Civil Society Partners Research Articles

Health is everyonés business - private sector partnerships for a healthy planet and healthy people

Abstract It is clear that we need to accelerate transformational change to address complex and inter-connected global challenges such the climate crisis, growing populations and the NCD pandemic. The private sector has a leading role to play in providing equitable and sustainable access to key determinants of health and well-being, including clean water, clean air, healthy and nutritious food and affordable and quality healthcare. Charlotte Ersbøll will argue that when businesses unite with other partners, they can be a powerful force for good. She will present examples of UN Global Compact initiatives convening businesses, UN, academia and civil society partners to set a new agenda for planetary health in business, such as the platform “Putting a Human Face to Climate Change” which helps businesses understand where they have the greatest potential impact and can best deliver science-based co-benefits for climate, food systems and health. Panelists: Guy Fones Secretariat of the GCM/NCD, Office of the Deputy Director-General, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland Contact: fonesg@who.int Margot Neveux World Obesity Federation, London, UK Contact: mneveux@worldobesity.org Filippo Addarii PlusValue, London, UK Contact: filippo.addarii@plusvalue.org

Tourism partnerships: localizing the SDG agenda in Fiji

Tourism plays a crucial role in enabling the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its focus on partnerships as a means of implementation. South Pacific leadership in the implementation of the SDGs highlights the importance of civil society partnerships in localizing Agenda 2030 to respond to national priorities. However, there has been limited research on how partnerships can best respond to local agendas in a tourism context. This paper examines the SDGs from the perspective of two community-focused tourism businesses in Fiji, specifically concentrating on SDG 17 to explore how partnerships between tourism businesses and local community stakeholders can support local development outcomes and contribute to the attainment of the SDGs more broadly. Findings showed that partnerships are integral to enabling meaningful local development outcomes, also noting points of disconnection. Findings exposed the paradox between tourism growth as a strategy for achieving the SDGs and the need to grow slowly if community needs and priorities are to be considered. Ultimately the research aims to suggest opportunities for tourism and community partnerships to rise to the challenge of addressing the SDGs in a way that respects local priorities and enables meaningful outcomes for destination communities.

Co-Creation as an agonistic practice in the favela of Santa Marta, Rio de Janeiro

This article explores the potential of ‘Co-Creation’ to develop new understandings of neighbourhood disadvantage in collaboration with civil society partners. It argues that there is a growing need for collaborative knowledge production with communities carrying vernacular knowledges previously invalidated by dominant epistemologies. The first part of the article undertakes a reconceptualisation of ‘co-creation’, a term usually associated with citizen involvement in neoliberal contexts, redeveloping it as a ‘critical artistic practice’ (Mouffe, 2013) in which new ways of imagining the city can be articulated. The second part of the article examines the practice of Co-Creation as a participatory methodology involving artists, researchers and stakeholders in developing ‘agonistic spaces’ by scrutinising a five-day workshop conducted in the Rio de Janeiro favela of Santa Marta to explore multiple understandings and meanings of this neighbourhood. Through an analysis of creative workshop activities such as photovoice and mapping exercises, the authors explore the potential of the Co-Creation approach to construct new subjectivities that can help subvert existing configurations of power. The conclusion formulates some recommendations about future strategies to maximise Co-Creation’s potential to engage communities in collaborative knowledge production about their neighbourhoods and bring about positive change.

Developing a participatory approach to building a coalition of transdisciplinary actors for healthy urban planning in African cities - a case study of Douala, Cameroon

