BUILDING BRIDGES: ENGAGING CIVIL SOCIETY FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES AND COMMUNITIES WITH THE MULTILATERAL SPHERE

This project was initiated in 2005. The assessment within FIM leading to this project was that the voice of civil society from the Muslim world is often absent from, or poorly represented within, dialogue with multilateral bodies. Thus the overarching aim of this project is to open the way for Civil Society from Muslim countries and communities to have an effective voice in influencing multilateral policies and projects.  Five meetings have been convened so far: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January of 2006; Doha, Qatar in November of 2006; Amman, Jordan in January of 2007; Dhaka, Bangladesh in October 2007 and Thiès, Senegal in March of 2008.

These workshops and discussions led to identification of two priority outcomes for the project, namely:

CSO (Civil Society Organization) accreditation within the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference) and
Increased influence of civil society from OIC and other Muslim communities on the UN.
Over the past two years, the Project foundation has been established and significant momentum has been gained. Achievements have included the creation and dissemination of original knowledge on the OIC and relevant consultative modalities; the establishment of a growing alliance of over seventy CSOs, the majority from OIC member states; the convening of country meetings in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Senegal, and establishment of a nine member Steering Committee and decentralized project structure. The next Building Bridges meeting will be held in Islamabad, Pakistan in October of 2008.

CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE G8

Southern Civil Society has been entirely absent in G8 dialogue, yet G8 dialogue directly impacts human development in the South. In 2002 FIM initiated the Civil Society and the G8 project, originally funded by the Ford Foundation. In order that G8 governments more fully understand the impact of their discussions and agreements on the poorest people of the world, FIM is working with its partners to establish an ongoing dialogue between G8 organizers and activists/practitioners from Southern Civil Society.

Project objectives are:

Negotiate agreement of each G8 host to include this dialogue within their G8 planning process.
Develop a tradition wherein these dialogues are integrated into the most senior level of G8 planning (i.e. Sherpa meetings).
Establish a tradition wherein this dialogue process is automatically included in the G8 host country budget.
To date, a dialogue process was implemented successfully in five out of six G8 meetings (i.e. Canada, 2002; France, 2003; United Kingdom, 2005; Russia, 2006 and Germany 2007). A tradition is in the process of being established and FIM is playing an active role, building on the lessons learned to date, determining successful practices, and building alliances toward the establishment of a strong Southern civil society voice in the G8 process.

CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE OECD

In partnership with the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), FIM participated in convening the International Forum on Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness, held in Gatineau, Quebec, February 3 to 6, 2008. FIM also commissioned a case study which was presented at this event.
Carold: Building Local and Global Democracy

The Carold Institute is a Canadian Foundation committed to increasing citizenship participation through understanding the relationship between local and global development issues. In February 2004, FIM partnered with Carold to support this aim through the creation and dissemination of seven case studies that reflected practitioner experiences in creating a more open and participatory democracy. Studies also identify links between the realities of local and global democracy. This compilation of case studies and additional pieces shows how a diversity of practices can be undertaken even if situational variables challenge civil society’s ability to clearly define democracy and thus a long-term plan for attaining it. The publication is a valuable work of action-research for Canadian practitioners as well as international civil society.