Transcript Policies and Procedures for Civil Society Participation in GEF Programme and Projects presented by GEF NGO Network ECW Meeting, March 2013

Policies and Procedures for
Civil Society Participation in
GEF Programme and Projects
presented by
GEF NGO Network
ECW Meeting, March 2013
Contents
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Civil society as key stakeholders in the work of
GEF
Benefits of CSO Engagement in GEF projects
Opportunities for CSO engagement in GEF
projects
GEF NGO Network
GEF Policies on Civil Society engagement
Resources/mechanisms supporting CSO
engagement of CSOs in the project cycle
Discussion groups
Civil society as key stakeholders
in the work of GEF
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Important stewards of natural resources and
environment
Direct beneficiaries from sound environmental
management
Directly impacted by poor environmental
management
Can provide major contributions to safeguarding
global environmental benefits and ensuring
sustainability of GEF programmes.
Civil Society should thus be a main partner for
effective implementation and long term
sustainability of GEFs work
Benefits of CSO engagement in
GEF projects and programmes
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Enhancing country ownership
Ensuring that the needs of affected
communities are adequately met
Improving project design
Create linkages among community, CSOs
and governments
Help to strengthen the capacity of civil
society groups
Opportunities for CSO
engagement in GEF projects
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Project implementers (SGP, MSP, FSP)
Project partners or service providers
Project advisers/steering committee
members
Project target groups
Monitoring and evaluation
GEF NGO Network
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Established in 1995 to facilitate CSO input to
GEF Governance
More than 500 active members in 16 regions
Facilitate Civil society input to GEF policy
making and implementation.
Organise Civil Society consultations and
provide input on each agenda item of GEF
Council
Monitor and build capacity at regional and
national level for CSO engagement in GEF
activities
GEF NGO Network in west Africa
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Currently member 57 CSOs from 7
countries in West Africa. Actively
reviewing and expanding membership.
Welcome inputs from focal points on
active CSOs in your countries.
Current Regional Focal point to facilitate
regional cooperation–
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HATOF, Ghana
Details on www.gefngo.org
GEF Policy on Minimum Environmental and
Social Safeguard Standards for GEF agencies
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Adopted by GEF in 2011
Objective : To prevent and mitigate any unintended
negative impacts to people and the environment that
might arise through GEF operations.
Includes criteria on seven safeguard standards (1) Environmental and Social Assessment; (2) Natural
Habitats; (3) Involuntary Resettlement; (4) Indigenous
Peoples; (5) Pest Management; (6) Physical Cultural
Resources; and (7) Safety of Dams.
Includes A standard specifically on accountability and
grievance mechanisms
GEF Policy on Gender Mainstreaming
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Adopted by GEF in 2011
To enhance the degree to which the GEF and its
Agencies promote the goal of gender equality
through GEF operations.
Calls on the GEF and its Agencies to mainstream
gender into GEF operations, including efforts to
analyze and address in GEF projects the specific
needs and role of both women and men, as
appropriate to each intervention.
GEF Principles & Guidelines for
Engagement with Indigenous Peoples
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Adopted by GEF in 2012
Recognition of indigenous peoples as
stakeholders, partners and rights-holders
Acknowledgement of UNDRIP and support
for realization of its provisions
[described in more detail in separate
presentation]
GEF Public participation Policy
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Adopted by GEF in 1996
Effective public involvement is critical to the
success of GEF-financed projects.
When done appropriately, public involvement
improves the performance and impact of
projects by:
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Enhancing recipient country ownership of, and accountability for,
project outcomes
Addressing the social and economic needs of affected people
Building partnerships among project executing agencies and
stakeholders
Making use of skills, experiences, and knowledge, in particular,
of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community and local
groups, and the private sector in the design, implementation,
and evaluation of project activities
GEF Public participation Policy
Key principles
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Public involvement activities should be designed so that
they contribute to the environmental, financial, and
social sustainability of projects.
Projects should, as appropriate, address the social,
cultural, and economic needs of people affected by GEFfinanced projects.
Responsibility for assuring public involvement rests
within the country, supported by the GEF Agencies
Public involvement activities will be conducted in a
transparent and open manner.
All GEF-financed projects should have full documentation
of public involvement activities.
There should be transparency in the preparation,
conduct, reporting, and evaluation of public involvement
activities in all projects.
