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Belangenbehartiging & Beleidsbeïnvloeding Nieuws

Policy paper – Recommendations for a more power-balanced and effective policy framework strengthening civil society

This policy paper is the culmination of an extensive multi-year consultation process involving organizations and individuals from both the Netherlands and the global majority world. It offers policy recommendations to support the development of the new policy framework ‘Strengthening Civil Society’ from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

07 maart 2024

What is it about?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ current policy framework for strengthening civil society is set to conclude in 2025. Over the past years, Partos, in collaboration with its members and international experts, has collected insights and developed recommendations to make the new policy framework for 2026 and beyond more inclusive, flexible, and, above all, effective.

This policy paper underscores the need for structural changes across four themes such as agenda setting, accountability, risk sharing, and monitoring & evaluation.

Policy Paper

Key background documents

  1. Voices on Power – interviews with recommendations from the Partos Shift the Power Lab by Southern leaders (2023)
  2. Where do we go from Here? (2024) – A comprehensive scientific study on the dynamics of shift the power
  3. Rethinking MEL: A guide for Feminist MEL (2024)
  4. General consultation by Partos among its members on the policy framework (2023)
  5. Dreampaper from the Partos Shift the Power Lab highlighting key issues from the ‘Power of Voices’ policy framework (2021/2022)

Update Planning ’24 new policy framework

The current policy framework for strengthening civil society ends in 2025. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that preparations for developing the new policy framework have begun.

Partos receives many questions about the progress of preparations for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ new policy framework for the next round of strategic partnerships to strengthen civil society in low-income countries. Based on the regular consultations the Partos board has with the Social Development Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, herewith is a brief update (28 March ’24). The aim is to send a framework letter, in which the frameworks previously outlined by Minister Schreinemacher (including a commitment to localisation, 5-year term, and simplification of instruments), to the Parlement (Tweede Kamer) before the summer. Subsequently, the commitment is to launch the tender in autumn 2024 so that selection can take place in 2025. The exact schedule is expected to be worked out in the parliamentary letter.

  • Before summer: Policy letter to Dutch Parliament
  • Autumn: Publication of the new policy framework