The Task Team works on furthering effective CSO participation in development processes. It promotes and advances international commitments in this area focusing on the commitment to create a conducive environment for CSOs (CSO enabling environment) and the commitment on the effectiveness and accountability of CSOs themselves (CSO development effectiveness). The Task Team monitors and engages in the SDGs, focusing on SDGs 16 and 17, considering CSOs’ role in SDG implementation both individually and as part of the partnerships under SDG 17, as well as the existence of an independent and vibrant civil society, as a critical component of SDG 16.

Participants of the Task Team work together towards advancing the role of CSOs in development in the context of commitments made at the High-Level Fora in Accra and Busan and reaffirmed at the 2016 and 2019 High Level Meetings of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation. The Task Team focuses on the commitments on the CSO enabling environment and CSO development effectiveness (CSO DE and EE). Its efforts to raise awareness on these commitments and further their implementation is targeted at three specific work areas: 1.Global Partnership for Effective Development cooperation (GPEDC); 2.Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); 3.Country-level engagement. In its current project period running from 2019 to March 2022, the Task Team has identified specific activities under each of above-mentioned areas of work to be implemented. For the first strategic objective, the Task Team works to influence the GPEDC and its adherents to advance full implementation of the CSO DE and EE commitments. Specific action areas are: influencing GPEDC processes and activities in relation to CSO DE and EE at global and country level, including in relation to the SDGs, as well as raising awareness and contributing to a common understanding of CSO DE and EE using the Task Team Guidance as a tool. For its second strategic objective, the Task Team supports implementation of Agenda 2030 to promote and advance the implementation of the CSO DE and EE commitments. Specific action areas are: emphasizing CSO engagement (and CSO DE and EE) as critical to implementation and monitoring of the SDGs, and as a component of SDG 16 and 17; monitoring SDG processes focusing on CSO engagement; promoting the need for an indicator measuring CSO engagement in the SDG processes and; carrying out a research study to identify factors that help and hinder the engagement of CSOs in the implementation of the SDGs. The Task Team’s third strategic objective is to support progress in CSO DE and EE at country level. The Task Team does this by implementing (virtual) multi-stakeholder workshops jointly with country level actors from Government, civil society, and the donor community. The workshops build on the Task Team’s Guidance and Good Practice as a basis to generate an understanding of the international commitments on CSO Development Effectiveness and Enabling Environment and what this means in practice for different development actors In parallel, efforts to digitalize its tools and materials are underway to reach a wider audience.

Next to the Task Team’s awareness raising efforts on CSO development effectiveness and enabling environment at the global level, its main capacity building efforts are focused at the country level. In moving forward with country level engagement, the approach is to bring the Task Team’s decade worth of global fora work and messages to the local level, thus targeting local stakeholders directly. The main avenue towards doing so is through information sharing, rather than intervening in local structures, by raising awareness on the international CSO-related commitments in development, sharing good practices from around the world, and creating safe spaces for multi-stakeholder dialogue. The focus is on a 3-tiered approach: i) country workshops (in person or virtual), ii) translation of Task Team materials into languages other than English, and iii) development of an Online Interactive Guidance using the Task Team’s tools and materials.\\\\r\\\\nIn the workshops and the Interactive Guidance, participants’ capacity is built through knowledge sharing (explanation about the international commitments, where each part speaks to a particular element of the commitments), guidance and examples on key areas of good practice, and the relevance to advancing the 2030 Agenda. These initiatives also include more ‘active’ parts like a multi-stakeholder role play whereby participants seek to find common ground, showing that sometimes a different perspective may lead to a better outcome, as well as to foster reflections on the various aspects of what is needed to enable CSO engagement in development. In addition, break-out groups are formed to discuss guidance and good practice on CSO Development Effectiveness and Enabling Environment. In both the workshops and Online Interactive Guidance, participants are encouraged to generate recommendations for good practice in their country context, resulting in tailored guidance for effective engagement of CSOs in development processes.

The Task Team has around 30 active participants and strives for equal participation from its three stakeholder groups: donors, partner country governments and CSOs. As a convener, the Task Team brings together donors, partner country governments and CSOs to engage in open and inclusive dialogue to find common ground. As a knowledge broker, the Task Team raises awareness on international commitments on CSOs in development and offers guidance, evidence and practical tools for their implementation.\\\\r\\\\nThe Task Team has three co-chairs, one from each constituency. Each constituency is responsible for choosing their own chair for an initial term of three years which if agreed, can be renewed for a second three-year term. \\\\r\\\\nThe Task Team participants meet twice a year in order to evaluate accomplishments in the last period and to discuss future strategy. All Task Team participants, under the leadership of the Co-chairs, are responsible for making contributions to achieving the mandate and deciding on the long-term goals and overall strategy for the Task Team. Based on discussions during meetings, the Co-chairs take decision to implement policies that aim to move that Task Team toward its goals and agreed overall strategy. On key decisions between meetings, Co-chairs inform and consult their constituencies. \\\\r\\\\nThe Task Team has several Reference Groups that provide information and guidance on specific activities and/or strategic areas. A Reference Group is composed of a member from each Task Team constituency. \\\\r\\\\nThe Task Team is supported by a Secretariat which is hosted by the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS-EUR) in the Netherlands. From a formal and legal perspective, the Secretariat is governed by the ISS-EUR internal organization rules including financial and personnel policies. The role of the Secretariat is to support the Task Team and the Co-chairs in their decision-making process and stakeholder engagement, and to implement the TT strategy following the agreed operational aspects as agreed in the workplans.\\\\r\\\\nThe Task Team Secretariat, Task Team meetings and activities are funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). ISS-EUR is responsible for the financial and administrative management of Sida’s contribution to the TT.

CSOs: Uganda National NGO Forum | International Center for Not-for-Profit Law | CIVICUS | Reality of Aid Africa | International Trade Union Confederation | IBON International | ACT Alliance | Asia Pacific Research Network | Forum of Women’s NGOs, Kyrgyzstan. \r\n\r\nPartner countries: Uganda, Kenya, Bangladesh, Mali, Madagascar, Benin, Honduras.\r\n\r\nDonors: Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland | SIDA Sweden | OECD | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark | EC DEVCO | UK DFID | Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland | Global Affairs Canada | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands | SDC Switzerland | Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France