People power
Posted by AlexT - 17/11/09 at 11:11 am
With the largest gathering of Commonwealth civil society, the Commonwealth Peoples Forum, about to kick off in Trinidad and Tobago, Mark Collins, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, reflects on the value of Commonwealth civil society. A longer version of this Conversation starter appears in the 2009 Commonwealth Yearbook.
Nowadays people have become networked on a scale unimagined even 25 years ago, never mind a century. How relevant and robust is the Commonwealth’s third sector in this interconnected world? What are the drivers that shape civil society today, and how do they affect our Commonwealth of peoples? With the pressures of global markets and new technologies, will our people’s organisations be strong enough to take on the competition?
Civil society organisations come in many shapes and sizes and long may it be so. But their form must follow function. It is crucial to remain focused on services and outcomes; competitive in terms of value for money; and contemporary in terms of attracting supporters through modern networking and membership schemes, and effective use of innovative technologies. With this toolkit, the people’s Commonwealth has a bright future. Indeed it might be the future for our unique association of nations.
The Commonwealth scores by having both a solid brand that brings associations together and keeps them in business (this is self-evident from the impressive survival rate of the 80 or so Commonwealth organisations and associations), and a strong set of core principles and values to underpin civil society networks and campaigns. But we should not underestimate the need to refresh the brand and check up on the currency of the underlying principles and values.
Many worry that the Commonwealth brand has fallen into a genteel decline as a result of paring of financial resources, self-effacing communications and loss of political influence. Commonwealth civil society is certainly in favour of a major investment to reverse these damaging trends. Similarly, civil society needs the Commonwealth to ensure that its agreed principles are updated and adhered to by governments.
The future success of our professional associations and NGOs depends on respect for the Commonwealth brand and its founding principles and values, which have stood the test of time but need to be maintained, evaluated regularly and enhanced in order to address contemporary challenges.
Category : Mobility & Exchange, The Commonwealth's Relevance
Tags: CHOGM, Civil Society, Mark Collins
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November 18th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Mr Collins, thank you for this. I think you have hit the nail on the head when you say
“civil society needs the Commonwealth to ensure that its agreed principles are updated and adhered to by governments.”
This is the challenge, and at the moment the problem as I see it. Nothing is binding, countries can sign up to a declaration saying they will respect such and such… but in the long-term, it doesnt really mean anything.
November 18th, 2009 at 10:42 am
All very sound thoughts Mark. I too am worried about the Commonwealth brand falling into decline – but I don’t see Commonwealth civil society attemping to combat this. Commonwealth NGO’s need to be in the media, inventing inovative projects and selling the Commonwealth to the public. We hear very little, which is a shame, because it needs to make up where Secretariat is failing… its media profile.
November 18th, 2009 at 11:53 am
The Commonwealth needs to go digital. It needs to be at the forefront of innovation – both at the secrariat level – but also in getting Commonwealth citizens in Africa, Asia, India, Carribean onto the net via NGOs and civil society etc.
This is my vision for Commonwealth Civil Society people power.
November 18th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
I agree that Mr Collins makes a valid point but when was the last time we heard any Commonwealth NGO do anything of public note in recent years? I am sure that there is a lot of good work being done, but I suspect that much of it will either be insular (e.g. connecting professionals in an area) or not intended to promote the Commonwealth. If thse so-called Commonwealth NGOs are not going to resurrect the Commonwealth’s profile, who will?
November 18th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Dear Mark, Could you please tell us how many of the “people” who come to your Forum are not usual suspects? i.e. how many have been coming to these things for donkeys’ years? And what are you doing to make sure that the Forum is genuinely diverse and fresh? Blob
November 18th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
FijiBoot,
I agree and disagree. Your implications are negative – but your assumptions quite right.
Rather than just focusing on the negatives… questioning why we don’t hear anything from Commonwealth NGO’s (we know why… middle or old aged white men talking amongst themselves) we need to think of constructive ways to engage young people in this association!
The Commonwealth isnt dead or dieing.. it just needs new bold ideas!
November 18th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Agreed, Philip. Bold new ideas.
Commonwealth Civil Society has unique connections, wonderful tradition. Its organic and friendly – not cold and media savvey.
This is what makes it so important, and something to foster, not discourage.
November 19th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Philip & Kevin, I didnt mean to be so negative. I agree with you about boldness required but the trick will be to crack how to be bold and Commonwealthy at the same time. In other words, how does a Commonwealth CSO use its Commonwealth-ness in a bold way so that people think ‘wow, only a Commonwealth body could do something like that’. I am afraid I dont see much of this happening.
November 19th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
I have just left the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP)Americas Regional Workshop, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. It was a most impressive occasion, the South African President, Christine Platt, addressing 120 people from right across the Americas, with a good balance of young and more experienced people. It was clear that the many students in the audience were gaining a great deal from the event, and we were all inspired to hear the Planning Minister clearly expressing the importance of participative and consultative planning.
A representative from UNHabitat in Brazil told me that this regional branch of CAP is the only network of its kind in the Americas, and that it does unparallelled work.
It was good to be told that the Foundation’s modest financial support enabled the Association to raise the full costs for such a prestigious meeting in the Hyatt Regency Hotel. And far from being “another talk shop” the CAP also achieves first class research, advocacy and project work.
It never ceases to amaze me what wonderful and important work Commonwealth professional networks manage to do, often on a purely voluntary basis, and always on very small budgets. I congratulate them all and hope more people will become aware of what is being achieved.