Friday, 15 April 2011
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is recruiting a Knowledge Management Officer
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is currently seeking to receive applications from appropriately qualified professionals for the post of Knowledge Management Officer. The place of work is Vilnius, Lithuania. EIGE would appreciate if you could bring to the attention of potential candidates the following link: http://www.eige.europa.eu/eige-2011-ta-01a-ad7 .
DEEEP is recruiting an Information Officer, Deadline 2 May
DEEEP is now rectruiting a part time Information Officer, for a maternity leave replacement (June- December). If you are interested, send your CV and motivation letter to vacancies@deeep.org. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it, before May 2. For more details on the position and working conditions, read the job vacancy . Also have a look at the DEEEP Website.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Upcoming TRIALOG activities
During the last week TRIALOG planned and organised its upcoming major activities. We re-scheduled some of the them. Our main events are now as follows:
The Central Training (or TRIALOG’s annual exchange) will take place from 25-27 of May in Budapest, topic is the transition experience from NMS.
TRIALOG’s Future Factory will be held from 4-5 of May in Vienna for input on TRIALOG 2012-2015.
A Partnership Fair, initially planned for July, was switched to end of September according to the EuropeAid forecast for the relevant calls in October, and due to some concerns regarding the summer holidays season. The main objective is to create joint projects in Development Education&Awareness Raising and Development Cooperation.
More detailed information will follow soon, visit our website http://www.trialog.or.at/events or contact our office at office@trialog.or.at. We apologize for any inconvenience the rescheduling might have caused and hope for active and numerous participation!
EPAN and CONCORD react to the events in North Africa
As a response to the current events in North Africa and the Middle East, the working group on Enlargement, Pre-Accession and Neighbourhood (EPAN) of the CONCORD federation issued a statement “The role of EU and its Neighbourhood Policy in changing societies in North Africa”. The statement is underlining the importance of CSOs in changing the political landscape of the region and is calling on EU to review its policies sin the region. See the document.
Following, the CONCORD confederation is preparing a document focussing on lessons learnt in EU policies, especially concerning the involvement of CSO in policy making processes and active civil society as a stability and peace building factor in the Northern African and Middle East region. The document will be available soon at the CONCORD website.
Information provided by Monika Matus, TRIALOG
EPAN submission to EC consultation on IPA
Enlargement, Pre-Accession and Neighbourhood (EPAN) working group of CONCORD contribuetd to the consultation on the of shape of EU’s Instruments for Pre-Accession (IPA) after 2013. The responses to the survey underline the need to revise the not only financial instruments but overall policies towards pre-accesion countries in order to ensure development and accession processes which take into account civil society participation, sustainability and poverty reduction. As a group, EPAN is calling for general consistence and coherence of main policy lines in the framework of Pre-Accession, for example decentralisation of the management of EU assistance should go in line with creation of instruments allowing participatory decision making process. The whole submission is available at the TRAILOG website in the EPAN submenu or here.
Information provided by Monika Matus, TRIALOG
2011-2013 forecast of the In-country NSA-LA calls
The 2011-2013 forecast of the In-country NSA-LA calls for proposals has just come out. You find it by follwoing the link to the EC website. This forecast covers 2011 to 2013 and details the amounts of the calls for proposals for each country, the estimated publication date as well as the priorities for 2011. You can also find on Europe Aid’s website the new NSA-LA multiannual strategy for 2011-2013.
Source: CONCORD FDR Working Group
Baltic-Mediterranean axis: a new framework for cooperation? Seminar and online discussion 4-5 April
Several experts on regional cooperation from the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean regions gather in Finland to discuss new challenges and opportunities at an international seminar "Baltic-Mediterranean Axis: A New Framework for Cooperation?”. You can follow and join the seminar discussions online.
The seminar takes place in Espoo, Finland, April 4-5 and is organised by the Finnish NDGO Platform to the EU, Kehys, together with the head of the Anna Lindh Foundation’s Finnish Network, Tampere Peace Research Institute, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
The seminar seeks to find new synergies by linking actors across institutional and disciplinary boundaries. The objective is to generate fresh ideas and concrete project proposals that can contribute to the development of Baltic-Mediterranean cooperation. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of active civil society cooperation as an innovative force that has the capacity to cross thematic and regional boundaries. Programme and Background Information.
