Empowering citizens

Oxfam and partners launch EU-funded social accountability project

 

OXFAM Solomon Islands and members of the Solomon Islands Social Accountability Coalition (SISAC) have launched a new project that aims to empower citizens the ability to influence and hold service providers and key government actors accountable to their work.

The project “Improving Social Accountability in the Solomon Islands” is the first of its kind in the country courtesy to funding by the European Union.

Oxfam aim to collaborate and to strengthen the capacity of the coalition (SISAC) and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) over the next three years to promote inclusive development and enhance democratic governance and accountability among government and civil society institutions in the country.

SISAC is made up of members; Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI), Development Services Exchange (DSE), Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT), Forum Solomon Islands International (FSII), Young Women’s Parliamentary Group (YWPG), Honiara Youth Council (HYC), National Youth Congress, National Scouts Association (NSA) and Oxfam Solomon Islands.

The launch included the attendance of government officials, the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs (MWYCFA), Ministry of Police, the Leadership Code Commission and Ombudsman, SISAC members and other CSO organisations.

Oxfam Solomon Islands Program Director, Doreen Fernando officially launched the project this morning thanking SISAC members for their tireless efforts toward social accountability and governance. She acknowledged the support from the European Union through a funding contribution over the next three years to support the work of CSOs in Solomon Islands.

“The project will work with all stakeholders in the implementation of the project; donor partners, CSOs, government ministries, private sector and communities,” said Ms Fernando.

“It is a new approach and we hope that there is understanding, trust and accountability throughout the implementation period.”

She said the project will further support SISAC to provide a platform for CSOs to work collaboratively and strategically as well as resourced to do research, tests and adapt social accountability tools that are contextually appropriate for Solomon Islanders.

The initiative aim is to enable CSOs and citizens to strategically influence national development, public funding policies and processes that enable sustainable growth.

It will also enhance and support CSO collaboration on social accountability and support the creation of public awareness campaigns on government funding, expenditure tracking and budget effectiveness.

European Union funding

Oxfam was one of the successful applicants and was awarded Grant Contract following the EU Delegation Solomon Islands Call for Proposals in 2017 under EU’s Civil Society Organisation.t line.

The priority area of the call for proposal focuses on enhancing the CSOs contributions to governance and development. In the Pacific, the European Union has been very active in engaging and supporting Non State Actors for many years, throughout bilateral and regional cooperation. This commitment has been translated by significant increase in terms of budget with specific financial envelops under the 11th European development Fund, allocated in country as well as regional allocations.

European Union commitment to support CSOs, was also recently reiterated in the European Consensus on Development, adopted in November 2016. The new Consensus updates the EU’s development’s response to current global challenges and promotes the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda in partnership with developing countries.

–OXFAM SI PRESS

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