ADB’s Cooperation with Civil Society
Sanitation awareness for villagers in Cambodia
Finding Common Ground
Since the late 1980s, ADB has worked increasingly closely with civil society organizations. The result has been more effective projects, more help for hard-to-reach communities, and an avenue for redress when things don’t go well.
In Azerbaijan, students and educators are making their schools healthier. Students are learning safe hygiene habits and they are teaching them to their parents at home. School administrators are installing improved sewer systems and increasing access to clean water.
The work is part of an ADB project, but it is being carried out by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with Local Governance Assistance, a civil society organization (CSO), and Azersu, the Azerbaijan Water Utility Company.
Partnering with CSOs is increasingly part of how ADB does its business. These organizations provide expertise and knowledge, give voice to marginalized communities, test innovative approaches to poverty reduction, and ensure that those affected by development projects have a greater opportunity to get involved. Partnerships with groups that work at the grassroots level can help ADB reach some of the most vulnerable communities in the region.
“Civil society organizations are ADB’s valuable partners. They help us craft relevant strategies and policies, design projects that respond to communities’ needs, and deliver on intended project outcomes. With their intimate knowledge of context on the ground, CSOs help ensure that ADB operations are transparent, inclusive, and effective.” said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa.