Making policy reform work Understanding the politics for better advocacy Alexandre Cote SIEMPRE,...

Making policy reform work Understanding the politics for

better advocacy

Alexandre Cote SIEMPRE, DEC. 2008, Tirana (updated april 2010)

[email protected]

Policy reform

• We talk a lot about it but…• We rarely seems it coming to an end…• Are we really aware of what it means?…• Are we really taking it as seriously as we

should?…• Are we naïve or idealist or cynical?…• DO WE BELIEVE?...• DO WE TRUST?….

Basic rules of the game

NOTHING IS OBVIOUS

IT S NOT DONE UNTIL IT’S DEFINITELY FINISHED

UNTIL YOU GAVE EVERYTHING, YOU GOT NOTHING

SOMETIMES GIVING EVERYTHING IS NOT ENOUGH

And …..

3 KEY WORDS

EVERYTHING IS POLITICS

Chapters

• What are we talking about?– What is public policy?– From politics to change in people’s lives– Who is involved and for what?

• Multi stakeholders: public-ngos partnership, what kind of relationship

• Tools for political analysis of policy reform

• Advocate, advocate advocate: some lessons learned

PUBLIC POLICY: WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

Needs, rights, resources and policy?

Public Policy

Social innovation

Governance

RightsLocal

legislation

International binding legal instruments

Needs

Survival Full Participation

ResourcesState Community

Public policy, social innovation and good governance are ways to allocate often scarce resources to enforce rights and entitlements that respond to needs.

What is Public Policy?• A set of defined or at least definable values;

• A clear vision of a desirable future that is based on these values that should foresee positive change in life of population

• Appropriate strategies that can be implemented in order to realize that vision.

• Implementation package includes:– Legislation– Adequate Procedures– Enforcement body– Implementation plan– Dedicated resources– Staff training– Monitoring and Evaluation

• Public policy is the output of politics and is most of the time the results of strong negotiation whether we talk a bout legislative, budgetary issues…

• The interaction between policy and politics can be defined as policy making

Every level has its relevance

• International policy / agenda : EU/ WB. Accession process, structural adjustment, aid conditionality

• National Agenda: PRSP…• National Disability Strategy• National specific policy (health care, education,

employment, child protection…)

• Local level (community development, local disability action plan , agenda 22…)

A process and a system…

Polity :The rules and the

stakeholders

People’s lives :Level of autonomy,

quality of life Degree of participation in the community life.The impact of politics and output of policy

Practice :How does it work

on the field?The outcome of

politics and output of policy

Policy :The output of the

politics.

Politics :The political power

play . Ideology and interest

Policy making


stakeholders







politics.



Policy making

Brings people’s life in

From consultation to lobbying


stakeholders







politics.



Policy making

Support policy development

Technical assistance


stakeholders







politics.



Policy making

Bring policy to practice

Policy making

People’s lives :Level of autonomy, quality of life Degree of participation in the community life.

Practice :How does it work on the field

Policy :The outcome of the politics.

Polity :The rules and the stakeholders

Politics :The political power play . Ideology and interest

Su

pp

ort to

inn

ovatio

n

Su

pp

ort to

service delivery

Bring innovation in people s life

Scale up good practice to policy

Policy making

People’s lives :Level of autonomy, quality of life Degree of participation in the community life.

Practice :How does it work on the field

Policy :The outcome of the politics.

Polity :The rules and the stakeholders

Politics :The political power play . Ideology and interest


stakeholders







politics.



Policy making

Su

pp

ort to

inn

ovatio

n

Su

pp

ort to

service delivery

Scale up

Support to DPOs Surveys/support to multi stakeholders process

Technical assistance

to ministries

SUMMARY…..

Stakeholders involved…International organisation

Local authorities

Civil sectorInterest groups

Disabled people organistaion

SocialService providers

Private sector

? ?

?

National authorities

USERS / CITIZENS

SERVICE PROVIDERS

POLICY MAKERS

? ?

?

DONORS

?

?

OPINION

MAKERS

?

?

?

MULTI STAKEHOLDERS?

Stakeholders involvedOpinion makers

Supply side Demand side Policy makers

-National and local media-Think tank

-Human rights ngos

-NGOs-School-Primary

health care-Youth centers

-Centers for Social Work (CSW)….

-Parents-Children

-Adults with disabilities

-Ministries-High

council…-Governors-Directorate

-District authorities

-DONORS?

PUBLIC-NGOS PARTNERSHIP WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP?Based on : Kelly Teamey, 2007 “Literature Review on Relationships between Government and Non-state Providers of Services”, International Development Department , University of Birmingham

What are we talking about?

• Contracting?

• Purchasing?

• Cooperation?

• Subordination?

• Mutual benefit?

• Trust?

• Sharing resources?

Mutuality*Identity

• Mutuality (interdependence and commitment between partners, equality in decision-making and rights and responsibilities)

• Organisational identity (the maintenance of each partner’s own identity, mission, beliefs, core values and constituencies).

• The primary driver of a partnership is to access key resources needed to reach objectives.

