The Role of Civil Societies in
Policy Advocacy in Tanzania
By Nestory Masswe
TANGO
Outline cont’d
• The role of CSOs in development
• The influence of CSOs in national policies
• The challenges encountered by CSOs during
policy influencing
Aim of the paper
• Broaden and deepen the understanding of the
people on the role and contribution of the
CSOs in development and the influence of
national policies.
• However, the paper focuses on the role and
contribution of CSOs in national trade policy
and trade related issues
WHY CSOs INFLUENCE TRADE POLICY?
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Have fair and just trade
Trade benefits the majority
People’s livelihood improved
Human and People’s Rights observed
Hold the government accountable to the
people.
Sectors of the nation
• 1 or Public/Government
• 2 or Merchant/Private/Businesses
• 3 or Voluntary/Civil Society
Motives of the sectors of the nations
• Government -To govern
• Business -To make profit
• Civil Society-Peoples’ development
Sectors of the nation
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Voters of voters
Customers/
Consumers
Target group/beneficiaries
Types of CSOs
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Political parties
Faith based
Trade union
Professional
Sports cultural and social
NGOs (according to NGO Act No 24 of 2002)
CBOs
Private sector e.g TCCIA, PSF, CTI etc
Cooperative societies
Media
National Trade Policies
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National Trade Policy
National Industrial Development Policy
Investment Policy
Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Policy
Marketing Policy
Procurement Act/competitive policy
Business Registration Act
Parastotal organizations Reform Act
EPAs Related Trade Policies
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Agriculture
Fisheries
Mining
Tourism
TRIPS
Taxation or tariffs
Trade in Services
Markets
Development Co-operation (Foreign Policy)
WHY CSOs EXIST?
• To supplement and complement government
development activities, programmes project
(implementation of government policies)
• To ensure that the government governs according to
international and national good governance practices.
• To develop the capacity of the communities
government and other CSOs
• To generally information and knowledge to the public
• To ensure that there is good corporate governance
within the private sector
• To develop good relations with other two sectors of the
nation.
Cont’d
– Educate the people an various national policies and
legal frame works
– Mobilize people to join efforts and demand for their
rights
– Lobby, advocate and pressurize the decision makers to
make pro poor policies and implement policies and
signed protocols, agreements, conventions, charters
etc
– Research on the impacts of trade policies to social
development
– Monitor and assess the implementation of policies,
conventions, protocols, chartes, agreements etc
Classes of CSOs
– Social Service delivery
– Capacity building
– Policy Advocacy
– Research
THE GROWTH OF CSOs IN TANZANIA
• Limited faith based NGOs since colonial times
• No political or advocacy organiastions or groups
were allowed during colonial times
• More CSOs emerged after globalisation,
liberalisation and democratic governance
introduced in the South
• Retrenchement of civil servants accellerated CSOs
formation from late 80s
• North donors lost confidence with South
governments and funded CSOs
cont’d
• In 2000 NGO policy was formulated and in
2003 new NGO Act no 24 was enacted.
CSOs INFLUENCE IN NATIONAL TRADE
POLICIES
• CSOs are represented in some of government
technical working groups.
• CSOs sometimes (donor conditions) are
consulted.
• CSOs conduct policy campaigns eg human
rights, implementation of policies, budget,
plans, programmes, good governance etc
• CSOs carry out researches (development)
Cont’d
• CSOs lobby and advocate for fair and just trde
• CSOs analyze policy documents
• CSOs create policy awareness to the
communities and public including
politicians(councilors, MPs and political party
leadrs) and government officials.
CSOs and EPAs
• Tanzania signed Cotonou Agreement in2000
• In 2002 Tanzania started negotiating on EPAs
• NSAs was formed by the MoF and economic
Affairs in 2003
• EPAs awareness creation to the public and CSOs
were done in 2004
• TANGO created awareness on EPAs to some CSOs
• TANGO carried out a survey on the impact of
EPAs to common Tanzanians.
• TANGO prepared CSOs position on EPAs from the
survey findings
EPAs Negotiation Mechanism in
Tanzania
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National EPAs Steering Committee (NESC)
National EPAs Technical Team (NETT)
NETT operated for one year
The current EPAs negotiation mechanism is
not known to most stakeholders
• NSAs people were trained as negotiators
• Some NSAs were trained in international trade
at the UDSM (two intakes)
Tanzainia CSOs Trade Coalition
• Few advocacy CSOs (20) established a trade coalition in
2005
• The coalition conducted roundtable on EPAs with the
government and Members of the Parliament.
• NSA secretariat commissioned one of the Coalition
member to analyse the signed Interim EPAs by Tanzania as
EAC EPA negotiation block
• Oxfam JOLIT one of the members of the trade coalition
shared research findings on the impact of EPAs to ACP
Countries.
• One or two CSOs trade coalition members their our
capacity had a chance to participate in one or two
negotiation meetings at sub-regional level (EAC).
Cont’d
• Some regions like Morogoro and Iringa formed
trade coalitions
• Njombe CSO network is a member of the
business council in Njombe district.
Interim EAC EPAs
• Many members of the NSAs were not in
favour of Tanzania in signing the interim EPAs
in December 31 2007
• Several CSOs, like the Trade Coalition, TEC,
TEDG, CCT, MVIWATA, East African Farmers
Association etc each gave a protest statement
“ STOP EPAs”.
CHALLENGES IN POLICY INFLUENCING
– Lack of legal framework on NSAs engagement/participation in decision making processes.
– Lack of tripartite policies and legal frame
– Weak linkage or relations between the private sector CSOs and CS organization or commonly
referred to NGOs
– Weak relations and understanding among CSOs both at national and local levels
– Most advocacy CSOs do not focus on trade. (Multi policy advocacy)
– Low CSOs’ competence in trade issues
– Lack of or poor coordination between research institutions and advocacy CSOs
– Inadequate funding of advocacy and research activities or programmes participation in
decision making process
– Inadequate advocacy skills and competence
– Un operational NETT Committee
– Restructuring of the EPAs negotiation mechanism (NETT) without CSOs consultation and
information
– Most CSOs are still afraid of the consequences’ of engaging effectively in policy advocacy as
watchdogs
CONCLUSION
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All three sectors of the nation are equally important as each has its own motive. If each motive is well managed,
peoples sustainable development and human and peoples right will be attained
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The three sectors must work together as equal partners in development every one respecting each other and
being accountable to the people/stakeholder
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The CS sector is big and diverge hence it has to build strong relation and good understanding to support each
other
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The CSOs have to develop bravery and capacity in policy advocacy and engagement particularly in trade and trade
related issues.
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The government should not be afraid of practicing good governance as that is the only way it can rule/govern
peacefully and effectiveness
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The government should institutionalize the partnership and relations with the CSOs to allow effective engagement
of CSOs in policy making processes at all levels.
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CSOs like FES, Oxfam JOLIT, NSA coordination unit have published ACP/EPAs text in simpler language including
Kiswahili publications.