2011_Sub-Saharan_Africa_CSOSI.pdf

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A nd Edition – June 2012

2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX

FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Developed by:

United States Agency for International Development

Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance

Bureau for Africa Office of Sustainable Development

The 2011 CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................... ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY SCORES

COUNTRY REPORTS

Angola

Botswana

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Gabon

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Kenya

Liberia

Malawi

Mali

Mozambique

Nigeria

Rwanda

Senegal

Sierra Leone

South Africa

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

Zimbabwe

ANNEX A: CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX METHODOLOGY

ANNEX B: STATISTICAL DATA

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA i

INTRODUCTION

USAID is pleased to present the third edition of the CSO Sustainability Index (CSOSI)1 for Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Index relies on local capacity and expertise to assess key components of the sustainability of the civil society organization (CSO) sectors in twenty-three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including countries in East, West, and Southern Africa. This year’s Index covers four new countries -- Botswana, Malawi, The Gambia, and Zambia.

The CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa complements the long-standing CSO Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, the fifteenth edition of which was published in June 2012. Given the increasing prominence of civil society and its role in development, the Index expanded into two new regions in 2011. The first editions of the CSO Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa and the CSO Sustainability Indexes for Afghanistan and Pakistan were published in July 2012, bringing the total number of countries covered by CSOSI reports to sixty-one.

The CSOSI highlights both advances and setbacks in CSO sector sustainability, and allows for comparisons across countries and sub-regions over time. The Index is a useful source of information for local CSOs, governments, donors, academics, and others to better understand and monitor key aspects of sustainability of the CSO sector.

The Index’s methodology relies on local expertise from CSO practitioners and experts to assess and rate seven interrelated dimensions of CSO sustainability: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure, and public image. The scores for each dimension are averaged to produce an overall CSO sustainability score. An Editorial Committee comprised of technical and regional experts reviews each panel’s scores and corresponding narrative reports, with the aim of maintaining standards of quality and promoting cross-country comparability. Based on their scores, countries fall within three basic categories of CSO sustainability: Sustainability Enhanced, Sustainability Evolving, and Sustainability Impeded. More detail about the methodology used to calculate scores and produce corresponding narrative reporting is provided in Annex A (pages 166 -179).

A publication of this type would not be possible without the contributions of many individuals and organizations. This publication was made possible in part by the financial support provided by the Aga Khan Foundation. Specific acknowledgements of the CSO partner organizations responsible for the Index appear on the following page. We would further like to express our deepest gratitude to all of the local CSO representatives and experts, USAID partners, and international donors who participated in the expert group panels in each country. Their knowledge, research, observations, and contributions are the foundation upon which the CSO Sustainability Index is based.

1 Readers of the Index will notice that the Index has a new name this year. In recognition of the broad range of nonprofit organizations active in these countries, these reports will now be called CSO Sustainability Indexes instead of NGO Sustainability Indexes.

ii THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Angola Fern Teodoro, World Learning Botswana Bagaisi Mabilo, Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations

(BOCONGO)

Burundi Melchoir Ndayimirije, Onesphore Nduwayo, and Christophe Sebudandi, Observatoire de l’Action Gouvernementale (OAG) DRC Justin Kangwenyenye Kazige, Albert Kabuya Muyeba, and Baudouin

Hamuli Kabarhuza, Centre National d’Appui au Développement et à la Participation Populaire (CENADEP)

Ethiopia Debebe Hailegebriel, Independent Legal Consultant Gabon Protet Judicaël Essono Ondo and Marc Ona Essangui, NGO Brainforest The Gambia Madi Jobarteh, The Association of Non-Governmental Organizations

(TANGO)

Ghana Douglas Quartey and Dr. Emmanuel Akwetey, Institute for Democratic

Governance (IDEG) Guinea Ousmane Kolon Barry and Aziz Diop, Conseil National des

Organisations de la Société Civile Guinéenne (CNOSCG) Kenya Faith Kisinga Gitonga, Act!

Liberia G. Pewu Subah and Precious Cee, Subah-Belleh Associates Malawi Christopher Rub Chisoni, Catholic Commision for Justice and Peace

(CCJP)

Mali Soumana Doumbia, Centre National d’Appui et de Formation pour le

Développement des Ressources Humaines (CENAFOD) Mozambique Phillip Machon, Jose Dias, and Joao Pereira, Civil Society Support

Mechanism (MASC) Nigeria Umaru Ibrahim Yakubu and Dr. Ismaila Zango Mohammed, Centre for

Research and Documentation (CRD) Rwanda Jean Claude Ngendandumwe and Jean Bosco Senyabatera, Conseil de

Concertation des Organisation d’Appui aux Initiatives de Base

(CCOAIB)

Senegal Boubacar Seck and Momar Kane, Conseil des ONG d’Appui au Développement (CONGAD)

Sierra Leone Maynard Cox-George, The Sierra Leone Association of Non- Governmental Organisations (SLANGO)

South Africa Esther Nsiyake Yvette Geyer, Ivor Jenkins, and Paul Graham, Idasa Tanzania Theo Macha and Linda Jerry, Development Impact Uganda Festus Kahiigwa, Uganda National NGO Forum Zambia Mwila Mulumbi, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) Zimbabwe McDonald Lewanika, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA iii

Project Managers

Management Systems International, Inc.

