Post 2015 Development Agenda: Guidelines for Country ... - nrg4SD

DESCRIPTION STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS SUGGESTED USEPARALLEL CONFERENCE 40Similar to a consensusconferenceDual conferencesheld on the sametopic, thoughseparated due to sizeof constituency,technical capacity,language orexpertise.Strengths: Highly inclusivePotentially builds strong sense of unitywithin civil societyWeaknesses:Usually a long process, depending on thenumber of CSOs or actors.Outputs may still lack adequate informationand solid policy implicationsDepending on country context, consensusmay be difficult to achieveVery large groups with highly disparate levels of knowledge orcapacityAn ideal program for conducting a conference with civilsociety actors and groups who may not have theorganizational capacity to engage directly withgovernment officialsUsed to build consensus and have delegates from theconference report agreed upon priorities to a higher levelconference or panelNATIONAL SOCIAL DIALOGUE 41Social dialogue at thena-tional level refersto the cooperationbetween socialpartners (e.g., workers’and employerorganizations) and thegovernment. Itcan address a widerange of issues, fromlabour rela-tions towider social andeconomic challenges.The government maybe a full partner in thedialogue or may playthe role of facilitator.Social dialogue cannot start or might faildue to the lack of interest or theunwillingness of either government orsocial partners. Unwillingness may comefrom the lack of democratic tradition, andthe weakness of social part-nersEven if the dialogue starts, it might notsucceed in reaching consensus orcompromise and hence there is nocertainty it will lead to jointrecommendations or agreementsIn some countries, national social dialogue is widely used forachieving consensus leading to national social pacts. There isno fixed institutional framework to support suchnegotiations, although some quasi-institutional forms havesprung up in some countries.E-CONSULTATIONSSocial MediaInitiate a page,discussion, or link viasocial media to buildintra-group dialoguewithin the e-universein situations wherestakeholders cannotdirectly participate inmeetingsPlatforms: Twitter, Orkut,Facebook, Myspace,LinkedInLive Stream or WebinarThis allows for thoselogged in to the serverto send in questions orcomments; must beserviced by a moderatorUsually free or very cheap ways to reach awide audienceAccessible for post-consultation feedback loopsParticipation limited to those with internetaccessNot all may be aware of the platformsbeing used or available to themDifferent levels of computer literacyAllows for real-time participation ordiscussion with remote stakeholdersRequires more intricate alignment ofschedules of participants and viewers.Requires technological literacyYouth groups, large NGOs, government agencies anddepartmentsFor a highly Internet-connected audienceMarket research should be done to ensure platform is themost widely used by the target populationUse multiple platforms and target audiences by platformtypeNGOs, academia, governments and ministriesDo not use this as a direct substitute for personal interactionUse only when direct participation is unfeasible.40University of Ottawa. “Guide to Planning Inclusive Meetings and Conferences”. www.sass.uottawa.ca/access/campus/event-planning.php41ishikawa, J. 2003. “Key features of national social dialogue: A social dialogue resource book” (Geneva,ILO). Available at: http://www.newunionism.net/library/internationalism/ILO%20-%20A%20Social%20Dialogue%20Resource%20Book%20-%202003.pdfPost-2015 Development Agenda Process: Guideline for Consultations55