ABSTRACT Africa is undergoing rapid urbanisation with migration into informal settlements. Exposure to these environments is associated with a rise in infectious and non-communicable diseases. Addressing these urban health challenges will require collaboration across sectors that influence health. However, the siloed nature of policymaking means that little is known about the barriers and facilitators of integrated intersectoral policy approaches for improving health through urban planning and development. Furthermore, the transdisciplinary research methodological approaches to establishing intersectoral collaboration are not well documented in Africa. We utilised participatory methods to engage a variety of stakeholders in the co-design and conduct of a transdisciplinary workshop. Through co-development processes, this workshop was designed to explore stakeholder perspectives on urban health priorities in Douala municipalities and experiences of intersectoral collaboration. We describe the process and experience of co-creation of the workshop agenda between academic, policy, private and civil society partners. We further present stakeholder experiences of intersectoral collaboration prior to the workshop, convey their understanding of the urban drivers of ill health, and discuss perspectives on strategies to mitigate these health risks through human settlement intervention. This study documents the development of a participatory transdisciplinary approach to urban health in rapidly urbanising Africa.

Training Teachers for and through Citizenship: Learning from Citizenship Experiences

This article illustrates how one university-based initial teacher education (ITE) course sought to develop links with civil society organisations to develop meaningful active citizenship education. The purpose of the project was to enhance citizenship education for ITE students preparing to become secondary school teachers. The article discusses recent developments in theorising teacher education 3.0 to ensure teachers are empowered to engage with a wide range of social and political challenges affecting young people and their communities. It then describes a small project that involved university staff and students in a local community organising project, bringing together a range of local community groups to work together for social justice. The article explores how student teachers working within that community organising group developed an increasingly politicised view of their role—as public sector workers in a politicised policy landscape; as potential agents for the promotion of democracy; and as political actors in their own right. The article concludes that these insights into practice illustrate the potential for a broader conception of teacher education, involving civil society partners beyond schools and universities.

The role of school partnerships in promoting education for sustainability and social capital

State, civil society and private sector partnerships play a crucial role in fostering a sustainable society. This case study explores the role of school-state-community-civil society-business partnerships in promoting environmental citizenship as a major component of education for sustainability (EfS), and social capital as a new outcome, from a school’s perspective. The findings indicate that the school succeeded in establishing and maintaining long-term connections with diverse actors. Both the connections and the actors promoted EfS and social capital within the school and community. School-state-community partnerships cultivated the students’ and community’s environmental citizenship, and school-business partnerships improved the physical infrastructure of the School, and also assisted the promotion of EfS in the school. Additionally, school-business partnerships were hard to sustain in long term.

Invalidity of punishment in the mechanism for counteracting corruption

On its way of building a law state, Ukraine continues to thoroughly reform all spheres of society. However, corruption impedes the proper functioning and further development of society, undermines the foundations of statehood. Therefore, it is important that activities in the field of socially oriented transformations to be accompanied by a science-based study of the causes of prevalence and modification of corrupt manifestations, as well as proposals for improving the effectiveness of the mechanism of counteracting this phenomenon.Not without pressure from civil society and international partners, the Ukrainian authorities have carried out anti-corruption reform. New anti-corruption legislation has been adopted. New specialized anti-corruption bodies have been created to implement the approved regulatory requirements. However, despite of the significant changes in the country, Ukraine has received a negative assessment in the fight against corruption and is ranked 120 in the world rankings and the last in Europe.Though, the work against corruption is certainly conducted, there are no tangible positive changes, and all this makes one think about the reasons for such an ineffective fight against corruption and why corrupt officials remain unpunished.Among the effective tools for fighting and preventing corruption, the principle of inevitability of punishment for corruption offenses holds a special place. However, the incompleteness of judicial reform in Ukraine has led to the imbalance of the justice system. The inability of the judicial branch to hear criminal proceedings on corruption offenses within a reasonable time and to impose fair sentences on those found guilty by a court decision, demonstrates that the principle of the inevitability of punishment is under threat

Assessment of Selected Barangays in Makati City Towards Improved Barangay Governance