(Brinkerhoff, 2002)

Mutuality*Identity

Mutuality

Organisationalidentity

Co-optation and gradual absorption

Partnership

ContractingExtension

Power and institutional pluralism

(Coston, 1998)

Goal*strategies (Najam 2002)

Goal

Strategy

=

-

- =

Complementarity

Confrontation Co-optation

Cooperation

So who plans, regulates, delivers, finances, advocates…?

WHO SHOULD? WHO CAN? WHO WANT?

Central authorities?

Local authorities?

Community?

DPOs?

NGOs?


Local authorities?

Community?

DPOs?

NGOs?


Local authorities?

Community?

DPOs?

NGOs?

VALUES STAKES

CONSTRAINTSRESOURCES

WILL

CAPACITY

Always think about stakeholders will and capacity …

WILL

CAPACITY

Direct or indirect Influence towards policy makers

Non state mechanisms to develop policies

Supporting Users’ awareness raising and advocacy activities

Advocacy towards Donors to bring resources

Direct or indirect substitution to duty bearers

Capacity building of providers Strategy for supporting empowerment of users

Advocacy and awareness raising

SUPPORTING THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

AND THE MONITORINGBY PEOPLE CONCERNED

Advocacy towards Donors to bring resources

Capacity building of policy makers

and service providersSupporting advocacy

by users - beneficiaries

WHETHER DUTY BEARERS ARE WILLING AND ABLE TO DO IT? (based on DFID “improving services delivery in difficult environment” 2001 )

TOOLS FOR POLITICAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL POLICY REFORM

Based on: - Joan M. Nelson 2003, “The Politics Of Social Sector Reforms”, ODI Washington, DC- Grindle M and Thomas J “Implementing reform: Arena, stakes and resources. Public choices and policy change: the political economy of reform in developing countries” Baltimore, john Hopkins university Press.

Difficult social service reforms..

• No technical consensus• Require active collaboration of many

stakeholders• Takes years to implement from legislation to

staff training..• No cost in delaying action• Different motivation of service providers (public

private non profits)• Competition between social sectors for scarce

resources (middle class/poor – availability/universality/diversity /quality)

Thinking policy reform

• Values• Vision• Legislation• Adequate Procedures• Enforcement body• Implementation plan• budget• Staff training• Monitoring and Evaluation

Working groups (examples from the Balkans region)

• Gate keeping reform based on ICF for adults with disability merging all status and impairements

• Increase of the Disability allowance

• Community services / de-institutionalisation social services delivery reform

• Inclusive education

Which ambition for the reform?From Joan M. Nelson, THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL SECTOR REFORMS, 2002

Advantages Drawbacks

Broad functional scope * mobilizes wider interest, morepotential allies* less likely than narrow reformsto be defeated by system inertia* may attract more donor support

* mobilizes broad opposition* difficult to launch quietly* hard to administer, high risksof mistakes

Radical depth * may draw stronger support fromthose dissatisfied with old system* attracts attention, interest

* mobilizes intense opposition

Speed * allows reformers to seizefavorable moments* lets reformers keep ahead ofgrowing opposition* helps maintain momentum

* limits consultation, reducesperceived legitimacy* risks mistakes inimplementation

Wide geographicspread

* may be technically necessary for

some reforms

* spreads leadership andsupervision thin* reduces opportunities to letprogressive localities moveahead, provide models forlaggards

Political analysis From Joan M. Nelson, THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL SECTOR REFORMS, 2003

LOW HIGH

Concentration of cost (who is impacted ? How important this is )

A wide part of population is impacted

just few groups are impacted

Concentration of benefits (who benefit ? How important it is )

A wide part of population will benefit

Only a small group will benefit

Technical content No complexity High technicalities and require expertise

Level of participation Not many people and stakeholder have to be

mobilized

A lot of stakeholders need to contribute

Duration Short term reform from agenda to implementation

Long process

Different politics for different reforms? From grindle Merilee and john thomas (1991)

Characteristicof reform

Dispersal ofthe costs

Dispersal ofthe benefits

Technical andadministrative

complexity

Level of publicparticipation

Duration andvisibility of

reform process

Features of reforms in thebureaucratic arena, requiring

bureaucratic compliance

Costs focus ongovernment institutions

Benefits are notimmediately felt by

bureaucracy and onlyin long term by public

Reforms are administrativelycomplex

Reforms require limited publicinvolvement and are ‘invisible’

Reforms require sustained effortwith few immediate visible returns

Features of reforms in thepublic arena, requiring political

support and stability

Costs have wide impactamong the population

Benefits are focused ongovernment

Reforms have lowadministrative content

and can be done quickly

Reforms require wide publicinvolvement and are ‘visible’

Reforms can be achievedquickly and are visible

Working groups

• Gate keeping reform based on ICF for adults with disability merging all status and impairements

• Increase of the Disability allowance

• Community services / de-institutionalisation social services delivery reform

• Inclusive education

Routes to policy reform

• Multiple institutional options for policy reform, each with its own pros and cons– “Long routes”

• Lead by central government bureaucracy• Lead by sub-national governments

– “Short routes” • By special agencies• Donors supported reform teams • By nonstate providers (for-profit and non-profit)• With community participation

• Successful service delivery reforms (esp. short routes) are plenty, but...

