Aung San Suu Kyi’s message on the role of CSOs in development

As development actors continue mobilization towards the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, the Open Forum presents a video message from democracy leader and Nobel Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on the important role of CSOs in development and the political life of a nation.

First shown at the formal launch of the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness in Paris on 6 October 2011, the video from Aung San Suu Kyi provides challenging and inspiring messages on some of the topics “nearest to her heart” – the role of civil society organizations in development and multi-stakeholder cooperation.

These messages link directly to the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness, which is the statement from global civil society on the standards that guide its work as independent development actors. Most importantly, the International Framework includes a strong statement on the minimum standards for an enabling environment from governments and donors — for civil society cannot be true to their own effectiveness principles without an enabling context in which to do their work.

Sadly, the disenabling environment trends persist in many countries of the world, both North and South. The message of Aung San Suu Kyi is therefore deeply relevant in the run up the 4th High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, where civil society is actively advocating for the CSO Key Messages and Proposals, including the acknowledgement of the International Framework and the provision of a more enabling environment for civil society development actors.

ITUC has been an active member of the Open Forum, contributing with the trade union perspective to the development of the International Framework.

Source: Open Forum