Our Purpose
The Task Team believes that civil society organizations (CSOs) are key actors in development. We work on furthering effective CSO participation in development processes. We promote and advance international commitments in this area. Our focus is on the commitment to create a conducive environment for CSOs (CSO enabling environment) and the commitment on the effectiveness and accountability of CSOs themselves (CSO development effectiveness). Both need to be met for CSOs to maximize their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Work
As a convenor, we bring together development cooperation providers (donors), partner country governments and CSOs to engage in open and inclusive dialogue to find common ground. As a knowledge broker, we raise awareness on international commitments on CSOs in development and offer guidance, evidence and practical tools to further their implementation. Brick by brick, we seek to build bridges between global and local to stimulate progress. In order to support CSOs worldwide to fully play their role as key actors in development.
Our Organization
The Task Team is a multi-stakeholder coalition. Its participants come from three stakeholder groups: development cooperation providers (donors), partner country governments, and CSOs (affiliated with the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness). The Task Team has around 30 active participants and strives for equal participation from its three stakeholder groups. It has 3 co-chairs, one from each constituency.
Together
we can go further
Our Areas Of Work
The Task Team’s core business is on furthering effective CSO participation in development processes, by promoting and advancing international commitments in this area. The Task Team focuses in particular on the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness.
Its efforts to raise awareness on these commitments and further their implementation are targeted at 3 areas of work:
- Global Partnership for Effective Development cooperation
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Country-level engagement
For a snapshot of the Task Team, its objectives and key areas of work, see the Task Team’s brochure.
International Commitments
Over the last decade, starting at the 2008 Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, commitments have been made to support CSOs as independent development actors in their own right and to ensure that CSOs can maximize their contribution to development.
Governments made the commitment to provide an environment that is supportive of CSOs (CSO enabling environment), while CSOs committed to enhance their own effectiveness, transparency and accountability (CSO development effectiveness). These commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness were last reaffirmed by the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in 2016.
The core of the Task Team’s work is about raising awareness on these commitments and helping advance their implementation.
GPEDC
The commitments on the role of CSOs in development originated in the international aid and development effectiveness dialogues. These dialogues culminated in the establishment of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in 2011. Because of its roots in the aid and development effectiveness dialogues, the Task Team engages with the GPEDC.
The GPEDC is a global multi-stakeholder platform that brings together various types of development actors to better work together to contribute to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports the implementation of four principles of effective development cooperation. One of these is the principle of inclusive partnerships, under which the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness fall.
The Task Team monitors and engages in the work of the GPEDC in various ways, including through its Global Partnership Initiatives, involvement in the GPEDC’s High Level Meetings, participation in other GPEDC events, and continuous monitoring of and participation in GPEDC work streams amongst others.
SDGs
The globally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a universal plan of action for people, planet, prosperity and peace. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), successor of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), constitute a driving force for international development cooperation in the years to come.
CSOs are included in the SDGs both as a means and an end of development. As an end, the existence of an independent and vibrant civil society can be viewed as a critical component of SDG 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies and accountable institutions. As a means, CSOs are envisaged to contribute to implementation of the SDGS, both individually and as part of the multi-stakeholder partnerships under SDG 17. In addition, they are envisaged to contribute to monitoring progress.
For CSOs to be able to act as implementers of the SDGs and watchdogs for accountability, they need a CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. The Task Team monitored the SDGs as they were being developed. It made use of opportunities to provide input. In doing so, it highlighted the importance of CSO participation and the relevance of the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. The Task Team continues to monitor the SDGs and opportunities for engagement, focusing in particular on SDGs 16 and 17.
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
Country Engagement
Over the last decade, the Task Team has worked hard to promote and raise awareness on the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. At the global level, together with like-minded actors, the Task Team has generated attention for the commitments and contributed to their reaffirmation and further strengthening. Ultimately though, progress in implementing these commitments needs to be made on the ground. The Task Team therefore also explores how it can bridge the global and local in order to contribute to progress at country level.
The Task Team developed an interactive and informational ‘Going Further Together’ workshop at the country-level on the international commitments in relation to CSO development effectiveness and the CSO enabling environment.