Lisa Slifer-Mbacke Paul Diegert

The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law

Catherine Shea Elizabeth Mandel Jennifer Stuart Elaine Scudder Aparna Ravi Margaret-Ann Scotti

Editorial Committee

USAID: Mark Billera, Kellie Burk, Claire Ehmann, Edward Gonzalez, David Jacobstein, Jeremy Meadows, Eric Picard Aga Khan Foundation: Sarah Comer, Natalie Ross MSI: Lisa Slifer-Mbacke ICNL: Stephan Klingelhofer, Catherine Shea Regional Experts: Dr. Bhekinkosi Moyo, Jacob Mati, Paul Takow

*Additional funding was provided by the Aga Khan Foundation to expand this report to include Kenya, Mali, Tanzania, and Uganda.

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The CSO sectors in the twenty-three countries surveyed in the CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa continue to vary considerably in all seven dimensions of sustainability. However, they all continue to be works in progress: not a single score falls within the highest category of development – Sustainability Enhanced. The overall sectoral sustainability for fifteen countries falls into the Sustainability Evolving category, with South Africa and Kenya reporting the strongest sectors. The other eight countries – Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Gabon, the Gambia, Guinea, and Malawi – fall into the Sustainability Impeded category.

The estimated size of the sector in the surveyed countries varies greatly. Some countries – like Sierra Leone, Senegal, and Angola – have just a few hundred registered CSOs. Nigeria and South Africa have the largest registered sectors, with over 54,000 and 76,000 registered CSOs, respectively. Unregistered CSOs operate throughout the region, especially in countries where registration is a long and difficult process and CSOs fear government interference. Countries tend to lack reliable data on the size of this informal part of the sector, although in some countries, unregistered CSOs are estimated to significantly outnumber registered CSOs. For instance, Mali has just 1,254 registered organizations, but 40,000 to 60,000 unregistered CSOs.

The overall sustainability of CSOs remained stable in most countries since 2010. Kenya’s and Uganda’s scores improved slightly, while the scores for Angola, Ethiopia, and Senegal deteriorated.

In Kenya, new opportunities for CSOs to partner with the government on projects and participate in policymaking led to improvements in the advocacy dimension. Uganda’s sector improved in organizational capacity, advocacy, infrastructure, and public image as CSOs strengthened networks, developed a memorandum of understanding with the government to institutionalize CSO/government partnerships, and engaged with the government over legal and policy reform.

Angola’s scores worsened in five of the seven dimensions. The global financial crisis led several international donors to withdraw from the country, and the government, threatened by the Arab Spring revolutions, CSO Sustainability

4.7

4.8

4.7

4.7

4.8

4.7

4.7

4.9

4.7

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Sustainability Sustainability Sustainability Enhanced Evolving Impeded

2 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

arrested and threatened CSO activists and organizations involved in protests. Ethiopia’s sector declined in four out of the seven dimensions, as new government-issued directives restricted the ability of CSOs to raise funds, network, and engage in advocacy. In Senegal, the legal environment and organizational capacity worsened. Tension between the government and CSOs over presidential elections in 2012 led the government to suspend all host-state agreements with international CSOs and threaten a CSO movement that opposed constitutional reforms meant to benefit the incumbent president.

This year’s reports reveal three trends affecting African CSOs.

The role of elections. Seven of the surveyed countries held elections in 2011: DRC, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia. The elections prompted CSO advocacy and civic education efforts to ensure fair and transparent elections in Nigeria, Uganda, and Gabon. In Gabon, the government’s refusal to establish a biometric identification system for voters in the 2011 general elections led a coalition of CSOs to demand fair elections; this was the first time that civil society took a clear position on a political debate. In other countries, elections led to heightened tensions with or outright hostility from the government. In Zambia, for instance, the general elections of 2011 prompted significant political intimidation that included restrictions on free assembly and incidents of violence by the ruling party.

Reduced funding opportunities. The global financial crisis continued to affect CSO sectors across the continent, undermining their financial viability. Foreign funding, on which CSOs often depend, declined, weakening CSOs’ abilities to deliver services and improve their organizational capacities. For example, in Senegal, funding for institutional capacity building became increasingly scarce. Reductions in funding drove qualified staff into more stable sectors in South Africa. In Tanzania, more organizations stagnated or closed, especially those engaged in service provision. CSOs in Angola, Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe were also weakened by the financial crisis.

Increased government restrictions. CSOs in several countries experienced increased intimidation and restrictions by the government. For example, demonstrations in Angola for better living conditions and a stop to corruption led to the arrest, disappearance, and beating of youth. In 2011, the governments of Angola, Ethiopia, and the Gambia enacted or proposed laws that would increase government control over CSOs and discretion to shut down disfavored CSOs. As mentioned above, the government in Senegal also increased restrictions on CSOs.

