Civil society organisations (CSO) can provide a conduit through which the voices of citizens are able to reach and influence high-level policy dialogue and debate. But is this happening in practice? This study set out to examine how effectively and meaningfully CSO member organisations are participating in two civil society networks in Tanzania, and to assess how effective those networks are at influencing national policies and agendas.
The main incentive for a CSO to join a network is the opportunity to achieve a goal that it could not otherwise reach on its own, and network governance styles are influenced by the perceived optimal way to do that. Some believe that network goals will be most expediently reached through meaningful participation, extensive consultation, goal driven agendas, as well as nuanced representation of the plurality of members’ views at high-level fora (instrumental participation). Others believe that their goals will be more quickly or easily reached by aggregating and distilling their members’ views – and linking them to those pursuing similar agendas outside the network – to create one strong advocacy base and position (symbolic participation).
This study set out to examine two national networks that epitomised the two styles of participation, to see what could be learnt from their behaviour and effectiveness. The team selected:
- The Tanzania Education Network/Mtandao wa Elimu Tanzania (TEN/MET) as an example of instrumental participation
- The Tanzania Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (TANGO) as an example of symbolic representation.
The study set out to gather information on key aspects of network governance and member participation in both organisations, gathering quantitative and qualitative primary data from three geographical zones in which the networks were working. In total, 120 CSOs were part of the study (60 from each organisation). The study found that:
- Members of TEN/MET were more likely to attend network meetings, more likely to be consulted in key decision-making processes, and more likely to pay their membership fees.
- Payment of annual subscription fee was the major form of participation in both organisations, while consultation was the least common form.
- The key factor in determining participation in both organisations was effective information sharing. In TEN/MET, tolerance for different views during advocacy campaigns was also a predictor of member participation.
- In neither organisation were the other factors reviewed (members’ identities, size, locational differences, trust, problem-solving, or frictions) predictors of members’ participation.
The study found that TEN/MET members participate more actively and instrumentally than members from TANGO, and are having more success advocating with – and influencing – government. TEN/MET has been able to affect educational policies despite institutional challenges, and has been acknowledged by the government to be a trusted partner in shaping national educational policy. These results support Houtzager and Lavalle’s theory (2009) that networks that are close to their members and open to participation are more likely to contribute to effective political representation than those that are distant and hermetic. TEN/MET’s genuine and meaningful level of participation appears to have been brought about in part by good governance structures, defined roles, and effective earmarking of funding for participatory activities.
As a result of their findings, the study team recommends that:
- Network secretariats should emulate TEN/MET’s governance structures and funding incentives.
- Effective information sharing should be a priority of all networks. Secretariats should consider the needs of small rural CSOs when packaging information.
- Civil society donors should develop network assessment criteria (to involve member organisations in advocacy planning), and tie those criteria to funding.
- Government ministries, departments and agencies should put in place clear rules to fully and transparently involve civil society networks in policy processes and dialogue.
- The National Council of NGOs (NACONGO) should create an online forum for sharing network experiences, successes, challenges and best participation practices.
- Members of civil society networks should choose among themselves how their views should be represented and who should represent them in policy dialogues.
- Network secretariats should establish clear rules to ensure a fair balance of power and influence among different members.
