KAMPALA PRINCIPLE 1:CSOs_SUBP 1.C

KAMPALA PRINCIPLE 1 - INCLUSIVE COUNTRY OWNERSHIP

Civil society organisations

Sub-principle 1.C

Invest in capacities for PSE through development co-operation

 

Why is it important?

 

International CSOs

Local CSOs
Partnerships with private sector actors in development co-operation can prove challenging to traditional ways of working. To be effective, international CSOs can play an important supporting role in local processes based on their experiences, and facilitate the links from the local to the global. International CSOs should invest in capacity sharing and training opportunities for their staff at country level to access and learn from best practices. Building internal capacities will help identify the most value-added projects to engage in, influence improvements in business accountability and SDG impact, especially environmental or socio-economic impact, provide possibilites for scaling, access to funding, understanding of terminology, and meaningfully contribute to the local development agenda. Capacity sharing can also be developed to strengthen the watchdog role of international CSOs at the country level and support domestic CSOs with implementing this role. Partnerships with private sector actors in development co-operation can prove challenging to traditional ways of working. At the same time, engaging in international partnerships with a range of actors helps build and share capacities. To be effective, domestic CSOs need to identify their capacity constraints (within management, skills, funding, internal governance) and their strengths (grassroots connections, their voice, community focused) then build internal capacities to identify the benefits of engaging in PSE, including the most value-added projects to engage in, what their most effective role is in the project, influence improvements in business accoutability and SDG impact, understanding of terminology, and access to funding and to range of stakeholders. Building the capacity of informal or formal CSO networks could lead to a more structured civil society working towards “a common” goal. 
 

Colour code:

Yellow = implementation role

Orange = watchdog role

Black = implementation and watchdog role

Self-reflection questions
Discover Tool

International CSOs

Local CSOs
  • Have you convened CSOs to plan, build capacities and share knowledge ahead of any PSE consultation processes or PSE project development?      
  • Have you engaged development partners to access financial support for local CSOs? 
  • Have you considered which skills staff need to effectively engage with development partners around PSE – as project implementer and in a watchdog role?
  • Do you provide training to other stakeholders, including local CSOs, domestic micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and trade unions, on how to enhance their watchdog role around PSE strategy and project implementation? 
  • Have you developed supporting guidelines for staff and other stakeholders to formulate, implement and assess partnerships with the private sector, including on due diligence processes?
  • Have you checked if PSE projects have dedicated resources for building the capacities of the partnership, especially for civil society and local communities?
  • Do you know where to access capacity building and share knowledge on strengthening your watchdog role and/or implementation of a PSE project? Have you built relations with donors or international CSOs to access financial support to build capacities?
  • Have you considered which skills your staff and management need to effectively engage with development partners around PSE – as project implementer and in a watchdog role? 
  • Have you developed supporting guidelines for staff and other stakeholders to formulate, implement and assess partnerships with the private sector, including on due diligence processes?
  • Have you checked if PSE projects have dedicated resources for building the capacities of the partnership, especially for civil society and local communities? 

Actions to consider
Discover Tool

International CSOs

Local CSOs
  • Focus on civil society engagement and support the enabling environment for engagement rather than focus on capacity building and support of individual domestic CSOs.  
  • Support domestic CSOs on the process of networking rather than the establishment and operation of networks that often turn inward looking and reduce effectiveness and influence. 
  • Develop CSO programming that facilitates citizen and community empowerment activism, capacity sharing, public education and active citizenship. 
  • Support capacity-sharing activities to facilitate engagement with relevant actors (local government, trade unions or development partners) through local networks or platforms.
  • Invest in your staff’s capacity to engage in PSE monitoring and influencing. Train staff in how to engage with the private sector, including variants of terminology.
  • Specifically, seek support to develop skills to commission, use and critique research studies, and build the evidence base to support informed engagement, monitoring and influencing in PSE policy dialogue. 
  • Consider including capacity-building activities in projects with development partners.
  • Pool resources for training and capacity building with other CSOs and CSO networks/platforms. Seek support for local actors and communities.  

Pitfalls to avoid
Discover Tool
International CSOs Local CSOs

      DON’T…

  • Treat capacity building as a one-size-fits-all approach without considering the local context.

      DON’T…

  • Send only senior staff for capacity-building trainings.

COUNTRY-LEVEL EXAMPLES

Live Well recruits, trains and supports a network of community health entrepreneurs to promote basic healthcare and sell health-impact products in underserved communities in rural and peri-urban areas in Zambia. Live Well provides community health entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial opportunities and a self-generated income in communities with high unemployment rates.

Resources

INCLUDE Platform – New Roles of CSOs for Inclusive Development Archives

What are others doing

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Development Partners

Large Domestic Companies

Trade Unions

Multinational Corporations

Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Partner Country Governments

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