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT

The legal environments for CSOs vary considerably across the surveyed countries. South Africa continues to have the most permissive legal environment in the region. South African civil society is encouraged and protected by the constitution and laws, and operates freely and openly. In other countries, CSOs face substantial barriers to entry and regulatory systems that enable government authorities to harass CSOs. Ten countries – Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, Gabon, the Gambia, Guinea, Angola, Malawi, and Zimbabwe – fall into the Sustainability Impeded category in this dimension.

Six countries experienced regressions in 2011. The governments in Angola and Ethiopia have enacted or proposed laws that will likely increase government control over CSOs. In the Gambia, which was covered in the Index for the first time this year, a proposed bill would grant the government substantial authority to close down CSOs with activities that do not conform to the government’s development agenda. Ethiopian CSOs continue to suffer from the most restrictive legal environment among surveyed countries, and in 2011, the government issued seven new directives that tighten government control on CSO activities, including access to funding. In Senegal, tension during the run-up to the 2012 elections led the government to suspend host-state agreements with international CSOs, deny CSO tax exemptions, and block training programs. In Burundi, Gabon and Zimbabwe, the government increasingly intimidated, threatened, and harassed CSOs working on human rights and good governance.

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 3

The legal environments in Mozambique, Nigeria, and Tanzania improved in 2011. CSOs in Mozambique were able to navigate the legal environment better as a result of increased access to information on the laws governing their activities, while the time needed to register at the national level in Nigeria was reduced from a few months to just a week. In Tanzania, CSO understanding of the registration process improved, and government threats to ban CSOs decreased.

Botswana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Zambia report that their registration processes are straightforward. CSOs in these countries may nonetheless experience minor problems registering. For example, registration fees are too high for small CSOs in Zambia, and registration can be delayed by understaffed government offices in Sierra Leone. Registration remains a burdensome, time consuming process in many countries. For instance, in Kenya, non-governmental organizations must be vetted by the National Security Agency. Registration can especially be burdensome for rural organizations that are far from government offices, and for human rights and advocacy organizations, which face more administrative obstacles in certain countries, such as Ethiopia and Malawi.

In Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda, CSOs generally operate without state interference and can criticize the government. In Kenya, for example, CSOs have filed claims in court barring government actions. In other countries, however, CSOs are vulnerable to dissolution based on vague grounds in the law, as well as to threats of arrest and detention. CSOs that criticize the government or engage in civil liberties or human rights issues are particularly likely to face such harassment. In the DRC, for example, special service agents regularly question and deny travel visas for human rights CSOs and other organizations that work on sensitive issues.

In the Gambia, the government regularly carries out arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial against CSO staff working on human rights and good governance issues.

Many countries provide CSOs with tax exemptions on income, as well as exemptions from customs duties.

However, CSOs complain that these exemptions are difficult to access because laws are applied arbitrarily or the process is long. Other countries only provide tax exemptions to certain CSOs, such as charitable organizations in Botswana, international CSOs in Burundi, and CSOs addressing HIV/AIDs and vulnerable children in Tanzania.

In the vast majority of the surveyed countries, few lawyers are familiar with CSO law, and legal services are cost prohibitive and unavailable outside major cities. In countries such as Angola, Botswana, and the Gambia, 5.1

4.9

5.1

5.1

4.9

5.0

5.1

5.0

4.8

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Legal Environment

4 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

the few available lawyers are reluctant to challenge the government and work on controversial issues for fear of reprisal. The number of lawyers is increasing in Tanzania, Botswana, Liberia, and Malawi, however, due to efforts by universities, governments, and local bar associations.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY

Most countries maintained the same scores as in 2010 in the organizational capacity dimension. Four countries - Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, and Sierra Leone - exhibited stronger organizational capacity this year. In Mozambique, more organizations developed strategic plans, and several CSOs received grants to acquire modern office equipment and Internet access. Fifty-three Rwandan CSOs received training to improve their internal management, networking, and advocacy skills, and as a result developed financial control systems, procurement committees, fundraising strategies, and websites. In Sierra Leone, CSOs are exercising more transparency in their operations, and CSOs that partner with international organizations have improved the functioning of their boards of directors. In Uganda, twenty organizations received internal management quality assurance certifications in 2011, an 80 percent increase over previous years.

Organizational capacity in Angola, Senegal, and South Africa slightly declined in 2011, mainly due to declines in funding stemming from the global financial crisis. In Angola and South Africa, more qualified CSO staff members left their positions for more stable jobs, while in Senegal, increased financial constraints have caused CSOs to shift away from their areas of expertise to adopt the strategic objectives of donors.

The DRC, Guinea, Ghana, and Zambia report that CSOs routinely mobilize constituents and include them in project planning and implementation. Lack of sustainable funding has prevented CSOs in the Gambia, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe from reaching out to constituents, and has led CSOs in Liberia, Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania to target specific constituents to access donor funds.

Many CSOs throughout the region lack strong management structures. Boards of directors may not meet regularly or operate transparently; sometimes CSOs have boards of directors only to fulfill donor or registration requirements. Even when boards do function, many countries report that there is no clear division of responsibilities between the board and staff, and often CSOs are run by one executive director or founder, who makes decisions unilaterally.