Implementation
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The current policy states that GEF
Secretariat should
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establish operational guidelines for assessing the
effectiveness of public involvement activities in the
project's design and implementation plan;
Monitor and evaluate the impacts of public
involvement in terms of improving projects;
Facilitate the exchange of good practice
Explore ways to strengthen the role of NGOs in
project preparation design and implementation
Ensure funding is available to governments, executing
agencies and as appropriate CSOs for promoting
public involvement.
The GEF Agencies will
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The current policy states that GEF Secretariat
should support countries in
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involving stakeholders at the earliest phase of project
identification and throughout design, implementation, and
evaluation.
providing relevant, timely, and accessible information to
as many stakeholders as possible;
provide the financial and technical assistance necessary for
recipient governments and project executing agencies to ensure
effective public involvement.
facilitating broad as well as project-specific consultations,
especially at the local or sub-national levels; and
promoting the participation of stakeholder groups
throughout the project cycle. This promotion includes awareness
raising and capacity strengthening activities.
Develop guidelines for public involvement in their own GEFfinanced projects
Need for update
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The current policy has limited scope,
provides inadequate guidance
Many changes with GEF and standards for
engagement since 1996
Many other related policies and guidance
adopted by GEF eg gender, minimum
standards for ESS, engagement with IPs
etc
Broadening of agencies enhances needs
for further guidance.
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Preliminary Gaps identified in
current policy
CSOs as a major partner in GEF programme
implementation and as co-funders
Participatory programme development
Involvement of CSOs in National Portfolio
Formulation exercise and ECW meetings
Stakeholder engagement plans for projects and
programmes
Access of CSO to resources
Public access to information
Need to Review and update the
GEF Public Involvement Policy
 The 1996 GEF Public Involvement Policy
should be reviewed and updated to enhance the
effectiveness of its implementation and introduce
new concepts and practices for public
participation.
 Specific guidelines to operationalise the Policy
in the should be prepared.
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Proposed Process to develop
Guidelines on public involvement
It has been agreed that a review of the Public involvement
Policy will take place through a participatory process in
2013-2014 to enable for consideration by the GEF
Council in June 2014 It will involve:
1. Review of experience and lessons learned for best
practices for CSO engagement in GEF projects.
2. Gather information on policies and practices by GEF
Agencies
3. Seek feedback from key stakeholders through ECW and
other meetings
4. Develop further guidance
5. Modify the policy if required
Other Resources/mechanism
supporting CSO engagement in GEF
At the country planning level and
through national dialogues
 At sub-regional ECW meetings
 At GEF Secretariat level
 At GEF Agencies level
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At Country Planning Level
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Inputs should be invited by GEF Operational
focal points through annual meetings with CSOs
CSOs should be invited to National dialogues
and national portfolio identification exercises to
propose ideas for potential projects or
programmes.
CSOs can provide guidance on planning
stakeholder engagement when developing a
project
CSOs can offer services to execute projects or
specific components, based on their expertise,
experience and technical capacity.
At sub-regional
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CSOs are invited from each country to Expanded
Constituency Workshops (ECWs) to be updated
on GEF strategies, polices and procedures and
to have the opportunity to discuss priority issues
and share lessons and experiences.
At GEF Secretariat level
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Participate in the bi-annual GEF-CSO
Consultation meeting & GEF Council meeting,
GEF Assembly, GEF Replenishment Exercise and
convention meetings.
Contribute to the GEF’s international policymaking process.
Participation in these GEF meetings is
coordinated by the GEF-NGO Network, an
independent global network of about 500 NGO
members.
At GEF Agencies level
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Participate in the stakeholders workshops during
project identification and throughout design,
implementation, and evaluation
Participate in broad as well as project-specific
consultations, especially at the local or subnational levels
Benefit from the awareness and capacity
strengthening activities
Issues for Discussion groups
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Group 1 – CSO engagement in respective
countries
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4 tables
Group 2 - Feedback on implementation of
Public Involvement Policy
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4 tables
Group 1 – CSO engagement in
respective countries/issues
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What are the current policies/practices
that support CSO engagement in
implementation of global environment
Conventions in your country/region?
What are the opportunities and constraints
in CSO engagement in GEF programmes?
Highlight some of the
achievements/lessons learned from CSO
engagement in GEF programmes.
Group 2 - Feedback on implementation
of Public Involvement Policy
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Are OFPs, GEF Agencies or CSOs operating in respective
countries familiar with the Public involvement policy and
is it applied in the development and implementation of
GEF related programmes and projects?
Is the current policy adequate to ensure CSO
involvement? Is it being implemented?
Does the policy provide sufficient guidance to help
implementation or is additional guidance needed – if so
on what?
What other steps could be taken to enhance or promote
the Public Involvement policy?