Strengthening civil society to build demand for better governance in the Pacific: literature review and analysis of good practice and lessons learned

Abstract

"The purpose of this exercise is to shift the focus to the Pacific, and to bring together the wealth of experience of Australian NGO’s that have been working with local partners to build their capacity to promote social accountability and/or demand for better governance through their programs. This paper employs an evidence-based approach to identify where social accountability practices and demand for better governance strategies (either direct or indirect) are being employed in current practice. In particular, this paper seeks to identify and analyze the elements of good practice and to collate the lessons learnt through strengthening civil society to demand better governance in the Pacific. This paper also examines the ways and means of strengthening civil society to support homegrown reform initiatives and build demand for better governance, without causing harm or destroying local civil society initiatives in the process. It brings together findings from the existing literature concerning demand led governance and social accountability, civil society strengthening, and case studies from ACFID (Australian Council for International Development) member agencies currently involved in seeking to strengthen civil society in the Pacific region...."- page 2 Show more