National Capacity Development programme on Public Policy, Governance & Advocacy
A first of its kind National Capacity Development Program on Public Policy, Governance and Advocacy was organized by Trancivic International from June 26th to 30th in Kerala. The program was a felt need in the sector where surprisingly many professionals working in the arena of public policy, governance and advocacy had a very narrow understanding of the concepts.
The Program was attended by 21 participants from across 10 states ranging from Tamil Nadu to Delhi and Manipur to Rajasthan. The profiles of the participants were also very diverse with work experience ranging from 1 to 15 years. Two catholic priests involved in social service also enriched the discussion with their varied perspectives.
Program Overview
The inaugural address on Judicial Advoacy was given by Padmasree Madhava Menon , considered by many as the father of modern legal education in India. He is the founder Director of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) and the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal and the founder Vice Chancellor of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS).
The Keynote speaker was Mr. P.H. Kurian (IAS), currently the Principal Secretary of Industries and IT department in Government of Kerala. Leveraging on his experience he gave an insightful analysis on how the executive operates and how NGOs can influence policy. Dr. K Ambadi (IIS), Manging Director of Kerala State Coastal Development Corporation (KSADC) presented a case study on the excise policy of the state which helped the participants understand the nuances of Policy Formulation.
Mr. Gouridasan Nair, Kerala bureau chief of the Hindu gave an insightful session on Media Advocacy with practical tips on how to interface with the media. Shri AJ Philip, who was the Editor the Herald of India and the senior resident editor at Hindustan Times had an interactive session with the students on the context of Governance in India.
Mr. CP John, who has served two terms on the Kerala State Planning Board was indeed the best person to explain the Kerala Local Governance model to the participants who were eager to adopt the best practices in their respective states. The session on Budget Analysis was handled by Dr. Jose Sebastian, associate professor at Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation. Dr.Abraham George took the session on the multiple dimensions of Sustainable Development Goals.
The program coordinator was Mr. John Samuel who equipped the students with the right heartset, skillset and mindset to understand the world within and beyond. His sessions while grounded on theoretical foundations also provoked the students to think originally as well as gave practical tips to employ at their workplaces. The policy analysis and strategic planning sessions enabled the participants to apply these concepts thereby further cementing it while also promoting peer to peer learning. The novel village exposure visit and river talks were highly appreciated by the group.