In international development as noted at the Wikipedia, good governance is a subjective term that describes how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in the preferred way. Governance is the process of decision – making and the process by which decisions are implemented or not. The term governance can apply to corporate, international, national, local governance or to the interactions between other sectors in the society. (1) "What is Good Governance". UNESCAP, 2009. Accessed July 10, 2009.
 This paper explores the concept of good governance from different perspective that then emerges as a model to compare ineffective economies or political bodies with viable economies and political bodies. The concept centers on the responsibility of governments and governing bodies to meet the needs of the masses as opposed to select groups in society. Because countries often described as most successful are liberal democratic states concentrated in Europe and the Americas( 2) Khan, Mushtaq Husain (2004). State formation in Palestine: viability and governance during a social transformation: Volume 2 of Political economy of the Middle East and North Africa. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-33802-8. found at Google Books , good governance standards often measure other state institutions against these states. Aid organizations and the authorities of developed countries often will focus the meaning of “good governance “ to a set of requirements that conform to the organization agenda , making good governance imply many different things in many different contexts. (3) Poluha, Eva; Rosendahl, Mona (2002). Contesting 'good' governance:crosscultural perspectives on representation, accountability and public space. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7007-1494-0.Thus this paper would adopt the concept of good governance in the Philippine context particularly at the grass root level- the barangay which is considered as the smallest political and yet influential political body in the society.
 This paper presents the focal area of good governance in terms of delivering public services to the people from different sectors of the society such as Education and Healthcare, Social Protection, Financial Management , Peace and Security, Business Friendliness, Tourism, Environmental Management and Disaster Preparedness.(4) DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2018-194 dated November 6, 2018. 
 There will be some indicators and data requirements in each area of services that would suggest, prove and validate that good governance at the grass root level are met.
 Through these strategies, the abilities of public sector institutions particularly the barangays in the City of Makati as well as the entire country to deliver key services more effectively and efficiently will be strengthened an these would help a range of public private, civil society partners and stakeholders expand access to and improve the quality of community services.

The AAPRISS Platform: Learning and Taking Action to Reduce Social Inequalities in Health to help PHIR

Abstract Today, the reduction of social inequalities in health is on the political agenda in public health. The complex reality of the determinants of these health inequalities remains difficult to understand and translate into practical actions. One of the reasons is that the circulation of expertise amongst researchers, actors in the field, and public decision is not systematic and still too rare. In 2013, the Federative Institute of Interdisciplinary Research and Studies Health Society (IFERISS) of Toulouse has an interdisciplinary platform (health, the humanities, and the social sciences) that directly offers expertise to public health actors, institutions, and local communities in order to respond to public health issues. At the request of the actors, AAPRISS can intervene at all stages of a study or an intervention, from conceptual and methodological construction to implementation support, and data analysis and use. In particular, the team has expertise in public policy evaluation, support for transferability according to the key functions/implementation/context (FIC) model, and awareness-raising at the intersection of urban planning and health. The platform is in a multi-year partnership with local authorities, the regional health agency of Occitanie, the primary health insurance funds of Occitanie, and various partners in civil society. Six years after the establishment of the AAPRISS platform, there is a strong demand for support and research from the actors and institutions. However, funding for activities remains uncertain despite the support of the National Cancer League and an increasingly strong network of partners. Mixed structures housing spaces for both research and action, which create a dynamic of Population Health Intervention Research, are showing themselves to be effective and seem to meet a need, but their financial stability is insufficient to sustain their activities and promote sustainable reduction of social inequalities in health. Key messages Mixed structures housing spaces for both research and action, which create a dynamic of Population Health Intervention Research, are showing themselves to be effective and seem to meet a need. But the financial stability of this mixed structures is insufficient to sustain their activities and promote sustainable reduction of social inequalities in health.

