Mange års tæt samarbejde mellem Danida og den danske Ombudsmand om støtte til nye ombudsmandsinstitutioner og nationale menneskeretsinstitutioner i Den 3. Verden blev bekræftet på et seminar om “Etablering og støtte til demokratiske institutioner”, som fandt sted onsdag den 30. marts i forbindelse med den danske Ombudsmands-institutions 50 års jubilæum.
Her er åbningsindlægget af Danidas chef, udenrigsråd Carsten Staur:
Let me start be stating the obvious – that the topic of todays seminar: “establishing democratic institutions” is paramount on the development agenda. Establishing, developing and adapting democratic government institutions is of vital importance in modernising any state. It is a challenge of particular relevance in many developing countries.
“Good governance” is the headline most often used as the buzzword to capture the overall goal of such processes that will hopefully lead to the strengthening and modernising of government institutions.
From years of experience in development work we all know and agree that Good Governance is a prerequisite (forudsætning) for sustainable development. Good Governance is not only a precondition for the effective use and fair distribution of resource in any given society. Good Governance is also a central element in creating the conditions for stability, growth, democracy and respect for human rights.
Every group of people, societies and countries need mechanisms that can solve conflicts and rectify wrongdoings whether by state or private actors. These mechanisms should enjoy general respect, be seen as fair and objective, free of special interests, political or otherwise.
We all understand the importance of Good Governance. The challenge is how to achieve it. We know the results we would like to get to, but we also know that the road is complicated and full of unknown challenges – and that quick fixes are not very often the solution.
That is why we are here today – to learn from experience and from each other in order to improve our future efforts.
In Danish foreign policy and international development cooperation good governance, human rights, democratisation and popular participation are priority areas – objectives in themselves, but also seen as means to improve economic growth, reduce poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Our support to specific Good Governance initiatives is plentiful and illustrates the broad agenda of “modernising the state”. We support various organisations: The judiciary, parliaments, anti corruptions agencies, civil society organizations, the press, and local government institutions.
In order to do so, we need to understand the situation in the countries we work with. And we must identify where Denmark can make a difference in furthering the various agendas pertaining to “Good Governance”.
Our support must build on policies and reforms that are truly owned by our partners in developing countries. How do we develop such ownership to democratic reforms, to access to justice for all, to human rights and so on – this is a key question.
Donors must get their act together and intensify cooperation and work to establish a better division of labour among themselves. Donors must stop imposing particular models for achieving Good Governance and rather build their support on what is already on the ground. There is a need for all of us to refocus our efforts in areas where we have comparative advantages.
Assisting in the establishment of ombudsman institutions, and strengthening of these institutions, is a good example where Denmark has a comparative advantage. Over the last few years, Danida has involved the Danish Ombudsman and his staff in our development activities, in particular in Ghana, Jordan and Albania.
This work is carried out under a long-term cooperation agreement that allows us to draw on the Ombudsmans expertise when needed. It is a good example of an aid agency and a specialised legal body working together, providing technical assistance as an inherent part of Danish development co-operation.
The main focus areas of Ombudsman institutions per se are to promote clarity in government, to further good governance and respect of human rights and to lend assistance to civil complaints. Basically, to protect every citizen from violation of their rights by government.
More than 100 countries today have an ombudsman or a Human Rights commissioner – many of them inspired by the Danish and Nordic models.
We have been very pleased with our cooperation with the Danish Ombudsman. We look forward to continue to expand this cooperation in the coming years, if this is called for by an expressed need for assistance from ombudsmen institutions in developing countries and countries in transition.
Developing, building, nurturing and encouraging governance reform is a vital and an intriguing part of the development process. It requires commitments and efforts over the long haul. Its one of the building blocks of our development cooperation policy. And its part and parcel of our development programmes in our partner countries and in our broader efforts to promote freedom, democracy and respect of human rights.
The role of Ombudsmen institutions is an important part of this broader agenda. We welcome this opportunity to expand on the challenges facing various ombudmen and national human rights commissions or commissioners. We hope that we will all be able to learn from it. And that it will help us to further improve the workings of these extremely important democratic institutions, Carsten Staur concluded.
Kilde: www.um.dk
