Comments for Devidea http://www.devidea.org International Development Effectiveness Alliance Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:51:15 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Concepts Generated in the SID-sponsored event: Mutual Learning, October 13, 2011 by Ron http://www.devidea.org/concepts-generated-in-the-sid-sponsored-event-mutual-learning-october-13-2011/#comment-213 Ron Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:51:15 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=235#comment-213 I am curious to know if this is a post by John Marks or whether you are quoting John. I know John well and admire his organization. Let me know. I am curious to know if this is a post by John Marks or whether you are quoting John. I know John well and admire his organization. Let me know.

]]> Comment on Working Session: Next International Development Leaders in Action Session April 19-20, 2012 by Ryan http://www.devidea.org/training-event-international-development-leaders-in-action/#comment-203 Ryan Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:18:08 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=80#comment-203 What is wlmeoce about this discussion is that it provides an opportunity to consider how we should combine all the arms of our international activity in places like Afghanistan, where we have committed our armed services to conflict. DfID cannot remain apart. How much of DfID’s budget is spent in Afghanistan, and on what, are questions to be decided in the light of what Afghanistan’s overwhelming needs are and how DfID can usefully contribute to the UK’s collective response to them. They are not questions for DfID alone any more than fighting the Taleban or Al Qaeda are for the MoD alone.The same approach applies elsewhere. If we continue to be interested in being useful in the world, we should look in a similar, co-ordinated way at how we deploy resources in other countries which evidently need support.Aid is rarely a pure form of doing good. It makes an important statement to givers and recipients about our standing in relation to the people who run their country. Badly governed countries may need more effort in governance than water. With limited resources, we may have to choose which to assist. We may have to recognise that helping one without the other is a waste of effort, and do neither. We also need to recognise where our interests lie, which of the possible recipients most merit our limited funding, and how we best combine with others. These are questions of international, not just aid policy. What is wlmeoce about this discussion is that it provides an opportunity to consider how we should combine all the arms of our international activity in places like Afghanistan, where we have committed our armed services to conflict. DfID cannot remain apart. How much of DfID’s budget is spent in Afghanistan, and on what, are questions to be decided in the light of what Afghanistan’s overwhelming needs are and how DfID can usefully contribute to the UK’s collective response to them. They are not questions for DfID alone any more than fighting the Taleban or Al Qaeda are for the MoD alone.The same approach applies elsewhere. If we continue to be interested in being useful in the world, we should look in a similar, co-ordinated way at how we deploy resources in other countries which evidently need support.Aid is rarely a pure form of doing good. It makes an important statement to givers and recipients about our standing in relation to the people who run their country. Badly governed countries may need more effort in governance than water. With limited resources, we may have to choose which to assist. We may have to recognise that helping one without the other is a waste of effort, and do neither. We also need to recognise where our interests lie, which of the possible recipients most merit our limited funding, and how we best combine with others. These are questions of international, not just aid policy.