Can they be sustained or scaled up?

– The State matters • Short-route innovations are difficult to institutionalize and

sustain• Are difficult to replicate/scale up• And are prone to capture due to lack of accountability

– Private/civil sector delivery with its own pitfalls• Need for effective compensatory policies and strong

regulation (geographic distribution, discriminatory access)

Managing the reform process (gov) From Joan M. Nelson, THE POLITICS OF SOCIAL SECTOR REFORMS, 2002

4) Implementationa. Smooth launch

b. Rapid problem solving

2) Reaching agreement with the Executivea. Recognizing viewsb. Wining top support

3) Winning Legislative Approvala. Reducing or neutralizing opposition from vested interests.

b. Building Alliancesc. Modling public opinion

1.) Getting on the agenda

Which tactics

• Public education and media campaign

• Consultation with stakeholders

• Compensation with potential “looser”

• Dividing opponents

• Avoiding confrontation

• Creating linkage between different reforms

• Building alliances with early winners

POLITICAL TASK

TACTICS

public education

consultation compensationdividing

opponentavoiding

confrontationlinkage

early winners

getting in the agenda

reaching agreement

winning legislative approval

a reducing vested interest

building alliances

modling public opinion

ImplementationLaunchingsustaining

It’s complex, so what?

• Alone we cannot solve problem neither public administration nor NGOs

• We can give ourselves the illusion that we can

• But at the end, we need to work together which doesn’t mean we are friends

• Nobody say it will be easy….

ADVOCATE, ADVOCATE, ADVOCATE….Lessons learned from POLIO PLUS team, Macedonia, about their national advocacy campaign “My signature is the law”

Advocate Advocate advocate….

I. Identify needs, issues, rights

IV. Official adoption of policy

V. Implementing

policy (budget)

VI. Monitoring the implementation of the

policy/law A

dvo

cac

yLo

bby

ing

Ad

voc

acy

Lob

byi

ng

II. Decision of public response

Ad

voc

acyLob

bying

Advocacy

Lobbying

III. Develop, formulate

policy (through consultation)

Ad

voc

acyLob

bying

Advocacy Aimed at

recognizing the lack of

solution and the need for

action or policy

Lessons learned from Polio Plus campaign “my signature is the law” by Polio Plus Team , Skopje, Macedonia

1. Include! Include! Include!• Never even think that all interested parties have already

been included in the process. There is always someone who, if is not included, might became enemy of your idea. We experienced that on our own skin.

2.Educate!• No matter how many educated and aware people join

you, never overestimate their knowledge for such a specific issue. The earlier you start with their education, the less problems you will have once the work has entered in its crucially important phase.

Lessons learned3. Be aware of the invisible enemy!• Your opponents will never publicly state that they are against the

rights of people with disabilities. But, as all is a matter of interest, might happen that yours and their interests are completely opposed.

4.Do not travel alone! • The old African proverb says: “If you want to travel fast - go alone,

but if you want to get far- walk with the others”. Maybe, we understood this ancient wisdom a bit too late.

5.Individual vs. Frontal• To have a real distinction of all the “mess” which you faced you

need strong individuals and “clean” opinion makers. So, don’t “burn” them during the process. You must protect them from frontal impact with back-up support of legitimate groups, organizations and institutions.

Lessons learned6. Far away is (simply) closer…• Extend the process to the maximum. Only then you will provide

enough time for more knowledge, and enough space for more people take ownership over the process. Educated “boss” will not give up from what they think is theirs.

7.The closer you get –more resistance you face!• Go carefully with fundamental interventions in the existing systems.

Each system (even the worst and the weakest one), has its own mechanisms for self-protection. The more you touch their inner core, the greater becomes the resistance and you will just improve their cohesive forces of their dummy disconnection and disorganization.

8. You can never get enough of media support! • In all systems with “indirect“ democracy, the only tool to “articulate”

your voice and “your truth” is through direct communication. As clearer your message is, more accurately it will be transferred to the general public. Use the media wisely, with wisdom, be present, but not tedious, be clear, but not rude; be worried, but not frustrated. Finally, help the people from the media. They will know how to show appreciation.

Lessons learned

9. Politicians will always be just politicians! • Politics does not always (and for everything) have to be

in accordance with your position. The priorities change on daily basis, and political regrouping may happen in a flash. The events not always go in line with your time schedule. As much as the very next day, your main supporter might be disfavored by the establishment or the public opinion. Do not bind yourself to the political positions of any group. Make the groups (in their strategy, programs and personal relations and presentations) to bind themselves to your cause.

10. The invisibles are your visibility • Discover, inspire and mind the “little” activists,

volunteers, members … You will be surprised how big support, visibility and sustainability you can get.

Making policy reform work Understanding the politics for better advocacy Alexandre Cote SIEMPRE,...

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