You can take part in the seminar discussions online on our blog at https://balticmed.wordpress.com. At this online-forum for inter-regional cooperation you can follow the discussions of the plenaries and working groups of the seminar and join the debate on the future of Baltic-Mediterranean cooperation.
For more information contact Mikko Lipsanen, Kehys mikko.lipsanen@kehys.fi
Information provided by Kehys
The state of the EC “DEAR Study” process
The final report of the “Study on the experiences and actions of the main European actors active in the field of development education and awareness raising” (“DEAR Study”) was officially launched at the last European Development Days on 7 December 2010 in Brussels. The report contains a set of 55 short and long-term recommendations to the European Commission in order to improve DEAR policy and practice. These recommendations relate to areas such as coherence and coordination, sharing learning, global perspectives, grants administration and DEAR management within the EC. The comprehensive annex contains detailed information on DEAR in the 27 EU member states.
The European Commission (DG Devco) has the declared will to apply the recommendations of the DEAR Study as far as possible. In a first step, some of the short term proposals were integrated in the draft annual action programme of the NSA-LA thematic programme, which is the main EC funding instrument for DEAR (for further information see DEEEP website).
On 30 March, stakeholders of the DEAR study process met for a half-day seminar within the last Brussels session of the Structured Dialogue Process, of which the DEAR Study is a “supporting initiative”. The group discussed the results of the DEAR study and formulated the following key messages to the structured dialogue plenary the next day:
- High appreciation of the DEAR Study process and call to implement the results and recommendations.
- Global sustainable development needs active global citizens. DEAR is the appropriate tool to promote such citizens empowerment, also through EC instruments.
- The European Commission should adopt a formal policy statement on DEAR in order to give a strategic framing to its activities in the field.
- Development education and awareness raising should take place everywhere, not only in Europe. In a mid-term perspective (new European multi annual financial framework from 2014) EC programmes should integrate such a open and global approach to DEAR and citizens empowerment for change, as a contribution to the creation of a global civil society.
- Any follow-up process to the structured dialogue should integrate a DEAR component, in order to continue the fruitful exchange and to further develop the sector.
For further information, contact Tobias Troll (DEEEP advocacy officer) at t.troll@deeep,org
Information provided by Tobias Troll, DEEEP
CONCORD Policy Forum
14 and 15th March the CONCORD confederation organised its Policy Forum, where current development policy challenges were discussed by a representative number of members . The topics discussed included CONCORD’s response to the European Commission Green Paper on development, the Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) Task Force focussing on the CAP reform and food security, engagement on future Multi-annual Financial Framework, the upcoming Polish presidency and CONCORD’s priorities in the next period.
The new “EU Engagement strategy” which was developed by the Institutional Task Force on how to engage with European Commission, Parliament and External Action Service within the new EU architecture was presented through interactive exercises – all CONCORD members are encouraged to consult the strategy (to be found on the extranet).
Furthermore at the end of Policy Forum members had the occasion to meet the European Commissioner for Development, Andris Pielbags, who reacted on CONCORD’s submission to the Green Paper Consultation. On bahalf of CONCORD responded Laura Sullivan (ActionAid) highlighting the continued need for social sector investments and responding to other issues Piebalgs had raised. These speeches and the minutes of the Policy Forum are soon available on CONCORD’s extranet.
Information provided by Monika Matus and Ulrike Bey, TRIALOG
Towards New Instruments for CSOs – CONCORD position paper
CONCORD has recently published a discussion paper presenting the network’s proposal of new instruments for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). They were developed in the context of the on-going Structured Dialogue but also address the up-coming negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for the period after 2013.
The total annual EC funding for civil society in development cooperation should be at least 15% of the total EC ODA.
The architecture for ODA should incorporate a complementary framework of both geographic and thematic funding in order to guarantee flexibility and to best meet the varied needs of development aid.
