Draft Charter Should Be Scrapped, Says Independent Survey

By COSONGO

These orientations take account of the evolution of thinking in the
field and of current "best practice" in assistance - in doing so they
offer some agreed interim guidance for all concerned with assistance
and with policy dialogues to advance these goals. It is expected that
this shared framework will be further strengthened and refined by
experience.

Introduction
1. It has become increasingly apparent that there is a vital
connection between open, democratic and accountable systems of
governance and respect for human rights, and the ability to achieve
sustained economic and social development. Although these links are
neither simple nor uniform, varying greatly from case to case and
with respect to both time and place, it is believed that sustainable
development requires a positive interaction between economic and
political progress. This connection is so fundamental that
participatory development and good governance must be central
concerns in the allocation and design of development assistance.

2. The themes of these "orientations" are centered on human beings as
both the ends and means of a society's development and of its
political life. These values are of vital interest to our publics and
lawmakers and they are now fully accepted as integral to sustainable
development within a society and for effective development
co-operation internationally. The interest is particularly in
supporting the trend towards democratization in Somaliland,
reflecting the basic aspirations of its people.

3. At the same time that these objectives are accepted as vital and
urgent. Achieving them is a long, complex and uneven process in any
society and that no society can achieve perfection. Clearly as well,
while there are certain universal standards that cannot be
compromised, the evolving needs and special conditions of each
country will heavily influence the pattern of progress, and must be
borne in mind in every attempt to help advance that progress.

4. The agendas for good governance, participatory development, human
rights and democratization are clearly interlinked. They include
elements which are basic values in their own right, such as human
rights and the principles of participation, and others such as
accountability, transparency and high standards of public sector
management, which are also means to developmental ends. Some of the
objectives, such as the rule of law, must be viewed as both ends in
themselves and means to, viable development

5. Specifically, the overall agenda includes the following
interlinkages: the legitimacy of government which depends on the
existence of participatory processes and the consent of those who are
governed; the accountability of the political and official elements
of government for their actions, depending on the availability of
information, freedom of the media, transparency of decision making
and the existence of mechanisms to call individuals and institutions
to account for their conduct; accountability also exists at the
political level through representative government and the political
process; the competence of government to formulate appropriate
policies, make timely decisions, implement them effectively, deliver
services; respect for human rights and the rule of law, to guarantee
individual and group rights and security, provide a viable framework
for economic and social activity and allow and encourage individuals
to participate.

6. A key cross-cutting concern in these issues is countering the
systematic under-representation of the female half of the population
in all the processes and institutions concerned. Improving the
situation of women (and thus the respect of these basic values and
the maximization of their developmental benefits) requires strategies
that take gender differences fully into account. Participatory
methodologies of project design and implementation can be an
effective strategy for expanding opportunities for women because
their needs, abilities and concerns are addressed from the beginning.

7. Similarly, the involvement of local communities is essential to
effective management of the environment and natural resources. The
integration of environmental concerns with economic and social goals
- fundamental to sustainable development -- depends on access to
information and the transparency as well as accountability of public
sector activities.

8. The "areas for action" throughout the paper identify a sample of
close to one hundred measures, from the wide-ranging to the
highly-specific, most of which have already been shown to be
effective in promoting tangible improvements. They extend from
targeted measures to strengthen legal or accounting expertise to
broad-based action to reduce excessive military expenditure, to
multifaceted action in support of human rights, effective
participation and strengthened civil society. The examples provided
are far from exhaustive.

9. The general approach reflected here embodies a number of basic
guidelines:

As recalled by the 1993 Vienna Declaration on Human Rights, the human
being is the central subject of development.
The developing countries themselves are ultimately responsible for
their own development. The effectiveness of their policies and
institutions is central to their development successes and failures
and the eventual attainment of self-reliance.
External co-operation efforts in participatory development and good
governance should help strengthen those promising trends which emerge
in individual countries.

A deepened and strengthened policy dialogue with development partners
is the most important vehicle for advancing these concerns at the
policy level.

Operationally, the key emphasis in assistance will be on
capacity-building, i.e. helping a society to develop and harness its
own expertise and mechanisms to ensure continued observance and
evolution of these goals.

Education, in all forms and at all levels, and with particular
emphasis on women's equal access, is the main underpinning of a
functioning civil society and thus of strengthened participation,
improved governance and respect for human rights and democracy.

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