Promoting Collaboration and Dialogue between the Public Sector and Civil Society in Jordan

Source in Arabic: ESCWA-OECD Case Study - Participation, Jordan

This project represents Jordan’s first commitment to implement the fourth plan of the Transparent Government Partnership Initiative (2018-2020). It aims at promoting dialogue between the Government and the civil society on approval mechanisms for obtaining foreign funding for civil society organizations (CSOs), as well as setting governance criteria and policies to develop their work. It also involves establishing standardized and transparent procedures in compliance with the set criteria.

Implementation: 2018-2020

Contributor(s)

This project was conducted by the Companies Control Department and the Ministries of Industry, Trade and Supply, Planning and International Cooperation.

Purpose

As a response to the lack of trust and collaboration between the Government and CSOs, this project was launched with the aim to create a dialogue directed towards developing a common vision in terms of funding and policymaking of CSOs.

Functions

This project is based on the principles of partnership and cooperation; and it was implemented by a working group encompassing government entities involved, representatives of CSOs and experts. The group prepared an action plan based on a matrix outlining the procedures followed to obtain funding. Furthermore, a set of voluntary and compulsory standards and policies was adopted for the implementation process.

Clients

The beneficiaries of this project are the Government and the civil society including associations, non-profit organizations and charities.

Outcome

The open dialogue resulted in adopting new procedures with the participation of 60 representatives of CSOs and governmental entities from multiple sectors. One of the main procedures was the launch of an e-service linked with various departments and ministries, for submitting applications online and following up through the Companies Control Department. The e-service helped in saving time, improving sectors’ performance, strengthening trust in the Government and supporting the democratic transition in Jordan. The results were measured through clear performance indicators and measurement tools. In the framework of this partnership, it was envisioned that a voluntary strategy will be established to define development priorities and policies for CSOs, in compliance with national priorities and challenges, available resources and best practices.

Challenges

• Insufficient participation of CSOs which affects the discussion sessions and feedback, and necessitates a communication policy.
• The need for timely governmental follow-up and speedy procedures called for the formation of a committee to come up with prioritized policies and provide assistance for decision makers.

Useful links

User Guide on the service to access foreign funding (Ar)