4.7

4.8

4.8

4.7

4.8

4.8

4.7

4.9

4.7

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Organizational Capacity

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 5

Due to reliance on short-term funding, CSOs across the region find it difficult or impossible to retain long-term staff or update modern office equipment and communications technologies, and these difficulties worsened over the past year in countries including South Africa and Angola. CSOs typically depend on a mix of volunteers and short-term staff hired on a project basis. In addition, many qualified professionals left the sector for international organizations or more stable positions in government or business. CSOs in Rwanda, for example, depend on volunteers because the lack of secure, long-term funding drives staff to more stable positions elsewhere. In Tanzania, insufficient funding has resulted in CSOs hiring under-qualified staff. In Zambia, CSOs rely on volunteers, interns, and recent graduates.

FINANCIAL VIABILITY

Financial viability is the weakest dimension overall across the surveyed countries, a situation that has been exacerbated by the global financial crisis. All but six countries fall into the Sustainability Impeded category, and five of those are near impeded sustainability.

Only the DRC and Nigeria saw slight improvements in their scores due to CSOs winning additional grants and government contracts in 2011. The scores of four countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, and Angola

– worsened, with Angola and Ethiopia experiencing the most significant declines. In Angola, many international donors and organizations withdrew from the country as their funding declined and in Ethiopia, new government directives have made public fundraising too challenging for most CSOs.

Throughout the region, CSO sectors generally rely on foreign funding, which declined in 2011. In several countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Mali, and Senegal, donors have shifted funding away from CSOs and toward the government instead. Across the region, smaller CSOs suffer the most from the decline in funding, as the competition for grants has become fiercer, and they do not have the professional capacity to meet donor requirements.

Most CSOs generate little revenue from philanthropy due to a lack of fundraising skills and difficult economic conditions. In addition, the public and businesses do not donate to CSOs for several reasons. A culture of philanthropy is lacking in Angola, Burundi, and Sierra Leone. Private companies in Angola and

5.4

5.7

5.2

5.4

5.7

5.2

5.4

5.8

5.3

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Financial Viability

6 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Zimbabwe have political concerns with donating to CSOs. The Gambia lacks tax incentives for donors, and in Zimbabwe and Kenya, CSOs are perceived as already being well-funded by foreign donors. Throughout the region, any philanthropy generated tends to be channeled to charity or development organizations, as opposed to governance or human rights groups.

Private giving is slowly emerging in some countries, however. In South Africa, for example, corporate social investment obligations grew to about R 6.2 billion ($820 million) in 2011. Malian expatriates, particularly in France, fund projects in their native villages related to health, education, drinkable water, and solar energy. In Burundi, the local population makes in-kind contributions to community development projects, such as the construction of schools and health centers. Civil servants in Botswana receive a half day off per week to engage in community service.

Few CSOs earn income from economic activity, either because of burdensome conditions or because they lack the capacity or resources to enter a market. However, some CSOs in countries such as Kenya, Mali, South Africa, and Tanzania are attempting to diversify their resources through commercial ventures, such as renting out or managing property, or providing training, consultancy, and research services. In Rwanda, Duhamic-Adri Association for Integrated Rural Development helps farmers to grow cereal crops and legumes, which it then buys and processes into a highly nutritional porridge. CSOs in Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Malawi, and Guinea earn some revenue by contracting with the government to provide social services.

Membership fees provide nominal revenue throughout the region, in part because organizations usually have few members.

In many of the countries surveyed, CSOs lack sound financial management systems. The DRC, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, and Mozambique report that CSOs rarely publish annual reports or submit to external audits.

However, in a few countries, such as Burundi, Ghana, Nigeria, and Rwanda, more organizations are developing strong financial management systems or increasing their transparency due to donor requirements and increased competition for funding.

ADVOCACY

4.4

4.5

4.5

4.3

4.4

4.5

4.2

4.5

4.3

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Advocacy

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 7

Advocacy is one of the stronger dimensions of CSO sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only five countries

– Angola, Guinea, the Gambia, Gabon, and Ethiopia – have scores in the Sustainability Impeded category, with the rest falling in Sustainability Evolving. Ten countries saw improvement in their scores in 2011, with Guinea showing the most progress. In Guinea, CSOs continue to lead the effort to advance political transition and resolve a political impasse that has delayed elections.

Ethiopia and Angola were the only countries surveyed in which advocacy scores declined during 2011. In Ethiopia, a 2009 law restricts advocacy organizations’ access to foreign funding, and thus has greatly reduced the number of CSOs working on human rights, gender equality, the rights of children and the disabled, conflict resolution, and access to justice. New directives adopted in 2011 further restrict advocacy organizations’ ability to raise funds domestically through public fundraising and income generation. In Angola, the government passed a law on associations without consulting the CSO community, illustrating the government’s disregard for civil society. The government has also deterred advocacy by intensifying harassment and detentions of CSO activists this year. Many staff left the sector, further decreasing CSO capacity to engage in advocacy.

