The Art of Effectively Communicating Policy Solutions

orSwimming in an Empty Pool

Vira Nanivska, ICPSTTF Workshop

13.05.2011, Kyiv, Ukraine

ICPS Policy Communication Concept

All policy decisions affect people’s interests.The success or failure of any policy depends on how fully the policy in question matches group interests.Communication, that is, analysis and consultations, is the core of effective public policy. The methodology for public consultations is adapted from European Commission, US and Canadian models.

Factors that defineThink-Tank policy impact in Ukraine

Prevailing concept of public policy in Ukraine.Comparison with EU guidelines on public consultations.Government capacity to digest TT product.The quality of the TT product.Public need for this policy product.Donor policies on who/what to support.

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Prevailing Concept ofPublic Policy Communication in Ukraine

NGO sideThe Ukrainian concept of civil society communication with the government is very different from European practice. It is not structured, but rather based on moral (the Government is bad) and not technical (what and how to do it) principles.Most NGOs set up through international aid follow 25 year-old principles:– Dissident struggle with the government; – No concept of “Informed decisions;”– The quality of TT products, i.e. their lack of policy analysis, does not make them

indispensable.– Huge efforts to undertake policy consultation came down to civic councils established

in every government institution across Ukraine after the Orange Revolution. These councils neither represent communities or interest groups, nor do they take part in government decision-making processes.

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Government side

The Government’s formal consultation protocol relies on engaging exclusively with government institutions. Research is commissioned by the Government exclusively from academic institutions.There is no place in Government procedures for consultations with non-government interest groups. The Government does not work with the concepts of stakeholder positions or mobilizing a constituency for reforms.

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Prevailing Concept of Public Policy Communication in Ukraine

Public consultations in the EU

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In 2002 the EC issued the final Communication COM 704 “Towards a reinforced culture of consultation and dialog - General principles and minimum standards for consultation with interested parties by the Commission.”

It identifies the forms of interaction between European Institutions and society. The aim is to make administration and policy-making understandable and credible in the eyes of voters.

through the European Parliament as the elected representative of the citizens of Europe

through institutionalized advisory bodies of the EU (Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions), based on their role according to the Treaties

through direct contact with interested parties

Public consultations in the EU

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The Economic and Social Committee established a set of ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA for “civil dialog” to ensure that relevant parties are given the opportunity to express their views. European organizations must:

be permanently established at the community level; provide direct access to member expertise and hence rapid

and constructive consultation; represent general concerns that correspond with the interests

of European society; be comprised of bodies that are recognised at the Member

State level as representatives of particular interests. (et cetera. see White Paper on European Governance)

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The consultation process must make clear:

what issues are being developed;what mechanisms are being used for consultation;who is being consulted and why;what influences decisions in policy formulation;which interests the consulted groups represent;how inclusive that representation is.

Public consultations in the EU

CONTENT CRITERIA

Ukrainian Government Capacity to Digest

There is no working democratic procedure in the Government for preparing informed decisions.

There is a policy analysis template for submitting documents, but no quality control over how this template is used.

There are no procedures for consultations with stakeholders; only Government institutions are consulted.

Only academic institutes are hired by the government to do research and analysis. Unlike the West, academic institutions, and not think-tanks, prepare arguments.

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What should be in the TT product but never or rarely is

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The Quality of Think-Tank Products

Understanding– of the government political situation concerning the

policy issue in question.– of how this position is connected to ratings and to

future elections.

Identification– of the interests and positions of major stakeholders.– of the most realistic constituency for the policy in

question.

The relationship between TT & advocacy groups

There is no or little interaction between advocacy groups and think-tanks in the effort to influence government policy.

Think-tanks are not able to organize pressure, while advocacy groups have no content.

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The Quality of Think-Tank Products

Global Context for Ukrainian Policy Content

Russia, on one side, tireless in its economic expansion and sparing no effort to prevent Ukraine’s rapprochement to EU.Fatigué Europe, on the other side, mortally worried about irritating Russia.Inside Ukraine, a ruthless revolution of desovietization, wherein state property is transferred into private hands.

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The Quality of Think-Tank Products

Ukraine’s think-tanks all operate in the same convoluted, controversial reality:

European-minded NGOs maintain that, because relations with Russia cannot be equal and useful, Ukraine should only work with the EU. They hope that ignoring Russia will do away with the Russian threat to Ukraine.Instead of avoiding, we need to face this challenge and develop a Ukrainian plan.

The Challenges for Ukrainian Think-Tanks (Russia)

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Global Context for Ukrainian Policy Content

The Quality of Think-Tank Products

How can a way be found to work with Russia and not be swallowed?

However irritated and jaded Europe may have become with Ukraine, Ukraine has no choice but to change Europe’s mind on the need for expansion and the importance of forward thinking. Meanwhile, Ukrainian European-minded NGOs do not dare to work with European governments. The most we can do is to berate the Ukrainian government when talking to Europe.

The Challenges for Ukrainian Think-Tanks (Europe)

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The Quality of Think-Tank ProductsGlobal Context for Ukrainian Policy Content

Public need for a policy product

Today in Ukraine, the government, business and civil society interest groups all have a need for quality analysis, diagnoses, and recommendations.

– The Government: because of failing reforms, it needs to learn how to mobilize support.

– Small business: because of the threat of being annihilated as a class, it needs to learn how to influence policy, not just specific private interest.

– Big business: because they are losing a qualified workforce, they need to influence government policy.

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The challenge for independent think-tanks is to understand the transition process, to diagnose the problems of transition, and to work ceaselessly to explain and provide the missing parts of the new social system.The transfer of property from state to private hands cannot possibly be just or fair. The strongest get the most. People who are in a rush to grab property cannot possibly think about the governmental institution or the state regulation of this process. They can only rush. Think-tanks have a role to play here.NGO rhetoric is mostly about protesting and criticizing, without knowing what needs to be really done.

The Challenges for Ukrainian Think-Tanks(inside Ukraine)

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The Quality of Think-Tank ProductsGlobal Context for Ukrainian Policy Content

The Bermuda Triangle

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Public need for a policy product

Think-tanks in Ukraine find themselves in an unprecedented policy space and get lost in a Bermuda triangle of:

The government, which doesn’t “see”

them

Advocacy/pressure groups, who aren’t connected to them

Stakeholders who don’t know about

them

International Aid Policy

Aid projects are disconnected and not strategic.

Project outcomes are not used as an asset for other projects.

Donors are immersed in content and not interested in a policy analysis format.

Except OSI TTF, no donor is interested in the specific professional qualifications needed to conduct policy analysis.

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International Aid Policy

Projects to develop an influential civil society have not focused on reforming the government or helping it establish the structures, procedures, standards and skills needed to work with civil society.

The treasure of over 20 years of aid projects has been lost to Ukraine because there are no databases of projects, of people trained, or of training materials.

Looking Ahead

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Programs need to switch from funding consultations with an undifferentiated civil society to funding consultations with defined interest groups.

Consultations with interest groups should follow established procedures.

Every NGO working in European integration and civil society should have a very clearly established role and specialization.

TA beneficiaries should not concentrate on a specific sector (e.g. agriculture or the arts) but on bringing about transformational reforms in the country (e.g. government capacity for democratic market regulation).