Civil society’s active role in public policy debates reflects a new trend of consensus in the Americas which defines social organizations as “agents of democracy.” This new participation helps shape opinions, share experiences, and identify obstacles to public policies. This is why the Organization of American States (OAS) believes that the strength of democracy in the Americas is linked directly to the vitality of the region’s civil society.

Over the last decade, the OAS has fostered greater trust and understanding with organized civil society, nurturing an environment where governments and civil society organizations (CSOs) have worked together successfully to develop policies and programs based on recommendations that CSOs present in their areas of expertise.

Such effort became more prominent in 1999 after the OAS Permanent Council adopted Resolution 759: “Guidelines for the Participation of Civil Society Organizations in OAS Activities,” that defined the process by which CSOs could become involved in the Organization’s activities. Since then, the OAS has played a central role in helping its Member States create spaces to interact and communicate with civil society organizations in areas such as democratic governance, the fight against corruption, protecting human rights, gender equality, public security, human trafficking, energy security, and education, among many others.

But, it was the adoption of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in 2001, the milestone that defined the hemispheric commitment to promote citizen participation in the design of public policy. In September of that year, OAS Member States agreed, within the framework of the Charter, that it is “the right and responsibility of all citizens to participate in decisions relating to their own development. This is also a necessary condition for the full and effective exercise of democracy.”

Similarly, Article 26 of the Charter declares that the OAS will continue “to carry out programs and activities designed to promote democratic principles and practices and strengthen a democratic culture in the Hemisphere, bearing in mind that democracy is a way of life based on liberty and enhancement of economic, social, and cultural conditions for the peoples of the Americas. The OAS will consult and cooperate on an ongoing basis with Member States and take into account the contributions of civil society organizations working in those fields.”

Based on this premise, the OAS has created spaces for civil society to remain informed, respond to, and contribute to the critical discussions of the inter-American agenda. “Through a process of dialogue and participation offered by international organizations like the OAS, a platform is created for CSOs to share their recommendations and influence the decision-making process at the national or hemispheric level,” said Irene Klinger, Director of the OAS Department of International Affairs, who is in charge of directing the Organization’s efforts and activities with CSOs.

Three alternatives are offered to non-governmental organizations to join in the deliberations of public policies and international agreements within the framework of the OAS. They are:

1. By being included in the OAS Registry of Civil Society Organizations;

2. By participating in specific meetings that are also open to non-registered CSOs; and

3. By signing agreements of cooperation with the OAS General Secretariat.

There are currently 309 organizations in the OAS Registry working in areas ranging from environmental protection to defending the rights of the most vulnerable populations. Such opportunities for collaboration have also led to the creation of international networks between CSOs to mutually support and advocate for each other.

Several success stories over the last ten years highlight the Organization’s work with civil society. CSOs have played not only an active role in nearly 80 ministerial-level meetings and specialized conferences, but they have also influenced the development of several important international juridical instruments such as the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the Summit of the Americas’ Plans of Action, and the follow-up mechanisms to the conventions against corruption and against discrimination.

Perhaps one of the best examples of the progress achieved by this greater participation of civil society was the institutionalization of two meetings held in the framework of the General Assembly, the Organization’s main political body. Those meetings are focused on the Assembly’s theme and serve as a forum to directly share views and suggestions with government representatives. The end result of this exchange is a series of recommendations put forth by civil society for the consideration of the Member States during the deliberations that precede their final declarations.

However, despite such encouraging results, some challenges remain, including the lack of financial resources to regularly support the participation of civil society organizations in hemispheric processes; a more equal geographic and thematic representation; and the improvement of governments’ receptiveness of civil society recommendations.

How can a civil society organization participate in OAS-related activities?

To participate in OAS activities, CSOs must meet certain characteristics, which, far from being obstacles to their participation, help make their role more substantive, prominent, and relevant. Among those characteristics which a participating CSO must identify are its type of organization, its main areas of expertise, the type of work it conducts (academic, political, promotional), and its size and background, among others.

“A vibrant civil society must comply with a number of essential functions, among them: to serve as a counterweight to the power of the State; to educate citizens on public policies, civil rights and duties; to contribute to develop a culture of tolerance and diversity; to contribute to the formation of new leaders; and to monitor the government’s performance and offer recommendations for its development,” explained Jorge Sanin, Coordinator of Civil Society Activities at the OAS.

A decade after the adoption of the institutional policy that regulated the participation of CSOs in OAS activities, the Organization continues to explore ways to strengthen and increase such participation, and to further create spaces where organized citizenries may constructively participate, contribute to, and examine the decisions and public policies that affect not only their own countries but the Americas overall.

December 30, 2009