The thematic programmes and instruments which are currently in place should be retained and strengthened; and there should be areas of thematic focus, in relation to promoting global civil society, human rights, and linking relief, rehabilitation, and development (LRRD). Detailed proposals in relation to EC funding for civil society in development: Proposal one: Up to 15% of geographical (country based) funds should be earmarked for civil society actions Proposal two: Create a new revised Civil Society Instrument: “Promoting and supporting Global Civil Society”. Proposal three: Implement an approach that links relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD) and is able to address disaster preparedness and fill the gaps between humanitarian relief and long term development funding of the EU. Proposal four: Create a revised and enlarged “Instrument to promote Human Rights and Democratic Processes” that increases support to all human rights and the UN Conventions.
Headline proposals of the paper on the overall picture of EC funding for civil society in development are:
Especially relevant for New Member States is that as one of the key principles regarding implementing mechanisms CONCORD demands targeted, transitional support mechanisms for organisations within New Member States which have been aid recipients. They are meant to assist both their transition to donor status as well as in engaging in EU policy-making.
Another important proposal for CSOs in general is to reserve a certain amount of money, e.g. earmarking 15% of geographical funding for CSOs. These ring-fencing funds mean a positive discrimination to increase access to funding for local CSOs. In future this could be used as a lobby tool for CSOs also in the New Member States to raise more funds.
Read the full document
Contact: Elise.VANORMELINGEN@concordeurope.org
Source: CONCORD; Information provided by Ulrike Bey, TRIALOG
Visegrad Regional Seminar on Global Development Education
The Visegrad Regional Seminar on Global Development Education took place in Prague on the 24th and 25th of March, 2011. Representatives of ministries, state agencies, schools, NGOs and other organizations active in the field of Global Development Education in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia gathered in Prague to discuss concepts, perspectives, methodologies and strategies of Global Development Education together with renowned experts from non-Visegrad countries. 
Two days filled with presentations, discussions and workshops brought interesting findings, suggestions and conclusions on different levels – personal, institutional, on the level of co-operation among subjects from Visegrad countries and more. Presentations and other materials from the seminar will be available for download on http://www.fors.cz/ soon. The final report will be published after approval in the upcoming months. FoRS would like to thank to all co-organizers of the seminar, namely the North South Centre of the Council of Europe, the Hungarian Association of NGOs for Development and Humanitarian Aid (HAND), the Slovak NGDO platform (MVRO) and the Zagranica Group (Polish NGDO association), for their help and support.
The Visegrad Regional Seminar on Global Development Education was carried out with funding by a Joint Management Agreement between North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the European Commission – EuropAid – Co-operation Office.
Information provided by Marketa Lajdova, FoRS
TRIALOG Seminar with Romanian Students and NGOs in Cluj Napoca
On Friday, 4th of March, TRIALOG was invited to hold a seminar at the University Babes Bolyai in Cluj Napoca, Romania, on the topic of “The Architecture of Development Cooperation in Europe and Implications for the New Member States of the EU.” The seminar was organized with the Political Science faculty in the context of the first MA Programme in Development Cooperation simultaneously launched in 3 university centers in Romania. The seminar gathered about 20 participants both from amongst students and civil society representatives and was appreciated as being a practical introduction into the pragmatic realities of EU development cooperation. From discussions with students and practitioners, within the context of such academic programmes, it is important to have the cooperation with NGOs, where students and even faculty could put in practice and contribute with the theories and bring back practical experience of dealing with and making policy, implementing regulations and at the best changing structures.
Information provided by Andra Tanase, TRIALOG
International Round-Table - "Together for Sustainable Change"
The Motto of the event was “Encouraging the building of partnerships and respectful discussions among different cultures building on talents, potentials and commitment of individuals, groups and institutions” As part of a project “Development issues and the way forward” the Slovenian NGDO platform SLOGA organized an international round-table “Together for sustainable change” on 10th March 2011 in Ljubljana (Slovenia). The project builds on a previous project “Rethinking Afghanistan’s Development Perspectives« prepared by a Slovenian photographer Manca Juvan and SLOGA, and broadens its focus also on development challenges in Kosovo.