The first country-level workshop took place on 27-28 June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Task Team co-created a 1½ day workshop together with the National Treasury and Planning, Reality of Aid Africa, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in Kenya.
A summary video of the workshop, including testimonials from workshop participants, is available here.
Our Purpose
The Task Team believes that civil society organizations (CSOs) are key actors in development. We work on furthering effective CSO participation in development processes. We promote and advance international commitments in this area. Our focus is on the commitment to create a conducive environment for CSOs (CSO enabling environment) and the commitment on the effectiveness and accountability of CSOs themselves (CSO development effectiveness). Both need to be met for CSOs to maximize their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Work
As a convenor, we bring together development cooperation providers (donors), partner country governments and CSOs to engage in open and inclusive dialogue to find common ground. As a knowledge broker, we raise awareness on international commitments on CSOs in development and offer guidance, evidence and practical tools to further their implementation. Brick by brick, we seek to build bridges between global and local to stimulate progress. In order to support CSOs worldwide to fully play their role as key actors in development.
-
Why are CSOs important?
CSOs play various important roles – including in humanitarian assistance, service-delivery, research, policy development, and pursuing accountability from governments and other stakeholders – all of which can significantly contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
-
What are the CSO-related commitments?
International commitments have been made to support CSO participation in development. This includes the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. These commitments were first made at the 2008 Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. In 2016 these commitments were reaffirmed at the second High Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.
-
What are the Task Team’s Key Messages?
The Task Team believes that CSOs are key actors in development and seeks to promote their effective engagement in development processes. This is a shared responsibility that calls for a multi-stakeholder approach: providers of development cooperation, partner country governments and CSOs all have a role to play. This is reflected in the Task Teams key messages:
- Deepen democratic ownership by recognizing CSOs as independent development actors in their own right and creating space for multi-stakeholder dialogue.
- Pursue enhanced CSO effectiveness, accountability and transparency, recognizing that CSOs have a responsibility for accountability to varied stakeholders.
- Implement official development cooperation with civil society and CSOs consistent with principles of aid and development effectiveness as pertain specifically to them.
- Promote and protect enabling civil society-related laws, regulations, policies and practice, consistent with internationally and regionally agreed rights and associated good practice.
-
What policy fora does the Task Team engage with?
The Task Team mostly engages with the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation as well as the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our Organization
The Task Team is a multi-stakeholder coalition. Its participants come from three stakeholder groups: development cooperation providers (donors), partner country governments, and CSOs (affiliated with the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness). The Task Team has around 30 active participants and strives for equal participation from its three stakeholder groups. It has 3 co-chairs, one from each constituency.
-
What is the history of the Task Team?
The Task Team was created in April 2009 within the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness. It was launched to promote and monitor implementation of the CSO-related commitments in the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) and the 2008 Recommendations of the Advisory Group on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness.
At the 2011 Busan High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, the Task Team collaborated with its participants to deepen commitments to an enabling environment for CSOs and CSO development effectiveness in the newly established Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC).
Since then, the Task Team has worked as a voluntary initiative affiliated with the GPEDC and continued its work in promoting and advancing the CSO-related commitments. These were reaffirmed at the 2014 High Level Meeting of the GPEDC in Mexico as well as the 2016 High Level Meeting in Nairobi.
-
Who are the donor participants?
The Task Team’s current donor participants are from: Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland | Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark | European Commission (DEVCO) | UK Department for International Development (DFID) | Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland | Global Affairs Canada | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
The Co-chair for the donors is Ms. Orla Mcbreen (Director, Civil Society and Education Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland)
-
Who are the partner country participants?
The Task Team’s current partner country participants are from: National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda | National Treasury, Kenya | Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mozambique | Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh | Office of the Prime Minister, Mali | Office of the Prime Minister, Madagascar | Ministry of Economy and Finance, Benin | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honduras
The co-chair for the partner country representatives is Mr. Stephen Okello (Acting Executive Director, National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda)
-
Who are the CSO participants?
The Task Team’s current CSO participants are from: Uganda National NGO Forum | International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) | CIVICUS | Reality of Aid Africa | International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) | IBON International | ACT Alliance | Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) | Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
The co-chair for the CSOs is Mr. Richard Ssewakiryanga (Executive Director, Uganda National NGO Forum)
-
How is the Task Team funded?
