UNV’s contribution to UNDG dialogues on the implementation

of the post-2015 agenda Preliminary report (15 October 2014)

Cover photos:

(Top left) Participants in a youth volunteers consultation, part of the Dialogues on Participatory Monitoring and Accountability in Guatemala (UNV Guatemala, 2014)

(Top right) A participant speaks at the Youth Civil Society Organizations Dialogue, part of the dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society (Conor Wall/UN Cambodia, 2014)

(Bottom) National UN Volunteer Taonga M’shanga, from UNV Zambia, engages people across Zambia in discussions about development as part of the Dialogues on Participatory Monitoring and Accountability (UNV/Moses Zangar, 2014)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 6

DIALOGUES ON PARTNERSHIPS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY ............................................................................. 10

Cambodia ................................................................................................................................. 10

Colombia .................................................................................................................................. 11

Indonesia ................................................................................................................................. 13

Jordan ...................................................................................................................................... 14

Lesotho .................................................................................................................................... 15

Tunisia ..................................................................................................................................... 16

DIALOGUES ON CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT...................................................................................... 18

Ecuador .................................................................................................................................... 18

DIALOGUES ON PARTICIPATORY MONITORING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ................................................ 19

Bangladesh ............................................................................................................................... 19

Guatemala ............................................................................................................................... 20

Kosovo ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Peru ......................................................................................................................................... 22

Zambia ..................................................................................................................................... 23

DIALOGUES ON HELPING TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITIES AND BUILD EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS ............ 25

Kyrgyzstan ................................................................................................................................ 25

DIALOGUES ON ENGAGING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR ....................................................................... 26

Kenya ....................................................................................................................................... 26

Turkey ...................................................................................................................................... 27

DIALOGUES ON LOCALIZING THE POST-2015 AGENDA .......................................................................... 28

Burundi .................................................................................................................................... 28

Cameroon ................................................................................................................................ 28

Ecuador .................................................................................................................................... 29

Ghana ...................................................................................................................................... 30

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INTRODUCTION

The United Nations are conducting extensive global consultations with its constituency, “we, the people”, to complement experts’ and Member States’ proposals and to shape a more participatory development agenda and goals, that will replace the Millennium Development Goals after 2015. In 2013, a set of eleven global thematic consultations and a first round of national consultations in 88 countries were led by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) to identify "what" issues the new agenda should focus on. A second round of UNDG dialogues is taking place in 2014 to discuss the broad spectrum of issues related to the implementation of the post-2015 agenda that emerged strongly from the first round of discussions – i.e., "how" the new agenda should be implemented. The MY World Survey is also part of this global outreach effort. As part of the UNDG, UNV fully supports the UN system’s efforts towards the definition of a people-centred post-2015 framework, and helps ensure that all voices are heard in this process. The efforts of UN Volunteers and Field Units are also aimed at increasing the recognition and integration of volunteerism in the post-2015 agenda. The six dialogues on the implementation of the post-2015 agenda, taking place in 50 countries and partly still ongoing, aim to “draw upon the lessons learned and the collective wisdom of people around the world, convince policymakers that an ambitious post-2015 agenda can be implemented and foster a broad sense of ownership, inclusive planning structures and multi-stakeholder partnerships to support its delivery”. UNV has been supporting countries organizing national dialogues across the six themes through:

• dedicated national and international UN Volunteers deployed to support post-2015 discussion at the national level;

• UNV Field support funds made available to UNV Field Units in 20 countries to support the creation of spaces for volunteer groups to engage in multi-stakeholder conversations, including in the context of the dialogues;

• UNV Field Units and Headquarters supported volunteer-involving organizations in their substantive engagement with the post-2015 discussions.

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UNV co-leads the thematic dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society, together with UNFPA, UN Millennium Campaign and UN-NGLS. UNV is also a contributing agency to the dialogues on Participatory Forms of Monitoring and Accountability.

The dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society echoed the call for the inclusion of different stakeholders, which resonated across all six thematic areas. They called for the recognition of the heterogeneity that exists at all levels in the design and implementation of relevant policies and strategies. A more holistic agenda will require engaging people more in addressing the issues affecting their livelihoods; Volunteer Groups have been identified as one of the actors, capable of widening spaces and leveraging voices of people, including from a marginalized background. The dialogues underlined that “if constructed carefully, multi-stakeholder partnerships can facilitate participation and voluntary engagement and draw on the assets and strengths of different actors”1.

Three key messages from the dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society outline the need for enhanced recognition and increased understanding of the role of civil society in policy development:

• Create an enabling environment by building a policy and regulatory framework that maximizes civil society’s contribution towards development objectives.

• Proactively align multi-stakeholder priorities, including those of government, civil society, volunteers and private sector actors.

