Public Comment Period Begins on Public Communications Policy
ADB is accepting written comments from the public through 28 May 2004 on its draft Public Communications Policy (PCP). The draft PCP, intended to replace existing ADB policies on disclosure and information, would substantially increase the range of documents and other information made publicly available by ADB. For the first time, the meeting minutes, advance calendar, and summaries of selected discussions of the Board of Directors would also be released. The proposed policy would create an Info Unit to oversee implementation, and require translation of all final country strategy and program papers. In late April, ADB will begin face-to-face consultations on the document, holding workshops in 12 countries. For more information, contact disclosure@adb.org.
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Workshop Explores NGO-Private Sector Partnerships Against Poverty
Thirty representatives from NGOs, the private sector, governments, and bilateral and multilateral development agencies are meeting in Thailand, 28-31 March 2004, to discuss anti-poverty partnerships between NGOs and the private sector in Asia and the Pacific. The workshop, sponsored by ADB, in cooperation with GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals and the Population and Community Development Association, has been organized to review case studies provided by participants, explore how donor organizations can facilitate partnerships, and consider options for future dialog and cooperation between NGOs and businesses. For more information, contact Grant Curtis at gcurtis@adb.org.
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ADB Builds Capacity of NGOs
Staff of twenty NGOs from around Asia and the Pacific attended a training workshop on participating in ADB-assisted activities, 16-19 March 2004. Hosted by the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Cavite, Philippines, the workshop improved understanding among NGO representatives of how ADB operates. Participants discussed NGO accountability, transparency, and professionalism; defined NGO needs in order to collaborate effectively with ADB; identified ways to bridge gaps between ADB, NGOs, and governments; and considered different approaches to NGO capacity building. The workshop was one of several recent initiatives being undertaken to implement ADB-Government-NGO Cooperation: A Framework for Action, 2003-2005. For more information, contact Suzanne Nazal at ngocoordinator@adb.org.
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Civil Society Consulted on ADF Replenishment
Negotiations on the next replenishment of the Asian Development Fund, ADF IX, have been underway since October 2003. In January and February 2004, four country-level workshops were held in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kyrgyz Republic, and Pakistan to solicit the views of civil society organizations on policy issues related to ADF IX. Subsequently, selected representatives of CSOs participating in each of the four workshops met with donor representatives during the last round of negotiations, held in Lisbon, Portugal, 9-11 March 2004. In addition, a coalition of advocacy NGOs submitted its recommendations for change at ADB to the donors ahead of the Lisbon meeting (see: http://www.bicusa.org/bicusa/issues/spotlight/1367.php). For more information, contact Antonio Ressano-Garcia at aressano@adb.org.
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Deadline Nears for Annual Meeting Registration
ADB welcomes NGO representatives to attend the 37th Annual Meeting of ADB's Board of Governors on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 15-17 May 2004. The Annual Meeting presents a venue for NGOs to interact with ADB's Management and staff, as well as their countries' representatives on the Board of Directors. While not well-suited for consultations about specific projects, the yearly event is ideal for discussing general development issues and exploring areas of possible ADB-NGO cooperation. NGOs interested in participating in the meeting must be accredited in advance, and the deadline for seeking accreditation has now passed. Interested NGOs that have already been accredited have until 1 April 2004 to register online. For more information, contact Suzanne Nazal at ngocoordinator@adb.org.
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Panel Reports on Progress and Plans for Chashma Inspection
The Inspection Panel appointed to conduct an independent inspection of the Chashma Right Bank Irrigation Project (Stage III) has submitted its workplan and progress report, both of which are available on the Internet (see address below). The Panel is presently undertaking a visit to the project area, and plans to submit its draft report to those requesting the inspection, and to ADB Management, in late April 2004. The Panel aims to provide its final report to the Board Inspection Committee in June 2004. The Panel of four experts was appointed in December 2003 to investigate the claims of harm to residents of the project area allegedly caused by ADB's failure to follow its operational policies. For more details, contact Jill Drilon at jdrilon@adb.org.
