Burkhard Gnärig
Berlin, Germany, Málaga
Author and activist. Book project "Three Germans".
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Articles by Burkhard Gnärig
El viejo mundo de la participación cívica está siendo reemplazado
Los políticos y las OSC tradicionales son parte de un viejo mundo que está siendo reemplazado por formas muy distintas de participación cívica. Hace más de 20 años, tuve una discusión animada con un destacado político alemán que se quejaba de que Terre Des Hommes, la organización a favor de los derechos infantiles que dirigía en ese entonces, interfería con la política nacional. Aborrecía nuestras actividades de promoción y campañas y exigía que “dejáramos la política para los políticos”.
State-owned enterprises in China could be an entry point for human rights
To make headway on human rights in China, advocates need to get creative by partnering with state-owned enterprises. According to a 2007 survey by John Ruggie on Chinese companies’ human rights policies, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) “recognize human rights at a higher rate than non-SOEs.” SOEs also control a significant portion of China’s economy and could, therefore, play a crucial role in advancing the agenda of business and human rights in the country.
The old world of civic participation is being replaced
Traditional politicians and traditional CSOs are part of an old world that is being replaced by very different forms of civic participation. More than 20 years ago I had a lively discussion with a leading German politician who complained that Terre Des Hommes, the child rights organisation I was leading at the time, interfered with national politics. He abhorred our advocacy and campaigns and demanded that we “leave politics to the politicians”.
How to pay for legal empowerment: alternative structures and sources
Taking a hybrid approach to legal funding recognizes that different issues require different types of funding. Legal empowerment organisations help people use the law themselves to solve their most pressing justice problems. These problems don’t necessarily capture headlines—for example, obtaining an ID or getting advice on entitlements when leaving a marriage.
Scanning the Horizon Has to Take a Global Perspective
I just attended a fascinating meeting of futurists and experts of strategic foresight, who the International Civil Society Centre brought together in Nairobi, Kenya from 19-21 June. Here are a few points I took away, which may be relevant to others in our sector: On the first day, Jackie Cilliers and Zachary Donnenfeld from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in South Africa presented their model for scenario planning on “African Futures – Key Trends to 2035”.
COSMOPOLIS - Mobilising Citizens Globally to Save Humanity from the Brink of Self-Destruction
Around the world, c itizens are increasingly organising themselves to develop new ideas and solutions to the most pressing global challenges. As the traditional institutions of global governance show to be too ineffective and slow to produce appropriate answers to climate change, poverty, weapons of mass destruction or rising inequality, social movements of engaged citizens are emerging, both in the virtual space and offline, at local, national and global levels.
"Practice what you preach"
This Q&A blog first appeared on Dóchas – The Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations’ website. It appeared as part of a series of blogs published in the lead up to their conference, Changing the Narrative: Building Support for Global Development – which will take place on Thursday 3 May in the Croke Park Conference Centre.
We cannot avoid the pains of change
This post was first published on the Disrupt and Innovate website on 7 April, 2015 When we started working on disruption in the civil society sector very quickly the question arose, whether the dramatic changes we observed in the outside world would eventually threaten the existence of even the most successful and prominent organisations?
Rediscovering activism
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 2 May, 2015 Even the most successful CSOs once started with a few volunteer activists who defined how they wanted to contribute to a better world and began working towards their mission. Due to lack of funds everybody had to work on a volunteer basis. Activist thinking determined the organisation and its activities.
Changing organisational culture
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 30 June, 2015 Two years ago we ran our first major project on disruptive change in the civil society sector. We found that disruption was starting to affect the programmes, roles and incomes of international civil society organisations (ICSOs). Our sector would need new and innovative business models in order to remain relevant and deliver useful contributions to tomorrow’s world.
Scanning the horizon - off to a great start
Over the past few months a number of unexpected events such as the refugee crisis, Brexit, and the failed coup in Turkey – followed by increasing repression – have been telling examples of the challenges of disruption. To be better prepared for unexpected and often abrupt changes, civil society organisations (CSOs) must strengthen their efforts to detect disruption early.
Practice what you preach
This post answers three questions asked by Dochas, The Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations. It was first published on the Some public opinion polls suggest that there is a significant lack of public trust in NGOs. What is the number one thing NGOs should be doing to regain public trust? Trust is the bridge that links what we preach with what we practice. The larger the distance between our words and deeds, the more fragile the bridge of trust that connects both is.
Transform or leave?
The World Bank has declared Sri Lanka a “lower-middle income country”, which means that foreign governments and, subsequently, many individual donors are shifting their attention away from Sri Lanka and towards poorer countries. However, while the average per capita incomes are rising, pockets of persistent poverty remain, especially in the regions that were most strongly affected by the country’s civil war.