]]> Comment on Concepts Generated in the SID-sponsored event: Mutual Learning, October 13, 2011 by Sharieef http://www.devidea.org/concepts-generated-in-the-sid-sponsored-event-mutual-learning-october-13-2011/#comment-202 Sharieef Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:01:25 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=235#comment-202 From John Marks, Search for Common Ground:I found the DFID paper to be eeelclxnt. Unfortunately, however, it almost totally focuses on governments and multi-lateral organizations and mostly leaves out the work of international NGOs like Search for Common Ground. My colleagues and I believe the kind of activities that we and other NGOs carry out is an extremely important component of peacebuilding. We would define the missing element as bottom-up peacebuilding that is implemented across entire countries. Our descriptive term for this is “societal conflict prevention.” It involves creating an environment in a particular country so that there is popular support for the actual negotiation of peace agreements and so that even the most contentious problems and differences can be dealt with, without violence. In sum, we believe that peacemaking needs to be both a top-down and a bottom-up process, and that, if the latter is not included, agreements are much less likely to take hold. We are convinced that agreements at the governmental level are necessary, but usually not sufficient, and the DFID paper does not, in my view, capture this.The study does, nevertheless, briefly mention bottom-up, peacebuilding, without defining it, when it cites the work of Safer World and Kenyan Concerned Citizens for Peace (CCP) to establish reconciliation structures in Kenya. Even here, there is no mention of the key role the media and popular culture can play in changing mass attitudes and behaviors; nor is there any sense of a comprehensive or “societal” approach to peacemaking that can be catalyzed and enhanced by international NGOs like Search. We very much believe that this kind of work should be included as an important part of the overall toolbox for conflict prevention – in addition to the contribution of governments and international bodies. Click for a short paper I have written on “Societal Conflict Prevention,” with particular emphasis on how it worked in Burundi. Lastly, I believe the paper should cite as an impediment to peacebuilding the increasing trend of donors, including DFID, to place a growing part of their resources in trust funds controlled by agencies like UNDP and the World Bank. Unfortunately, these agencies are often unresponsive and bureaucratic. For example, earlier this year we finally received actual funding for a conflict prevention project in an Asisan country that had been approved two years earlier. While everyone would hope that multi-lateral organizations would function better and that incidents like this one would not happen, they repeatedly do. National donors, by putting more and more eggs in multi-lateral baskets would seem to be making it more and more difficult to carry out targeted, timely peacebuilding. From John Marks, Search for Common Ground:I found the DFID paper to be eeelclxnt. Unfortunately, however, it almost totally focuses on governments and multi-lateral organizations and mostly leaves out the work of international NGOs like Search for Common Ground. My colleagues and I believe the kind of activities that we and other NGOs carry out is an extremely important component of peacebuilding. We would define the missing element as bottom-up peacebuilding that is implemented across entire countries. Our descriptive term for this is “societal conflict prevention.” It involves creating an environment in a particular country so that there is popular support for the actual negotiation of peace agreements and so that even the most contentious problems and differences can be dealt with, without violence. In sum, we believe that peacemaking needs to be both a top-down and a bottom-up process, and that, if the latter is not included, agreements are much less likely to take hold. We are convinced that agreements at the governmental level are necessary, but usually not sufficient, and the DFID paper does not, in my view, capture this.The study does, nevertheless, briefly mention bottom-up, peacebuilding, without defining it, when it cites the work of Safer World and Kenyan Concerned Citizens for Peace (CCP) to establish reconciliation structures in Kenya. Even here, there is no mention of the key role the media and popular culture can play in changing mass attitudes and behaviors; nor is there any sense of a comprehensive or “societal” approach to peacemaking that can be catalyzed and enhanced by international NGOs like Search. We very much believe that this kind of work should be included as an important part of the overall toolbox for conflict prevention – in addition to the contribution of governments and international bodies. Click for a short paper I have written on “Societal Conflict Prevention,” with particular emphasis on how it worked in Burundi. Lastly, I believe the paper should cite as an impediment to peacebuilding the increasing trend of donors, including DFID, to place a growing part of their resources in trust funds controlled by agencies like UNDP and the World Bank. Unfortunately, these agencies are often unresponsive and bureaucratic. For example, earlier this year we finally received actual funding for a conflict prevention project in an Asisan country that had been approved two years earlier. While everyone would hope that multi-lateral organizations would function better and that incidents like this one would not happen, they repeatedly do. National donors, by putting more and more eggs in multi-lateral baskets would seem to be making it more and more difficult to carry out targeted, timely peacebuilding.

]]> Comment on Working Session: Next International Development Leaders in Action Session April 19-20, 2012 by Ron http://www.devidea.org/training-event-international-development-leaders-in-action/#comment-129 Ron Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:09:23 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=80#comment-129 Dear Beatriz, Thanks for your enquiry. We assume that you meant the Development Leaders in Action Working Session. The cost for the two-day session is $300. You can register by simply letting us know that you will be there. You can bring your check to the Fintrac offices where we will be holding the working session. Best regards, IDEA staff Dear Beatriz,

Thanks for your enquiry. We assume that you meant the Development Leaders in Action Working Session. The cost for the two-day session is $300. You can register by simply letting us know that you will be there. You can bring your check to the Fintrac offices where we will be holding the working session.

Best regards,

IDEA staff

]]> Comment on Working Session: Next International Development Leaders in Action Session April 19-20, 2012 by Beatriz Coningham http://www.devidea.org/training-event-international-development-leaders-in-action/#comment-118 Beatriz Coningham Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:35:16 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=80#comment-118 This seems very interesting. Where can I find information on costs and registration? Many thanks, Beatriz This seems very interesting. Where can I find information on costs and registration?

Many thanks,

Beatriz

]]> Comment on Concepts Generated in the SID-sponsored event: Mutual Learning, October 13, 2011 by Dan Moriarty http://www.devidea.org/concepts-generated-in-the-sid-sponsored-event-mutual-learning-october-13-2011/#comment-40 Dan Moriarty Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:50:01 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=235#comment-40 Thanks to IDEA for sharing these take-aways from the recent Mutual Learning event, which I was sadly unable to attend. These are positive, realistic and implementable goals to work towards. All the best, Dan Thanks to IDEA for sharing these take-aways from the recent Mutual Learning event, which I was sadly unable to attend. These are positive, realistic and implementable goals to work towards.
All the best,
Dan

]]> Comment on Weekly Developmental Thought: Malcolm Gladwell’s Contributions in The Tipping Point, February20, 2012 by mel schnapper http://www.devidea.org/developmental-thought-for-the-week/#comment-3 mel schnapper Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:51:35 +0000 http://www.devidea.org/?p=76#comment-3 Impressive vision, etc. I'm now composing an email to you. Let's hook up soon. Impressive vision, etc. I’m now composing an email to you. Let’s hook up soon.

]]>