In at least a third of the countries surveyed, governments have developed formal mechanisms to facilitate communication between CSOs and policy makers, in part because many foreign donors require governments to consult with CSOs and include them in program implementation as a condition of foreign aid. In Zimbabwe, for example, CSOs have formal opportunities to present evidence on key issues before legislators and make policy recommendations. In at least nine countries, however, CSOs report that their communication with government is informal and ineffective, sometimes little more than a formality. Senegal experienced a decline in the quality of CSO-government relations, as several formal coordination mechanisms foundered in 2011 due to tension between the government and CSOs in connection with the 2012 election.

In most of the countries surveyed, CSOs form coalitions and engage in broad-based campaigns around many issues, such as poverty, environment, and corruption. In Gabon and the DRC, for example, CSOs successfully advocated in support of transparent elections. CSO campaigns also led to the passage of new laws and initiatives, such as the restoration of a development fund in Liberia and the Freedom of Assembly bill in Nigeria. Nevertheless, CSOs often struggle to network and form coalitions, partially due to a lack of networking experience, as well as financial difficulties that stir competition among CSOs for limited donor funding.

SERVICE PROVISION

Service provision is also one of the stronger dimensions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Only three countries – Gabon, Guinea, and Angola – fall into the Sustainability Impeded category, while the rest are in Sustainability Evolving. Service provision scores remained stable this year. Only Mali experienced a score change, a slight improvement from the previous year, because the government and international organizations increasingly turned to CSOs to provide services in diverse fields, such as health, governance, and peace and security.

The extent to which services reflect the needs and priorities of the communities varies widely among countries. CSOs in several countries generally respond effectively to the needs of the communities they serve.

For example, CSOs in Botswana, Burundi, DRC, and Zimbabwe routinely conduct needs assessments. In other countries, including Angola, Ghana, Kenya, and Liberia, service provision is more likely to be driven by donor priorities and the availability of funding than community needs.

CSOs in all countries surveyed struggle to recover costs for the services they provide, perpetuating the widespread dependence on donor funding. Due to the poverty of beneficiaries or community expectations that services should be free of charge, CSOs rarely charge for their services.

8 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Governments typically appreciate the role of CSOs in filling gaps in social services. To support service provision, governments in several countries, including Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Ghana, Zambia, and Kenya, increasingly offer grants and contracts for service provision. For example, in Kenya, the National Disability Fund has a budget of $2.4 million for 2011/2012 to disburse resources to organizations for persons with disabilities.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure is one of the weaker dimensions in Sub-Saharan Africa, with ten countries falling into the Sustainability Impeded category and most other countries with scores in the lower half of Sustainability Evolving. The scores in this dimension remained stable in most countries over the past year. Scores in Mali and Uganda improved, but deteriorated in Ethiopia and Gabon. In Mali, CSO capacity to network and share information improved; twenty-seven coalitions formed in 2011 to address a range of policy issues. In Uganda, CSOs had numerous opportunities in 2011 to engage in information sharing and networking, including a national civil society fair where CSOs showcased their projects and ideas. On the other hand, new directives in Ethiopia prevent networks from undertaking projects; organizations that receive international funding cannot form networks with advocacy and human rights organizations; and intermediary support organizations (ISOs) can no longer sub-grant international funds to local institutions. In Gabon, the Strengthening Non- State Actors in Gabon Program (PROGREANE) shut down, decreasing support for CSOs.

Most countries have only a handful of ISOs or CSO resource centers that support the sector. These centers typically provide some basic training and materials to CSOs. ISOs and resource centers are typically concentrated in urban areas and not easily accessible to rural CSOs. Written materials are generally not translated into the local languages. ISOs and CSO resource centers typically do not earn income from their services, relying mainly on grants from foreign donors. Most of the surveyed countries only have a few local grantmaking organizations that re-grant international donor funds.

Across the region, CSO networks and coalitions are emerging, implementing joint projects and improving information sharing. In the DRC, for example, CSOs have formed hundreds of networks. Despite obstacles, coalitions continue to expand in Mali, Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. In other countries, however, 4.1

4.3

4.0

4.0

4.3

4.0

4.0

4.4

4.1

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Service Provision

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 9

information sharing remains a challenge for several reasons, including a lack of funding for networks in Zambia, lack of Internet access in Malawi, and in South Africa, the absence of an organized movement to link coalitions and spread best practices on networking.

Trainings on topics such as organizational management, financial management, and strategic planning are typically available in nearly all the countries surveyed. Training in other subjects that CSOs demand, like board development or fundraising, is less frequently available.

Intersectoral partnerships with media and businesses are still not common in the region, but are emerging in several countries. For instance, CSOs in Nigeria are beginning to collaborate with local businesses on research and advocacy initiatives, while in Mozambique, nonprofit media organizations are conducting joint investigative journalism with for-profit media on pollution, corruption, and other public policy issues.

Partnerships between CSOs and governments are more common and are increasing in frequency.

PUBLIC IMAGE

Public image is a relatively strong dimension of CSO sustainability in the region. Only Ethiopia and Angola fall into the Sustainability Impeded category. Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Mali, Senegal, and Mozambique improved their scores slightly in 2011. In Rwanda and Mozambique, CSOs are increasingly using media to reach out to the public. In Mali, the public image of CSOs improved due to their financial and technical contributions on local projects. Angola’s score worsened as state controlled media offers CSOs few opportunities to voice concerns on issues or attract public support; in 2011, the ruling party instructed radio stations to decrease coverage of issues of public concern.