Leading at times of disruption
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 19 July, 2016 Disruption is happening all around us: the recent arrival of over one million refugees in Europe; the dramatic cuts in some of the most generous donors’ aid budgets; and the fact that each of the last twelve months has been the hottest on record globally. These are just some of the most obvious examples. When disruptions like these occur, civil society organisations (CSOs) are nearly always affected.
Leading by vision
Having run different CSOs in the past, I know how difficult it is not to focus on the faulty mechanics of the daily business but rather raise one’s sights to the larger picture and start from the organisation’s vision and mission, defining change from there. Especially in times of transformational change, CSO leaders need to rediscover their organisations’ vision and mission as the basis and driver of renewal and reinvigoration.
TransformationLead: Act big
This post was first published on the Disrupt and Innovate website on 12 May, 2015 There is no question: international civil society organisations (ICSOs) think big.
2016 - year of transformative change in ICSOs?
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 5 January, 2016 Why not make 2016 the year of exciting innovation, the year of prudent risk taking, the year in which transformative change takes hold in your organisation? Here are three courageous ideas which may help you start the transformation in your organisation: 1.
Change is the DNA of our sector
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 6 October, 2015 In the workshops and conferences of the International Civil Society Centre I hear so many stories illustrating how difficult it is to change civil society organisations (CSOs). Most who work in our sector will not be surprised about such complaints, on the contrary, they will have their own stories to add. But shouldn’t we be surprised about our difficulties with change? Isn’t change the very DNA of our sector?
Dealing with disruption
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 21 July, 2015 In my book The Hedgehog and the Beetle I point to the many industries that had looked at potential disruption and decided “it won’t happen to us” – telephone utilities, stockbrokers, record companies, bookstores, travel agencies and retailers. To their surprise it happened to them, and for many well established, highly successful companies this meant bankruptcy.
Seven strategies of transformational leaders - part I
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 15 August, 2017 In so many posts this blog has documented how the civil society sector is increasingly affected by a whole range of disruptions, many of which have the potential to undermine if not destroy the work of local, national and international civil society organisations (CSOs).
No transformative change without a burning platform?
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 8 September, 2015 In 1988 Daryl Conner coined the metaphor of “the burning platform” which ever since has played a prominent role in many change management concepts and projects.
Conducting transformative change
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 9 June, 2015 The conditions under which most civil society organisations (CSOs) work are changing fast: persistent poverty requires new approaches, rising inequality generates conflicts, fast growing middle classes increase the pressure on scarce planetary resources, climate change progresses unabatedly and biodiversity is under threat; shrinking political space limits CSOs’ room for manoeuvre, the Internet disrupts...
Seven strategies of transformational leadership - part II
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 22 August, 2017 In so many posts this blog has documented how the civil society sector is increasingly affected by a whole range of disruptions, many of which have the potential to undermine if not destroy the work of local, national and international civil society organisations (CSOs).
2017 - no time for egos and logos
“We urgently need to come together in a powerful global movement to defend tolerance against the intolerant, pluralism and the rule of law against authoritarianism, and our future as a global community against chauvinism and xenophobia.” This appeal at the end of my most recent post demands action – and it demands a plan: What do we have to do? 1.
Can disintermediation happen?
This post was first published on the Disrupt and Innovate website on 28 April, 2015 In his reply to last week’s blog post Ken Caldwell asks for a debate on how and when – and whether at all – digital communications will dispense with ICSOs’ traditional role of intermediary between donors and recipients. I agree with Ken: having this debate is both urgent and important.
The old world of civic participation is being replaced
More than 20 years ago I had a lively discussion with a leading German politician who complained that Terre Des Hommes, the child rights organisation I was leading at the time, interfered with national politics. He abhorred our advocacy and campaigns and demanded that we “leave politics to the politicians”.
Embarking on just another governance reform?
This post was first published on the In April and May of 2017, the International Civil Society Centre distributed a governance questionnaire to the leaders of 32 of the world’s best known international civil society organisations (ICSOs). This is the picture CEOs and Board Chairs paint of their organisations: Most ICSOs wrestle with their governance 81% of the ICSOs we asked were interested enough in the topic to fill in our questionnaire.
Turning international civil society organisations into global ones
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 13 October, 2015 The world has several million civil society organisations, from local self-help groups to large national organisations, and from volunteer-based outfits to highly professional specialist agencies. However, there are only about 50 international civil society organisations (ICSOs) which are active around the globe.
Securing your organisation’s relevance and effectiveness
If you look around yourself – or if you look at the range of contributions here on Disrupt&Innovate – there cannot be the slightest doubt that the world around us is changing fast and fundamentally. And if civil society organisations (CSOs) want to remain relevant and impactful we need to respond by reinventing ourselves. Neither our past successes nor our established routines will secure their survival.
