Orientation and discussion on the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society

NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN) organized an orientation and discussion on the DAC Recommendation on Enabling Civil Society in Development Co-operation and Humanitarian Assistance, adopted by the OECD DAC on 6 July 2021. The DAC Recommendation aims to support DAC members and other development co-operation and humanitarian assistance providers to enhance how they address civic space and work with civil society actors, while underscoring that civil society actors must also take action to enhance their effectiveness, transparency and accountability. The DAC Recommendation is a call to action to enable civil society. It reinforces the need for civil society engagement in the localization, implementation and monitoring of the SDGs and for tacking Covid-19 pandemic. It also emphasizes that civil society actors are central to the peaceful and inclusive societies and accountable and inclusive institutions as well as to protecting and strengthening democracy, freedom and partnership. The DAC Recommendation may be an additional instrument for enabling civil society and protecting civic space. Towards enabling civil society, it recommends three pillars: 1) respecting, protecting and promoting civic space, 2) supporting and engaging with civil society, and 3) incentivizing CSO effectiveness, transparency and accountability. There are a number of actions suggested under each of the pillars. The meeting was focused to understanding and critical review of the DAC Recommendation as well as the issues and challenges faced around aid and development effectiveness and delivery of the international partnership. It was realized that financial resources to civil society are being constricted, and that the policies and environment are worsening. True implementation of such recommendations and the realization of governments and the political parties at all levels is necessary. In today’s meeting, the participants had a strong realization to reinforce the civil society movement to protect civic space in Nepal. The DAC Recommendation will be utilized as an instrument.