be seen more on political terms than on economic terms, because political benefits will be relatively more than economic benefits. This Viewpoint Paper outlines some aspects of South-South trade as a means to promote better South-South cooperation on economic terms. (read)

From Euphoria over Doha Talks, to 'Ownership' and Advocacy?
Southern and Eastern African Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI) - 15 August 2004
Chakravarthi Raghavan

While the most recent Doha talks may appear to have brought important gains to developing countries, this article contends that countries should not move too quickly in acquiring a sense of ownership over the results because these gains may prove more evasive in the longer term. As a result, the author suggests that developing countries should heed the findings of civil society groups, who have become equipped with the skills to analyze economic data and identify economic trends, before promoting the benefits of the 'July Package' of the Doha talks to their respective constituents. (read)

Advocacy is a feature often associated with NGOs and civil society, but many also have the capacity to produce compelling and valuable research, which underpins their advocacy work. This section carries examples of recent civil society and NGO research.

Measuring the Impact of Humanitarian Aid: A Review of Current Practices
Overseas Development Institute (UK) - 17 August 2004

This report investigates current practices in measuring and analyzing the impact of humanitarian assistance. It looks at questions around how the impact can be measured, why this is increasingly being demanded and whether it is possible to do it better. Special focus is given to the health and nutrition sectors. (read)

On Relations Between the NGOs of the North and Mozambican Civil Society
Southern African Regional Poverty Network (SARPN) - 2004
José Negrão

This paper looks at changing relations between civil society, the state and international organizations in Mozambique. The author investigates Southern and Northern NGOs' participation in constructing an alternative view of globalization and also discusses the need to redefine civil society within this context. (read)

Learning in Partnerships: Improving Learning Between Northern and Southern NGOs
British Overseas NGOs for Development (BOND) - July 2004

According to the authors of this report, a need remains for development practitioners to enhance their facilitation expertise, to become more flexible in their implementation of standardized procedures and to create more opportunities to reflect and transform experience - that is, learning how to learn from experience. This paper provides general guidance on how development practitioners can take simple and practical steps towards becoming better learners, as organizations and in partnerships. (read)

Gender, Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Issues of Multiple Discrimination
Minority Rights Group International - August 2004
Fareda Banda and Christine Chinkin

The aim of this report is two-fold: first, to encourage those working on minority and indigenous peoples' rights to consider the issues from a gender perspective, and second, to encourage those working on gender equality and women's rights to include minorities and indigenous peoples within their remit. (read)

Kids as Commodities? Child Trafficking and What to do About It?
International Federation Terre des Hommes - August 2004

Kids as Commodities explains the complexity of child trafficking, and examines the responses of both governments and inter-governmental organizations, and pays particular attention to the actions taken by NGOs to prevent child trafficking or to protect children who have been trafficked. The study is chiefly aimed at NGOs that are involved in running counter-trafficking programmes. It also contains information on good (and bad) practices. (read)

Consumer Rights, Poverty and Trade Liberalization: Key Consumer Concerns for the Commission for Africa
Consumers International Regional Office for Africa (CI-ROAF) - August 2004

In its latest paper, Consumers International's Regional Office for Africa outlines the role of consumer issues in the fight against poverty in Africa. It emphasizes the importance of empowering consumers and the need to implement mechanisms to better protect the welfare of consumers and their access to basic goods and services. The paper argues that enforcing legitimate consumer protection can only be achieved through a strong legal and regulatory framework. (read)

'We the Peoples…' A Call to Action for the UN Millennium Declaration
North-South Institute and World Federation of United Nations Associations - September 2004

We the peoples.2004 is the third annual report on civil society engagement with the Millennium Declaration and its Development Goals (MDGs). This report is based on an extensive survey directed to civil society organizations -- 270 organizations, from over 82 countries. The findings highlight the strengths and weaknesses of UN efforts to involve civil society organizations at a country level and calls for a scaling up of financial and political commitments towards the MDGs. (read)

Transforming the Mainstream: Seminar Report on Mainstreaming and inclusive approaches in EU Development Cooperation
Aprodev, Help Age, One World Action and Network Women in Development Europe (WIDE)

Drawing on case studies from various countries and on institutional as well as NGO experiences and practices in relation to gender mainstreaming and inclusive approaches, this report identifies a number of critical issues -- in the areas of human rights and sustainable development -- and recommends that the EU take on a leadership role in integrating gender, ageing, disability and minority issues into its development cooperation agenda. (read)

Reflections on NGOs in Tanzania: What We Are, What We Are Not, and What We Ought to Be
Development in Practice - Oxfam UK - August 2004
Issa G. Shivji

According to Issa Shivji, NGOs and social activists run the risk of following the policy directions favored by foreign donor agencies to the detriment of their own organizational and moral capacity to act in solidarity with those whose interests they claim to support. With specific reference to Tanzania, this paper argues that while NGOs readily take action to protect their own interests, they do not consistently stand up for the basic freedoms of working people. (read)

The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Faith-based NGO Aid to Africa
Development in Practice - Oxfam UK - August 2004
Susan Dicklitch and Heather Rice

The authors examine the role of international faith-based NGOs in foreign aid and development assistance for Africa, with special reference to the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). A strong case is made for the MCC's successful contribution to development in the 20 African countries in which it works because of its philosophical and programmatic focus on accountability, its holistic approach to basic rights, and a 'listen and learn' approach which embraces empowerment and social justice. (read)

Counting Chicken When They Hatch: The Short-Term Effect of Aid on Growth
Center for Global Development - July 2004
Michael Clemens, Steven Radelet and Rikhil Bhavnani

The results of past research on aid and growth have led some to the conclusion that positive aid-growth relationships only exist when the quality of institutions and policies in a given country is high. This report, however, detects a powerful relationship between short-impact aid and growth across all countries on average, not just those with strong institutions or policies, and finds a slightly larger relationship in the presence of good institutions. (read)