• Set up and maintain accountability mechanisms that monitor partnerships and progress in implementation efforts.

The dialogues also highlighted the important role volunteering plays in terms of capacity building and leveraging existing local knowledge: “civil society allows people to concretely engage in addressing development objectives at the local and national levels. Engagement and voluntary action can strengthen ownership, build individual capacity and help to address challenges in a sustainable way. The expertise of local civil society can be more grounded in national circumstances than the expertise of international research institutions”1.

Finally, participants in the dialogues stressed that a more holistic framework requires increased awareness of existing, underutilized yet complementary resources within civil society: “To tap into the potential of volunteerism, public awareness also needs to be created about its benefits. Volunteerism can be seen as a cross-cutting means of implementation, producing benefits such as capacity-building, empowerment and social integration”1.

Overall, the dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society endorsed and emphasized the aspiration to be heard and engaged, which was already expressed during the first round of consultations as well as through the MY World outreach.

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The integration of volunteerism as a complementary mechanism for an inclusive and participatory implementation of the post-2015 agenda is also part of the outcomes of different dialogues in different countries. So far, mentions related to the role of volunteering are included in the Cambodia, Colombia, Cameroon, Guatemala and Jordan national reports.

For the world to achieve the objectives of the post-2015 agenda, including the sustainable development goals (SDGs), new approaches and connections will have to be established and new actors included. Volunteer groups can support the implementation of the SDGs by enabling capacity building, skills development and service delivery across all goal areas through community and volunteer initiatives. They can spread knowledge and participatory practices, fostering community ownership as well as long terms changes in attitudes and life choices. Engaging communities triggers long-term and sustainable results in the most remote areas and reaches the most vulnerable people.

It is now in the hands of Member States to pave the way for the next generation of development goals that will shape the lives of billions of people over the coming decade and beyond.

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DIALOGUES ON PARTNERSHIPS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY

UNV co-leads these dialogues at global level together with UN-NGLS, UNMC and UNFPA.

National dialogues take place in eight countries: Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Lesotho, St. Lucia, and Tunisia. UNV provides direct support in six of these countries.

Four preliminary key recommendations have emerged from the national dialogues and online discussions:

1. recognize and understand the role of civil society in policy development; 2. create an enabling environment: build a policy and regulatory framework that

maximizes civil society contribution towards development objectives; 3. proactively align multi-stakeholder priorities, including those of government, civil

society, volunteers and private sector actors; 4. set up and maintain accountability mechanisms that monitor partnerships and progress

in implementation efforts.

To conclude the dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ and discuss preliminary recommendations with governments, civil society organizations (CSOs) and UN representatives, a high-level global meeting is taking place on 20 – 21 October 2014 in Cambodia. Participants will share results from national dialogues and online discussions, and have an opportunity for cross-regional learning. Findings will be submitted as key inputs for intergovernmental negotiations and to the UN Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report on the post-2015 development agenda to be released in late 2014.

CAMBODIA

UNV Cambodia supported the consultations with civil society organizations (CSOs) for the post-2015 dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ mainly through Peter Prix, a dedicated post-2015 UN Youth Volunteer based in the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. Peter is serving as a UN Country Team focal point for this dialogue and organizer for the rollout of the national dialogues. The dialogues in Cambodia brought together more than 350 representatives from CSOs, youth, private sector, government and development partners from multiple sectors, to discuss and identify mechanisms to enhance partnerships with civil society in Cambodia. UNV Cambodia specifically contributed to the post-2015 dialogues by providing a platform for youth and volunteer involving organizations (ViOs), including VolCam, to discuss civil society engagement and the role of civil society and ViOs in the implementation of the future development agenda. National and international UN Volunteers contributed to the success of the dialogues as organizers, group facilitators, rapporteurs and interpreters.

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The dialogue with youth and volunteering organizations involved over 60 young Cambodians from different youth and volunteering organizations, including from various provinces, ethnicities and minorities as well as representatives from international organizations. The debate emphasized the role of Cambodian youth and ViOs to advance the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda through civic engagement and voluntary work. Participants showcased the added value and importance of youth and volunteering organizations in the areas of health, education, employment, environment and economic growth. Participants were also passionate about forming partnerships between the Government and civil society organizations which they felt is crucial for the development of Cambodia. The outcomes of this dialogue have fed into the national consultation report which was presented and validated with the government, civil society organizations and development partners. UNV Cambodia is also supporting the organization of the final global high-level meeting that will be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 20-21 October 2014. The national consultation report, including a section on the youth and ViO dialogues, is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/427652/list?field_user_tags_value%5B0%5D=196471&changed_sort=DESC&stick_user_sort=1

COLOMBIA

Upon initiative of UNV Colombia, with support from UNV HQ and from the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator and in partnership with different UN entities, the Colombian government, Universities and the private sector, Colombia participated in the post-2015 dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’. A steering committee was created to provide inputs to the process, comprising members from UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, UNFPA), the private sector (the Regional Global Compact Center), the Colombian Government (Colombia Joven and Organizaciones Solidarias) and Universities (University of the Andes and University of Rosario).