한국의 국제개발협력과 시민사회 파트너십 : 시민사회단체의 성장제약요인을 중심으로

한국의 국제개발협력과 시민사회 파트너십 : 시민사회단체의 성장제약요인을 중심으로

The integration of the global HIV/AIDS response into universal health coverage: desirable, perhaps possible, but far from easy

BackgroundThe international community’s health focus is shifting from achieving disease-specific targets towards aiming for universal health coverage. Integrating the global HIV/AIDS response into universal health coverage may be inevitable to secure its achievements in the long run, and for expanding these achievements beyond addressing a single disease. However, this integration comes at a time when international financial support for the global HIV/AIDS response is declining, while political support for universal health coverage is not translated into financial support. To assess the risks, challenges and opportunities of the integration of the global HIV/AIDS response into national universal health coverage plans, we carried out assessments in Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda and Ukraine, based on key informant interviews with civil society, policy-makers and development partners, as well as on a review of grey and academic literature.ResultsIn the absence of international financial support, governments are turning towards national health insurance schemes to finance universal health coverage, making access to healthcare contingent on regular financial contributions. It is not clear how AIDS treatment will be fit in. While the global HIV/AIDS response accords special attention to exclusion due to sexual orientation and gender identity, sex work or drug use, efforts to achieve universal health coverage focus on exclusion due to poverty, gender and geographical inequalities. Policies aiming for universal health coverage try to include private healthcare providers in the health system, which could create a sustainable framework for civil society organisations providing HIV/AIDS-related services. While the global HIV/AIDS response insisted on the inclusion of civil society in decision-making policies, that is not (yet) the case for policies aiming for universal health coverage.DiscussionWhile there are many obstacles to successful integration of the global HIV/AIDS response into universal health coverage policies, integration seems inevitable and is happening. Successful integration will require expanding the principle of ‘shared responsibility’ which emerged with the global HIV/AIDS response to universal health coverage, rather than relying solely on domestic efforts for universal health coverage. The preference for national health insurance as the best way to achieve universal health coverage should be reconsidered. An alliance between HIV/AIDS advocates and proponents of universal health coverage requires mutual condemnation of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, sex work or drug use, as well as addressing of exclusion based on poverty and other factors. The fulfilment of the promise to include civil society in decision-making processes about universal health coverage is long overdue.

Home > All Content > Vol 50, No 1 (2019) Exploring Research–Policy Partnerships in International Development Cover Page Edited by: James Georgalakis and Pauline Rose June 2019 Volume 50 Issue 1 This issue aims to identify how partnerships focused on the production of policy-engaged research seek to achieve societal impact and explores the challenges in these processes. The collaborations analysed

This article sets out a perspective from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) on the challenges of achieving research uptake. Two country case studies are presented from India and Uganda, which explore research projects under the Economic and Social Research Council ESRC-DFID-funded Raising Learning Outcomes programme. These case studies focus on relationships between the key stakeholders that enable policy debate relevant to the funded research. They are not a direct assessment of the impact that this research has had. Rather, this article explores the messy and iterative processes that DFID advisers are engaged in within the networks that they are embedded (and those that they are not), the way that they use partnerships to access evidence and promote it into policy debate, and the other drivers that matter. This article is important as a contribution to ongoing efforts to improve the quality and usage of education evidence in low-income contexts.

Home > All Content > Vol 50, No 1 (2019) Exploring Research–Policy Partnerships in International Development Cover Page Edited by: James Georgalakis and Pauline Rose June 2019 Volume 50 Issue 1 This issue aims to identify how partnerships focused on the production of policy-engaged research seek to achieve societal impact and explores the challenges in these processes. The collaborations analysed

This article critically reflects on the experience and lessons from a health-focused social policy research project (PRARI) involving a partnership spanning multiple countries across southern Africa and Europe. It asks what factors condition the efficacy of the partnership–policy nexus. The PRARI-SADC partnership case study used participatory action research (PAR) to create a regional indicators-based monitoring ‘toolkit’ of pro‑poor health policy and change for the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The article addresses the partnership drivers, features, methodological context, and process of the project, and the wider implications for constructing partnerships for social change impact. Lessons drawn from this case study underscore the importance of PAR-inspired partnership structures and working methods while querying assumptions that the relationship between PAR and policy change is ‘seamless’. We argue that greater focus is needed on the wider institutional context conditioning the work of partnerships when considering the efficacy of the partnership–policy nexus.

