What strategies are needed for global norms in development to take root and become part of global and domestic agendas? This study explores global development norms from emergence to implementation. It argues that raising awareness alone is not sufficient to achieve transformational change: implementation and monitoring must be considered equally important to global agenda-setting.
Norms in development are typically established at the global level to solve complex development challenges on the ground. These norms are standards of expected behaviour and are deemed crucial for societies to flourish. Global norms, however, often fail to take root in local contexts. Many initiatives are effective in putting norms on the global agenda, but few of these norms lead to transformational change on the ground because of cultural and political economy challenges that were not considered.
The implementation and enforcement of norms may be the most difficult part of governance reform processes. Several challenges impede the success of governance reform efforts across countries and sectors. It is often difficult to:
- Secure political will and identify the best approaches for reaching out to decision makers
- Gain the support of public sector middle managers who often are the strongest opponents of change
- Build broad coalitions with influential actors favouring change and tackling powerful vested interests
- Transform indifferent or hostile public opinion into support for reform efforts
- Instigate citizen demand for accountability to sustain governance reform
- Find sufficient resources to allow the inclusion of implementation and monitoring in campaigns.
While there are common challenges to implementation, specific contextual challenges can be identified through political economy analysis. In order to achieve more successful outcomes, the following lessons should be considered:
- Strategies must be flexible enough to reflect an ever-changing political landscape and public opinion.
- Engagement with public officials and the public is an ongoing process. Moreover, for global norms to transplant, long-term commitment as well as cooperation among a broad range of highly involved stakeholders is crucial.
- The responsibility and ownership of global norm diffusion ought to extend to the broader public, not be limited to a few elite actors.
- Strong backing from non-state actors is necessary to drive change processes toward implementation – non-state actors are often left out or not considered equal partners among other stakeholders.
- Domestic actors can play a crucial role in building support and mobilising public opinion by carrying out credible and relevant campaigns based on sound analysis of the political economy environment.
- Establishing partnerships with local actors can be crucial for monitoring implementation. Global campaign coalitions ought to engage and empower domestic actors as equal partners in advocating for transformational change.
