• Programmes & Projects
  
  
• Forests and livelihoods
  
  
• Coastal and marine governance and livelihoods
  
  
• Climate change and disaster risk reduction
  
  
• Civil society and governance
  
  
• Cross cutting projects

CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNANCE

Programme vision
Improved livelihoods and governance through the effective participation of civil society in the decision making about and management of the natural resources critical to development in the islands of the Caribbean.

Programme goal
To improve livelihoods and governance of natural resources in the islands of the Caribbean by enhancing the capacity of civil society stakeholders to participate equitably and effectively in the decision making about and management of the natural resources critical to development, through participatory action research, innovative capacity building programmes and sharing and application of lessons learnt.

Programme objectives

1. To conduct research that contributes to building effective, collaborative natural resource management institutions, through a better understanding of:
   1. what types of institutional arrangement are most effective in fostering equitable participation of civil society stakeholders;
   2. what capacities are needed by civil society stakeholders and their government and private sector partners for effective, collaborative management of natural resources;
   3. what type of governance structure is most appropriate for Caribbean civil society organisations participating in conservation and sustainable development initiatives;
   4. how civil society participation can improve the transparency and accountability of decision-making and management of natural resources;
   5. how collaborative management of natural resources can equitably address the sometimes competing demands of conservation and livelihoods, particularly of the most disadvantaged;
   6. how the traditional knowledge of resource users can best be shared and incorporated in the decision-making about the management of natural resources;
   7. what tools and methods are most effective in building the capacity of civil society stakeholders and their government and private sector partners;
   8. how to communicate lessons learnt from such research in ways that will bring about necessary changes in policy and practice.
      
      
2. To enhance capacity for effective, collaborative governance of natural resources in the Caribbean, at regional, national and local levels through:
   1. participatory action research and learning;
   2. small grants;
   3. technical assistance and facilitation of organisational and institutional development processes (including mentoring and peer support), study/exchange visits, moderated discussion groups and social networking;
   4. demonstration projects;
   5. dissemination of research findings that provide tangible guidance for policy and action, in formats that are relevant and accessible to civil society stakeholders and their key partners;
   6. management and expansion of CANARI’s Information Centre in the area of Civil Society and Governance and promotion of its use;

The majority of CANARI’s programmes and projects comprise elements that are relevant to its Civil Society and Governance programme. The following are those that focus specifically on this area:

• Consolidating the role of civil society in biodiversity conservation in the Caribbean islands (2011-2013)
• Going from strength to strength: Building capacity for equitable, effective and sustained participation of civil society organisations in biodiversity conservation in Caribbean islands (2008-2010)
• Building civil society capacity for conservation in the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories (2009-2012)
• Improving governance through civil society involvement in natural resource management in the Caribbean (2001-2006)
• Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Caribbean Programme
• UNDP CBO Training workshop in project design and proposal writing

Each of these projects seeks to draw and build on the experiences of and lessons learnt from the previous one and to continue the process of networking civil society organisations in the islands of the Caribbean so that they can learn from each other.

Donor landscape mapping for the Caribbean region