The Istanbul Principles for CSO Development Effectiveness

Basic information

  • Host or sponsor: Peer group
  • Type: Working Group
  • Year established: 2010
  • Status: Active
  • Thematic area: Development
  • Summary: The Open Forum is a global process whereby civil society actors come together to define the principles and practice of effective civil society action. Since 2008, the Open Forum has undertaken extensive regional, national and thematic consultations with civil society actors from across the globe, one outcome of which is the eight Principles of CSO Development Effectiveness, also known as the Istanbul Principles. The Principles include commitment to human rights and social justice, gender equality and equity, democracy and empowerment, environmental sustainability, transparency and accountability, equitable relationships and solidarity, sharing knowledge and mutual learning, and promoting sustainable change. Following the Principles, an International CSO Development Effectiveness Framework has also been developed that provides guidance on realising the Principles in practice. This is known as the Siem Reap Consensus on CSO Development Effectiveness.

Back to top

Contact details

Back to top

Areas addressed

  • Principles or standards: Principles-based
  • Communications / advocacy / fundraising:
    • General commitment to transparency
  • Governance and Management:
    • General commitment to good governance
  • Beneficiary / client / supporter participation:
    • General commitment to beneficiary participation
  • Monitoring and Evaluation:
    • General commitment to evaluation
    • Commitment to integrate learning in future
  • Cross-cutting thematic areas:
    • Gender equality
    • Environmental impact
    • Human rights
    • CSO collaboration and partnership

Further info: The aim of the Open Forum is three-fold: (1) Learning, (2) Consensus-building on a commonly accepted global framework for CSO development effectiveness, including principles (3) Building a multi-stakeholder dialogue on CSO development effectiveness with governments and donors to improve the enabling environment for CSOs.The Principles and Framework of CSO Development Effectiveness are expected to be an integral part of CSO strategy in the upcoming High Level Forum for Aid Effectiveness in Busan.

Back to top

Participation

  • Reasons for participation
    • Enhancing credibility, quality or reputation

Back to top

Assessment

The Istanbul Principles and the wider Framework for CSO Development Efectiveness provides an important example of CSO collaboration at a global level involving actors from all major world regions. While in the short term the intitiatives are a strategy for the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan, in the longer term it is expected to serve as a vision of what effective civil society looks like, as practical tools that will drive the development of civil society actors, as well as enable them to work with governments and donors to create a better working environment for CSOs.These initiatives, a response to the 2005 Paris Declaration, also demonstrates how CSO self-regulation can be both complementary to government efforts and promote high standards within the CSO sector.

Back to top

Downloads

The Principles of CSO Development Effectiveness

The International Framework of CSO Development Effectiveness

Back to top