Project Description

Perception study as input for the policy review ‘Support through Dutch NGOs for the sustainable development of civil society in developing countries’ (policy objective 3.3.) as teamleader, together with Helga van Kampen and Suzanne van Rooijen.

Objectives
The specific objectives of this perception study are to gain deeper insights in:

  1. What are the Dutch NGO’s (MFS II) expertise and experiences regarding themes, and regarding capacity development of NGO’s and civil society?
  2. What is the Southern NGO’s appreciation of:
    • the ability of Dutch NGO’s to provide support under difficult or political sensitive situations;
    • the Dutch NGO’s expertise and experiences regarding themes, capacity development and civil society;
    • the capacity of Dutch NGO’s to influence policy; to contribute to the development of Southern NGO’s lobby and advocacy capacity.
  3. What is the nature and practice of cooperation between the Dutch NGO’s and Southern NGO’s?

The perception study included desk research, an online perception survey among one thousand Dutch and Southern civil society organizations, including NGO’s and trade unions, in depth interviews with these NGO’s, kick-off and feedback workshops with organizations involved and field visits to Indonesia, Uganda, Ethiopia and India.

Result 
Report used as input by MoFA to conduct the entire policy review and to account to the Dutch Parliament about the expenditures (EUR 2.371 million) for the evaluation period 2011-2015 including a discussion of the main assumptions about the role of civil society in developing countries and the support provided by Dutch NGO’s to Southern partners.