NGOs lobbying International Organizations: How to set agendas effectively

This article was first posted on 13 November 2011 at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations (at Harvard University) blog

The reason there are 9 “Major Groups” of stakeholders as part of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development is because these groups are the ones who are pushy and vocal.
Felix Dodds (Executive Director of Stakeholder Forum), shared his tips during a talk at the Harvard Kennedy School on November 10 2011: “By getting involved early, you can have a huge impact on influencing the policy agenda”.

Even when governments are not ready to engage and we want to keep up momentum, there are lots of ways conversations can be kept moving – from coffee chats in capital corridors to more formal discussion with officials on their priorities, constant engagement leads to a strong trust-based bond.
Naturally, the desire to get involved early must be complemented with enough substance in order to get the attention of international organizations. Some ways to do that include a) writing background papers – promoting ideas, workshops, information leading up to a major event b) providing policy recommendations for instance on how to reshape financial markets (indices, governance, incentives, state owned investment vehicles) c) building alliances with key players in industry, for instance on the issue of corporate accountability for sustainability.

While this makes sense as a broad strategy, an audience member raised a question that is likely to be an obstacle to actionable progress: How do we make sure governments collaborate, agree, and execute?

Dodds suggested that the main way had to be by instituting review mechanisms that reward delivery. “NGOs play a role in holding accountability: we have done that very badly over the years – one of the missing links is parliaments. Parliaments could be part of as an annual review mechanism. There is no reason why parliaments can’t hold the executive branch of the government accountable.”
Another useful question was understanding whether this process is replicable outside the sustainable development arena (e.g. health, human rights, etc). Dodds was unambiguous in his response – Yes. In the fields of HIV/Aids and human rights, NGOs had demonstrated that they could set the agenda.
One of the things that Dodds wants to see is more UN summits taking place away from New York. It would be particularly important to have the 2015 MDG Summit hosted by a developing country. “Once we have a pooled expertise, then we get to have a more coherent input to the process”. This winds back to his earlier point – the beginning is the most important bit – if you get things right in agenda setting, governments trust you since you’ve been working with them over a period of time, so they take your ideas.

In my own experience setting up the Office of Climate Change and Development for the Government of Papua New Guinea, I found a lot of these principles to be valid. We appreciated the expertise of NGOs understanding how to get things done on the ground, and by engaging them early, developed a comprehensive, prioritized set of stakeholder interactions in different formats for various provinces. Furthermore, the indigenous people we spoke to felt much more comfortable pursuing ambitious initiatives knowing that NGOs, international organizations and the government together agreed that it was the best course of action.

Rahul Daswani is a pursuing a Masters in Public Policy Degree at the Harvard Kennedy School.

First Harvard Article

Dear friends,

Thanks all for the wonderful response to my first article! This is an article that I submitted to the Harvard Citizen, published on 18th Oct 2011. Text below, if you prefer.

Battle hymn of a happiness optimizer

Rahul Daswani, Contributor, MPP’13

Over the last several weeks, many of us (especially first year students) have been struggling to find a balance between maximizing happiness and maintaining control over where we spend our time. I have found five strategies extremely helpful in maximizing my happiness on a daily basis.

1.     Gratitude: After all, we are at Harvard. Every morning, I wake up and marvel at the fact that I’m actually here. Surprisingly, this isn’t a joke. The fact that our ‘problems’ involve trying to figure out which diplomat to go have a discussion with, or which war veteran to sit next to in class, is an existence most people don’t even begin to imagine. I’ve taken to plugging out of my iPod and plugging in to the sounds, sights and smells around me during my 15 min walk to campus. Try smiling at every person you walk by on your way to school for 5 minutes straight: you might be surprised at the reaction you get.