At the Youth Civil Society Organizations Dialogue, a participant presents proposals for civil society engagement (Conor Wall/UN Cambodia, 2014)

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UNV Colombia co-organized a national consultation focused on the participation of the youth and volunteer component of civil society in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda. There were approximately 140 participants, representing UN organizations (UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women, UNV, OIM and others), corporations such as Microsoft, Telefonica, BanColombia, the Regional Global Compact, VIOs including IAVE, the Scouts and others. The mix of participants helped creating synergies between organizations. Nearly 40% of them were leaders from the youth sector including youth gender representatives, LGBT, HIV positive, etc. Despite being organized as part of the dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’, the consultation gave input on all dialogues’ six themes, and provided an opportunity for participants to understand the importance of youth and volunteerism as agents of transformation and as political actors to influence the post-2015 agenda. Participants agreed that volunteers and youth should be seen as bringing added value to peace and development in local communities, and recognized as key actors of civil society in peace and development issues. The consultation pointed at the importance of youth and volunteerism to achieve peace and development and to influence international and national policies. Acknowledging the need to (re)build trust between civil society and Government, the consultation suggested that communities should “encourage the participation of young people and volunteers in the technical tables where public peace policies are decided at regional and national levels. Therefore, it is recommended to identify and implement mechanisms to render information more accessible and to promote the participation of citizens. This would generate a culture of participation in the form of volunteerism. Likewise, it was recommended to include youth participation and volunteerism in peace processes and include both concepts in post-conflict policies.”1 The consultation also recognized the role of education in promoting volunteerism and participation, and recommended to “provide the education system in the regions with mechanisms and tools for teachers to sensitize young people in volunteering and thus jointly serve their communities in a timely manner. Volunteering and participation promotes the use of free time, which alienates the student population of the imminent risk of forced recruitment and use of drugs.”2

The possible contribution of youth and volunteers ranges from improving gender equity to improving access to sexual and reproductive rights of young people, for which volunteers can 1 Colombia Post 2015 Consultations: Youth Volunteering and Civil Society Participation, 2014, p. 3, www.worldwewant2015.org/node/451870, accessed on 15.10.2014 2 Ibid, p.4

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have a multiplier effect. Young volunteers can also “be trained to perform exercises of oversight citizens, requiring managers of health centers periodic accountability”3. Finally, volunteerism should be seen as a first employment and as such recognized and certified by the Government and the private sector.

The consultation itself contributed to peace and development in Colombia in a situation characterized by post-conflict relations and raised private sector interest in mobilizing UN Volunteers. Networks and strong collaborations were established and CSOs trained on SDGs.

The final report from the consultation is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/451870. A video from the consultation is also available: Colombia youth volunteering and citizen participation

INDONESIA

UNV Indonesia contributed to the post-2015 dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ by facilitating the participation of VIOs and CSOs in a national consultation gathering 70 participants from CSOs and VIOs, workers groups and government representatives and through Dinah Abd El Aziz, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy assigned to the Resident Coordinator’s Office. The consultation brought forward a list of best practices and identified potential policy initiatives, along with enabling mechanisms and technical support needs. The national consultations in Indonesia were organized by the UN together with the CSO network INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development), that has extensive experience in the post-2015 and SDGs process. UNV Indonesia is currently working with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, CSOs and youth groups on a follow-up event planned for the end of October 2014. Based on the recommendations from the dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’, this event specifically aims to highlight the role of volunteerism in Indonesia, and identify ways in which volunteerism can advance the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. The event, entitled ‘Fostering the collaboration between Government, VIOs and CSOs - Advancing dialogues and creating partnerships to increase the success of a well-defined and balanced roll out of the post-2015 agenda’, is designed to provide avenues for VIOs, CSOs and the Government to discuss and build a common understanding on the prerequisites for effective partnerships for sustainable development.

3 Ibid, p.4

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JORDAN

In Jordan, UNV co-chaired together with UNESCO a post-2015 Focus Group, established by the UNCT and including representatives from all UN agencies in the country. To ensure continuity with the first phase of UNDG national consultations, the Post-2015 Focus Group decided to discuss challenges and opportunities for civil society around the main priorities that had emerged from the national consultations in 2013. UNV Jordan supported the post-2015 dialogue on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ through Tarek Muendelein, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy who served as Co-Chair of the Jordan post-2015 Focus Group. UNV Jordan co-organized three of the four consultations contributing to the dialogues, which focused on challenges and opportunities for civil society in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda, by facilitating the participation of youth groups and civil society organizations from across the country.