Advancing a Social Justice Approach to Internet Governance Studies Pedagogy

This paper advances a social justice perspective on Internet Governance studies (IGS) and pedagogy in an effort to address the implications of power imbalances in IG-relevant academic and policymaking forums. We first discuss the theoretical foundations of a critical framework for IGS pedagogy. We then describe how these ideas are reflected in our praxis-oriented course designs that include 1) problem/inquiry-based teaching and learning strategies; 2) transnational classrooms; and 3) collaboration with civil society partners working on IG-relevant policy issues from a social justice perspective in the global south. Our civil society partner in this project opens this discussion with reflections on his reasons for joining our collaboration. Following this, we describe our jointly designed graduate and undergraduate seminars on IG and data governance and lessons learned from them. Our paper concludes with speculations and reflections about our approach, and what it offers to discussions on the future and boundaries of IGS.

Developing governance models and funding mechanisms of state–civil society partnerships for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention based on lessons from Ghana

The contribution of civil society organisations (CSOs) to national HIV/AIDS responses in sub-Saharan African countries, with Global Health Initiatives’ (GHIs) funding channelled through National AIDS Commissions (NACs), is well researched. Less well understood are the governance models and funding mechanisms being used to successfully engage CSOs in the HIV/AIDS response. Using data from government, donor, CSO and documentary sources, this article characterises the organisational principles and practices and unique funding models adopted by the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to effectively and efficiently engage CSOs in the HIV/AIDS response. It found four major governance principles and practices that target: 1) strategic planning for service delivery; 2) focussed expressions of interest; 3) competitive tendering and contracting for service delivery; and 4) adoption of results-based management. It also identified three predominant funding models that illustrate the application of these guiding principles to harness the inherent strengths of CSOs to more effectively respond to HIV/AIDS, namely: 1) direct funding of locally-based CSOs; 2) funding international and national NGOs to engage local CSOs in partnership; and 3) funding umbrella organisations. These findings are significant for Ghana but they may also have relevance for other low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) that have limited experience delivering HIV/AIDS services through state–civil society partnerships, as well as broader debates on the role of donors, governments and CSOs working in partnership to fight HIV/AIDS.

Судова реформа в Україні (2018 р.): проблеми ат здобутки

The article is devoted to the analysis of the problems and advantages of judicial reform in Ukraine. Judicial reform is very relevant, as there was an urgent request for it in society caused by the problem of citizens' trust in the judiciary. Therefore, improving the quality and efficiency of the administration of justice is a common goal of both judges, representatives of related legal professions and academics. Judiciary is part of state power, its efficiency and quality of organization are an integral part of the quality and efficiency of the state as a whole. In Ukraine, there was a real opportunity for a deep and balanced judicial reform and the construction of a qualitatively new judicial branch. The article analyzes the process of reforming the system of justice by means of constitutional changes aimed at bringing the judicial system in line with European standards and laying the groundwork for the refreshment of the judiciary. The peculiarities of the formation of the new Supreme Court, the Supreme Anticorruption Court, the Supreme Court on Intellectual Property, appellate courts in appellate districts, the functioning of the High Council of Justice, the Public Council for Integrity, the Public Council of International Experts, and the implementation of electronic justice are analyzed. A tendency has been identified in which the most active part of the judiciary body and policy co-operate with each other in the best way to circumvent any legislative changes to maintain a special status or to lock out the system of influence on oneself. Preventing these challenges is not least dependent on the persistence of civil society and international partners. The importance of the reform of legal education has been proved, as there are many problems in the state that hinder the consistent implementation of it. This reform is very important - in the future it can contribute to a qualitative change in the justice system and to withstand numerous challenges in this area.