The aim of the round-table was to raise awareness, encourage and continue discussions in the Slovenian arena about development issues in Kosovo and Afghanistan; to discuss about the role of Slovenian NGOs and opportunities to build partnerships with local NGOs; to critically rethink about (inter)national development strategies and coordination of donors and seek options for improvement; and to promote and strengthen awareness of the benefits and importance of volunteering.
In conclusion, the challenge of reconstructing countries, affected by war or natural disaster, and creating a solid foundation for sustainable development is a complex process which requires a consistent, effective, responsible and coordinated support of all stakeholders – people, government, donors, civil society organizations and the international community. Furthermore, in order to strengthen the society the process has to be designed and based on analysis of local needs, a long-term vision, intercultural dialogue and sharing of knowledge and experiences.
Information provided by Nina Perović, SLOGA
Sustainable microfinance for people in need
Oikocredit is one of the world’s largest sources of private funding to the microfinance sector. It also provides credit to trade cooperatives, fair trade organizations and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs). Oikocredit lends working capital to microfinance institutions (MFIs) all over the world. In turn, they dispense life-changing loans to the poor and disadvantaged, with a special emphasis on rural areas and women. Oikocredit is owned by members who for 89 % are ordinary people, most of them from Europe. In addition to earning modest financial returns, investors are secure in the knowledge that their money is being used to fight poverty, promote fair trade and respect natural resources.
In Central and Eastern Europe Oikocredit works in 22 countries through 7 offices in Russia, Kirgistan, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. TRIALOG talked to Rahat Uraimova, Deputy Regional Director of Central Asia and Eastern Europe for Oikocredit about their work in the region.
How does Oikocredit work? We have our own social objectives in mind when we find project partners. We find microfinance institutions or cooperatives who provide benefits or improve lives for poor or disadvantaged people, people who don’t have access to the ordinary banking services. Our project partners provide them with small loans and with opportunities to start maybe business or support their families with some income generating activities.
What projects do you have in Slovakia, Bulgaria or Romania? In Slovakia we have an office that manages the portfolio for the Balkans, so we do work with microfinance companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Kosovo, Albania, Serbia.
In Romania we finance both financial institutions which focus on borrowers or micro entrepreneurs and also businesses, small family run businesses, producing or service businesses. Romania remains one of the poor EU states with a lot of structural problems and people, especially small businesses need access to finance but they cannot find it because they might be too risky for banks. I think private investors like Oikocredit can play a role here because we provide finances to those businesses who need support.
What is special about activities of Oikocredit in the cooperation with your partners? What we try to do is essentially to promote innovative ideas, that could be women empowerment and how you would look at that or a special business idea and new approach to it. Our project partners probably also appreciate longer relationships we have.
In Bulgaria for example we work with cooperatives and sometimes some of them do access bank loans but banks have different regulations, thus our finance might be more flexible for their needs. We also hold annual meetings of our member cooperatives and our partners really appreciate this kind of gatherings where they discuss common problems.
When it comes to trainings as accompanying measures we work through partnerships. We have successful partnerships with for example some Dutch institutions or NGOs providing consultancies or trainings and we hope to build similar partnerships in other countries.
For more information on Oikocredit and the projects in the region visit: http://www.oikocredit.org/en/home
Interview: Ulrike Bey
Southeast Europe and the EU - Leadership Development Programme 2011/2012
In an effort to support the integration process in Southeast Europe, the sixth Southeast Europe and the EU–Leadership Development Programme supports 30 young people from the countries of Southeast Europe as well as broader Europe. The Programme consists of:
Two-week Summer Academy in Austria and Slovakia in September 2011,
Group Activities in Southeast Europe between November 2011 and March 2012 and
Five-day Spring Seminar in Belgium - April 2012.
Participation in the Programme is financed by the European Fund for the Balkans, an initiative by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the King Baudouin Foundation, the Compagnia di San Paolo and the ERSTE Foundation, hosted by the Network of European Foundations. Learn more and apply online. Deadline for application is 27.04.2011.
Source: BCSDN Nr.226
Devtrain online: The EADI Training Database
The European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) has established a Training Database that allows the users to search for post- and undergraduate programmes and training courses with a focus on development issues from 28 European countries. Details are provided on the programme's objectives and themes, its location and costs, plus full contact details and links to the associated organisation. Institutions can also contribute their offers to the database. Please visit http://www.devtrain.org/.