TransformationLead: Yes to the mess
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 25 August, 2015 I am just reading Frank J. Barrett’s fascinating book, “Yes to the Mess”. Barrett is a Professor of Management and Global Public Policy – and he is an accomplished jazz musician. In the book he brings his two vocations together. He describes jazz musicians playing together, improvising on a theme which each of them is allowed and expected to moderate and which they all work on together.
Detecting disruption early
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 18 August, 2015 There are three major dimensions in navigating disruption. The first one is to detect disruption early. If you find out about a specific disruptive change well before that change affects your organisation, that gives you time to prepare for disruption and have your strategies ready once it strikes. The second dimension is to embrace disruption. This means developing a positive mindset towards disruption.
The power of our dreams
This post was first published on the Disrupt & Innovate website on 22 September, 2015 In our most recent posts we discussed the “burning platform” as a leadership tool, looking at hope and fear as opposite drivers of change. I believe that hope is the much more effective driver and that civil society organisations (CSOs) need to become much better at using hope to drive the change they want to see. Hope feels so much better than fear.
Transform or Leave?
I just spent two fascinating weeks with in Sri Lanka, advising an ICSO on possible new operational/business models. The World Bank has declared Sri Lanka a “lower-middle income country”, which means that foreign governments and, subsequently, many individual donors are shifting their attention away from Sri Lanka and towards poorer countries.
Could volunteer-based CSOs be a model for practicing human rights in China?
Compared to only a decade ago, the visibility of LGBTQ issues in China has significantly improved. The Chinese mass media are now more likely to cover LGBTQ issues in a positive and comprehensive way, and members of the LGBTQ community are increasingly coming out and telling their life stories. In addition, in recent years community members have filed a series of lawsuits to defend their civil rights and challenge existing legal systems.
From funding projects to funding struggles: Reimagining the role of donors
While donors partner with civil society to counter shrinking civic space, their rigid funding systems can undermine progress. A contribution to the openGlobalRights debate on new business models for human rights . Español Bilateral and multilateral donors occupy a critical position in the prevailing human rights business model. Their funding is essential for advancing human rights, yet with their current approaches, they may also be inadvertently accelerating the process of closing civic space.
Social enterprises in India carve out new space for civil society
Life continues to get more difficult for foreign-funded NGOs in India. On June 20th this year, the Indian government issued a notification laying down procedures for “public servants” to disclose their income and assets under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act of 2013, an anti-corruption law.
State-owned enterprises in China could be an entry point for human rights
According to a 2007 survey by John Ruggie on Chinese companies’ human rights policies, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) “recognize human rights at a higher rate than non-SOEs.” SOEs also control a significant portion of China’s economy and could, therefore, play a crucial role in advancing the agenda of business and human rights in the country. Working with SOEs is an opportune space in which to make headway in this area.
How to pay for legal empowerment: alternative structures and sources
Legal empowerment organisations help people use the law themselves to solve their most pressing justice problems. These problems don’t necessarily capture headlines—for example, obtaining an ID or getting advice on entitlements when leaving a marriage. In many countries, services to help poorer segments of society with such legal problems are typically provided by NGOs, often financed by international donors, with occasional pro bono contributions by lawyers.
New Business Models for Human Rights
The same globalization trends that have supported the rise of civil society around the world, now threaten its existence. International NGOs find themselves less appreciated by donors seeking cost-effective results on the ground with less intermediation. And at the national level, governments have begun to use counter-globalization strategies, rolling out new policy initiatives that restrict foreign charitable funding to local civil society.
The old world of civic participation is being replaced
Traditional politicians and traditional CSOs are part of an old world that is being replaced by very different forms of civic participation. Part of openGlobalRights new business models for rights series. Español More than 20 years ago I had a lively discussion with a leading German politician who complained that Terre Des Hommes, the child rights organisation I was leading at the time, interfered with national politics.
The UN Must be at the Forefront of the fight for Civic Rights
Burkhard Gnärig, Executive Director of the International Civil Society Centre, has over 30 years’ experience working in international development, including serving as the CEO of Save the Children International, Greenpeace Germany, and terre des hommes Germany. BERLIN, Aug 22 2016 (IPS) - The United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 provides the foundation for citizens’ rights to participate in shaping their communities.
Dealing with Disruption
In my book The Hedgehog and the Beetle I point to the many industries that had looked at potential disruption and decided “it won’t happen to us” – telephone utilities, stockbrokers, record companies, bookstores, travel agencies and retailers. To their surprise it happened to them, and for many well established, highly successful companies this meant bankruptcy. The good news for civil society organisations (CSOs) is: they will hardly go bankrupt.
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