The Task Team Secretariat and Task Team meetings and activities are funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
Our Areas Of Work
The Task Team’s core business is on furthering effective CSO participation in development processes, by promoting and advancing international commitments in this area. The Task Team focuses in particular on the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness.
Its efforts to raise awareness on these commitments and further their implementation are targeted at 3 areas of work:
- Global Partnership for Effective Development cooperation
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Country-level engagement
For a snapshot of the Task Team, its objectives and key areas of work, see the Task Team’s brochure.
Over the last decade, starting at the 2008 Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, commitments have been made to support CSOs as independent development actors in their own right and to ensure that CSOs can maximize their contribution to development.
Governments made the commitment to provide an environment that is supportive of CSOs (CSO enabling environment), while CSOs committed to enhance their own effectiveness, transparency and accountability (CSO development effectiveness). These commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness were last reaffirmed by the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in 2016.
The core of the Task Team’s work is about raising awareness on these commitments and helping advance their implementation.
The commitments on the role of CSOs in development originated in the international aid and development effectiveness dialogues. These dialogues culminated in the establishment of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC) in 2011. Because of its roots in the aid and development effectiveness dialogues, the Task Team engages with the GPEDC.
The GPEDC is a global multi-stakeholder platform that brings together various types of development actors to better work together to contribute to achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It supports the implementation of four principles of effective development cooperation. One of these is the principle of inclusive partnerships, under which the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness fall.
The Task Team monitors and engages in the work of the GPEDC in various ways, including through its Global Partnership Initiatives, involvement in the GPEDC’s High Level Meetings, participation in other GPEDC events, and continuous monitoring of and participation in GPEDC work streams amongst others.
The globally agreed 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a universal plan of action for people, planet, prosperity and peace. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), successor of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), constitute a driving force for international development cooperation in the years to come.
CSOs are included in the SDGs both as a means and an end of development. As an end, the existence of an independent and vibrant civil society can be viewed as a critical component of SDG 16 on peaceful and inclusive societies and accountable institutions. As a means, CSOs are envisaged to contribute to implementation of the SDGS, both individually and as part of the multi-stakeholder partnerships under SDG 17. In addition, they are envisaged to contribute to monitoring progress.
For CSOs to be able to act as implementers of the SDGs and watchdogs for accountability, they need a CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. The Task Team monitored the SDGs as they were being developed. It made use of opportunities to provide input. In doing so, it highlighted the importance of CSO participation and the relevance of the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. The Task Team continues to monitor the SDGs and opportunities for engagement, focusing in particular on SDGs 16 and 17.
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
Over the last decade, the Task Team has worked hard to promote and raise awareness on the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. At the global level, together with like-minded actors, the Task Team has generated attention for the commitments and contributed to their reaffirmation and further strengthening. Ultimately though, progress in implementing these commitments needs to be made on the ground. The Task Team therefore also explores how it can bridge the global and local in order to contribute to progress at country level.
The Task Team developed an interactive and informational ‘Going Further Together’ workshop at the country-level on the international commitments in relation to CSO development effectiveness and the CSO enabling environment.
The first country-level workshop took place on 27-28 June 2019 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Task Team co-created a 1½ day workshop together with the National Treasury and Planning, Reality of Aid Africa, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in Kenya.
A summary video of the workshop, including testimonials from workshop participants, is available here.
