Civil society advocacy and results measurement: a case study of the Save Zimbabwe campaign.
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Date
2018
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Abstract
This thesis critically examines attempts by civil society organisations (CSOs) working
in the area of democracy advocacy in Zimbabwe to account to international donors in
the context of a repressive political environment. The thesis examines how CSOs
cope and adapt to the demand for results in international development, particularly
upward accountability and the use of accountability mechanisms thereof. The study
instrumentally uses the case study of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign (SZC), a
democracy advocacy initiative that took place in Zimbabwe from 2006 to 2009, to
explore how democracy advocacy results were measured and how requirements of
upward accountability affect the organisational behaviour of CSOs. Through the
deployment of accountability theory complemented by Foucault’s approach to
discourse and power/knowledge framework, this thesis argues that results
measurement is part of the dominant discourse in the field of international
development and thereby constitutes a “discursive practice”. The discourse of results
measurement is premised on “evidence of change” and the logical connection
between interventions and outcomes. This is despite the fact that some results,
especially of democracy advocacy based on mass mobilization of activists may take
some time to gestate. However, this discourse is not free from judgmental values
(subjectivities) of the social actors involved and is characterised by the exercise of
power. As CSOs and donors interact through different communication typologies,
perceptions and biases about the projects and implementation capacities inevitably
form. These ultimately affect how results from advocacy initiatives are measured. The
accountability requirements consequently affect the already asymmetric relationship
between CSOs and donors as CSOs cope with and adapt to the upward accountability
through improvisation and a combination of partial and reluctant compliance as a
survival strategy. The thesis is based on a qualitative study and data was gathered
through document analysis and semi-structured interviews. Findings contribute to the
field of upward accountability particularly with regards to CSOs involved in
democracy advocacy based on mass mobilisation of activists and how they become
accountable to donors within a politically repressive environment. The thesis also
contributes to an understanding of how CSO - donor relations are shaped by
accountability mechanisms and practices. The findings will be of interest to those
involved in civil society and advocacy studies, development practitioners, donors and
evaluators of development interventions.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.