Effective Engagement of Civil Society in Development

Civil society organizations (CSOs) are key actors in development that have valuable contributions to make. They play a multitude of roles - including in relation to humanitarian assistance, service-delivery, research and policy development, and pursuing accountability from governments and other stakeholders – all of which can significantly contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). CSOs are expected to play a critical role in implementing the SDGs and in monitoring their progress. It is therefore urgent that CSOs meaningfully and effectively engage in development processes. But what is needed for CSOs to be able to do so? This Online Interactive Guidance offers some answers to that question. It takes participants through a history of the international commitments that call for this multi-stakeholder collaboration; what this means in practice for different development actors; and the benefits that can ensue through means of good practice examples from countries across the globe.

Learning objectives

Following the completion of the 5 modules of the Online Interactive Guidance, participants will be able to:

• Describe the rationale behind the need to engage civil society in development processes;

• Define the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness as key components to ensuring

effective engagement of CSOs in development;

• Recall the international commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development

effectiveness;

• Distinguish the roles and responsibilities of different development actors in ensuring effective engagement

of CSOs in development;

• Identify practical ways in which governments, donors and civil society can engage to create a CSO enabling

environment and ensure CSO development effectiveness;

• Identify good practices for a CSO enabling environment and development effectiveness;

• Indicate the benefits that can ensue from implementing good practices;

• Tran...