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South Asian Women Gain Power Through Local Government
A regional technical assistance grant from ADB is supporting grassroots capacity building in local governance for poor women in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. ADB is working with several organizations to draw more poor women into active, responsible roles in their communities. Partner NGOs involved in implementing the grant include the Aurat Foundation, BRAC, Didibahini, Khan Foundation, Rural Support Program Network, Sarhad Rural Support Program, Shtrishakti, and Shushilan. For more details, contact Monawar Sultana at msultana@adb.org.
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NGO Advocates Women's Rights in Fiji Islands
Since 1986, the Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) has promoted gender and legal reform in the Fiji Islands. Its research, legal advice, advocacy training, and legal literacy programs have helped raise awareness among country's population about women's rights. In 2003, FWRM collaborated with ADB to i) conduct a national survey on sexual harassment, and ii) organize two sexual harassment workshops for private sector organizations. The first workshop resulted in 9 of 10 represented companies adopting their own in-house sexual harassment policies and procedures, and a similar level of success is anticipated from the second workshop. For more information, contact Virisila Buadromo, Coordinator, FWRM at fwrm@rrrt.org.fj.
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National Gender Specialists Raise Awareness of Women's Issues
Many ADB projects may not be overtly focused on gender issues, but every one has a gender dimension. ADB's national gender specialists in its Resident Missions help to ensure that gender issues are given proper attention in ADB-assisted activities, and in the planning of those activities with stakeholders. Eight Resident Missions now host such specialists, most of whom have been activists promoting women's rights in their own countries, or have arrived in the gender field from academic or private sector work. For more information, contact slateef@adb.org.
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ADB Appoints First Female Vice President
ADB's Board of Directors has appointed Khempheng Pholsena as Vice-President (Finance and Administration) with effect from 5 April 2004. She is currently Lao PDR's Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, in charge of international cooperation. In her current government position, she has managed negotiations with foreign institutions, countries, and multilateral agencies with the aim of strengthening Lao PDR's international economic relations and cooperation. Her appointment follows the recent promotion of Shamshad Ahkar to the post of ADB Director General, Southeast Asia Department, making her the first female to rise to that senior level from within the Bank.
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Scientists Call for Improved Management of Reef Fish Trade
Live fish have long been traded around Southeast Asia as a luxury food item. Fish captured on coral reefs entered this trade only in recent years but, because of their superior taste or texture, have become the most valued fish in the trade. A new book published by ADB reveals that trade in live reef fish food has caused degradation of the resources on which the trade depends, and hence has to move farther and farther from the main market centers in order to continue to supply them. The book provides scientific evidence for the need to curb and manage the capture of wild live reef food fish, and proposes ways to help entrepreneurs and fishers reform the trade based on limiting fish capture and rearing fish in hatcheries. While Stocks Last: The Live Reef Food Fish Trade can be downloaded free of charge from ADB's web site.
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NGO Visitors: Helvetas Philippines
This regular feature spotlights one of the many civil society organizations that meet with ADB staff each month at the Bank's Manila headquarters.
Founded in 1955, the Swiss Association for International Cooperation (Helvetas) was Switzerland's first private organization for development cooperation. Helvetas focuses on the rural populations of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, seeking to improve rural infrastructure, promote sustainable use of natural resources, and support education and local culture.
In the Philippines, the Helvetas Programme Office supports the decentralization process introduced by the country's Local Government Code (1991). The Code gives local governments considerable administrative and fiscal autonomy and allows for the participation of people's organizations and other civil society organizations in local governance. Civil society groups can enter into partnership with local government in the delivery of basic services, elaboration of legislation, planning, the budget process, and project monitoring. Through such opportunities, citizens have a genuine opportunity to participate in governance to advance sustainable, equitable development.
To encourage public participation in governance, Helvetas Philippines funds projects that encourage collaboration between civil society groups and local government units. Through these cooperative projects, the NGO helps the public and nonprofit sectors to generate mutual trust, realize common development projects, and set up structures for joint planning, management, and implementation. Such collaboration is intended to further the gains of decentralization and local autonomy while improving governance at the local level.