The sector’s image depends largely on media coverage, which varies widely across the region. In Burundi, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa, CSOs generally receive positive media coverage. In Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Gabon, the state media avoids covering CSOs that criticize the government or are affiliated with the political opposition, while private media provides positive and more frequent coverage. In Sierra Leone, Malawi, Mali, and Gabon, CSOs must pay for media reporting, allowing only larger CSOs with ample funding to publicize their activities. In Angola and Ethiopia, fear of

4.9

5.0

4.9

4.9

5.0

4.9

4.9

5.0

5.0

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Infrastructure

10 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

government reprisal keeps media from reporting on CSO activity, while in Liberia, the media does not distinguish CSOs from businesses and thus does not cover CSO activity frequently.

In the majority of the countries surveyed, the public – especially direct beneficiaries of CSOs – has a positive perception of CSOs and generally appreciates their efforts, particularly in service provision and infrastructure development. CSOs in Gabon, Nigeria, and Rwanda are also appreciated for their advocacy work. In countries such as Ethiopia and Liberia, the public harbors distrust and disdain for CSOs, believing them to have a lot of money that they spend ineffectively or use for personal enrichment. In a few countries, the public still does not understand the role of CSOs. For instance, in Angola, CSOs are often confused with for-profit companies. Throughout the region, due to lack of resources or knowledge, few CSOs develop clear media or public relations strategies, cultivate relationships with journalists, or use social networks and websites to publicize their activities.

CONCLUSION

This annual assessment of sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa demonstrates the impact of political and economic developments and continued areas of weakness that impede long-term sustainability. It also illustrates some of the accomplishments of civil society in these countries over the past year. By providing this data, CSO activists, policymakers, and the international community can track trends and utilize this information to determine priorities and approaches.

4.6

4.5

4.6

4.5

4.5

4.6

4.5

4.5

4.6

1.0 3.0 5.0 7.0

East Africa

West Africa

Southern Africa

Public Image

THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 11

2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY SCORES

2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY SCORES

COUNTRY

Le ga l E nv ir on m en t

O rg an iz at io na l

C ap ac it y

Fi na nc ia l V ia bi lit y

A dv oc ac y

Se rv ic e

P ro vi si on

In fr as tr uc tu re

P ub lic Im ag e

C

SO

Su st ai na bi lit y

EAST AFRICA

Burundi 5.9 5.9 6.0 4.4 4.5 5.6 4.3 5.2

DRC 5.4 5.1 5.7 4.4 4.5 5.6 5.0 5.1

Ethiopia 6.5 5.1 6.1 6.1 4.9 5.5 5.1 5.6 Kenya 4.1 3.9 4.8 3.4 3.4 3.7 4.3 3.9 Rwanda 4.3 4.5 5.3 3.8 4.0 5.0 4.4 4.5 Tanzania 4.4 4.4 4.9 3.8 3.4 4.3 4.1 4.2 Uganda 5.1 3.9 5.1 3.8 3.5 4.6 4.3 4.3 Average 5.1 4.7 5.4 4.2 4.0 4.9 4.5 4.7

WEST AFRICA

Gabon 6.1 5.5 6.1 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.0 5.4 The Gambia 6.1 5.9 6.5 5.9 5.0 5.4 5.0 5.7 Ghana 3.9 3.9 5.7 3.8 3.8 4.7 4.3 4.3 Guinea 5.5 5.8 6.3 5.3 5.1 5.7 4.9 5.5 Liberia 4.9 5.1 5.8 4.1 4.4 4.8 4.7 4.8 Mali 4.2 4.2 5.6 3.9 3.6 4.6 4.4 4.4 Nigeria 4.9 4.7 5.5 3.7 4.2 5.0 4.0 4.6 Senegal 4.7 4.0 5.0 3.9 3.9 4.7 3.8 4.3 Sierra Leone 5.0 4.8 5.7 4.5 4.1 5.1 4.5 4.8 Average 5.0 4.9 5.8 4.5 4.4 5.0 4.5 4.9

SOUTHERN AFRICA

Angola 6.1 5.8 6.1 5.7 5.3 5.7 5.5 5.7 Botswana 3.8 4.0 4.6 3.8 3.6 4.9 4.4 4.2 Malawi 5.2 5.3 5.8 4.4 4.5 5.6 5.0 5.1 Mozambique 4.7 5.3 5.0 4.5 4.0 5.1 4.7 4.8 South Africa 3.3 3.8 4.1 3.4 3.2 3.8 3.6 3.6 Zambia 4.7 4.2 5.5 3.9 4.5 5.0 4.4 4.6 Zimbabwe 6.1 4.5 5.9 4.5 3.4 5.0 4.5 4.8 Average 4.8 4.7 5.3 4.3 4.1 5.0 4.6 4.7

12 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

5.5

5.7

5.3

5.7

6.1

5.8

6.1

5.7

1 3 5 7

Public Image

Infrastructure

Service Provision

Advocacy

Financial Viability

Organizational Capacity

Legal Environment

CSO Sustainability

2011 Scores for Angola

Sustainability Sustainability Sustainability Enhanced Evolved Impeded

5.6 5.6 5.7

CSO Sustainability in Angola

COUNTRY REPORTS

ANGOLA

Capital*: Luanda

Government Type:

Republic; Multiparty Presidentail Regime

Population: 18,056,072 (July 2011 est.)

