The Role of Civil Societies in Policy Advocacy in Tanzania

By Nestory MassweTANGO

Outline cont’d

• The role of CSOs in development• The influence of CSOs in national policies• The challenges encountered by CSOs during

policy influencing

Aim of the paper

• Broaden and deepen the understanding of the people on the role and contribution of the CSOs in development and the influence of national policies.

• However, the paper focuses on the role and contribution of CSOs in national trade policy and trade related issues

WHY CSOs INFLUENCE TRADE POLICY?

• Have fair and just trade• Trade benefits the majority• People’s livelihood improved• Human and People’s Rights observed• Hold the government accountable to the

people.

Sectors of the nation

• 1 or Public/Government• 2 or Merchant/Private/Businesses• 3 or Voluntary/Civil Society

Motives of the sectors of the nations

• Government -To govern• Business -To make profit• Civil Society-Peoples’ development

Sectors of the nation

• Voters of voters• Customers/• Consumers• Target group/beneficiaries

Types of CSOs

• Political parties• Faith based• Trade union• Professional• Sports cultural and social• NGOs (according to NGO Act No 24 of 2002)• CBOs• Private sector e.g TCCIA, PSF, CTI etc• Cooperative societies • Media

National Trade Policies

• National Trade Policy• National Industrial Development Policy• Investment Policy• Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Policy• Marketing Policy• Procurement Act/competitive policy• Business Registration Act• Parastotal organizations Reform Act

EPAs Related Trade Policies• Agriculture • Fisheries • Mining • Tourism• TRIPS • Taxation or tariffs• Trade in Services• Markets• Development Co-operation (Foreign Policy)

WHY CSOs EXIST?• To supplement and complement government

development activities, programmes project (implementation of government policies)

• To ensure that the government governs according to international and national good governance practices.

• To develop the capacity of the communities government and other CSOs

• To generally information and knowledge to the public• To ensure that there is good corporate governance

within the private sector • To develop good relations with other two sectors of

the nation.

Cont’d– Educate the people an various national policies and

legal frame works– Mobilize people to join efforts and demand for their

rights– Lobby, advocate and pressurize the decision makers

to make pro poor policies and implement policies and signed protocols, agreements, conventions, charters etc

– Research on the impacts of trade policies to social development

– Monitor and assess the implementation of policies, conventions, protocols, chartes, agreements etc

Classes of CSOs

– Social Service delivery – Capacity building – Policy Advocacy – Research

THE GROWTH OF CSOs IN TANZANIA

• Limited faith based NGOs since colonial times• No political or advocacy organiastions or groups

were allowed during colonial times• More CSOs emerged after globalisation,

liberalisation and democratic governance introduced in the South

• Retrenchement of civil servants accellerated CSOs formation from late 80s

• North donors lost confidence with South governments and funded CSOs

cont’d

• In 2000 NGO policy was formulated and in 2003 new NGO Act no 24 was enacted.

CSOs INFLUENCE IN NATIONAL TRADE POLICIES

• CSOs are represented in some of government technical working groups.

• CSOs sometimes (donor conditions) are consulted.

• CSOs conduct policy campaigns eg human rights, implementation of policies, budget, plans, programmes, good governance etc

• CSOs carry out researches (development)

Cont’d

• CSOs lobby and advocate for fair and just trde• CSOs analyze policy documents• CSOs create policy awareness to the

communities and public including politicians(councilors, MPs and political party leadrs) and government officials.

CSOs and EPAs• Tanzania signed Cotonou Agreement in2000• In 2002 Tanzania started negotiating on EPAs• NSAs was formed by the MoF and economic

Affairs in 2003• EPAs awareness creation to the public and CSOs

were done in 2004• TANGO created awareness on EPAs to some

CSOs• TANGO carried out a survey on the impact of

EPAs to common Tanzanians.• TANGO prepared CSOs position on EPAs from

the survey findings

EPAs Negotiation Mechanism in Tanzania

• National EPAs Steering Committee (NESC)• National EPAs Technical Team (NETT)• NETT operated for one year• The current EPAs negotiation mechanism is

not known to most stakeholders• NSAs people were trained as negotiators• Some NSAs were trained in international trade

at the UDSM (two intakes)

Tanzainia CSOs Trade Coalition• Few advocacy CSOs (20) established a trade coalition in

2005• The coalition conducted roundtable on EPAs with the

government and Members of the Parliament.• NSA secretariat commissioned one of the Coalition

member to analyse the signed Interim EPAs by Tanzania as EAC EPA negotiation block

• Oxfam JOLIT one of the members of the trade coalition shared research findings on the impact of EPAs to ACP Countries.

• One or two CSOs trade coalition members their our capacity had a chance to participate in one or two negotiation meetings at sub-regional level (EAC).

Cont’d

• Some regions like Morogoro and Iringa formed trade coalitions

• Njombe CSO network is a member of the business council in Njombe district.

Interim EAC EPAs

• Many members of the NSAs were not in favour of Tanzania in signing the interim EPAs in December 31 2007

• Several CSOs, like the Trade Coalition, TEC, TEDG, CCT, MVIWATA, East African Farmers Association etc each gave a protest statement “ STOP EPAs”.

CHALLENGES IN POLICY INFLUENCING– Lack of legal framework on NSAs engagement/participation in decision making processes.– Lack of tripartite policies and legal frame – Weak linkage or relations between the private sector CSOs and CS organization or commonly

referred to NGOs– Weak relations and understanding among CSOs both at national and local levels– Most advocacy CSOs do not focus on trade. (Multi policy advocacy)– Low CSOs’ competence in trade issues– Lack of or poor coordination between research institutions and advocacy CSOs– Inadequate funding of advocacy and research activities or programmes participation in

decision making process– Inadequate advocacy skills and competence– Un operational NETT Committee– Restructuring of the EPAs negotiation mechanism (NETT) without CSOs consultation and

information– Most CSOs are still afraid of the consequences’ of engaging effectively in policy advocacy as

watchdogs

CONCLUSION • All three sectors of the nation are equally important as each has its own motive. If each motive is well managed,

peoples sustainable development and human and peoples right will be attained • The three sectors must work together as equal partners in development every one respecting each other and

being accountable to the people/stakeholder

• The CS sector is big and diverge hence it has to build strong relation and good understanding to support each other

• The CSOs have to develop bravery and capacity in policy advocacy and engagement particularly in trade and trade related issues.

• The government should not be afraid of practicing good governance as that is the only way it can rule/govern peacefully and effectiveness

• The government should institutionalize the partnership and relations with the CSOs to allow effective engagement of CSOs in policy making processes at all levels.

• CSOs like FES, Oxfam JOLIT, NSA coordination unit have published ACP/EPAs text in simpler language including Kiswahili publications.