The Jordan country report features a whole section on volunteerism as a form of civic engagement for youth: “Volunteerism was highlighted in most of the dialogues. There was consensus on the added value of awareness and engagement at a young age, which leads to a more dynamic civil society in the sustainable future. Participants, therefore, referred to volunteerism as ‘positive civic engagement’.”4

The dialogues also called for national institutions to invest more on youth to harness the benefits of their engagement in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda. “Through civic engagement young people can direct their energies and creativity towards finding innovative solutions to critical development issues. Investing on youth and volunteerism encompasses

4 Post-2015 Dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society: Jordan, 2014, p. 12, http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/454525, accessed on 15.10.2014

At the consultations on environment, an NGO representative highlights the important role of media in raising awareness on environmental issues (UN Resident/ Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office, 2014)

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“Volunteerism is a concept that is not quite clear to society. It is not just about cleaning the streets, it is about engagement, fighting for a cause and promoting awareness. This is where we have to go if we want young generations to support the implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda”.

Young volunteer, UNDP-led event, Amman, 25 June 2014

strengthening their skills, encouraging them to engage in meaningful activities and sustaining them to have their voice heard.”5 Looking at challenges and possible solutions, the dialogues finally suggested that facilitating the registration of volunteer organizations could be a way to start a more meaningful and long-term partnership between national institutions and the youth. The current heavy bureaucratic procedures are indeed a disincentive for young people’s civic engagement. Messages from thematic consultations also pointed out that “Jordanian local organizations should concentrate their efforts on education for employment and volunteerism, which will support in decreasing the national unemployment rate”6, and that volunteer organizations need further support from the society and the government. The Jordan country report on the dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/454525

LESOTHO

UNV Lesotho supported the post-2015 dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ through participating in national consultations conducted by the Lesotho Council of NGOs (LCN), the Ministry of Development Planning and UNDP. Consultations involved CSOs, trade unions, youth organizations, organizations representing children and people with disabilities, faith-based organizations, academia, and media organizations. The national dialogues comprised two levels of consultations: the first focusing on CSO proposals and ways to strengthen partnerships, and the second building a concrete foundation for a political partnership between state and civil society actors. As a result, the consultations suggested three primary processes: mapping CSOs, needs/capacity assessment of CSOs and capacity building/response programmes. The Lesotho country report indicates that the consultations “highlighted a generally low public awareness of the MDGs and a lack of civil society engagement in implementation due mainly to insufficient knowledge and awareness of the MDGs and other global development initiatives”.

5 Ibid, p.12 6 Ibid, p.12

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It acknowledges that civil society “has played an important role in rebuilding the democratic system after the 1998 electoral crisis”7, however in these consultations it “was unable to make a link between its work in these areas and MDGs”8. While it has a crucial role to play “in providing the link between communities and national policies”9, Lesotho’s civil society “is commonly recognized as fragmented, with a lack of networking and coordination mechanisms” 10 . Areas to address to improve civil society’s contribution to Lesotho’s development include “institutional management and enabling environment, a lack of public participation and a limited ability to influence policy and coordination. Capacity limitations in these areas hindering Civil Society’s ability to fulfil its potential as proponents of development, as well as strong contributors on policy advocacy and in holding government to account.” During the dialogues, civil society “was able to discuss general barriers to effective involvement in the implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda in Lesotho. Participants, however, struggled to articulate the concrete means of implementation in different thematic areas. A key focus of engagement with civil society over the next year will be to help them develop concrete actions in thematic areas to implement the Post-2015 Development Agenda.”11 Finally, it was also pointed out that “the partnership policy would guide the relationship between the government and development partners; as well as with civil society organisations through a memorandum of understanding that is being worked on by the government.”12 The Lesotho country report on the dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/451867

TUNISIA

UNV Tunisia supported the post-2015 dialogues on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society’ by facilitating the participation of VIOs and CSOs, in collaboration with the UNCT and the Bureau of Coordination. As a contribution to the dialogues, UNV Tunisia also co-organized, together with other UN agencies in the country, a national youth consultation on the post-2015 agenda held on International Youth Day (12 August).

7 Post-2015 Dialogues on Partnerships with Civil Society: Lesotho, 2014, p. 6, http://www.worldwewant2015.org/node/451867, accessed on 15.10.2014 8 Ibid, p.6 9 Ibid, p.4 10 Ibid, p.6 11 Ibid, p.24 12 Ibid, p.50

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At the consultation, youth stated their will to continue this type of consultation and extend it to a wider number of young people; they also indicated the need to involve government counterparts. Following the consultation, several workshops should be organized with stakeholders and decision-makers to ensure that recommendations be considered and integrated in government strategies and policies. Summary of the consultation (in French): Consultation nationale auprès des jeunes sur l’agenda de développement Post-2015

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DIALOGUES ON CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT

These dialogues are co-led at global level by UNESCO, UNFPA and UNDP. National dialogues take place in four countries: Ecuador, Mali, Morocco and Serbia. UNV provides direct support in two of these countries.