GDP per capita (PPP):

$6,000

Human Development Index: 148

CSO SUSTAINABILITY: 5.7

The environment in which Angolan civil society operates deteriorated further in 2011. On the surface, new policies this year – including the creation of new forums that allow for public participation and influence – appeared to be friendlier to CSOs. In practice, however, CSOs face new and fundamental challenges to their ability to operate, register, and grow. In part, the government is restricting the sector’s rights because of the early 2011 demonstrations in North Africa as part of the Arab Spring. Recent demonstrations by CSOs demanding improved living conditions and a stop to corruption have led to the arrest and beating of many youth.

Some detainees have disappeared and the government remains unresponsive to CSO requests for information on the detainees’ whereabouts. In addition, the sector remains severely impeded by government favoritism of CSOs with ties to the ruling party, the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA); bureaucratic and administrative burdens; government corruption; limited staff capacity; government resistance to monitoring;

* Capital, government type, population, and GDP (2011 estimate) in all reports are drawn from the Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook, available online at https://www.cia.gov/library/ publications/the-world-factbook/. 2011 Human Development Index rankings are available at http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/.

https://www.cia.gov/library/%20publications/the-world-factbook/ https://www.cia.gov/library/%20publications/the-world-factbook/

ANGOLA 13

6.0 6.0 6.1

Legal Environment in Angola and a state-controlled media. International funding has decreased dramatically over the last few years, local funding is extremely rare, and there is no culture of philanthropy among wealthy Angolans.

There is no accurate data on the number of CSOs in the country. The most recent data from the government’s coordination body for CSOs, Unidade Técnica de Coordenação da Ajuda Humanitária (UTCAH), estimates that there were 127 international CSOs, 464 national CSOs, 25 church foundations, and 19 foundations in 2007. Many CSOs operate without registration because of bureaucratic and political hurdles. Although the government did not shut down any CSOs in 2011, it views any criticism from CSOs as political opposition and regularly threatens to shut down CSOs engaging in advocacy.

LEGAL ENVIRONMENT: 6.1

Angola’s legal environment has declined since 2010. The government no longer organizes public discussions of new policies or laws and civil society generally only learns of new policies after they have passed.

In late 2011, the government proposed a law designed to replace the Law on Associations (Law No. 14/91). The process of drafting the law completely lacked transparency;

no CSOs were consulted in its design and there was no other form of public debate. CSOs believed the law would make the CSO registration process more difficult. However, the government refused to circulate the draft, so there was no way to know until its passage. The law was approved in early 2012 and will be described fully in next year’s report.

Law 17/10 of July 2010 allows CSOs to participate in municipal advisory committees (Conselho de Auscultação e Concertação Social or CACS). However, CACS are just a forum to discuss local development priorities and lack any decision-making power. Furthermore, few CACS have been established to date.

The CSO registration process is lengthy, inefficient, and cumbersome. Registration must be done in person in Luanda, severely hampering organizations from outside the capital. In addition, in order to register, an organization must obtain a notary certificate and a Ministry of Justice Certificate and publish its by-laws in the Government Gazette (Diário da República). It takes at least five years to fulfill these requirements. According to a 2011 World Learning study on the status of CSOs, of the 302 CSOs surveyed, only 85.1 percent have notary certificates, 81.5 percent have published by-laws in the Government Gazette, and 70.5 percent have Certificates of Registration from the Ministry of Justice. CSOs with government-aligned political affiliations or with directors who are high-ranking MPLA members receive preferential treatment.

Only CSOs that have obtained Public Utility status through the Ministry of Justice are eligible to receive government grants; the government sets aside millions of dollars in its annual budget for such organizations.

According to the World Learning study, only 13.2 percent of CSOs have secured this status, even though most CSOs meet the established criteria, including holding non-profit status and having a public benefit mission, a board of directors, and by-laws. The government routinely ignores organizations’ applications for this status.

CSOs run by high-ranking members of the ruling party are more likely to get Public Utility status. CSOs run by MPLA members that have Public Utility status include AJA PRAZ, Fundução Lwini, Movimento Nacional Expontaneo, Criança Futuro, and the President’s Fundução Eduardo dos Santos (FESA). Most of these organizations operate government-friendly charity programs, such as programs around sanitation, malaria prevention, HIV prevention, health awareness, daycare centers, literacy programs, teacher training, 14 THE 2011 CSO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX FOR SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

5.7 5.7 5.8

Organizational Capacity in Angola and vocational training for youth, rather than social development programs. Advocacy CSOs such as OMUNGA and the Association for Building Communities (ACC) do not seek this status.