Our Task Team
Participants
Worldwide
See the full list
- National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda
- Uganda National NGO Forum
- National Treasury, Kenya
- Reality of Aid Africa
- Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh
- Office of the Prime Minister, Mali
- Ministry of Economy and Finance, Madagascar
- Ministry of Economy and Finance, Benin
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honduras
- Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland
- Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark
- UK Department for International Development (DFID)
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
- European Commission (DEVCO)
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- Global Affairs Canada
- International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
- ACT Alliance
- CIVICUS
- IBON International
- Asia Pacific Research Network
- Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
- Ministry of Planning and Finance, Myanmar
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
List of all participants
Development cooperation providers
- Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland
- Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark
- UK Department for International Development (DFID)
- Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland
- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
- European Commission (DEVCO)
- Global Affairs Canada
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
Partner country governments
- National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda
- National Treasury, Kenya
- Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh
- Office of the Prime Minister, Mali
- Ministry of Economy and Finance, Madagascar
- Ministry of Economy and Finance, Benin
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honduras
- Ministry of Planning and Finance, Myanmar
CSOs
- Uganda National NGO Forum
- Reality of Aid Africa
- International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL)
- ACT Alliance
- CIVICUS
- IBON International
- Asia Pacific Research Network
- Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
Co-chair Members
Co-chair official donor community
(Director, Civil Society and Education Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland)
Co-chair official donor community
(Director, Civil Society and Education Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland)
Co-chair partner country community
(Acting Executive Director, National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda)
Co-chair partner country community
(Acting Executive Director, National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda)
Co-chair CSO community
(Executive Director, Uganda National NGO Forum)
Co-chair CSO community
(Executive Director, Uganda National NGO Forum)
Secretariat Members
Questions
& Answers
Why are CSOs important?
CSOs play various important roles – including in humanitarian assistance, service-delivery, research, policy development, and pursuing accountability from governments and other stakeholders – all of which can significantly contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.
What are the CSO-related commitments?
International commitments have been made to support CSO participation in development. This includes the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness. These commitments were first made at the 2008 Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. In 2016 these commitments were reaffirmed at the second High Level Meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.
What are the Task Team’s Key Messages?
The Task Team believes that CSOs are key actors in development and seeks to promote their effective engagement in development processes. This is a shared responsibility that calls for a multi-stakeholder approach: providers of development cooperation, partner country governments and CSOs all have a role to play. This is reflected in the Task Teams key messages:
- Deepen democratic ownership by recognizing CSOs as independent development actors in their own right and creating space for multi-stakeholder dialogue.
- Pursue enhanced CSO effectiveness, accountability and transparency, recognizing that CSOs have a responsibility for accountability to varied stakeholders.
- Implement official development cooperation with civil society and CSOs consistent with principles of aid and development effectiveness as pertain specifically to them.
- Promote and protect enabling civil society-related laws, regulations, policies and practice, consistent with internationally and regionally agreed rights and associated good practice.
What policy fora does the Task Team engage with?
The Task Team mostly engages with the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation as well as the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
What is the history of the Task Team?
The Task Team was created in April 2009 within the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness. It was launched to promote and monitor implementation of the CSO-related commitments in the 2008 Accra Agenda for Action (AAA) and the 2008 Recommendations of the Advisory Group on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness.
At the 2011 Busan High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, the Task Team collaborated with its participants to deepen commitments to an enabling environment for CSOs and CSO development effectiveness in the newly established Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC).
Since then, the Task Team has worked as a voluntary initiative affiliated with the GPEDC and continued its work in promoting and advancing the CSO-related commitments. These were reaffirmed at the 2014 High Level Meeting of the GPEDC in Mexico as well as the 2016 High Level Meeting in Nairobi.
Who are the donor participants?
The Task Team’s current donor participants are from: Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland | Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark | European Commission (DEVCO) | UK Department for International Development (DFID) | Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland | Global Affairs Canada | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands
The Co-chair for the donors is Ms. Orla Mcbreen (Director, Civil Society and Education Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Ireland)
Who are the partner country participants?
The Task Team’s current partner country participants are from: National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda | National Treasury, Kenya | Ministry of Economy and Finance, Mozambique | Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh | Office of the Prime Minister, Mali | Office of the Prime Minister, Madagascar | Ministry of Economy and Finance, Benin | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Honduras
The co-chair for the partner country representatives is Mr. Stephen Okello (Acting Executive Director, National Bureau for NGOs, Uganda)
Who are the CSO participants?
The Task Team’s current CSO participants are from: Uganda National NGO Forum | International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) | CIVICUS | Reality of Aid Africa | International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) | IBON International | ACT Alliance | Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN) | Forum of Women’s NGOs of Kyrgyzstan
The co-chair for the CSOs is Mr. Richard Ssewakiryanga (Executive Director, Uganda National NGO Forum)
How is the Task Team funded?
The Task Team Secretariat and Task Team meetings and activities are funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).