This indicator reflects greater government recognition of civil society contributions to policymaking, effectiveness of CSO advocacy / policy impact and enhanced legitimacy / role of CSOs.

Total number of times CSO inputs in a policy initiative (law, policy, strategy, etc.) are referenced in writing or adopted by government or other institutions at any level (local or national).

Acknowledgement is defined as:

a. Direct references to CSO inputs in official documents (e.g., laws, policies, strategies, reports, meeting minutes).

b. Inclusion of CSO recommendations in action plans, draft regulations, or programme designs.

c. Recognition of CSO inputs in communication materials (e.g., press releases or public statements by officials).

The same input can be acknowledged several times: it should be counted every time it is acknowledged in writing.

Verbal acknowledgment in public forums, consultation meetings, or hearings do NOT count towards this indicator as these must be verifiable, i.e., recorded in writing.