Photo: UNDPA fundamental aspect of a democratic state is the right of citizens to participate in decision-making processes. Civic engagement refers to that process whereby citizens or their representatives are able to engage and influence public processes, in order to achieve civic objectives and goals. The 1993 UNDP Human Development Report describes civic engagement as "a process, not an event that closely involves people in the economic, social, cultural and political processes that affect their lives."

UNDP supports governments to create mechanisms for citizens' engagement in policy processes, including marginalized sections of the population. It also focuses on increasing the capacities and skills of civil society organizations to effectively participate and engage in decision making processes and hold states to account.

In UNDP, the term civil society includes the full range of formal and informal organizations that are outside the state and the market - including social movements, volunteer involving organizations, mass-based membership organizations, faith-based groups, NGOs, and community-based organizations, as well as communities and citizens acting individually and collectively.

UNDP works with CSOs to enhance civic engagement in all its focus areas of democratic governance. The Oslo Governance Centre primarily focuses on promoting civic engagement by establishing channels of voice, representation (inclusion) and accountability, through its work in the areas of social accountability, Communication for Development, and Communication for Empowerment.

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