Transcript Improving NGO Internal Governance and Public Accountability

Improving NGO Internal Governance
and Public Accountability: Sharing
Experience and cases on NGO self
Regulation
A paper presented at the CIVICUS Webinar interaction on;
Legitimacy, Transparency and Accountability issues
for civil society organizations
By
Bonnie Kiconco K. Mutungi
National QuAM Coordinator
15th July, 2010
Outline of the presentation
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Introduction
The Rational for the QuAM initiative
Over view of the QuAM process
Governance structure and Features
Certification levels and process
QuAM Strategic Focus
Achievements
Anticipated Benefits
Implementation challenges
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION: What is QuAM
• The NGO Quality Assurance Certification Mechanism
(QuAM) is a voluntary internal self assessment and
regulation mechanism initiated to strengthen the internal
governance of NGOs by supporting them to enhance
their capacity to uphold accepted standards and ethical
conduct.
• The QuAM development process was done under the
patronage of the Uganda National NGO Forum
(UNNGOF) and the Development Network of Indigenous
Voluntary Associations (DENIVA). The two organizations
and the promoters of the initiative.
Rationale for the QuAM Initiative
• The rationale behind the initiative was that the
NGO sub-sector itself should be actively
engaged in promoting particular set of values
and norms as part of maintaining a public
reputation for professionalism and high ethical
standard.
• To set out principles and definite standards of
behaviour for responsible practices with an aim
of protecting the credibility and integrity of civil
society organisations in Uganda
Rational …
• CSOs to subject themselves to the same level of scrutiny as
they demand of others (CSOs in Uganda have enjoyed
special status and influence within development processes by
highlighting the failures of Government and other institutions).
• To regulate the conduct of NGOs. There is consensus among
CSOs themselves and other stakeholders including
development partners, that there is need for a Civil Society
Voluntary Certification Mechanism that would apply to a
broader constituency within civil society.
• To enhance CSO’s legitimacy by demonstrating their
accountability, their openness to public scrutiny and their
adherence to acceptable ethical standards of behaviour
Overview of the QuAM Process
• The QuAM initiative was developed through a highly
participatory process that took over 18 months.
• The initiative came at an opportune time to salvage
individual organizations’ codes of conduct most of which
are just kept on shelves and not performing their
intended purpose.
• The process also entailed public input through the
media.
Process
• The QuAM development process was done under the
patronage of the Uganda National NGO Forum
(UNNGOF) and the Development Network of Indigenous
Voluntary Associations (DENIVA) and the initial phase
was concluded in 2006.
• After over 3 formative years of the QuAM as a collective
process, important gains have been made and lessons
learnt.
• Key among lesions learnt is the nature and status of
NGOs in Uganda.
QuAM Governance Structure
• The QuAM organization structure is as
follows;
– The National QuAM Assembly,
– National QuAM Council,
– District Quality Assurance Certification
Committee,
– Public or Beneficiary
QuAM Features
• The QuAM goes beyond any single existent code of
conduct; it is based on clearly defined standards and
sets out implementation modalities, including sanctions
in the case of breach.
• Obtaining a QuAM certificates is not a legal requirement,
but once issued, the provisions of a certificate are
binding on the certified NGO.
• QuAM has three certification levels and an NGO
qualifies for one basing on its compliance with the 59
standards as indicated below:
QuAM Certificate Levels
• There are three different levels of a quality
assurance certificate issued:
– Provisional –applies to NGOs that are of recent
creation, meet selected minimum quality standards
(18 in total). They apply for full certification after one
year.
– Full Certificate –issued when all minimum quality
standards have been met (they are 32 in total,
including the 18 above)
– Advanced Certificate –issued to an NGO that meets
all minimum standards above as well as standards for
improvement (27 in total).
