Working together foraccountable government:

CSOs and parliaments

Alan Hudson, Overseas Development Institute A.Hudson@odi.org.uk

Workshop at the CIVICUS World Assembly, 2006, Glasgow

• Southern CSOs and parliaments– Presentations (Zambia, Argentina,

Nigeria) – 20 mins total– Small group discussions – 20 mins– Reporting back – 15 mins

• CSOs and parliaments: North and south– Introduction – 5 mins– Small group discussions – 10 mins– Reporting back – 10 mins

Organisation of the workshop

CSOs and parliaments

• Mechanisms: How can CSOs engage with your parliament? (Opportunities and obstacles)

• Lessons: What works, and what does not work? (Examples and issues)

• Value: Does/could your parliament matter? Is it worth engaging with parliament?

CSOs and parliaments:north and south

• South and north - similarities and differences?– What are the differences and similarities between

the south and the north in terms of CSOs and parliamentary engagement?

• CSOs south and north – working together?– What value is there in southern CSOs engaging

with northern parliaments?– How might CSOs from south and north help each

other to engage with parliaments?

CSOs and parliaments:Towards a virtuous circle?

Parliaments function more

effectively

Parliamentaryengagement is

worthwhile

CSOs engagewith parliaments

Parliaments benefit from CSO

engagement

CSOs share experiences of parliamentary

engagement