The Impacts of Cocoa Sustainability Initiatives in West Africa

To tackle the multiple challenges facing the cocoa sector, voluntary sustainability standards and corporate initiatives, largely focusing on farm and farmer group scale, are often implemented by public–private–civil society partnerships of stakeholders further in the value chain. This paper looks at the social, economic, and environmental effects of such initiatives, based on empirical evidence from large-scale, mixed-method studies using a suite of socioeconomic, agronomic, and environmental indicators to compare the situation of UTZ certified with non-certified farmers in 2012 and 2015 in Ghana, and 2013 and 2017 in Ivory Coast. The results show that, on average, outcomes are mixed and generally modest. However, significant cocoa productivity and income increases were experienced by certified farmers receiving a full package of services. However, the type and intensity of services has changed over time, decreasing for half of the farmers, and productivity and income increases are levelling off. These findings suggest that whilst partnerships have created new governance arrangements with an increased focus on sustainable value chains, initiatives which result in a living income and optimise productivity, whilst limiting environmental impacts, require sectoral transformation, continued partnerships, plus a range of other policy instruments to address the persistent, wicked problems in cocoa production.

Governing multisectoral action for health in low-income and middle-income countries: an agenda for the way forward

Drawing on experiences reviewed in the accompanying supplement and other literature, we present an agenda for the way forward for policy-makers, managers, civil society and development partners to govern multisectoral...

Fostering a Multisectoral Approach in the Fight Against Cancer in Uganda: The Launch of the National Cancer Symposium

Background and context: The 70th World Health Assembly Cancer Resolution was passed in May 2017. In Uganda, there is a clear need for social mobilization and to involve all stakeholders in the process of implementing the Cancer Resolution. The National Cancer Symposium (NCS) was launched on the 28th February 2018 to create an inclusive process where all sectors and stakeholders are engaged in the dialogue and processes leading to effective cancer control in Uganda. Aim: To build a systematic and impactful response to cancer epidemic in Uganda through a multisectoral approach. Strategy/Tactics: These included but not limited to; partnership through the TWG, media campaigns, lobbying, team meetings and panel/plenary discussions. Program/Policy process: NCS is an annual joint stakeholder event that will foster stakeholders' discussion and stock taking of progress made toward implementation of cancer control efforts. A Technical Working Group (TWG) comprised of representation from government, WHO, civil society, academia, professional bodies and international partners, has been constituted to lead the planning, coordination and execution. Outcomes: Increased collaboration and partnerships built among partners as demonstrated in commitment for joint cancer control efforts. A total of over 300 participants attended the event representing different agencies including religious groups, private sector, media, policy makers, government ministries and departments, civil society, development partners, cancer survivors and patients, and the general public. Wider publicity gained as over 3 national level newspapers ( New Vision, The Observer, and The Monitor publications) run the story about NCS. A total of 1028 people reacted to our posts on Facebook with 41 likes, 40 post clicks and 2 shares. The Prime Minister re-echoed the restoration of radiotherapy services and made commitment on the procurement of more radiotherapy equipment as the construction of the new bunker progresses. The panel discussion led to the recognition that cancer control requires a multisectoral approach if interventions are to become more effective. Deliberations at the panel discussions re-echoed the need for the population to be sensitive to the risk factors including tobacco usage, body activity, proper diet with emphasis on vegetables and fiber, among others. What was learned: We learned that through coalescing with stakeholders, we are able to come up with a much stronger voice. The working of the TWG of this symposium is a clear testimony to this. We also learned that the media is an important partner for greater visibility to be realized. There is great need for continuous engagement among stakeholders to influence policy decisions and general intervention in the fight against cancer.

Cybersecurity Capacity Review Bangladesh

In collaboration with NRD Cyber Security (NRD CS), the Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre (GCSCC, or ‘the Centre’) undertook a review of the maturity of cybersecurity capacity in Bangladesh at the invitation of the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC). The objective of this review was to enable Bangladesh to gain an understanding of its cybersecurity capacity in order to strategically prioritise investment in cybersecurity. Over the period 2-4 July 2018, the following stakeholders participated in roundtable consultations: academia, criminal justice, law enforcement, information technology officers and representatives from public sector entities, critical infrastructure owners, policy makers, information technology officers from the government and the private sector (including financial institutions), telecommunications companies and the banking sector. Remote follow-up interviews were conducted with representatives from civil society and international partners.