Mollina University on Youth and Development, Mollina, September 18-25
The University on Youth and Development is an activity jointly organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe, the Spanish Government (INJUVE), the European Youth Forum (YFJ), the Spanish Youth Council (CJE) and other international youth organisations. Since its first edition in 2000, the University takes place once a year bringing together representatives of youth organisations and youth movements from all over the world who gather in the CEULAJ (Euro-Latin-American Youth Centre) to discuss, train and be trained as well as to take political action around the main issues on the global agenda. To create a political space where youth can act upon and acknowledge the role they play in Global Development. To initiate and encourage debate aimed at defining the role youth play in elaborating development policies and in co-operation for development initiatives. To facilitate a process aimed at defining and implementing projects within the field of youth.
During its 11th Edition in 2010, various activities (Seminars, Training Courses, Workshops were organised by more than 10 partners and brought together around 250 young people from all over the world (see the final declaration). In 2011 the University on Youth and Development will be gathering for the 12th time and therefore renewed hopes and aspirations, objectives and challenges are launched to the partners to reinforce this as the space and home of Global Youth Work and of the Global Youth Movement. This year the chosen theme is “Youth Volunteering for Global development” and will take place in the Framework of the “International Year of Volunteers + 10 (IYV+10) 2011” and the “European Year of Volunteering 2011”. The 2011 University will be held from the 18th to 25th September 2011.
The Main Goals are:
We wait for you for a great journey of Global Youth Work !
Information provided by Emilia Soares, North-South Centre
CONCORD is recruiting a Communication Officer - 17 April 2011
CONCORD is the confederation of European relief and international development Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Its 25 national associations and 18 international networks represent over 1600 NGOs. CONCORD facilitates lobby and advocacy on key development issues at European level and regularly engages in dialogue with European institutions, policy makers and civil society organisations. CONCORD is a member-led, pan-European confederation with a Brussels-based secretariat at the service of its governance and constituency. CONCORD’s internal and external communication efforts are mainly designed to facilitate information sharing and collective action.
The role of the Communication Officer is to deliver CONCORD’s objectives in the field of communication in view of responding to members’ and stakeholders’ needs and ambitions. For more information follow the link on the CONCORD website. Deadline for application is April, 17.
Vocational Training for Persons with International Protection Status
The International Research and Development Center CARDET in cooperation with INNOVADE have recently launched the project “Vocational Training Programs for persons with international protection status”. The project was awarded to the consortium following an open call for proposals from the Asylum Service of the Ministry of Interior under the European Refugee Fund. The objective of the project is to support persons with international protection status to be successfully integrated in the local Cyprus labor market and the local society, through vocational training programs. CARDET and INNOVADE will develop and deliver courses in areas like entrepreneurship, basic computer skills, and how to apply and get a job. Important aspect of the programs will be the integration of facilitators from the target group in the development and delivery of the courses. The development of the Vocational Training Programs for Persons with International Protection Status is co-funded by the European Integration Fund (75%) and the Republic of Cyprus (25%). The project will be completed by the end of June 2011. For more information, contact sotiris.t@cardet.org
Information provided by Sotiris Themistokleous, CARDET
Documentary "Abendland" - Europe at Night
A film poem about a continent at night, a culture on which the sun’s going down, though it’s hyper alert at the same time, an “Abendland” that, often somewhat self-obsessively, sees itself as the crown of human civilization, while its service economy is undergoing rapid growth in a thoroughly pragmatic way. Nikolaus Geyrhalter takes a look at a paradise with a quite diverse understanding of protection. Night work juxtaposed with oblivious evening digression, birth and death, questions that await answers in the semi-darkness, a Babel of languages, the routine of the daily news, and political negotiation: All this has been captured in images with a wealth of details that make us look at things in a new way. The longer you consider a word, the more distant is its return gaze: ABENDLAND. Film start in Austria is 31st of March 2011. More information http://www.abendland-film.at/jart/prj3/abendland/main.jart?rel=en
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