ECUADOR

UNV Ecuador, with support from Lena Priesemann, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy, has contributed to two post-2015 dialogues: ‘Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’ and ‘Culture and Development’. The dialogues on Culture and Development stressed the importance of including practices and approaches from a cultural diversity perspective into efforts to address development challenges. Traditional forms of self-help and community service were cited as an ancient tradition, still alive among indigenous groups, that paves the way for new forms of participatory engagement to be strengthened. UNV contributed to the dialogue on ‘Culture and Development’ by conducting eight individual interviews with representatives from various indigenous groups in Ecuador. A relevant outcome of the interviews was the importance of integrating “minga”, the ancient traditional form of community work used as a way to strengthen community sense and help each other in the community, into national policies.

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DIALOGUES ON PARTICIPATORY MONITORING FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

UNV is a contributing agency to these dialogues, co-led at global level by UNICEF, UN Women and UNDP.

National dialogues take place in ten countries: Albania, Algeria, Bangladesh, Guatemala, Kosovo, Montenegro, Peru, Thailand, Vietnam, Zambia. UNV provides direct support in six of these countries.

BANGLADESH

UNV Bangladesh, supported by Noreen Seyerl, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy, is actively involved in the post-2015 dialogues on ’Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’. With a special focus on the inclusion of volunteers and youth, UNV Bangladesh worked in close cooperation with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator to host a workshop with stakeholders from government and civil society. Through the involvement of volunteers and youth in the dialogues, UNV Bangladesh contributed to strengthen the inclusiveness and ownership of the new development framework. The draft report of the dialogues in Bangladesh highlights the importance of including a broad variety of stakeholders in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda: “The focus on “Participatory Monitoring” results from the intention to maximize results by engaging stakeholders, including those directly affected by policies and programmes, in identifying clearly defined meaningful changes, monitoring progress and taking appropriate corrective action”13, and concludes indicating that mechanisms are needed for citizens, civil society and other stakeholders to work together to achieve the new goals: “… Participatory Monitoring for Accountability goes beyond monitoring. It is about involving people in setting priorities, about carving the space for dialogue and co-planning with communities, service providers, civil society and policy makers, to attain the goals of the Post 2015 Development Agenda.”14 As a specific contribution to the dialogues, UNV Bangladesh is developing guidelines for civil society groups, especially volunteer and youth involving organizations, to provide an insight into monitoring methods and accountability mechanisms open to such groups. Innovative monitoring methods such as “digital storytelling”, which require little formal training and allow 13 The Second Round of National Consultations on Post-2015 Development Agenda. Means of Implementation: Participatory Monitoring and Accountability in Bangladesh, 2014, p. 5 (Draft report) 14 Ibid, p.20

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for creative expression of perceptions, are given special consideration. In this regard, UNV Bangladesh collaborated with the UN Online Volunteering Service to pilot an innovative method of online participatory monitoring. An online survey was carried out among nearly 200 registered UN Online Volunteers in Bangladesh, to collect information on challenges for their communities and provide insights into best practices of participatory monitoring. Furthermore a literature review on participatory monitoring for accountability in Bangladesh was conducted by a UN Online Volunteer, concluding that “Participatory monitoring for accountability is essential to giving a voice to those in silent deprivation. It is vital to the effectiveness of a future development framework that leaves no one behind” 15. Results from the pilot initiative supported some of the evidence documented in the literature review, showing that members of communities affected by development efforts are eager and feel it is necessary to be involved in all phases of development interventions. Furthermore it became clear that community members monitor ongoing developments, although this often happens in a non-standardized systematic way. For community members to participate and lead development initiatives, it is necessary for them to be aware of existing options and methods; understand the way they function and enhance or create opportunities and spaces to engage with decision makers and duty bearers to hold them accountable

During the workshops to be held as part of the dialogues, UNV Bangladesh will introduce representatives of youth and volunteer-involving organizations (VIOs) to methods of participatory monitoring, train them on how to act as monitoring focal points and raise their awareness on the important role of holding duty bearers accountable. Guidelines will be developed together with youth and VIOs during dialogues events, based on lessons learnt from the pilot project and on findings from the literature review, and will also be used for the ongoing rounds of dialogues throughout the year.

