ISS-HIVOS MA research programme 2009

research summary

Tags: Africa , Kenya , Uganda , Southern Africa , South Africa , Latin America , Costa Rica , Guatemala , Civil Society Building , Knowledge Management

Each year, the Civil Society Building Knowledge Programme supports a number of ISS students to conduct research on issues pertaining to the main questions of the programme. This year, five ISS students were awarded a research grant. Last week, after extensive preparation at ISS and consultation with HIVOS staff and partners, they departed for countries ranging from Uganda to Nicaragua to do their field research. You can find summaries of the research project here.

Mercy Mungai (Kenya) will look into the Constituency Development Fund(CDF) in Kenya. This fund was designed to fight poverty at grassroots level, but to date elite capture and technical constraints have hindered effective implementation. CSOs have been strong advocates for the establishment of the CDF and similar decentralized funding initiatives. CSOs have also highlighted early cases of misuse, but to what extent has this been effective? What needs to be changed in the modalities of the CDF and how could CSOs engage more effectively?
Felix Andama(Uganda) will also examine the process decentralizing local governance in Uganda and the effects of this process on partnership development between CSO’s and (local) government. Specifically, Felix will explore the dynamics of accountability, legitimacy and decision making processes in the Rwenzori region, working together with the Kabarole Research Centre, a long time HIVOS partner.
Gideon Chitlangla(Zimbabwe) looks at the National Constitutional Assembly(NCA), a broad coalition of CSOs that has for long been advocating for a new constitution in Zimbabwe Using the NCA as a case study, Gideon looks at relations between the civil society and political society. Important questions in a crucial time for Zimbabwe emerge: Has the NCA been able to initiate the democratization process and to what extent can it sustain it. More importantly, has the NCA been able to assert its political role as an agent for democratization in the face of state failure to transform itself into a democracy? What does this imply for the current national unity government and its desire to come to a new constitution?
Chantelle de Nobrega(South Africa) explores the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act(DVA) in South Africa. Upon introduction, the act was hailed as another South African landmark piece of legislation, but to date, its implementation record has been poor. CSOs fought hard for the DVA, but where has civil society involvement gone, now that that focus has shifted towards implementation? This then, invokes questions about underlying issues such as the evolution of part-apartheid state-civil society relationships, cultural context and the relationships with trans-national activism and international frameworks, such as CEDAW.
Tanja Duran Eyre examines the role of Popular Education Centers in the development of social movements in Central America, Popular Education can be understood as an alternative political education committed to the marginalized and excluded sectors of society. Popular education combines ‘critical reflection’ and ‘political action’. It is based on values such as inclusion, cooperation, equality, solidarity and justice. By taking the Mesoamerican school programme of the Alforja Network of Popular education as a case study, Tania explores to which extent popular education strengthened linkages within and between social movements? Have social movements been able to shape and frame their agenda more effectively? This research is strongly linked to the ongoing research within the knowledge programme about social movements, citizenship and change.