In June, the government, threatened by the Arab Spring uprisings, arrested CSO activists protesting deteriorating political conditions, government corruption, and increasing poverty in Luanda; the number of arrests remains unknown. Some of the arrested youth disappeared and the police will not inform the families of their whereabouts. Also this year, the government evicted thousands of families from their land in Huila and Benguela provinces under a “state urbanization program.” Some CSOs, including ACC and OMUNGA, attempted to provide legal support to those evicted, but the government threatened these CSOs with arrests and closure and arrested a number of individuals. CSOs have effectively been intimidated by these state actions, reducing their ability to function effectively.

Few lawyers in any part of the country want to suffer the consequences of challenging the state by offering legal support to CSOs. As a result, there is little legal recourse available to CSOs that are harassed or discriminated against.

There are no indirect cost recovery programs or tax exemptions available to CSOs. CSOs are not entitled to earn income from the provision of goods and services. With the exception of those with Public Utility status, CSOs are not able to compete for government contracts.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY: 5.8

CSOs have had limited success in identifying and building local constituencies for their initiatives. Many international organizations provide strategic planning training and many CSOs have strategic plans. However, only a few organizations, such as World Learning and NOVIB- Holland, support the development and implementation of strategic plans. As a result, many CSOs keep their strategic plans in their desk drawers in case a donor requests them, but lack the capacity to truly implement them. In addition, most CSOs lack visionary leaders with strategic approaches.

Decisions tend to be made on an ad hoc, short-term basis, based primarily on donor priorities.

Although CSOs are legally required to have boards of directors, the boards rarely function. According to the World Learning study, over 90 percent of boards met only at the time a CSO is created.

CSOs have difficulty attracting and maintaining capable staff because of insufficient and unreliable funding.

Most highly skilled people work for the government or the oil industry. Few CSO jobs are publicly advertised;

instead they are given to relatives or friends without regard for experience or qualifications. The World Learning study found that only 50.7 percent of CSO staff has completed high school and a mere 0.12 percent graduated from university. At least 48.5 percent of CSO employees hold other jobs. Human resource management is also limited. Organizations rarely utilize contracts, terms of reference, pay scales, or staff evaluations. The few organizations that use these tools develop them to meet the funding requirements of specific projects, but do not incorporate them into organizational practices. Organizational capacity has deteriorated over the past year as many trained and talented CSO staff members left their positions.

CSOs have limited technical equipment due to a lack of funding and scarcity of technological resources throughout the country. Of the 302 CSOs surveyed in the World Learning study, only 26.2 percent own their own offices; 8.9 percent have no office, while the remainder rent offices or share space with others. A vast majority (87.7 percent) of surveyed organizations have telephone service, while only 53 percent have email

ANGOLA 15

5.9 5.9 6.1

Financial Viability in Angola

5.5 5.5 5.7

Advocacy in Angola facilities; 69.2 percent have a computer and at least 65.2 percent have a printer. Fewer organizations have their own vehicles (28.1 percent), photocopy machines (39.1 percent), or Internet access (45.4 percent).

FINANCIAL VIABILITY: 6.1

Local CSOs face serious challenges in securing diverse and sustainable funding because they lack fundraising capacity and knowledge of funding opportunities. In addition, funding opportunities declined dramatically over the past few years. Because of the global financial crisis, the expense of operating in Angola, and the challenges for CSO personnel to obtain work visas, many international donors and organizations have withdrawn from the country over the past three years, including the Dutch Development Agency, the Global Fund, and the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation. IBIS, CARE International, Save the Children, and Trocaire announced that they plan to withdraw in early 2012, and the German sustainable development organization, GTZ, is also planning to leave. This exodus has exacerbated an already challenging funding and capacity building environment, particularly for organizations working on good governance, HIV/AIDs, and human rights, the areas of focus for most of the organizations and donors leaving the country.

Local funding is rare. There is no systematic cultivation of local financial support, both because of entrenched poverty and the weak culture of philanthropy. Nevertheless, CSOs are able to draw on local resources for specific projects, such as the rehabilitation of jangos (community meeting places) or seed distribution.

Corporate philanthropy in Angola remains undeveloped; the private sector in Angola is dominated by the political class and is uninterested in funding CSOs. In addition, there is no culture of volunteerism, in part because the high cost of living means people cannot afford not to get paid.

CSOs do not earn income from services because they do not have the staff capacity to develop high-quality income-generating services.

Local CSOs do not have the capacity or funding to maintain financial management systems, and organizations do not conduct audits unless required to and paid for by donors.

ADVOCACY: 5.7

CSOs are limited in their understanding of the importance of advocacy, their capacity to shape policy, and the meaning and role of civil society. Very few CSOs engage in advocacy activities. The departure of staff from the CSO sector this year has resulted in further deterioration of advocacy capacity, as new entrants to the sector lack an understanding of advocacy and how it shapes policy.

The lack of transparency in drafting the new Law on Associations is clear evidence of the government’s disregard for civil society participation. Only organizations run by people with links to the MPLA have lines of communication with the government. UTCAH, the governmental CSO coordinating body, is supposed to serve as a mechanism for including CSOs in decision-making processes. However, it actually functions as a controlling mechanism, continuously requesting financial and narrative reports from CSOs to monitor how they spend their money. At the same time, it praises organizations that provide services while criticizing those

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