GUATEMALA

UNV Guatemala has supported the post-2015 dialogues on ’Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ by facilitating consultations with youth volunteer organizations and other volunteer organizations in the region. Lea Ritter, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy organized and facilitated a dialogue with 28 volunteers from 15 different youth organizations, with technical support from UNICEF. This dialogue provided a series of recommendations and ideas on monitoring the implementation of the new development agenda based on current existing practices and on the

15 Weekly, Peter. Second Round Dialogues on Post-2015 Participatory Monitoring for Accountability: The Case of Bangladesh. Literature Review, 2014, p. 10 (Unpublished)

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Guatemalan legal framework for the participation of civil society in planning and monitoring social and economic development. Guatemalan youth volunteers see volunteers’ participation in monitoring mechanisms as a means to improve and sustain national development outcomes and to enable the involvement of marginalized groups, generating data to track and to improve performance towards global targets. The Guatemala country report on the dialogues indicates the need to “identify key stakeholders at the institutional and civil society level to ensure the mechanisms include all groups currently excluded” 16 , and mentions that youth volunteers could bring the use of technology into participatory monitoring: “Youth volunteer organizations could contribute to develop strategies for the use of social networks as tools for citizen participation, building on successful experiences they are already implementing”17. The report also calls on the UN system to support Governments and to enhance civil society capacity to adequately engage in a post-2015 participatory monitoring system. As a follow up, UNV Guatemala is organizing a second consultation with VIOs on participatory monitoring to come up with concrete ideas on how to implement participatory monitoring in the new development agenda, and to define an action plan identifying clear responsibilities for youth volunteer organizations. This consultation will take place on 17 October 2014. The Guatemala country report on the dialogues on ‘Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/accountability2015. The report of the UNV youth volunteers’ post-2015 consultation on participatory monitoring processes in Guatemala is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/file/457871/download/498557

16 The Second Round of National Consultations Post-2015 Guatemala, 2014, http://www.worldwewant2015.org/accountability2015, accessed on 15.10.2014 17 Ibid

Youth volunteers discussing development issues during the youth dialogue organized by UNV Guatemala and UNICEF (UN Guatemala, 2014)

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KOSOVO

UNV Kosovo has been contributing to the post-2015 dialogues on ’Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ by developing a Plan of Action, in cooperation with global co-leads at Kosovo level, and supporting the work of a consultant who mapped the existing monitoring and accountability mechanisms in Kosovo, with a particular focus on the issues of employment and education. UNV Kosovo will continue to participate in online and offline discussions with youth, stakeholders and UN agencies. These discussions will focus on civic engagement as an important form of active citizenship able to support the institutions in improving their accountability and monitoring mechanisms for the implementation of the new SDGs.

PERU

The post-2015 dialogues on ’Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ in Peru included four participatory workshops gathering civil society, the Government, the private sector and international cooperation agencies. UNV Peru has supported the dialogues through Jemila Kehinde, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy based in the Office of the Resident Coordinator (RCO). She supported in particular the work of a consultant who prepared a review of participatory monitoring for accountability practices in Peru. In parallel, UNV Peru has been actively engaged in strengthening the national volunteer infrastructure in the country. UNV Peru, together with the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable people, has supported the decentralization of VIO Networks in four regions to strengthen their positioning as counterparts for local and regional authorities in the implementation of the new sustainable development goals. These networks will be launched at the end of October 2014 to promote volunteerism in the post-2015 agenda. In this context, a national workshop gathering member organizations of the Peruvian Volunteer Network SoyVoluntario will be held on 17-18 October to bring together VIO networks engaged in cross-sector collaboration for development. During this workshop, they will discuss their participation in the implementation of the new framework. VIOs from civil society, the private and public sector, will address specific questions related to the dialogues. Results will feed into the ongoing national consultation process.

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ZAMBIA

UNV Zambia has supported the post-2015 dialogue on ‘Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ through Taonga M’shanga, a national UN Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy. Taonga worked together with the UN Communications Group (UNCG) team to organize consultations in Zambian provinces as well as in the capital city, Lusaka. She facilitated a number of sessions with young people and provided inputs to the national report. The consultations and roadshows on post-2015

agenda were aimed at capturing the voices of ordinary citizens, local leaders, youths and members from civil societies, held at both local and national levels. The national UN Volunteer facilitated on-site and online sessions and engaged local media, community leaders and young people about the post-2015 dialogues in Zambia. Activities ranged from the creation of a multi-stakeholder space for an inclusive dialogue about existing experiences and knowledge regarding ‘Participatory Monitoring for Accountability’ in Zambia, to the documentation of innovative local and participatory real-time monitoring initiatives (see box in next page), the assessment of how a more accountable, transparent, and responsive governance is being pursued in Zambia, as well as the incorporation of the information collected and examples documented into the post-2015 process at global level. Outcomes from the dialogues pointed at the importance of including volunteers in participatory monitoring for accountability as an important factor for community development and ownership. The dialogues highlighted the added value of volunteerism beyond its cost-efficient nature, demonstrating how volunteerism adds value for community members by increasing trust and accountability between duty-bearers and rights-holders from the bottom up.