Levels of Development
• Attaining any of the above certificates depends
on the level of development the organization has
achieved. There are 59 standards that are used
to assess an organization that applies to be
certified and these are classified as below:
development as classified below:
– (A): The NGO as an Organization;
– (B): NGO Programs and Activities;
– (C): Further improving our performance
Certification Process
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The certification process and overall implementation of the QuAM is vetted
and verified by two important external organs, and at times the third organ
may be involved. The organs are:
– National QuAM Council: independent of any single NGO comprising of 7 persons
from representatives of NGO networks (apex, thematic and district) and two
independent persons with extensive knowledge of civil society. The Council
issues Quality Assurance Certificates and also acts as the keeper of the QuAM:
monitors its implementation, keeps records, sensitizes and trains district
committees.
– District Quality Assurance Certification Committee: Is composed of 5 voluntary
members, at least one third of whom are female.
– Public or Beneficiary: vetting may be done with the help of the prescribed
beneficiaries which the NGO in operates. At times the vetting mechanisms may
require every NGO to subject itself to public scrutiny to get feedback on its work
from the community or stakeholders that have a stake in the organization
Strategic Focus
• Outreach and Publicity of QuAM to all NGOs and their
constituencies in the country
• Encouraging and supporting NGOs to under take the Certification
• NGO Capacity Development (this will evolve as generic QuAM Gaps
are identified through Monitoring and Evaluation– it should be
conceptualized as a mentoring process where more advanced
NGOs can help the others)
• Networking, Learning and Synergy Building (national QuAM
platform for learning and experience sharing
Foreseen QuAM Benefits
• The QuAM is a progressive, non–threatening instrument
to internal self-governance, designed to enable NGOs at
different levels of development to grow overtime
• QuAM ensures genuine appreciation of principles and
practices, as opposed to enforced conditioning which
leads to organizations ‘artificially’ claiming governance
standards without believing in them
• Having NGOs that are publicly accountable and are able
to show the impact of their work to the community/
constituency they represent.
Benefits
• Benefits for NGOs include:
– Enhanced credibility, legitimacy,
accountability, protection/autonomy
– Contributes to better cohesion amongst
NGOs
– Helps to constantly improve performance and
NGOs learn from examples; and
– Raises profile
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Achievements so far made
• Launch by Minister of State for Internal Affairs at the 2nd Uganda
Social Forum in September 2006
• Recognition of the QuAM by NGOs, development partners and
government – the QuAM is recognized in the NGO Regulations of
2009 and the draft NGO Policy
• QuAM infrastructure in place;
– A fully established and functioning National Council
– Fully functioning secretariat,
– QuAM Committees in 19 districts,
• Recognition of the QuAM by NGOs, development partners and
government – the QuAM is recognized in the NGO Regulations of
2009 and the draft NGO Policy
Achievements
• Sensitizing and marketing to NGOs – both during the
process of formulation and after its launch,
• Some NGOs have already gone through the process and
testified to the importance of Self Regulation, and they
can give testimony on how going through the process
has helped streamline their operations and these
include;
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UNNGOF,
Plan Uganda,
Kalanga District NGO Forum,
DENIVA, and
Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU
Outstanding Challenges
• Limited outreach especially at sub national level,
• Different interpretation by other stakeholders
who look at QuAM as a compulsory instrument,
rather than voluntary which would undermine a
cardinal principle of the initiative,
• Lack of clarity on ownership; some NGOs think
that QuAM belongs to particular organizations
and they have no business with it.
Conclusion
• In a country facing a moral crisis in the public and private sector, the
QuAM aims to make a contribution to inculcating moral impulses
that will percolate through the entire society.
• The QuAM is one of the most important developments in the NGO
sector that has got support from a cross section of NGOs; local,
national, International, and other partner sectors
• We therefore call upon all actors to respect the values and principles
that QuAM espouses and support its implementation.
• We would encourage all NGOs in the country to adopt/assimilate to
the QuAM Agenda as an instrument composed of standards aimed
at enhancing Accountability as well as credibility in the sector.