Towards an independent national entity
Work is currently underway to transition STAR-Ghana into a sustainable, independent Ghanaian institution with a key role in mobilising active citizens and civil society around accountability.
The aspiration to build this entity and a new funding stream for active citizenship work in Ghana is a distinctive innovation that sets STAR-Ghana apart from other civil society initiatives.
Our move towards an independent national institution, owned and governed by Ghanaians, is supported by:
– Solid track record of support to CSOs and parliament
– Considerable convening power to create spaces for citizen voice
– Trust and relationship capital: an honest broker
– Partnership-based approach
– Dynamic national leadership
– Robust and reliable financial management system
– Proven grants and fund management capacity
– Significant profile, visibility, legitimacy and credibility
– National brand recognition across sectors, reinforced by active engagement with civil society, government, Parliament and the media
– Ability to document and share compelling human stories of social change
– Vigorous framework/tested capacity for monitoring and evaluation of programme results and impact
– Commitment to continuous learning
– Strong commitment to put gender equality and social inclusion at the heart - An ‘embedded political economy analysis’
Most important of all is our distinctive vision of an active, well-informed society mobilising active citizenship as a critical national asset to realise Ghana’s promise for the future – a more equitable and inclusive society that truly ‘leaves no-one behind'.
In 2017, STAR-Ghana undertook wide-ranging consultations within civil society and with other key stakeholders to help define the nature of an independent institution and the particular gap it could fill in the evolving Ghanaian context. Our aim is to ensure co-creation and broad national ownership of an entity which strengthens the effectiveness and sustainability of civil society.
STAR-Ghana has carried out consultations in all 10 regional capitals. The general public was invited to participate in the sessions.
Through a series of dialogues to review the relevance of STAR-Ghana’s ambitious institutional vision, we are examining more closely innovations for sustainability that may be tested and scaled up. It has been an opportunity to gather input on practical options for STAR-Ghana’s institutional development.
Among the issues under consideration during the consultation have been buy-in to and general ownership of the entity, its legal form, membership and representativeness, gatekeeping and financial sustainability (including membership dues, donors, and private sector or state support).
We have also been conducting this consultation to provide an update on status of implementation of the recommendations made during consultations leading to the development of STAR-Ghana.
Civil society in Ghana
Ghana has a wide range of civil society organisations, community-based organisations, issue-based and political movements, professional associations, workers’ unions and faith-based organisations.
These organisations can be large or small, operating at national, regional or local level. They tend to represent certain groups of people and communities – urban or rural – and be relevant to particular issues relating to political, financial or traditional authority interests.
These organisations can be well-funded or financially challenged – there is extreme variation in their access to resources. There is a good deal of fragmentation within Ghanaian civil society, as well as competition between organisations, brought about by their dependence on donor support and funding.