Governance and Democracy Programme

Background

The Commonwealth Foundation has proven expertise and experience in increasing citizens' participation in governance processes and the enhancement of participatory democracy:

In 1991 it convened the first Commonwealth NGO forum in Harare, Zimbabwe, out of which came the Foundation's landmark publication, Non-Governmental Organisations: Guidelines for Good Policy and Practice;

From 2000 the Commonwealth Foundation implemented its Citizens and Governance Programme, which promoted greater citizen and civil society involvement in the processes and practices of decision making and democracy. As a direct result of these initiatives many Commonwealth governments have passed legislation that recognises the importance of civil society organisations and have put in place mechanisms that allow civil society to contribute to policy making at the highest level.

For 2006 - 2008, the Governance and Democracy Programme will initiate a series of new activities that build on the strong foundations established in past years.

About the Programme

The Governance and Democracy Programme is the core of the Commonwealth Foundation's work, accounting for 35% of the programme and grant-making budget. It seeks to ensure that the activities of civil society organisations achieve greater and lasting impact by:

  • Developing the skills, knowledge, resources and agreements needed to increase and institutionalise participation from citizens and civil society organisations in governance and democracy;
  • Organising the Commonwealth People's Forum to raise the visibility of civil society organisations and provide opportunities for civil society leaders and foreign ministers to discuss issues addressed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM);
  • Providing opportunities for people to speak directly to their governments at ministerial meetings about issues that affect their lives;
  • Generating learning and understanding through toolkits and workshops on how these levels of participation can be achieved;
  • Improving the institutional framework that connects government and civil society within the Commonwealth;
  • Providing support for national, regional and pan-Commonwealth coalitions working to influence government policy and practice for good governance, participatory democracy and better development.

Activities

Activities for 2006-08 include:

  • Supporting civil society organisations in designing and delivering training and developing their skills in policy advocacy, negotiation, and lobbying governments;
  • Organising five training of trainer workshops in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific on the Citizens' Education Action Learning Guide, which develops skills for participation;
  • Developing new approaches to, and enhancing, the accountability and transparency of civil society organisations in the Commonwealth;
  • Building networks and partnerships to promote citizen participation in democratic processes;
  • Facilitating civil society participation in Commonwealth ministerial meetings, including the 2006 Finance Ministers Meeting in Sri Lanka and the 2007 Women's Affairs Ministers' Meeting in Uganda;
  • Organising the 2007 Commonwealth People's Forum in Kampala, Uganda;
  • Encouraging greater participation of women and youth in local and national governance processes;
  • Strengthening the voice of civil society in national, regional and global governmental processes.

Outcomes

Expected outcomes include:

  • Better knowledge and understanding of civil society's contribution to governance and democracy;
  • More productive government-civil society relationships in all Commonwealth countries;
  • Increased partnerships between governments, civil society organisations and others;
  • Stronger civil society voices in national, regional and global processes.