2.     The 80/20 principle: For the non-consultants among us, a common rule we can apply to our daily life (aka problem sets) is that we can get 80% of the solutions with 20% of the effort (or time). One way to practice this is to have self-imposed time limits for assignments. For instance, I have vowed never to spend more than 3 hours a week on stats. If there’s a part of a question I did not get a chance to complete (or will take too long), I’ll just read over the solution set once its out, and spend the rest of my time doing activities I enjoy a little more than number-crunching.

3.     Burst the bubbles: So now that we are all happier and have new-found time on our hands, what kinds of things could we do? Some of the things I enjoy (outside of HKS and even the Harvard community) are: Exploring the social scene at other schools; stopping by the GSD for beer and BBQ once beer runs out at quorum call; going to a HBS party on Wednesday night; organizing a house crawl.  Better yet, I enjoy exploring areas outside of Cambridge, such as taking a day trip to Maine (best lobster I’ve ever had); spending a weekend at a Cape Cod beach; or going on a date Thursday night at Stella in Boston with someone stellar.

4.     Cultivate mentors: In an environment where so many people have spent significant amounts of time living and working in each of our ‘dream jobs’, it would be foolish not to learn from their experience. Take advantage of formal as well as informal opportunities to meet people who you can bounce ideas off. The Mid-Careers often share classes with us kids, or are involved in the same service projects. The ones I have met have been nothing but open and excited to provide guidance at our behest.

5.     Take an annoying classmate to lunch: Wait, what? Yes, I’m sure we all have a small number of people who just get on our nerves every time they talk. Our instincts tell us to walk away to pre-empt any chance of a prelude to a conversation. Or is it just me? In any case, one of the most rewarding things I’ve done is sit down for an extended conversation (over lunch, in the courtyard, at a house party) with one of those people to understand more about where they come from, and why they think the way they do. Often, I’ve found it allows me to refine my own perspective on life, and think about things in a way I hadn’t thought of before. Not to mention, that person becomes much more of a real friend to me than just another ‘Facebook friend’.

These are some of the strategies I have used to avoid death by problem sets, keep my perspective and optimize my happiness. If you have any other ideas or strategies, I’d love to hear ‘em.  See you at the next party.

Mt Wilhelm

Dear friends, It is with a bittersweet symphony that my 15-month adventure in PNG ends. I vividly recall first stepping foot in Port Moresby in March last year, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to take on a challenging career in the government of a country no one I knew had ever been to. Reports of the country were mixed, safety being cited as a constant concern but balanced (for me) that the amazing biodiversity that was promised - double the marine life that is in the Red Sea! It will be surreal to leave this place that has been my home for over a year, filled with amazing people who have welcomed me wholeheartedly into their lives. But I'm sure this is not the last I've seen of PNG, and so I venture on to new pastures of self-development, that I may contribute to even greater heights in the future.

Before I left PNG, I had the opportunity for 1 big mission - climb the country's highest mountain, Mt Wilhelm (4502m). Like most adventures in PNG, this turned out to be much more than just a mission, it provided a prime example to reflect on the wonders of PNG, her people and my time here.

path to Betty's Lodge

Day 1: Flew to Mt Hagen, and 5 hr drive to Betty's Lodge. Betty's lodge is at 2800m, and is the furthest one can drive by road, before scaling the rest of Mt Wilhelm on foot. Betty herself is quite a character. Having won numerous awards for entrepreneurship, Betty not only set up the lodge, but also manages it on a daily basis (has over 30 beds), and cooked us some wonderful food. We proceeded to rest and acclimatize for the next 2 days of fun, socializing around a fire with other tourists from Europe, Australia, including a group of 3 who returned from scaling Mt Wilhelm and returning in a day (Betty called them crazy).

Betty's trout!

Day 2: During the early part of the day, we got to wander around the compound, and discovered Betty's business was more diverse and extensive than we had expected: she also managed a fish farm, with thousands of trout separated by size among 7 large containers. On the path leading to the farm, the path was adorned with a magnificent array of flowers - much like PNG is dressed with people from its 800+ tribes, coexisting across the country, blooming at different times and each unique in their own beautiful way. After a light lunch, our trek began under the canopy of the rainforest. A well traversed path and an efficient guide took us from Betty's lodge to base camp (3500m) in just under 3 hours. 