Many of the projects supported by Helvetas Philippines are being carried out on Palawan in the western part of the Philippines. Through one such project, a joint initiative of the local government unit of Aborlan and Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI), a community-based women's association, members of KALIPI are processing bananas into finished products such as chips, catsup, flour, vinegar, and other products for sale. These activities have created jobs and raised family incomes. Another project has brought together the nonprofit Palawan Center for Appropriate Rural Technology and the local government unit of Roxas to provide reliable potable water for 141 households in the municipality, while reducing the prevalence of waterborne diseases.
Felix Tañedo, Enterprise Development Program Officer, Helvetas Philippines, participated with 26 other representatives of Western European-linked NGOs working in the Philippines in an information-exchange session with ADB staff from several departments on 22 March 2004. To learn more about Helvetas Philippines, contact progress@helvetas.ph or visit: http://www.helvetas.ph/.
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Upcoming Events
A listing in this section does not imply that funding is available to civil society participants.
International Writeshop on Participatory Democracy Experiences, 21-24 April 2004, Manesar (near Delhi), India. Contact: Catherine Kana or Emma Kernahan, PRAXIS Institute for Participatory Practices, e-mail: catherinek@praxisindia.org or emmak@praxisindia.org.
- Raising Resources: Getting Money, Getting the Supporters (training course), 10-12 May 2004, London, UK. Contact: INTRAC, Rebecca Blackshaw, tel: (44.1865) 201.851; fax: (44.1865) 201.852; e-mail: r.blackshaw@intrac.org; web site: http://www.intrac.org.
- Participatory Development Concepts, Tools and Application in PLA/PRA Methods (training workshop), 19-24 July 2004, Ottawa, Canada. Contact: Françoise Coupal, Mosaic.net International, e-mail: workshop@mosaic-net-intl.ca; web site: http://www.mosaic-net-intl.ca.
- Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (training workshop), 26-31 July 2004, Ottawa, Canada. Contact: Françoise Coupal, Mosaic.net International, e-mail: workshop@mosaic-net-intl.ca; web site: http://www.mosaic-net-intl.ca.
- Designing Development Training Systematically (training course), 2-13 August 2004, Silang, Cavite, Philippines. Contact: IIRR, Monette Pacia, tel: (63.46) 414.2417; fax: (63.46) 414.2420; e-mail: Monette.Pacia@iirr.org; web site: http://www.iirr.org.
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Latest Documents Available from ADB
ADB makes hundreds of documents publicly available each year on its web site (http://www.adb.org) and through a growing network of 167 depository libraries around the world. The extensive on-line Publications Catalog allows users to browse through a list of over 4,000 titles. These include Country Economic Reviews, Environmental Impact Assessments, Project Completion Reports, Reports and Recommendations of the President, Summary Initial Environmental Examinations, and Technical Assistance Reports (TARs).
ADB has recently published the following TARs: Support to the Review and Planning for Development of the Legal and Judicial System - PRC; Preparing the Chhattisgarh Irrigation Development Sector Project - India; Participatory Poverty Assessment of the Tonle Sap - Cambodia; Strengthening Project Implementation and Quality Assurance - Nepal; Supporting the Samoa Schoolnet and Community Access Pilot Project; and Capacity Building for Rural Development of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas - Pakistan. Other new documents include: Conference Report of the 2nd International Roundtable on Managing for Development Results, and Reducing Poverty Among Ethnic Minority Women in the Nam Ngum River Basin - Lao PDR (Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction).
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Give us your Comments
Partnership Newsletter welcomes feedback from readers, and may publish letters received.
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Questions about the contents of Partnership Newsletter, or about ADB cooperation with NGOs, may be directed to Mr. Bart Édes at ngocoordinator@adb.org.
© Copyright 2003. Partnership Newsletter is published six times a year by ADB's Office of External Relations in conjunction with the ADB NGO Center. Previous issues are available online. 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. ADB reserves the right to edit submissions. Partnership Newsletter may be redistributed with credit given to Asian Development Bank.
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