NOUAKCHOTT, April 28, 2009—Poorly structured and possessing meager resources, Mauritania’s civil society is nonetheless a key actor in development and human rights advocacy.
In this interview, we speak with Ms. Lalla Aïcha Sy, President of the Committee for Solidarity with Victims of Human Rights Violations in Mauritania (Comité de Solidarité avec les Victimes des Violations des Droits Humains en Mauritanie, CSVVDH), one of four Mauritanian NGOs that received US$25,000 (UM 6,000,000) from the World Bank’s Civil Society Fund in 2008.
Almost a year ago, your NGO, the Committee for Solidarity with Victims of Human Rights Violations (CSVVDH), received financial support from the World Bank’s Civil Society Fund. Could you tell us in what way this support has been important to your organization?
Lalla Aïcha Sy: I would first like to point out that this support allowed us to organize three workshops in Nouakchott, the capital, on an issue of paramount importance: citizen oversight of public actions. What exactly did we do? Well, we brought together elected officials from nine municipal communes of Nouakchott and civil society representatives to discuss the issues pertaining to the responsibility of both parties in the area of oversight of public actions.
What was important about these workshops was not so much the theoretical aspect of knowledge of the rights and responsibilities of civil society organizations and elected officials, but rather the practical cases presented to the participants. We accorded priority to practical knowledge of cases, which clearly present the issue of being able to oversee the actions of elected officials and public authorities and, a fortiori, of being able to apply the principle of rewards and penalties to them. When and to what extent, from a legal and judicial standpoint, can a civil society organization generally hold elected officials and public authorities accountable for their actions? The best way to assess the performance of an elected official is to hold him or her accountable. This was the rationale for these workshops that we were able to organize with World Bank support. I should add that what the participants found original about these workshops was the establishment of technical committees that are responsible, in particular, for legal issues that could empower civil society organizations to undertake actions in the context of citizen oversight. These committees are supported by senators and MPs. They are currently working toward the implementation of an action plan that we hope to be able to launch again once the situation in the country allows it.
Over the past few months, the world has been in an economic recession and a deep financial crisis. What is the Mauritanian civil society doing to mitigate their effects on fragile populations?
Lalla Aïcha Sy: It is true that we are living in very trying times. Added to the economic and financial crisis to which you referred are the political crises plaguing the African continent at this time. It is true that we in civil society are operating in a difficult context, but we are seizing every opportunity to build awareness among and speak with the partners to ensure that they do not overlook the fragile populations. I admit that civil society organizations were unprepared for this crisis, but I believe that we can serve as an important buffer between the various actors, in spite of the division of CSOs along different political and ideological lines.
Mauritania’s civil society is known for being highly unstructured and does not seem to speak with one voice. Do you think that this could have implications for the effectiveness of the development assistance that the international community is providing to the country?
Lalla Aïcha Sy: There is certainly an element of truth in what you are saying. However, I would temper that opinion by stating nonetheless that there have been positive developments. In spite of its institutional and financial shortcomings, there is a genuine desire for organization. For example, you are here on the premises of three major national organizations specializing in human rights. This desire to be able to work together and share the same resources prompted OXFAM to cover the rental costs of a building equipped with the resources needed to conduct our activities.
Do you have any final comments, perhaps a message that you would like to convey to the World Bank?
Lalla Aïcha Sy: To be honest, I think that the World Bank’s civil society support program has been extremely helpful to us. You have been able to observe the keen interest shown in the workshops that we organized in 2008.
Citizens need a more just and more equitable society, and we must help them to achieve this objective. In addition to financial support, the World Bank could also support these efforts through advocacy among other initiatives around the world. Networking with other innovative practices could prove very useful. You possess quite a broad base of experiences, initiatives, and knowledge that could be relevant to us.
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