Nongovernment Organizations and Civil Society

News from ADB for Nongovernment Organizations
 November 2001, Volume 1, Issue 2

In this Issue....

1. World Wide Fund for Nature and ADB Forge Partnership
2. ADB Responds to Recommendations on Dams
3. Shanghai will host 35th Annual Meeting
4. Four More Countries Sign Poverty Reduction Accords
5. Country Strategy Programs Define Medium-Term Strategy for ADB Borrowers
6. NGOs to Promote Nutrition for Mothers and Children in Six Countries
7. Community-Based Initiative Targets AIDs in Southeast Asia
8. Urban Development Project Assists Railroad Squatters in Metro Manila
9. Conference Examines Role of NGOs in Poverty Reduction in the PRC
10. ADB Undergoes Reorganization
11. Case Studies Document NGO Fund-Raising Experiences
12. Convention Promotes Citizen Participation in Environment Issues
13. NGO Visitors: Strengthening Participatory Organization (Pakistan)
14. Upcoming Events
15. Documents Available from ADB
16. Give us your comments

On 26 September 2001, ADB and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the conservation organization, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to pave the way for joint activities. This is ADB's first such accord with an NGO. The two agencies have formed a partnership for sustainable management of natural resources in the Asian and Pacific region. Under the MOU, ADB and WWF agree to develop collaborative ventures to address poverty and environmental challenges. Stakeholders such as local communities, government agencies, and NGOs will be involved in this process through forums and consultations.

In November 2000, the World Commission on Dams (WCD) published its final report entitled Dams and Development. The report was the culmination of nearly three years of work by the Commission, its Secretariat, consultants, and others who undertook the most comprehensive study to date of the benefits and adverse impacts of large dams. ADB has completed a review to determine how guidelines proposed by WCD would be met by projects prepared and implemented in accordance with ADB policies. Additionally, ADB is sponsoring workshops in selected countries to bring relevant government agencies and NGOs together to discuss how each country might move forward in addressing the WCD proposals. Information on the workshop held in the Philippines in August 2001 can be found on the NGO pages of ADB's web site. Workshops are planned for December and January in Bhutan/Nepal, India, and Viet Nam.

The 35th Annual Meeting of ADB's Board of Governors will be held in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, 10-12 May 2002. The Board's meeting will be preceded by a series of seminars on 8-10 May 2002. Accredited NGOs are invited to attend the seminars and various social events, as well as special programs focused on the interests of civil society. The Annual Meeting presents an opportunity for NGOs and ADB Management, staff, and member country delegations to exchange information and views on ADB's operations and policies.

Since September 2001, ADB has signed Poverty Reduction Partnership Agreements with Bhutan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nepal, and Philippines. The four agreements mark the culmination of a continuing dialogue between the governments and ADB in poverty alleviation efforts in each country. Every Poverty Reduction Partnership Agreement includes a mechanism to review performance, key indicators, and institutional milestones to ensure that the desired targets are met. In the Nepal accord, for example, ADB and Nepal agreed to specific numerical goals in reducing infant mortality and population growth, and increasing adult literacy and life expectancy by 2017.

An ADB Country Strategy and Program (CSP) defines ADB's medium-term development strategy as agreed with a developing member country (DMC). Each CSP identifies and describes ADB's distinctive role in a country and is anchored on strong poverty, economic, social, and sector analysis. It also determines ADB's country-specific poverty reduction strategy and thematic and sector priorities. A CSP is prepared with the active participation of the DMC through consultation with the government, civil society, private sector, and other aid agencies. Typically prepared once every five years, a CSP is updated annually to take into account the continued relevance of the CSP, its implementation, and its operational program for the next three years. New CSPs and CSP updates are now available on ADB's web site.

