The purpose of a
network firstly at
the basic level is communication across parties, with whom linkage is
planned to be established in order to overcome isolation, educating,
sensitizing, and motivating a person or a group of persons or
organisations on any particular issue or a series of issues. Network
provides for free flow of experiences and ideas across individuals and
groups. Communication in a network can be initiated by anyone and
received by any one.
Secondly solidarity across parties, sharing of good ideas, support
during crisis either materially or emotionally. In solidarity, there is
an element of mutual accountability.
The third purpose is to influence others - the public at large, the
political parties, media, corporate sector etc. The shared analysis and
common vision among various actors of civil society are the basis to
influence public policy (public policy in a contemporary context, may
be made by a local, regional or national government or a bilateral,
multilateral agency or other actors like MNCs at the national and / or
global levels).
The fourth purpose is that of mobilizing energy / resources
particularly among individuals. New ideas, designs and perspectives get
elaborated through new ways of relating with each other. Networks
emerging around socially difficult issues such as child labour,
environment protection, violence against women, human rights etc. are
able to mobilize individuals and groups and promote linkage, energy /
resource mobilization among them.
Lastly networks promote linkage building. Bringing together like-minded
individuals, groups and institutions around a shared development agenda
can be facilitated through a network. The purpose is not to coordinate
the activities of those individuals or groups but to facilitate it
through systematic communication, sharing of information, experience
and ideas.
The dilemma that networks are facing is of striking a balance between
the complexity of its purpose and the commonality of thoughts between
the parties forming a network. More complex the purpose, the more it is
difficult for a network to have parties of common thought. If the
purpose is simple, it is easier to have parties of common thought, but
those not having commonality in their thoughts remain outside the
purview of the network and are difficult to be influenced.
A network strives to achieve a balance by defining its purpose suitable
to the environment in its area of operation and trying to influence a
large gamut of parties engaged in a variety of activities.
Networks can be used for variety of purposes. It may be for achieving
short-term as well as long-term goals. Different networks have been
used for achieving different goals and different networks may be
relevant for different situations. The relevance of a network can be
briefly assessed on the following aspects.
SANSAD acts as:
- A vehicle for identifying,
articulating and discussing issues of major
concerns, which are difficult to deal within an existing institutional
/ organizational framework of partner organizations.
- An
alternative arena for elaborating and sharpening newer ideas, visions,
and perspectives. This is largely because new ideas entail a critique
of and departure from the established modes. The existing institutional
framework tends to curtail such possibilities.
- To provide support to grass-root
organizations at the time of their
hardship or retaliation from vested interests, especially to
organizations working for awareness building, organizing people for
their rights and for social change. These types of organizations
inevitably invite retaliation from vested interests. Networks are also
necessary to deal with such retaliations as a political strategy.
- A relevant strategy for resisting
the increasingly diminishing
democratic space and functioning at various levels in a given local,
national, regional and international situation.
- To utilize and identify, encourage
and revitalize individuals and small
groups to support the cause of social transformation, and
- To exchange information, experience
and vision across the cultures,
systems, countries and continents.
Besides these, SANSAD is the most efficient and flexible mechanism for
sharing information, experience and ideas across people, from various
ideologies, groups and organizations spread geographically and working
on diverse issues.
What has SANSAD done so far?
- Created a country-wise alliance of
opinion leaders representing key
sectors of South Asian society who will provide direction and a
framework for stimulating cooperative multi-disciplinary,
multi-cultural efforts to counter tensions resulting from social and
economic divisions on a national and regional level thus helping to
eliminate poverty and hunger from the region
Sectors from which the opinion leaders are drawn include, but not be
limited to:
Business
Labor
Faith Community
Government
Youth or student organizations
Academia
Civil rights advocacy
Non-profit service agencies
