'In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success - strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges; an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives'
President Obama, speech in Ghana, July 11, 2009
Good governance relies on a meaningful dialogue between state and society. Without responsive public institutions and inclusive citizenship, the social contract which binds Commonwealth democracies is broken. Calls for action fall on deaf ears and public services fail to reach those who need them.
The Commonwealth Foundation has a strong track record of delivering high quality and high impact capacity development activities, either by funding and/or delivering training, convening organisations and stakeholders at the governmental, civil society and citizen levels, and by producing materials and resources aimed at strengthening civil society.
Working with national umbrella bodies to increase knowledge and skills of civil society in country, the Commonwealth Foundation supports the development and dissemination of trainings, toolkits and resources to bolster the efforts of local bodies to promote legitimacy, transparency and accountability across the Commonwealth.
Currently we are
• supporting, through funding and training, the development of accountability for CSOs across the Commonwealth. In addition the programme is supporting training on and dissemination of six country specific accountability toolkits representing the range of differing contexts across the Commonwealth. The countries are Belize, India, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and the Pacific.
• supporting civil society in the Pacific and Caribbean. Informed by our research and inputs from partners, we are developing a Special Project that recognises a pressing need for accountability capacity development, for CSOs in the Pacific and Caribbean regions. The programme is currently working with local partners on a multiyear project to develop a framework and suite of activities to strengthen the accountability of civil society in these regions.
For more information on these projects please contact:
Seth Lartey
s.lartey@commonwealth.int
+44 (0) 207 747 6577
Previous Activities:
• Accountability Toolkit Series, 2011
The Commonwealth Foundation identified a common need across the Commonwealth for tools on civil society accountability. From this, working in conjunction with national partners, was born the Civil Society Accountability: Principles and Practice toolkit series, which are six country specific accountability tools which highlight common principles of accountability for CSOs, identify current good practices and provide practical steps to help CSOs realise their own accountability needs. Although country specific the tools have been developed in recognition of their relevance to any country working in similar contexts. Belize, India, Sierra Leone, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and the Pacific.
• Accountability Forum, 2010
Recognising the need for cross sector discussion about transparency and openness, the Commonwealth Foundation convened an online discussion group of civil society, public servants and ministers to take part in the debate. This forum gave practitioners and interested parties the space to ask questions to a group of highly experience individuals from the civil society and government sector.
• CEAL Guide, 2005
Born out of a large scale research project which interviewed 10,000 people in 47 Commonwealth Countries, the Citizen Education Action Learning Guide (2005) was developed to challenge the limited participation of citizens in governance. The guide was designed as an interactive learning publication for facilitators, trainers and community leaders to provide them with the tools for citizenship education.