Base camp

'Base camp' was quite an apt description - this was the base of the mountain, with no more well worn easy tracks to follow. And it was effectively a 'camp', a roof over our heads, gas stove (instant noodles and milo for dinner) for the night, and a place with function but little form. That was irrelevant however, because the beauty surrounding us was amazing. Peering out of base camp, one immediately sees a beautiful lake, as well as the waterfall feeding gently into it, caressing the mighty mountain as the water makes a languid journey downwards. Our roommates at base camp turned out to be an extremely interesting Belgian dude, and an Indonesian family who arrived much later. The Belgian regaled us with tales of how he decided to take a gap in University (between his 3rd and 4th years), and travel for 2 years. He had slowly made his way up from Australia, and was spending a month traveling upwards along the coast of Papua New Guinea. He had been through the madness of public buses, stayed with locals he met on his journeys, named a newborn child of a village, and intended to sail across the border to Indonesia in a few weeks time. Yet another reminder that people we meet in this country often have a curious mix of a desire for exploration, high flexibility of plans, and are a self-motivated bunch (with any of these 3 missing, one won't survive too long in the bush). After a short nap, we awoke at 2am to start the 6-hour climb to the summit with borrowed flashlights and our trusty guide.

We made it!

Day 3: After the first hour armed with a small flashlight each, darting over muddy puddles on our steep ascent parallel to a waterfall we could hear cascading beside us, we asked our guide whether it would be this steep and muddy the whole way up. After deliberating for awhile, he finally answered "Well its steep and muddy about half of the time.....and steep and rocky the other half of the way." On the bright side, we were glad he was honest with us. This allowed us to be mentally prepared for the journey ahead, and pace ourselves through sunrise to head closer to the summit with every step. 

In many ways, the journey up Mt Wilhelm was reflective of my time in PNG. Absolutely, constantly punctuated by all kinds of beauty. A challenging working environment, setting up a government agency in a quarter of the time it usually takes required navigation of stakeholders and terrain which was the equivalent of steep, rocky and muddy ground. Of course, I was also extremely to be accompanied by amazing guides. People who were keen to lend a hand, direct me on the best path to take, and excite me to carry on. Most of all, the warm, accepting, friendly people I've met over the past 15 months will remain with me always.

Lukim yu PNG, and thank you all for being a part of this journey with me. 

Madang

Dear friends,

As I complete 14 months in this wonderful country, my thoughts begin to wonder to bigger pictures. Have I made a difference? What now? What should I do in 2 years after going back to school? But inevitably they settle and return to the 2 more immediate concerns: 

1) Let me make sure I pass on the baton for continued dedication to climate change and PNG for those who have chosen to serve this cause in PNG, and ensure a smooth transition.

2) Let me reflect on the adventures and experiences that this amazing country has given me since March 2010, for there is truly no place like PNG. 6 million people, over 800 tribes and languages, some of the richest biodiversity on land, air and sea only begins to hint at the uniqueness of this nation.

In that spirit, I write my penultimate update from PNG. Recently I had the chance to go to Madang, a northern coastal province on the mainland of PNG not too far from Port Moresby (1 hr flight). Instead of staying at the standard boutique hotel that exists in each tourist-frequented town in PNG, we decided to go a less traveled route: to the Jais Aben Resort, a simple yet expansive property on the waterfront outside town, with an array of activities to pick from. "The aptly named Jais Aben means ‘resting place’ in local language. Many people tell us that this is precisely the feeling they have immediately upon arrival." - I have to agree, the bungalows by the sea catching the breeze lulled us into a relaxing mood from the moment we entered the compound.

