The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released the report on “Strengthening Civil Society,” highlighting the crucial role they play in promoting the Agenda 2030 and democratizing access to rights. This report emphasizes the importance of creating favorable environments for civil society to enhance its effectiveness and continue driving positive changes, especially in the realm of international development and humanitarian assistance.
NGOs are vital agents of change, amplifying the voices of marginalized communities and promoting inclusive development processes. However, they face challenges such as limited resources, legal restrictions, and accountability issues.
The OECD report underscores the need to create environments that respect, protect, and promote civic space, empowering NGOs to maximize their impact. By fostering dialogue, supporting capacity-building efforts, and aligning funding mechanisms with policy objectives, stakeholders can unlock the potential of civil society in driving sustainable development.
Key recommendations:
Respect, protect, and promote civic space. Support and collaborate with civil society. Incentivize effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of NGOs.
The report also highlights practices for measuring success. Strengthening civil society can be measured by the presence of policies supporting NGOs, steps taken to respect and protect civic space, and active participation of NGOs in policy formulation and implementation processes. Furthermore, success entails ensuring that administrative and financial requirements are proportionate, emphasizing learning and adaptation in results management, and promoting transparency and accountability within NGOs.
The OECD’s “Strengthening Civil Society” report urges governments, donors, and civil society actors to prioritize creating conducive environments that empower NGOs.
You can access the full report here.