Hivos

The Dutch nongovernmental organization Hivos hosts the Civil Society Coordination team, an independent facilitator of civil society engagement with the Open Government Partnership (OGP). By broadening and strengthening civil society networks, the Civil Society Coordination team ensures that civil society communities at the national level are better equipped and informed to push for change and to work in partnership with their governments. At the international level, the Civil Society Coordination team also liaises with the OGP Support Unit and the Independent Reporting Mechanism to ensure that civil society interests are reflected in the OGP’s governance arrangements, strategic priorities, and public statements and events.

With this planning grant, the Dutch nongovernmental organization Hivos will develop a multi-year strategy to enhance coordination and learning among civil society groups engaged in the Open Government Partnership. As countries participating in the Open Government Partnership make commitments to sharing more information with their citizens and encouraging greater civil society participation in public policy and oversight, Hivos will foster a strong civil society network and learning community.

In November 2011, the Hewlett Foundation made a grant to the World Bank Africa region to launch an innovative facility-level survey to benchmark the quality of health and education services. Data collection is now underway in Kenya, and the Service Delivery Indicators will be released in the first quarter of 2013. To ensure that the data are used for research and advocacy, Hivos proposes to launch a small-grants competition in Kenya during the coming year in which it will award and oversee ten to fifteen grants to local civil society organizations, think tanks, and journalists with compelling strategies to disseminate, interpret, or further analyze the Service Delivery Indicators. If the competition is successful, Hivos could replicate this approach in other African countries where the survey will be launched in coming years.