NGOs are working with representatives of the public and private sectors to develop a regional program to reverse an alarming rise in micronutrient deficiency that is producing mentally retarded and stunted children in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The regional program will promote iodizing salt and fortifying wheat flour with an iron premix. It is being financed with grants totaling US$6.85 million from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, which is financed by the Government of Japan. NGOs representing consumers' associations and women's groups were part of each country delegation that formulated country investment plans. These plans, adopted in Almaty in October 2001, identify low-cost ways to implement the program, including strategies for communications, monitoring and evaluation.

Community-based HIV/AIDS prevention activities will be implemented in Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), and Viet Nam in a bid to curb the impact of the epidemic in the region. The activities will be supported by a US$8 million grant financed through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction. High-risk groups will be targeted, including migrants and mobile groups such as fishing community members; transport, sex, and hospitality workers; police and military personnel; and construction workers who are vulnerable to HIV infection due to their work, living environment, and lack of social support. The project will provide a broad range of HIV/AIDS prevention activities in strategic areas or "hot spots" where HIV is easily transmitted, and strengthen the capacity of national and local HIV authorities and selected NGOs to develop community-based prevention and care programs.

ADB and the Philippine Government have signed an agreement for a US$1 million relocation project for railroad squatters in the Muntinlupa area of Metro Manila. The integrated urban development project will pilot-test a community-based, self-help approach to resettle 567 families from two urban poor communities out of an estimated 9,000 households hazardously situated along the rights-of-way of the Philippine National Railway. The project, to be implemented by NGOs, is designed to explore new approaches to squatter relocation in Metro Manila. It aims to establish a cooperative relationship among local government units, NGOs, and people's organizations in both the sending and receiving municipalities to prevent the community from experiencing economic dislocation. The project will provide a range of livelihood opportunities, including access to their current jobs in the city, new employment opportunities at the relocation site, and provision of credit.

NGOs are emerging as important contributors to poverty reduction in the People's Republic of China (PRC), according to participants at the "International Conference on NGO Poverty Reduction Policy," held in Beijing 28-30 October 2001. The conference brought together more than 200 representatives of local and international NGOs, funding agencies, universities, and governments to analyze NGOs' role in poverty alleviation in the PRC, and make recommendations to improve the internal management of NGOs and the legal environment in which NGOs operate. A major output of the conference, which was hosted by the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation will be a bilingual reference guide on NGO policy and operations in the PRC. This guide will add to funding agencies’ understanding of NGO issues in the national context and assist international NGOs in identifying opportunities to cooperate with local NGOs on poverty reduction and sustainable development in the country. ADB, Ford Foundation, Mercy Corps, United Nations Development Programme, and World Bank financed the conference.

On 9 October 2001, ADB's Board of Directors approved a reorganization of the Bank effective 1 January 2002. The change aims to enhance ADB's development impact by strengthening its capacity to deliver its strategic agenda through a carefully planned, selective, country-focused, and technically excellent program of assistance to its developing member countries and subregions. A guiding principle in the formulation of the reorganization plan is that ADB should become a more outward-looking, client-focused, and collaborative development partner.

Under the reorganization, ADB's "projects" and "programs" functions will be integrated at the level of the regional department. Five regional departments, each responsible for several countries, will contain units to undertake all strategic programming, economic and sector work, subregional cooperation, and project work under one umbrella, with a single line of accountability to the head of the regional department. While regional departments will undertake subregional cooperation, a separate department will promote regional cooperation—the Regional and Sustainable Development Department (RSSD). The NGO Center, together with five divisions, will operate within this department. RSSD will provide technical support and ensure quality and compliance with safeguard policies, policy coherence, and application of best practices across ADB. For information about the reorganization, contact Ann Quon by e-mail at aquon@adb.org.

A two-year regional project documenting the fund-raising experiences of NGOs in seven Asian countries has been completed. Entitled Investing in Ourselves: Giving and Fund-Raising in Asia, the project drew on the expertise and input of academics, researchers, and nonprofit managers in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand. Output of the project included 112 case studies from the participating countries and an eight-part series of country and regional publications.