While we did end up spending most of the weekend between the bungalow, dining area (30 ft from the Pacific Ocean) and checking out fish in the ocean, we did also manage to take a trip up to the hilltop for a scenic view out. Interestingly, the hilltop also contained a radio tower, that had been built during the war period, and then later used by missionaries to spread the gospel, promoting peace and bringing stability to the people through religion, much like in many other parts of PNG.

On the next afternoon, we also managed to take a canoe out and paddle to some nearby islands. We ended up making sandcastles with some kids on the first island (the one in the sunrise picture), and then we headed onward onto what we thought was an uninhabited island. To our surprise, as we turned the corner and clambered ashore, we found some smiling locals awaiting us, including a friendly elder who generously offered to give us a tour around the island. Once he found out that we were working on climate change, he took us to the opposite side of the island, where coastal erosion of the island over the years was painfully obvious. A particular section of the coast was unprotected by the extensive roots of mangroves growing elsewhere, and the continuous erosion was a source of concern to the entire village. We were then introduced to the village chief, a frail looking man with a booming voice who, upon finding out our ages, remarked "I have been chief for 42 years - since way before you were born!" before thanking us for our visit and retiring to his hut.

Of course, the trip included some usual unexpected PNG-style surprises - a 3d chess game with life-size bird of paradise pieces, a return canoe trip involving a narrow shortcut under an eye-level bridge back to Jais, being invited to a post-meal drinks conversation with a landowner who was looking or an investment strategy for the "3 million Kina (~1 million USD) I am getting next week", because we apparently looked like his sons. Resulting in an offer to hire us as his investors starting with K10,000 a piece (an offer we politely declined), and tossing us his landcruiser keys in case we wanted to drive around Madang...but what fun would PNG be without typical PNG randomness!

Thus I leave you with this thought: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Nusa Island

Dear friends,

Time has flown - it has been over a year since I first set foot in the land of a thousand journeys. For this edition, I revisit one of my favourite provinces in PNG, New Ireland. 

 

One of the great things about PNG is how many different things one can do, even in a seemingly similar situation. Spending an entire weekend at Nusa Island Retreat was simultaneously relaxing, and quite fulfilling. Upon arriving at our breezy hut overlooking the sea, we spent the first few hours touring the island and interacting with the multitude of friendly animals that co-habited the island. From gangly dogs to parrots with injured wings, each being had a story to share. Horn-billed pelicans were somehow convinced that my toes were edible, and we watched a slightly wounded hawk tear apart a quick meal.

Pulling up a canoe allowed us to paddle to the various other islands (the 2 behind the surfer kid), and take in a gorgeous sunset. On the way to the 2 islands, we stopped for a quick snorkel to see a shipwreck 4m deep, and had a peek at the sunk airplane (7m down). We also had the chance to explore a nearby island. Aside from lush terrain, ancient war relics (the large cannon in the picture) allowed us to dwell on what the island had been like 70 years ago. We moved onward with our tour of the adjacent island, climbing up a short stretch of rocks to look over a blowhole in action with cycles of around 2 minutes. 

We spent the rest of the time relaxing - playing with starfish that surfaced beneath our hut, watching a variety of people row canoes between Nusa and Kavieng, silhouetted by a beautiful sunset, and rallying on a beach ping pong table. While laying in my hammock, I wondered: How is it that in this outwardly rustic appearing eco-lodge, one is drawn into such unimaginable serenity?

Perhaps it's the cool breeze that sways the hammock one lays upon, gently rocking me from side to side. Or the constant presence of the hues of turquoise waters merging seamlessly into the varied shades and shapes of green trees, available anytime I flick my eyes over the horizon of the book I'm currently perusing. It could be the murmur of the waves as they roll over the sand beneath me, punctuated by the occassional hum of a speedboat bringing passengers to and from this tropical paradise. The very presence of a variety of land and marinelife, too, certainly raised my spirits: horn-billed pelicans hopping delicately down the stairs to feed on pieces of banana out of our hands, parrots of several varieties adorned with skin warm to the touch, falcons gliding elegantly through the air, with a feather making a graceful descent towards us as they glide overhead. And then I ask, how could one possibly not be serene in such an environment?

