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Policy engagement for poverty reduction : how civil society can be more effective

COURT, Julius
June 2006

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This briefing paper draws on a report by Julius Court and others entitled 'Policy engagement: how can civil society be more effective', also published by ODI. It examines the role of civil society organisations in poverty reduction strategies and looks at ways to enhance their influence on the policy making process. Inadequate knowledge about the policy making process, lack of resources, insufficient capacity and policy makers' mistrust of CSOs are the main obstacles to their full engagement in policy making. Effective approaches should entail: campaigning and implementation of pilot projects aimed at improving adverse political contexts; rigorous mapping and assessment of political contexts; identify critical policy stages; provide relevant and objective evidence; use effective communication methods and strategies; apply network approaches; engage in systematic capacity building

Participation, relationships and dynamic change : new thinking on evaluating the work of international networks

CHURCH, Madeline
et al
2003

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Gives an overview discussion of the key characteristics of networks, noting that international development increasingly takes a network form. Networks typically put an emphasis on: facilitative leadership; building relationships and trust; light co-ordinating structure that allows decentralisation, autonomy and voluntary participation. However, these are charactersitics that traditional evaluation approaches have not been developed to address. Provides a useful check-list for evaluating networks and suggests some useful practical tools to approach the evaluation of networks, such as: ‘Contributions assessment’ to guage how effectively the network facilitates the circulation of resources, and enables people to make the contribution that they are capable of; ‘Clarification of aims and activities’ (adapted Weaver’s Triangle) tool to clarify how participants perspectives and activities diverge or converge over time; ‘Channels of Participation’ tool to assess how and were members interact in a network and look at changes over time; ‘Monitoring the edges’ to track independent networking stimulated but not through the centre

Bridging research and policy : an annotated bibliography

HOVLAND, Ingie
DE VIBE, Maja
YOUNG, John
2002

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An extensive annotated bibliography of 100 documents relevant to 'bridging research and policy'. Mainstream literature is supplemented with alternative viewpoints. The bibliography has been divided into three key themes ('bridging research and policy: the political context', 'the actors: networks, organisations, individuals', 'the message and the media'), including 'new' subject areas that may be useful (eg social psychology, media studies, marketing and communication). The entries are listed alphabetically by author, and then cross-indexed by theme, and by academic discipline

The standard rules on the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1994

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The standard rules on the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities have been developed on the basis of the experience gained during the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983- 1992). Although the rules are not compulsory, they can become international customary rules when they are applied by a great number of states with the intention of respecting a rule in international law. They imply a strong moral and political commitment on behalf of States to take action for the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities. The rules indicate important principles for responsibility, action and cooperation as well as areas of decisive importance for quality of life and for the achieving of full participation and equality. The rules offer disabled persons and their organisations an instrument for making policy and for action. They also provide a basis for technical and economic cooperation among states, the United Nations and other international organisations

UN webcast archives

UNITED NATIONS

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The UN webcast archives features broadcasting of General Assembly meetings on a range of key issues in international development and peace keeping topics. This would be useful for anyone with an interest in organisational policy or international organisations. It features, for example, meetings on the UN convention for the rights of persons with disabilities

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