Political governance is one of the domains of change that shapes the current partnerships supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) under the theme of Security and Rule of Law (SRoL). The SRoL’s current theory of change (ToC) describes change in this domain as referring to the “strengthened national and local level governance structures that are inclusive and accountable to their constituencies, and that are – together with societies at large – able to effectively prevent and resolve conflict in a non-violent and inclusive manner”.

The workshop will engage with underlying assumptions that guide and drive programme ToCs, focusing on assumptions conceptualizing women’s political participation (WPP) as a pathway towards achieving inclusive governance. By discussing different tools and ways of testing ToC assumptions and taking stock of evidence, the workshop aims to explore how reviews of ToC assumptions can guide decisions related to adjusting programme interventions. Participants are encouraged to identify ‘blind spots’, where evidence is required to further test assumptions related to WPP, as well as opportunities for learning collaborations between policy-makers, practitioners and researchers, to enable learning from ToC assumptions in the fields of WPP/political governance.

Speakers

Eunike Spierings, M&E specialist, at the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) who is responsible for the Centre’s monitoring and evaluation.

Angela Rodriguez, the Executive Director of NIMD's programme in Colombia, will share practical experience and examples from Colombia.

Agenda

13:00  Welcome & introduction, Megan Price, KPSRL

13:15  Presentation & discussion of recent CARE NL studies related to WPP

• Social Inclusion in Fragile Settings: Pathways towards inclusion of women and girls in local governance processes - presentation of key findings of global study on Social Inclusion, Berlinda Nolles, CARE Netherlands   
• Norms and Practices of Public Authorities in Conflict-& Post Conflict-affected Contexts - presentation of key findings of global study on Norms and Practices, Katie Whipkey, CARE Netherlands

Plenary Q&A

14:00  Coffee break

14:15  Roundtable Discussion: Learning from ToC Assumptions, Edin Elgsaether & Angela Rodrigues, NIMD, Koen Faber, Cordaid, Lori Cajegas, CARE Netherlands and Eunike Spierings, ECDPM

Plenary Q&A

15:30  Plenary Discussion: Future learning collaborations and way forward 

16:00 Wrap up & closing, KPSRL

Background

The workshop is part of KPSRL’s practice-lab series, which deals with adaptive programming in fragile settings. The event series explores pathways for collaborative and creative action in learning for a better knowledge uptake, aiming at building learning partnerships and reflecting on scaling up and action. Bringing together practitioners, researchers and policy makers, this workshop particularly focuses on testing assumptions that guide and drive programme ToCs and interventions.

Registration

For further information and registration, please contact Karoline Eickhoff, KPSRL (k.eickhoff@kpsrl.org).

Download the PDF invitation here.

The Annual Conference is a one-day event that brings our vibrant community of practitioners, researchers, and policymakers together for a thought-provoking discussion. As in previous years, the Annual Conference brings together representatives from national and international governments and policy organs, think-thanks, journalists, INGO practitioners, activists, diplomats, and field researchers from around the globe. These diverse actors assemble with a singular aim: to present their latest projects and freshest ideas, and engage their peers to learn and improve security and justice policy and programs.

This year, the Secretariat has chosen to investigate a number of gaps – as well as how we can work together to bridge them - under the theme ‘Bridging the Gap: Rhetoric and practice in security and the rule of law’. We hope this theme will challenge participants to interrogate the way the security and rule of law field is organized and framed, to contribute to the generation of new ideas, reward taking risks and successful innovation, and to forge promising and equal relationships to enable progress towards sustaining peace and strengthening the rule of law.

Video impression 

Program

Find the program for the Annual Conference here.

Timetable

Find the Timetable of sessions at the Annual Conference here.

Practical information

The Annual Conference will be held at the COMM - Museum voor Communicatie (Zeestraat 82, 2518 AD Den Haag) on 10 October 2019. The Conference is a full-day event.

Register for the Annual Conference here

Bridging the Gap: Rhetoric and practice in security and the rule of law

Through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, all states have committed to fostering peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from fear and violence. It is incumbent on all states to implement this vision through concerted efforts and a commitment to the elements that make up the Agenda, acknowledging the importance of stability, peace and the (inter)national rule of law for sustainable development. However, ensuring the implementation of effective interventions and integrating the approaches of the various actors working on security and rule of law remains challenging.

Despite efforts of states, civil society, and citizens to work together, there are persistent gaps in the ways that we think of and work on security and the rule of law. These include systemic gaps between the broad consensus on how we should be working, and the administrative and political structures that impede us from doing so – gaps between rhetoric and practice. In 2019, the Knowledge Platform’s Annual Conference will zoom in on some of these gaps. As ever, the Secretariat looks to the wealth of knowledge and experience within its vibrant community to devise ways to have an open and honest dialogue about these gaps, in an effort to try and begin to bridge them, and together work towards a culture of the rule of law, viable justice mechanisms, secure and stable environments, and sustainable peace and development.

This year’s Annual Conference offers a forum to critically explore ways to bridge the gaps between rhetoric and practice, and capitalize on the expertise brought by the diverse audience drawn to the Annual Conference. As such, the Secretariat hopes to interrogate the way the current ecosystem is organized and framed, and to contribute to the generation of new ideas to stimulate learning, and reward taking risks and successful innovation, and to the forging of promising and equal relationships to enable progress towards sustaining peace and strengthening the rule of law.