Ulumani Treetops, Milne Bay province

The view of Milne Bay from Ulumani Treetops Lodge

Cricket pitch shaded by an Avatar-esqe tree

Dear friends,

Recently I had the wonderful experience of taking a weekend getaway right to the middle of a rainforest. After a brief flight to Alotau in Milne Bay Province (Southernmost part of PNG, and by the coast), our host Warren greeted us, and a pleasant 45 min drive regaled with tales of how Warren conceived (he had seen what logging had done to surrounding environments), built (with his bare hands and the help of his family) and ran (beautiful food, a serene view, and a family to cater for all activities) the Ulumani Treetops Lodge ensued.

The view alone was more than enough to keep one glued to the deck chair for hours. The stillness of the trees framed by turquoise Milne bay, punctuated by the occasional hen pecking around is one of the most relaxing environments one can absorb, while breathing in the invigoratingly fresh air. Even more fortunately, we got the chance not just to enjoy the quiet stature of the rainforest and the delicious home-cooked vegetables fresh from the nearby garden, but also to explore the beautiful surroundings of Ulumani.

Just a short 20 min walk down from Ulumani, we arrived at the beach, in time to be invited for a game of cricket with the local boys! A lot of fun followed, 2 wickets, 2 catches and 22 runs was a memorable prelude to snorkeling along a shallow shipwreck a few minutes away from the game. Evenings were spent building fires along the beach old-school style, beginning with twigs and grass, and then maturing to larger bits of wood. Sitting around the blazing fires discussing topics ranging from green income streams that would allow Papua New Guinea to grow in a sustainable fashion to the variety in culture and heritage that was present and treasured all around us helped me to appreciate the 4 stars present event more: Beneath us, phosphorescent glow of plankton as they converted the kinetic energy of the waves and radiated in response to movements in the water. Above us, the stars twinkled with clarity, shining light unfiltered by the noise of light pollution we have all become so accustomed to. Among us, fireflies danced gaily, sharing their enthusiasm for living in the moment. And most of all Within us, each of us creating our own destinies, learning from experiences that we may grow, share and live fully.

Pool at the base of the waterfall

After such an inspiring night, we were excited to do more, see more. So the next day, Warren Jr and Evax (Warren's son and nephew) took us on a 1-hr trek through the rainforest, after which we arrived at a breathtaking waterfall, with a natural pool of crystal clear water to swim, and even drink from at the base. On our way back through the forest, we passed several varieties of intricate (and gigantic) spiders, including weavers and tarantulas about as big as the size of our hands. It was fascinating to observe these industrious beings architect their webs, and for the most part we stayed away from interfering with their hard work.

Canoeing up the Dawadawa river

For our final activity, a couple of Warren's other nephews kindly agreed to give us a lift on their boat along the coast of Milne bay, onto the channel leading up to the Dawadawa river, where we were able to move onto a much more natural form of transport - dugout canoe. With the guidance of locals from the village, we had an amazing journey paddling up the Dawadawa, untouched beauty on either side. While the scenery evoked memories of sailing down canals in Kerala, the experience of being in a tiny canoe fit so perfectly with the journey we undertook, allowing us to savor every rich moment that our oars merged seamlessly with the river. We paused at the banks a few times to join the kids in moments of merriment (shrieks of Dimdim, 'white man' in Tok Pisin, are always followed by gales of laughter), and were blessed with a cooling drizzle on our way back to the boat.

To think that we spent the weekend in a tiny part of Milne bay province, not even venturing to Alotau town, let alone other provinces or countries just boggles my mind as a reminder of how much beauty there is all around us. We just have to spend some time experiencing it, dwell on it, and smile.