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World
governments have failed to make aid work: civil society gives 3
ways to fix it
Press release Tue Nov 29,2011
Attah :In South Korea
The day
before the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, as the
outcome document of the event is in the final stage of
negotiations, civil society groups gathered in Busan,
representing more than 20,000 civil society organisations (CSOs)
- including trade unions, women’s groups, faith-based
organisations –call on governments in a joint statement
to compensate for missed commitments by making newer and better
promises to make development aid work for the people.
In the “Paris Declaration” of 2005, governments agreed to a set
of measurements to manage and improve aid effectiveness.
Those commitments have largely failed. OECD and CSO evidence
suggest that at best only two of the 21 Paris Declaration
targets have been achieved since 2005.
Major
issues that must be tackled include tied aid, transparency,
accountability and conditionality.
“Development is not only
about economic growth, but first and foremost it is about
fulfilling
the rights and needs of people,”
says Antonio Tujan,
Co-chair of BetterAid and International Director at IBON
International.
To this end, civil society insists that the High Level Forum
results in development policies and practices that:
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Are rights-based.
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Guarantee space for civil society organizations
and other non-state actors to fulfil their
development roles, at a minimum, in keeping with
binding commitments outlined in international
and regional instruments that guarantee
fundamental rights.
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Ensure
that private sector involvement in
development actually contributes to development,
and respects international labour
standards and conventions.
Development is a Human Right,
instilled in international conventions, and recognized by the
1986 declaration on the right to development.
“It is the responsibility not only of individual states but
also of the community of nations, both those gathered now in
Busan, and those not here, to realize development for all,”
says Roselynn Musa from the
African Women's Development and Communication Network.
A
CIVICUS survey of CSOs
recently found that 11% of CSOs were operating in a highly
restrictive environment, 36% in quite limiting circumstances and
45% in moderately limiting situations. Combined, over 90% of
CSOs are operating in difficult circumstances of different
degrees and are limited in their ability to engage as equal
development actors
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
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