Global Assembly of the Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness

Some 230 delegates of Civil Society Organisations from over 70 countries gathered in Siem Reap, Cambodia in June 2011 endorsing the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness. TUDCN representatives from ITUC-AP region were also there.

The Siem Reap Consensus on the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness is the final consolidated statement from the two-year Open Forum process, incorporating the inputs from over 70 national, regional and thematic consultations with thousands of civil society actors from across the globe.

The International Framework includes the Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness (finalized at the previous Open Forum Global Assembly in September 2010) which are accompanied by two sections on “CSOs Accountability mechanisms” and on “Enabling Environment” normative framework from Governments and Donors. The Istanbul Principles were created with the contribution of the trade union representatives and are referred to in the TUDCN Trade Union Principles and Guidelines on Development Effectiveness.

The Framework serves as a key political statement for CSO effectiveness as part of the CSO Key Messages and Proposals in the preparation to the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF4) this December 2011 in Busan, South Korea, shared also by the BetterAid platform.

At the same time the Framework is also a longer-term reference and tool for strengthening the effectiveness of CSO actions and contributions to promoting human rights, affecting sustainable change and improving the lives of the most poor and marginalized around the world.

The practical implementation of the International Framework will be supported by the Implementation Toolkit and the Advocacy Toolkit – two handy guides for the CSOs active in development cooperation at national and local level.

To know more about the Open Forum and the Global Assembly, please visit the Open Forum website.