National UN Volunteer Taonga M’shanga giving an interview to a local Zambian radio station (UNV/Moses Zangar, 2014)

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The Basic Needs Basket (BNB) model: an example from Zambia of how volunteers can support community-level monitoring

The BNB model is a survey about the cost of essential food and non-food items that is carried out in Zambia. It considers the bare-minimum “basket of goods” needed for an urban family of six to survive with a decent and healthy standard of living.

The BNB model was pioneered by the Jesuits Center for Theological Reflection (JCTR) and is currently being implemented in 15 towns across Zambia. Data is collected on a monthly basis by identified volunteers using a data collection template developed by JCTR. The volunteers usually go through regular training that gives the skills and experience to be effective in what they do. Therefore, they are able to participate in the structure of the government at community level and thus transmit the needs of their communities to local leaders. The volunteers are well known in their communities due to their constant data collection activities from different townships. This builds trust and therefore members of such communities have faith and confidence in them to be able to voice their needs to local and national leaders. In case of any community challenges, the volunteers who are also part of the government structures at district and provincial levels bring such challenges to the decision makers’ attention. Because of their role, they usually attend community meetings and organize follow up actions if needed.

For example, in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, data is collected from seven markets around the city, analyzed and sent out to over 2000 individuals and organizations. Results are also sent to media houses as press statements for information sharing. Trade Union organizations have used the data for salary negotiations. The Zambia Vice Presidents’ Office has become a regular recipient of this information and has used the information in parliamentary discussions, proposing for example that the minimum wage be at the same level as the BNB.

More information at: http://www.jctr.org.zm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=27

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DIALOGUES ON HELPING TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITIES AND BUILD EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS

These dialogues are co-led at global level by UNESCO, UNFPA and UNDP. National dialogues take place in eight countries: Costa Rica, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Nicaragua, Togo, Turkmenistan. UNV provides direct support in one of these countries.

KYRGYZSTAN

UNV Kyrgyzstan, with the support of a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy, contributed to the post-2015 dialogue on ‘Helping to strengthen capacities and build effective institutions’. Specifically, UNV Kyrgyzstan contributed to the overall preparation of the ONE UN Youth Forum in Bishkek, where two UN Volunteers facilitated a session on volunteering advocacy. Participants to this session included youth activists, VIOs and local leaders. The discussion encompassed ways to draw the attention and involvement of the state, international organizations, civil society and the public on hardships and challenges faced by different youth groups in Kyrgyzstan, and possible strategies to address them.

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DIALOGUES ON ENGAGING WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR

These dialogues are co-led at global level by UNIDO and the UN Global Compact. National dialogues take place in five countries: Kenya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Uruguay. UNV provides direct support in one of these countries.

KENYA

UNDP Kenya accepted to participate in the private sector dialogues, together with the co-leads (UNIDO and the Global Compact). It was decided to focus the national dialogues on two of the dialogue streams: building trust through enhanced transparency and accountability, and localizing the architecture for SME engagement. With the contribution of Anne Dalitz, a post-2015 UN Youth volunteer, UNV Kenya is supporting UNDP Kenya and the co-leads in the organization of a multi-stakeholder consultations and trainings on the two dialogue streams. UNV Kenya provided input for the development of the concept note and was furthermore actively involved in the subsequent planning stages. UNV Kenya participated in discussions around the building of sustainable partnerships with the private sector. In particular, it supported a workshop on the role of cross-sector partnerships in the post-2015 development agenda and a partnership brokering training. The event was organized by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), Global Compact Network Kenya and the Partnering Initiative. UNV Kenya also took active part in academic conferences to raise awareness of young people about the post-2015 process and encourage their inputs, organizing a panel discussion during the International Youth Week on how to foster volunteerism through education as a way to enhance the post-2015 development process. The debate dealt specifically around how to increase and strengthen partnerships between VIOs and education institutions to drive development, and how to link volunteer engagement with income-generating opportunities as a means to tackle Kenya's youth unemployment challenge. The UNV report “Enhancing volunteerism in Kenya by building partnerships between VIOs, academia and the government” summarizes the outcomes of the event, including feedback from young Kenyans on volunteerism and on their vision of the post-2015 development agenda, and includes further guidance for development partners on the way forward. The Action Framework for Youth details the next steps to enhancing volunteerism through education in Kenya by means of solid partnerships between VIOs, academia and the government. These steps are meant to be achieved within the next 12 months.

Activities are still ongoing in Kenya.