The project's findings are expected to build awareness of successful methods of fund-raising employed by Asian NGOs, highlight the importance of transparency and accountability among NGOs wishing to raise funds, increase NGOs' capacity to mobilize resources, and establish benchmarks against which the nature and scope of philanthropic giving can be measured in selected countries. ADB, Asia Foundation, Nippon Foundation, and United States Agency for International Development financed the project. Venture for Fund-Raising provided project management support. For more details, contact ngocoordinator@adb.org.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters took effect on 30 October 2001. Dubbed the "Aarhus Convention" after the Danish city in which it was adopted by European ministers of the environment, the accord grants the public certain rights and imposes on public authorities of the countries subscribing to the convention obligations regarding access to information, public participation, and access to justice. "Although regional in scope, the significance of the Aarhus Convention is global," said Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General, United Nations. "It is by far the most impressive elaboration of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration, which stresses the need for citizen's participation in environmental issues and for access to information on the environment held by public authorities," he added.

This regular feature spotlights NGOs visiting the Asian Development Bank.

Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) is a leading proponent of participatory development in Pakistan. SPO traces its roots back to a 1987 agreement between the Governments of Canaca and Pakistan to provide support to nongovernment, community-based projects. In 1994, SPO transformed itself from a bilateral aid project into a Pakistani NGO. SPO acts to strengthen rural and urban community-based groups to assist the poor and disadvantaged parts of society to achieve their goals for sustainable development pursued through a participatory approach. The Canadian International Development Agency, European Union, and the Royal Netherlands Embassy are SPO's primary funders, although other bilateral and multilateral donors have contributed to different SPO programs.

SPO maintains its headquarters in Islamabad and operates four regional centers and one sub-regional center. Each region is responsible for developing regional budgets and work plans. Over the past six years, the NGO has arranged seminars and other events for partner groups on topics such as poverty alleviation and women's rights. It has also supported the formation of NGO coalitions and organized dialogues with government agencies. Two important SPO activities include the Women's Emancipation Program and the Village Education Program. The former aims to promote ways through which women can be empowered and involved in the decision-making process while respecting the local culture. The latter involves the promotion of literacy among women through functional literacy and nonformal primary education courses.

SPO is now seeking support to nurture devolution partnerships in community and local government. The Government of Pakistan has recently devolved powers to the grass roots, and about 140,000 people have been elected to 7,000 union councils of 100 districts across Pakistan. SPO would like to assist these newly elected representatives to carry out their roles effectively. Among the aims of the proposed project are to raise awareness of the political opportunities in devolution, mobilize women's groups as development partners, and increase and improve public participation in local government. Separately, SPO is elaborating a proposal to offer education to Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.

For more information about Strengthening Participatory Organization, e-mail Gul Mastoi, SPO Deputy Chief Executive, at gulmm@spopk.org, or see http://www.spopk.org. Mr. Mastoi visited ADB headquarters in Manila to attend the Conference on Poverty, Growth, and the Role of Institutions in Developing Member Countries, 10-12 October 2001.

