Networking and civic engagement in policy

process monitoring

Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)info@wougnet.org

SPIDER ICT for Democracy :By: Brenda A. Otika

Email: botika@wougnet.org

Out line

1. Public policies• Factors to consider in policy development2. Civic engagement-forms and levels of

engagement, challenges and solutions to citizen engagement

3. Networks• What are they?• Importance of net works in the policy process• Keys to successful networks

Public Policy

• It is an attempt by a government to address a public issue by instituting laws, regulations, decisions or actions pertinent to the problem at hand.

• It is a purposive and consistent course of action produced as a response to a perceived problem of a constituency, formulated by a specific political process, and adopted, implemented and enforced by a public agency.

Public Policy

Characteristics of public policy• made in the “public's” name• made or initiated by government• interpreted and implemented by public and

private actors• what the government intends to do• what the government chooses not to do

Key factors to consider in public policy development

• Public interest: What is in the best interest of society as a whole? How is the common good balanced against any private or special interests? Is the process fully inclusive, especially of those who are often overlooked or unable to participate?

• Effectiveness: How well a policy achieves its stated goals.

• Reflective: Of other values of society and/or the community, such as freedom, security, diversity, communality, choice, and privacy.

Key factors continued

• Efficiency: How well resources are utilized in achieving goals and implementing policy.

• Consistency: Degree of alignment with broader goals and strategies of government, with constitutional, legislative and regulatory regime.

• Fairness and equity: Degree to which the policy increases equity of all members and sectors of society. This may link directly to consideration of public interest.

Civic engagementDefinitionIt refers to the multiple ways the citizen can

engage with the state. Refers to Individual and collective actions

designed to identify and address issues of public concern.

Refers to processes through which governments seek to encourage deliberation, reflection, and learning on issues at preliminary stages of a policy process, often when the focus is more on the values and principles that will frame

the way an issue is considered.• Civic engagement in public policies means the

involvement and participation of citizens in decision-making policies through different processes, mechanisms and techniques.

Civic engagementForms of civic engagement• Individual volunteerism- efforts to directly

address an issue • organizational involvement- work with others

in a community to solve a problem • electoral participation- or interact with the

institutions of representative democracyLevels of civic engagement1.Citizen Access to Information2. Consultation3. Active participation

Why is focus on civic engagement?

• enhances effectiveness-participation yields higher quality decisions

• meet a growing demand for public participation-need for greater openness of decision processes, mistrust of expert advice

• resolve conflicts-set priorities, negotiate tradeoffs and seek consensus

• increase fiscal responsibility-establish priorities and find partners

Continuation

• enhance public knowledge, understanding, and awareness-share information, opportunities for stakeholders to hear each other and better understand the range of views on an issue

• meet legal and policy requirements• establish/solidify legitimacy• allocate scarce resources

Importance of civic engagement

• To increase the level of participation of target groups, stakeholders and partners in engaged governance for public policies, pro-poor policies, social justice and equity

• To strengthen the impact of public policies and support pro-poor development based on the principles of sustained economic growth, equity and social justice

• Establishes channels for voice towards a more responsive and accountable state.

Importance continued

• Provides a chance that people’s preferences, opinions and views will be reflected in government priorities and policies

• through increased voice and with a focus on accountability, has the potential to contribute to poverty reduction through more pro-poor policy design, improved service delivery, and empowerment of groups previously denied a voice.

Continuation

• civic engagement can be a valuable tool in fighting corruption-by monitoring government performance, demanding and enhancing transparency and exposing government failures and misdeeds

Pre-requisite for citizen engagement

• Political will and involvement of political decision-makers in the process

• The power of influence of actors involved in the process and of those not involved

• Inclusiveness, equality, non-discrimination and diversity of the actors represented

• A right-based approach towards engagement• Voluntary basis of engagement

Continuation

• Clarity of the process, objectives, expected outcomes, roles and rules

• Commitment towards transparency and accountability throughout the process

• Resources and capacity

Challenges to civic engagement

• imbalances of power, inequality and prejudice (elite capture of power)

• Limited resources-civic engagement as a process needs to be managed and requires resources

• Limited access to important information• Political interference and patronage• Bureaucracy

Solutions

• Political will• CSOs raising awareness about issues at stake,

helping citizens and communities organize themselves and advocate for more participatory policy making

• Forming strong networks• Commitment and sacrifice on the side of

citizens• Increasing information flow

What is networking?• Networking- developing and maintaining

contacts and personal connections with a variety of people who might be helpful to you and your career.

Networks, what are they?They are structures that link individuals or

organizations who share a common interest on a specific issue or a general set of values.

• E.g. Policy network-The individuals, groups, government departments, organizations and agencies that dominate decision making in a specific policy field

Importance of networksHelp improve policy processes through better

information use.Increase the influence of good quality

evidence throughout the policy process-carefully coordinated networks may also help to boost the credibility of an advocacy campaign

Build consensus amongst diverse actors;Bring civil society resources and expertise into

the policy process

Importance of networksBroaden and sustain the pro-poor impact of a

policy.networks offer a key tool to bridge the divide

between policymakers and those at grassroots level- the opportunity for those with few other avenues to powerful decision makers to gain access through the networked relationships.

help to build credibility by sustaining a campaign over a wide geographical area and a long period of time

Networks, CSOs and Policy Influence

Stage of thepolicy process

Key objectives foractors aiming toinfluence policy

How networks can help

Agenda setting Convince policymakersthat the issue doesindeed require attention

• Marshall evidence to enhance the credibility of the argument• Extend an advocacy campaign• Foster links among researchers, CSOs and policymakers

Formulation Inform policymakers of the options and build aconsensus

• Collate good-quality representative evidence and act as a‘resource bank’• Channel international resources and expertise into the policyprocess• Build long-term collaborative relationships with policymakers• Bypass formal barriers to consensus

ContinuationStage of thepolicy process

Key objectives foractors aiming toinfluence policy

How networks can help

Implementation Complementgovernment capacity

• Enhance the sustainability and reach of the policy• Act as dynamic ‘platforms for action’

Evaluation Collate qualityevidence and channel it into the policy process

• Provide good-quality representative evidence and feedback• Link policymakers to policy end-users

Underlying Capacity building forCSOs aiming toinfluence policy

• Provide a dynamic environment for communication andcollaborative action• Provide support and encouragement• Provide a means of political representation

Ten keys to successi) Clear coordinated structure and objectives-a

successful network is one that actively creates an atmosphere of interaction and exchange, with the participation of all members, but at the same time retains good coordination and clear objectives.

ii) Strength in numbers-By linking large numbers of actors through shared interests or values, networks can rally support to boost the political clout of an argument.

continuationiii) Representativeness-A key issue relates to

managing power dynamics within a network so as not to misrepresent the weaker members.

iv) Quality of evidence-this can range from formal research findings to grassroots testimony. For both ends of this spectrum, networks can help to improve the quantity and quality of the evidence, and hence also improve the credibility and legitimacy of arguments put forward by CSOs attempting to influence the policy process.

Continuation

v) Packaging of evidence-grassroots testimony itself comes in a language that may differ from the academic discourse of high-level policymakers, and as such it risks being overlooked.

vi) Sustainability-the key factors in maintaining member involvement is the facilitation role played by an innovative and efficient network coordinator and stable funding.

Continuationvii) Presence of key individuals-involving

influential individuals in the networkviii) Making use of informal linksix) Complementing national governments-By

networking across sectors, CSOs can take advantage of this opening and use their links to channel evidence and expertise into the policy arena.

x) Improving communications through ICTs-modern ICTs are opening up vast new potential for CSO networking.

AFOYO MATEK