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TURKEY

UNV Turkey supported the post-2015 dialogue on ‘Engaging with the Private Sector’ through involving National Volunteering Committee (NVC) members in a preliminary data collection to be conducted by the Global Compact Turkey and UNIDO. The data collection will be used to map existing efforts related to the two main consultation themes: Small and Medium Enterprise & Partnership. UNV Turkey was part of the UN Taskforce, and UN Online Volunteers supported the co-leads. Along with NVC members, UNV Turkey participated in the NGO consultation meeting and supported consultations on Private Sector Engagement. The latter aimed to raise awareness among key stakeholders about the concept of corporate volunteerism, and to ensure that NVC and key partners are able to promote corporate volunteerism as one of the means to foster private-public partnership and/or volunteerism. Corporate volunteerism and private-public partnerships are important topics for UNV Turkey, who will continue to integrate them into future activities. These include for example facilitating slots for speakers to present online platforms for CSR / private-public partnership through volunteerism at the UNDP Social Good Summit event in Turkey on 23 October 2014, and an IBM Turkey project management workshop for NVC members in December 2014.

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DIALOGUES ON LOCALIZING THE POST-2015 AGENDA

These dialogues are co-led at global level by UNDP and UN-Habitat. National dialogues take place in 14 countries. UNV provides direct support in four of these countries.

BURUNDI

The national dialogues on ’Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’ in Burundi were held as a follow-up of MDGs’ achievements in the country described in the latest report (from 2012). The Steering Committee was led by the Minister of Planning. In parallel, members of ABELO (“Association Burundaise des Elus LOcaux”), the representatives of the local communities in the country, were trained on the results of the MDGs and the perspectives for the post-2015 agenda. UNV Burundi participated in a series of workshops organized in four different areas of the country (Bujumbura rural, Ngozi, Makamba and Gitega) to inform the local communities and national organizations about the process and to collect their views on the priorities for the post-2015 agenda. Approximately 700 people from all provinces were involved in these workshops. A national UN Volunteer, Emmanuel Nibizi, participated in two workshops, providing logistics support to UNDP for the organization of the workshops and collecting the opinions of some of the participants on the role of civic society for development.

CAMEROON

UNV Cameroon, assisted by Paula Hogrebe, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy, provided technical support to the national dialogues on ’Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’, conducted by the Cameroonian Government and the United Nations Country Team. These dialogues include four local as well as one national event. UNV Cameroon encouraged its main partners - the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education (MINJEC) and members of the Steering Committee of the National Volunteering Platform – to participate in the local dialogues. Volunteerism was part of the discussions. Among the actions to be taken at the institutional level, the draft country report features the promotion of civic service and youth volunteering, along with its recognition as non-formal education, through new laws and regulations as necessary.

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Representatives of VIOs discuss the role of youth in the implementation of the post-2015 agenda during a local consultation (UNV Cameroon, 2014)

A youth consultation specifically indicated that Cameroonian youth see volunteerism as a means through which they can take action for development required by the labour market. They also recognized at the same time that their employability can be enhanced through volunteerism as they gain experience, competencies and skills. They therefore called on the Cameroonian government to set up a national volunteering infrastructure.

As a follow-up of the consultations, MINJEC and UNV Cameroon conducted a workshop with the Steering Committee of the National Volunteering Platform during which a Declaration and an Action Plan on mainstreaming volunteerism in the implementation of the new agenda were developed. Both documents identify volunteerism as a cross-cutting means of implementation of the post-2015 agenda. A synthesis of the Cameroon Report on the National Consultations for the implementation of the post-2015 agenda at the local level is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/file/450633/download/490825 The Declaration of the Steering Committee of the National Volunteering Platform is available at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/bitcache/146a713da4bb4e6b4395266ea407b0d1cdee6f9c?vid=498331&nid=457672&parent_vid=470095

ECUADOR

UNV Ecuador, with support from Lena Priesemann, a UN Youth Volunteer dedicated to post-2015 advocacy, has contributed to two post-2015 dialogues: ‘Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’ and ‘Culture and Development’. UNV Ecuador supported the dialogue on ’Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’ by facilitating workshops that focused on strengthening networks between youth organizations, access to public policies, access to funding and scaling up of best practices in other parts of the country. The workshops highlighted the importance of consistently involving young people.

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GHANA

UNV Ghana, in collaboration with partners including the Coalition of Volunteering Organization Ghana (COVOG), VSO Ghana, and World University Service of Canada (WUSC), contributed to the post-2015 dialogue on ’Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda’. UNV Ghana participated in the national consultative meetings advocating for the importance of including volunteers in the delivery of basic services to achieve the post-2015 sustainable development objectives. As an outcome from the consultations, volunteerism was featured as an approach to addressing development challenges. The dialogues in Ghana also emphasized the role of volunteers as local experts for data collection and to address basic community challenges. The dialogues also stressed the cost-efficient nature of volunteerism to engage people, and particularly the youth, in addressing development challenges.

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