• Third ADB-OECD Conference on Combating Corruption in the Asia-Pacific Region, 27-29 November 2001, Tokyo, Japan. Contact: Jak Jabes; tel: (63 2) 632 5749; e-mail: jjabes@adb.org.
• Asia and the Pacific Regional PrepCom Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 27-29 November 2001, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Contact: Hiroko Morita-Lou; tel: (1 212) 963 8813; e-mail: morita-lou@un.org; web site: http://www.un.org/rio+10.
• Asia-Pacific Earth Charter Conference, 29 November-2 December 2001, Brisbane, Australia. Contact: Clem Campbell; tel: (61 7) 3875 7132; e-mail: clemcampbell@optusnet.com.au; web site: http://www.earthcharter.org.
• Conference on Corporate Citizenship, 4-5 December 2001, Calcutta, India. Contact: Malini Mehra, Director, Center for Social Markets; tel: (44 207) 407 7625 (London) or (91 33) 229 4537 (Calcutta); e-mail: Malinimehra@aol.com; web site: http://www.csmworld.org.
• ADB Consultations with Japanese NGOs, 20-21 December 2001, Tokyo, Japan. Contact: Koichi Ishikura; tel: (81 3) 3504 3160; e-mail: kishikura@adb.org.
• Third International Conference on Sustainable Resource Mobilization—Developing Local Roots and Support, 4-7 March 2002, Agra, India. Contact: Abhijit Bhattacharjee, The Resource Alliance, tel: (44 207) 587 0287; fax: (44 207) 582 4335; e-mail: abhijit@resource-alliance.org.uk.
• Tenth Asia-Pacific Fund-Raising Conference, 15-18 April 2002, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Contact: Secretariat, Yayasan Nanyang Press, tel: (60 3) 787 26 888; fax: (60 3) 787 268 00; e-mail: NYFound@nanyang.com.my.

ADB has approved 19 documents for public release since September 2001. These include the Country Economic Review for the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Economic Update of Uzbekistan; and two Reports and Recommendations of the President (RRPs): Vientiane Urban Infrastructure and Services Project, Lao PDR, July 2001; and AK Altin Agricultural Development Project, Uzbekistan, July 2001. Three Summary Environmental Impact Assessments and Summary Initial Environment Examinations have also been released: Ecotourism Project, Nepal, August 2001; Road Network Development Project, August 2001; and Songhua River Flood Management Sector Project, People’s Republic of China, August 2001.

In addition, 12 Technical Assistance Reports (TARs) are also now available.

Financial Sector Review, Bhutan, July 2001 - TAR:BHU 33323
Preparing the Agriculture Sector Development Program, Cambodia, August 2001 - TAR:CAM 34380
Preparing the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project, Cambodia, July 2001 - TAR:CAM 34382
Support for Decentralized Education Management, Indonesia, August 2001 - TAR:INO 34120
Energy Sector Study, Kazakhstan, June 2001 - TAR:KAZ 35114
Optimizing Water Use in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, August 2001 - TAR:NEP 34571
Support for Preparation of the Tenth Five-Year Plan, Nepal, July 2001 - TAR:NEP 32247
Capacity Building for Capital Market Development and Corporate Governance, Pakistan, August 2001 - TAR:PAK 35055
Capacity Building for the Regulatory Office of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Philippine, August 2001 - TAR:PHI 33213
Strengthen the Independence of the Judiciary, Philippines, July 2001 - TAR:PHI 34081
Pro-Poor Urban Heating Tariff Reforms, PRC, June 2001 - TAR:PRC 34481
Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility, July 2001 - TAR:OTH 35078

These documents have been posted—or will soon be available—on ADB's web site by category:

Country Economic Reviews: http://www.adb.org/Publications/online.asp?id=400
Environment-related documents: http://www.adb.org/Publications/online.asp?id=900
RRPs: http://www.adb.org/Publications/online.asp?id=200
Technical Assistance Reports: http://www.adb.org/Publications/online.asp?id=708

We welcome your feedback and will publish selected comments received from readers. ADB reserves the right to edit submissions.

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Questions about the contents of Partnership Newsletter or about ADB relations with NGOs, may be directed to ngocoordinator@adb.org. Learn more about ADB cooperation with NGOs at: http://www.adb.org/ngos.

Copyright 2001. Partnership Newsletter is published six times a year by the Asian Development Bank's Office of External Relations in conjunction with the ADB NGO Center. Hypertext links provided in Partnership Newsletter do not imply ADB endorsement of the views expressed on non-ADB web sites. Such links are provided solely as an information service. Published contributions do not necessarily represent the view of ADB Management, staff, or members. Partnership Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form.

NGO Center
Asian Development Bank
PO Box 789, Manila 0980, Philippines
Tel: (632) 632-4147; (632) 636-2648