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a move which - to some degree - demonstrates the potential
power of the Compact, the Department for International Development
has extended a public consultation on conflict in the developing
world which breeched Compact guidelines.
The Compact Advocacy Programme and Bond (the representative
body for international charities in Britain) put pressure
on DFID to extend its consultation from four to eight weeks.
Writing to Hilary Benn, the Compact Advocacy Programme cited
that the consultation was in breech of the agreed minimum
period of eight weeks as set out in the Compact. While this
is arguably a small victory, it does demonstrate that the
Compact can have persuasive power.
Manager of the Compact Advocacy Programme, Saskia Daggett,
said: “We are delighted with the response that we
have received from DFID, which shows that the Compact works,
and is a real tool that voluntary organisations can use
to influence government.”
* The DFID consultation deals with three main areas: how
DFID can bring a greater focus on preventing violent conflict;
how the effectiveness of its conflict work can be improved;
and how DFID can consider conflict fully in its development
work.
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