First Meeting of the Committee on Human Development and Civil Society

21-23 June 1999
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Economic Commission for Africa

Constitution and Functions of the CHDCS

I. BACKGROUND

The United Nations General Assembly during its Twelfth Ordinary Session adopted Resolution 1155 (XIII) of 26 November 1957, recommending that the Economic and Social Council, at its next session, give prompt and favorable consideration to the establishment of an Economic Commission for Africa.

The Economic and Social Council, having considered General Assembly resolution 1155 (XII) of November 1957, recommending the need to give effective aid to the countries and territories of Africa in accordance with Article 68 of the Charter of the United Nations, established the Economic Commission for Africa by its resolution 671 (XXV) adopted on 29 April 1958.

Among the major terms of reference of the Commission are:

(a) The Commission may establish such liaison as it Deems appropriate with inter-governmental organizations in Africa operating in the same field;

(b) The Commission shall adopt is own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its chairman and other officers;

(c) The administrative budget of the Commission shall be financed from the funds of the United Nations;

(d) The Secretary General of the United Nations shall appoint the Executive Secretary of the Commission;

(e) The Commission shall submit to the Economic and Social Council once a year a full report on its activities and plans, including those of any subsidiary bodies;

(f) The headquarters of the Commission and its Secretariat shall be located in Africa. The Commission may in due course also establish such subregional offices as it may find necessary;

(g) The first session of the Commission shall be called by the Secretary General as soon as practicable, but not later than the end of 1958; and,

(h) The Economic and Social Council shall, from time to time make special reviews of the work of the Commission.

It is against this background that the Commission's legislative mandate is derived. The Commission^1/ is the principal policy organ of the secretariat.

The Conference of African Ministers responsible for Economic and social development and planning is keeping with its mandate adopted Resolution no. 826 (XXXII) in April 1997, through which the ministers structured ECA's policy organs and introduced new subsidiary bodies to deal with emerging development issues facing the continent. Among these organs and subsidiary bodies, (Pare "B-4") the Ministers established the "Committee on Human Development and Civil Society" as follows:

"The Committee's mission will be to help strengthen the civil society and human development. It will enable ECA to draw on opinions of experts in the public and private sectors and civil society, in its operations. The Committee will conduct development and follow-up activities pertaining to global and regional action programmes such as the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development and the African Charter for Popular participation in Development and Transformation. It will review major trends and issues of regional interest regarding human development and the civil society".

It would serve as a forum for reviewing specific issues related to human and social development as well as popular participation and the role of civil society. In these respects, the committee is to strengthen coherence of the ECA work programme in the areas of human and social development and popular participation as well as deepen policy dialogue with member States. This committee will meet once every two years. The Terms of Reference of this Committee are as follows.

(a) Assist member States to promote measures to follow-up the implementation of the regional and globally agreed programmes of action in social and human development and popular participation;

(b) Provide advice to the Commission in formulating its work programmes in the area of human development and popular participation;

(c) Encourage the integration of social and human dimensions into development policies, plans and programmes at both macroeconomic and sectoral levels; and,

(d) Identify and highlight the major economic and social development issues and concerns with a view to promoting policies and strategies for human development and popular participation in development.

II. OPERATIONAL GUIDES

The Committee on Human Development and Civil Society (CHDCS) will:

(a) Undertake in-depth analysis of the pressing issues related to human development and the role of Civil Society,

(ii) Formulate relevant policy recommendations on these issues to guide actions of African policy makers and other development partners including private sector,

(iii) Monitor progress made in the implementation of regional and global plans of action namely: the Arusha Declaration on Popular participation and the Copenhagen Declaration and Social Plan of Action and recommend Strategies for enhancing implementation,

(iv) Provide guidance to the work of ECA by suggesting future directions of ESPD/DMD's programme of work and priorities,

(v) Monitor activities of member States in the above-mentioned areas through reports submitted to ECA.

III. RECOMMENDATIONS

Since it is anticipated that the CHDCS will be working in collaboration with other relevant agencies, the Committee, at its inaugural meeting recommended the following to be considered by the Conference of African Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning:

1. Relationship of the Committee with relevant UN Bodies/Agencies;

(i) The CHDCS will serve as the regional forum of experts that deals with the issues of human development and Civil Society on activities as mandated by the UN General Assembly,

(ii) The CHDCS will serve as the regional advisory body of the Commission on issues related to human development, Civil Society and good governance in Africa as well and follow upon actions related to the implementation of the Arusha Declaration on Popular Participation, the Copenhagen Declaration and other relevant programmes.

2. Relationship of CHDCS and Other Institutions

The CHDCS appreciates the value of coordination and experience sharing and will cooperate with other relevant institutions involved in activities related to human, Social, Private Sector development, Civil Society and good governance.

The CHDCS will also collaborate with the other six technical committees under the auspices of the ECA and will promote regular liaison and communication with these committees.

3. Modalities

(a) Membership

The membership of the Committee will be the following:

(i) Government of ECA member States,

(ii) Umbrella Organizations of CSOs at national, subregional and regional levels,

(iii) Umbrella Regional Private Sector Organization,

(iv) OAU.

ECA will serve as the Secretariat of the CHDCS

(b) The Bureau

The Bureau will be composed of:

Five members representing the Committee's three constituencies, namely: Government, CSOs and private Sector. The Bureau will comprise members recommended by the three constituencies as follows:

(i) 2 from government,

(ii) 2 from Civil Society Organizations (1 from women's organization),

(iii) 1 from Private Sector.

The 5 Bureau members shall elect among themselves, the Chairperson, three vice Chairpersons and a Rapporteur. ECA will serve as the secretariat of the Bureau.

(c) Duration

(i) The Bureau shall serve for one regular session of the Committee. The Bureau will serve until the election of the new Bureau,

(ii) The Bureau, in consultation with the ECA Secretariat, may hold inter-sessional meetings as deemed necessary.

(d) Venue of meetings

The meetings of the CHDCS may be held in any member State, upon invitation by the country. In the absence of any offer to host the meeting, it shall be held at ECA Headquarters.

(e) Funding

(i) Participation of members at the meetings will be borne by participants. This arrangement does not preclude participants from seeking financial assistance from donors.

(ii) ECA shall fund the meeting of the Bureau members.

(f) Coordination

Each Member State of ECA shall establish national committee on human development and civil activities. This committee shall comprise:

(i) Relevant Ministries,

(ii) Representatives of civil society including academia, media, youth organizations and private sector.

(g) Monitoring and reporting

Reporting shall be in two ways. Annual reports from ECA on its activities in the areas of human development and civil society, including popular participation. Biennial unified country reports (covering government, private sector and civil society components) to be submitted to the Conference of Ministers through ECA secretariat three months before each meeting of the Committee. The report will follow the format that should be designed and agreed upon by ECA and the Bureau. The Committee shall report to the ECA Conference of Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning through the Technical Preparatory Committee of the Whole (TEPCOW).

(h) Observers

It is recommended that in view of the important role that UN and other international agencies/organizations play in the above areas they should be invited to attend meetings of the CHDCS as observers.

1 / The Conference of African Ministers responsible for economic and social development and planning constitutes the "Commission" when it is meeting