The traditional top-down approach to development is widely criticised as being inappropriate to meet the needs of local populations, especially the very poor. In order to improve this situation, some development organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) favour approaches that integrate local communities in policy formation and implementation. Health, an important aspect of development, necessitates active involvement of the local population. The community remains the key actor in improving its own health standards and communicating its requirements to governments.
Governance and participation in health
Civil Society and Social Issues in Health: Community in Action for Health
Berry S: Geneva Health Forum, 31 August 2006
Civil Society Call to Action at the GAVI Partner’s Forum 2012
ACTION and the GAVI civil society constituency: 7 December 2012
ACTION and the GAVI civil society constituency have issued this statement urging the GAVI Alliance to support increased participation from civil society in its funding, strategy and governance. The GAVI Alliance is a public-private partnership that works to increase access to immunisation in developing nations. This Call to Action was presented at the GAVI Alliance Partners’ Forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where more than 600 global health leaders gathered in early December to discuss accelerating progress in global immunisation. The statement calls on GAVI to recognise the vibrant role played by civil society representatives in the Forum and their vital contributions to delivering vaccinations and care, reaching unimmunised children, as well as mobilising resources for health and immunisations. The signatories are hoping that GAVI will articulate in its next business plan how civil society contributes to each of GAVI’s strategic objectives, and will create a second seat on the GAVI Alliance Board for a civil society representative.
Civil society calls on Global Fund for greater consultation
Plus News: 25 September 2012
Since the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced its new model for allocating funds in September 2012, African civil society organisations have stated that they were not included in the process, arguing that consultations were held behind closed doors and that most non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the continent are unaware that a new model exists. The Rights Alliance of Southern Africa (ARASA), the South Africa-based World AIDS Campaign and almost 40 African non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have called for the Fund to develop a more robust and inclusive communication and consultation process around the model's development, which is ongoing.
Civil society calls on SA Dept of Health to release National AIDS Vaccine Plan
Tuwani T: Health-e NEWS, 18 April 2013
Civil rights groups and communities have expressed concern about the failure of South Africa's Department of Health to release the National Aids Vaccine Strategic Plan (NAVSP) for 2013-2017. In 2012, the Department of Health requested the South African Aids Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) to develop the NAVSP in collaboration with researchers all over the world and communities and Community Advisory Groups in South Africa. However, since its development the document has been embargoed for public scrutiny without any reason given. At a recent community roundtable on Aids Vaccine Research and Development indicated their dissatisfaction with the embargo on the document as they believe it contains clear objectives on community involvement in AIDS vaccine research that is happening in the country. Researchers from various organisation, including the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, the Aurum Institute for Health Research and the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation agreed that the embargo creates suspicion about the department’s activities to reduce HIV infections through vaccines and ARVs prevention research.
Civil Society campaign against gender violence
Longwe SH: E-Civicus, 20 November 2006
The International Day of No Violence Against Women Campaign does not only concern those sections of civil society dealing feminist issues. Not true. Instead the campaign illustrates the need for all sections of civil society to unite around fundamental issues of human rights, democracy and good governance.
Civil society contributions to pro-poor, health equity policies
CSOs at national and grassroots level, are involved in mutual support, building citizen capacities, advocating public interests and rights, meeting social needs, providing services and advocating accountability within private and public health services. What is the impact of this input on health gains and informed health action within poor communities and on equity in health? This review of the literature explores whether civil society contributes to improved provision, coverage of and access to health services in low-income communities. The paper further examines whether civil society promotes improved responsiveness of health services, or enhances advocacy for and development of policies that are pro-poor and that enhance health equity.
Civil Society Declaration for the UN High Level Meeting on AIDS
Global Forum on MSM & HIV: 13 April 2011
On 8 April 2011 over 400 civil society activists gathered in New York for a one-day hearing with United Nations (UN) Member States on progress toward reaching Universal Access to HIV treatment, prevention, care, and support. This Civil Society Hearing took place as Member States began drafting a new Outcome Document on HIV, to be adopted at a UN High-Level Meeting on AIDS on 8 June 2011. Advocates are calling for a renewed and urgent commitment from member States to reach Universal Access goals by 2015. During the Hearing, civil society advocates stressed that in pursuing Universal Access goals the international community must prioritise public health over politics. They urged Member States to make available to their citizens the full complement of evidence-based HIV prevention, care, treatment, and support technologies and tools as a commitment to the human right to health. They called for the Outcome Document that will emerge from the UN High Level Meeting on HIV AND AIDS to acknowledge global failures to reach Universal Access by 2010, recommit to upholding and implementing priorities in the global AIDS response articulated by key existing global frameworks on HIV, including the UNAIDS 2011-2015 Outcome Strategy, and commit to bold, new targets.
Civil society has the potential of finding new solutions to global challenges which are based on the principles of equity, participation and sustainability: An Interview with CIVICUS Secretary General, Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah
CIVICUS: 11 February 2013
In this interview, CIVICUS Secretary General, Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah argues that civil society has the potential to find solutions to our greatest global challenges based on equity, participation and sustainability. Civil society participation is now of greater significance as the development paradigm is changing faster than the key players realise. Official aid flows are becoming less important, new actors such as China and India are blurring the boundaries between development and business, and Big Business has moved in to take advantage of potential profits to be made from the 'aid industry'. He identifies two key mechanisms for responding to these changes and to ensuring progress on the development agenda: global commitments that involve all key actors and set real targets, and local action that finds new ways of involving citizens in shaping the development process. He also criticises current multilateral processes where the negotiating positions taken by diplomats do not reflect the wishes of their citizens. At these meetings, principles of human rights, democracy and environmental sustainability disappear from the agenda and narrow interests emerge that do not arise out of any popular mandate. He calls for new ways of holding governments to account for the positions they take on the international stage.
Civil society in Ghana to contribute to new local governance policy
Ghana Business News: 7 March 2013
Non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations in Ghana are being called upon to contribute to the drafting of the country’s new local governance policy, which is intended at deepening local governance through appropriate social accountability. The new policy will consider the views of ordinary Ghanaians to clarify the status, roles and relationships between levels of government and the different actors and strengthen their participation and contribution to local governance. The Institute of Local Government Studies has received funding from the European Union to implement an action on “A Social Accountability Platform for Local Governance Performance in Ghana” with the objective to provide a harmonised approach to promoting comprehensive and coherent social accountability at the sub-national level.
Civil society influence on national governance
Idasa, Economic Governance Programme, August 2008
This report covers the Civicus Participatory Governance Programme: How can we build political for participatory governance, 17-18 June 2008. Although participatory governance offers important concrete benefits for citizens and state actors alike, there is often initial resistance from political actors and government offiicals who are unfamiliar with such approaches. This small working group session involved three case studies which describe and analyse Civil Society Organisation approaches to building political will for participatory governance.