Register here

On 6 May, the Platform will host Susanna Campbell in The Hague to present her new, incisive book Global Governance and Local Peace: Accountability and Performance in International Peacebuilding.
 
In the book, Campbell examines the relationships between peacebuilding organizations, their country offices, and local actors. Country offices play a central role in forging peace in conflict-affected societies, but must continually balance their (competing) accountability to their organizations, donors and local stakeholders. How country offices manage to strike this balance defines whether and how much they learn about what it takes to build peace in their context. Through in-depth examination of the day-to-day machinations of organizations and individuals working to resolve violent conflicts and foster peaceful societies, Campbell arrives at useful practical recommendations for all involved in peacebuilding efforts.
 
Join us on 6 May – we welcome your input and would value your insights during the facilitated discussion after Prof. Campbell’s presentation.

On Thursday 14 February 2019, KPSRL in partnership with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department for Stabilisation and Humanitarian Aid (DSH) and NIMD hosted a meeting to share lessons from the mid-term reviews (MTRs) of Strategic Partnerships on Dialogue and Dissent (SPDD) in the field of security and rule of law.

Speakers

The event started with presentations by the two evaluation teams that have conducted the MTRs of NIMD’s SP Conducive Environment for Effective Policy-making (Mike Zuyderduyn and Irma Alpenidze, MDF) and of NIMD’s Dialogue for Stability Programme (Greg Power, Global Partners Governance; Alina Rocha Menocal, ODI). They were followed by three discussants: Koen Faber (Cordaid), Lori Cajegas (CARE) and Marjolein Jongman (DSH). The remainder of the event was open for active Q&A and discussion.

Background

In November 2016, the Knowledge Platform organized a series of lunch meetings and a closing brainstorm on the topic of adaptive programming in the field of security and rule of law. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs´ Department of Stabilization and Humanitarian Aid, together with NIMD and PAX, hosted the forward-looking lunch meetings, which aimed to address challenges foreseen in programme management and results measurement of programmes such as SPDD, especially in the context of the its funding mechanism’s flexible monitoring requirements. As a follow-up to these meetings, GPPAC hosted a project in 2017¬2018 under the KPSRL’s Knowledge Management Fund, learning from outcome harvesting as an approach used by various SPs to better capture results from adaptive programmes in complex environments.

Now, at the beginning of 2019, NIMD, and most of the programme’s strategic partners have conducted MTRs, creating an opportune moment to share their findings and draw lessons in the light of the previously identified challenges to adaptive programming.

Guiding questions

1. On using political economy analyses and thinking and working politically: What does this really mean and how have various Strategic Partners done this, and done this well?
2. On Theory of Change application and adjustment, and adaptive programming in practice: How have Theories of Change been used to guide programming? How are they tested and adjusted, and on what basis?

Due to the limited number of places available, this is a closed-door event. If you would like to attend, please send an email to m.manirakiza@kpsrl.org.

The International Center for Transitional Justice, in partnership with the Pathfinders for Peaceful, Just and Inclusive Societies, the Knowledge Platform Security & Rule of Law, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands, invites you to a presentation of the report “Transitional Justice and SDG16+” in The Hague, on 8 February 2019 at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The launch will start at 1.15PM.

The product of a one-year long reflection by the Working Group on Transitional Justice and SDG 16+, comprised of civil society experts, governmental representatives, and UN agencies, the report pinpoints the ways in which transitional justice processes can successfully advance SDG 16+ and improve the lives of victims of violence, human rights violations, and marginalization. The report is also a contribution to the work of the Pathfinders’ Task Force on Justice.

This presentation is the first of many events and activities over the next year. Join us in the discussions and in calling for action on justice. Help us make 2019 the year of justice, peace, and inclusiveness.

Please note that you must bring valid photo ID to enter the Peace Palace.

With a majority of the world’s citizens living without equitable access to justice, the need to prioritize justice for all is paramount. The inclusion of justice as a focus area of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has spurred those working on justice around the world to come together to make 2019 the Year of Justice.

The Global Taskforce on Justice – led by the Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Argentina and the Elders will be hosting the Justice Partners Forum on February 7th to convene justice leaders to discuss opportunities and challenges in achieving access to justice for all and exploring strategies to accelerate delivery on justice, nationally and worldwide.

In Somaliland, through work to localize SDG16+, Saferworld together with authorities and civil society organizations have identified access to justice as a key development priority. An inclusive process to determine justice gaps and potential solutions has been ongoing over the past six months, with support from the KPSRL’s Knowledge Management Fund. Ambitious plans are now in place to use the Year of Justice to launch a new vision for access to justice for Somaliland. Speakers will share experiences about the successes and remaining challenges for improving access to justice in Somaliland.

Using this case study, Saferworld, the Somaliland Human Rights Centre and the Secretariat of the Knowledge Platform will host a side-event on the margins of the Justice Partners Forum on 8 February 2018 to share experiences about successes and remaining challenges, and start a conversation on localizing access to justice across similar contexts.

Speakers:

• Mr. Adam Haji-Ali Ahmed – Chief Justice of Somaliland
• Ms. Charlotte Watson – Conflict and Security Adviser, Saferworld
• Mr. Guleid Ahmed Jama – Founder and former Chairperson, Somaliland Human Rights Centre