News from the Slovenian Development NGO Platform SLOGA

With a workshop on campaigning, SLOGA and its members prepared for their activities during the European Year for Development 2015. A handbook for NGO cooperation with the media was published and training on private sector in development cooperation was organised for the platform members. On policy level the platform published a new AidWatch and participated in discussions on the the post-2015 process with international CSOs.

Training on the role of private sector in development cooperation
As part of the project WorldWise Europe, where SLOGA is partner, training on the role of private sector in development cooperation was organised in early December 2014. The participants were familiarised with the context of private sector in development cooperation and different initiatives and guidelines on global and European level. They furthermore learned about the role of the European Investment Bank and public-private partnerships. The day was concluded with examples of campaigns on the topic of the role of private sector in development. The second day was focused on strengthening the capacity of organisations and the planning of future activities within the project.

Workshop on campaigning for EYD2015
SLOGA, with the support of TRIALOG, invited Matthias Schickhofer, an independent consultant and expert in the field of campaigning and communications, who has been working at Greenpeace for 17 years, to hold a workshop in Slovenia in November 2014. Matthias Schickhofer presented the basics of campaign management, illustrating theory with practical examples of successful campaigns. The participants then discussed campaign possibilities for the European Year of Development 2015. They identified key messages that would be transmitted by NGDOs to the wider public, thought of events and communication through social networks and media. Skills acquired during the training will represent a great foundation for future activities of Slovenian NGOs.

New Slovenian AidWatch Report 
SLOGA’s review on international development cooperation of Slovenia in 2013 concludes that Slovenian development aid is stagnating since 2010. Based on the review, recommendations for the Government of Slovenia have been prepared: increasing bilateral Official Development Assistance that will focus on reduction of poverty and improving level of implementation of human rights, better coordination within and among sectors, addressing the role of private sector in development, committing to reform development aid and comprehensive new strategic documents.

Opportunities for NGOs within Horizon 2020
In November 2014, SLOGA Platform organised a presentation of the program Horizon 2020 and the funding opportunities it offers for NGO projects. The program was presented by the national coordinator Peter Volasko and contact persons for particular fields of the program from the Slovenian Ministry for Education, Science and Sport. NGOs are as well eligible for co-financing projects in their full amount. Representatives of the Ministry emphasised that a new feature of the project is its focus on society challenges and that is certainly an opportunity for NGOs.

How to be heard? Handbook for NGO cooperation with the media
Within the project “World-Wise Europe”, SLOGA Platform prepared a handbook for NGO cooperation with the media. The handbook that was prepared and edited by Ana Kalin and Iva Likar, is a result of existing practice of media relations in the development sector. It suggests improvement possibilities that might boost understanding of development issues. In its conclusion, the handbook opens questions that NGOs will need to address in the near future. The hand book can be downloaded in Slovenian language here.

Representatives of civil society discussed SDGs in Copenhagen
On November 13−14, 2014 Copenhagen hosted 170 representatives of civil society from 46 countries at the Beyond 2015 Copenhagen CSO Conference. Conference participants discussed about the progress in creating the post-2015 agenda with an aim to influence the concluding phase of negotiations and ensuring that the governments will commit to an ambitious, transformative agenda that will address key challenges of the present time – inequality, environmental sustainability, eradication of poverty, human right, peace and security and participation. The Conference was attended by the representatives of associations “Food for Life”, “Zavod Povod” and SLOGA’s secretariat.

Photo credits: SLOGA, participants during the Horizon 2020 presentation.

Information provided by Adriana Aralica, SLOGA