Peace Building Seminar in Romania

The International Peace and Development Training Center (IPDTC), a training wing of the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR), is inviting expert professionals, policy makers and practitioners for its upcoming Autumn Programs. The programmes are designed for UN agencies, governments and national and international organisations. IPDTC programmes have been ranked by participants and their agencies as amongst the most professional, intensive and high quality in their field. They provide participants with the opportunity to train together with an exceptional group of experts and practitioners from around the world, coming from governments, community-based, national and international organisations, military and security forces, donors and others.

TRIALOG would like to draw special attention to a training in Romania on:

Designing Peacebuilding Programmes : Improving Sustainability, Impact and Effectiveness in Peacebuilding & Peace Support Operations (DPP) - Advanced Certificate Programme (ACP)

Location: International Peace and Development Training Centre (IPDTC) Cluj-Napoca, Romania 
Dates: November 26th – 30th, 2012

To apply, please contact : training@patrir.ro or visit www.patrir.ro/training

Information provided by IPDTC

European Civil Society against Discrimination

“Wake Up Europe: It’s Time to Act! Creative approaches to tackle discrimination” - a conference organised by UNITED from 12 to 17 November 2012, in Finland.

All across Europe political groups and subcultures that feed off racist ideologies are on the move, penetrating mainstream politics with devastating consequences for the minorities targeted. The impact of racism and discrimination on our societies today is severe: it affects all of us in various ways – whether we are its subjects or objects – making social cohesion impossible and paving the way for conflict. On the background of these examples and many others, UNITED is organising this upcoming international conference to be held in Finland. Creative approaches to tackle discrimination During the conference, we will share fresh strategies and best practices for the European antidiscrimination movement. In a time when far-right groups are more and more successful in addressing a large part of the population, our response needs to be visible and creative: It’s time to ACT!

We will make use of a variety of working methods: thematic working groups, plenary sessions and workshops on:
* Just Roma -The right-less communities
* The InVisables - Which rights for undocumented migrants?
* School for All - Antidiscrimination education in school
* Power to the Youth! Volunteering in NGOs
* Online (H)Activism - New media in our struggle
* Artivism - Creative action against racism

Board and lodging is free and there is the possibility for financial contributions to travel costs. All information and the e-nomination form can be found  on the UNITED website.  

Organisations interested in nominating a delegate should send their nomination (Expression of Interest form below) by email before the deadline: 19 September 2012 - 24:00 to finland@unitedagainstracism.org

Information provided by UNITED

Enhancing Policy Coherence within the European-Arab Relations

The Arab NGO Network for Development, in cooperation with EuroStep and CNCD- 11.11.11, will be organizing a delegation of human rights and development civil society organizations from around 10 Arab countries to visit the European institutions in Brussels, between 17th and 21st of September 2012.

The visit seeks to deepen dialogue and exchange with European policy makers at the Parliament and Commission around policy reforms pertinent to the future of the relations between the European Union and the Arab countries. The visit aims as well at strengthening dialogue and widening opportunities of cooperation with European civil society organizations on issues of concern. One of the main challenges to be addressed is seeking coherence among the various levels of cooperation between the EU and Arab countries, specifically among development cooperation and the economic partnership, including the trade and investment relations.

We invite you to consider participation in various spaces to be organized on September 18th and 19th 2012 in Brussels, including:

• All Day Open Forum entitled “Dialogue on Policies of Cooperation and Partnership between European and Arab countries; Enhancing Policy Coherence Within the Partnership”, which will include: roundtable discussion among civil society groups, policy-discussion with Commissioner of Enlargement, and discussion on mechanisms of engagement of the EU with civil society.
• 2 discussion sessions at the European Parliament entitled “Unpacking the More for More Approach; Seeking Mechanisms to Ensure Policy Coherence” and “DCFTAs and implications of trade and investment policies with policy space for development”

Download the programme here.
For further information or for confirming participation, please contact: Arab NGO Network for Development; Kinda Mohamadieh at kinda.mohamadieh@annd.org and Bihter Moschini at bihter.moschini@annd.org

Source: www.eurostep.org  

Study Trip to Romania: Open call for Participants

TACSO (Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organisations) organises a Study Trip under the topic ‘Partnership making and enhancing your organisation’s role in addressing policy issues’ to Bucharest, Romania from 15 to 19 October 2012 .

The overall objective of the study trip is to contribute to capacity building of CSOs from Western Balkans (WB) and Turkey. More specifically, it is planned to bring together representatives of the CSOs from IPA region and their counterparts in order to exchange experience in what is needed to enhance organisation’s role in addressing various policy issues and to contribute to partnership making.

Download the Open call and the Registration form.

Conclusions and recommendations drawn will provide the basis for the follow-up actions to be undertaken regionally as well as in the individual countries in order to support the greater participation of the CSO networks in addressing policy issues.

Interested CSO from the IPA region are requested to submit in English:
• Updated Curriculum Vitae of the nominated candidate (EU format to be used),
• Motivation letter in which the expected contribution of the study trip to the development of the CSO and its contribution to the policy issues in their respective countries
• Registration form

Please send your application to the email address of your local TACSO office (list see here) by 13 September 2012 with the subject heading: ROMANIA STUDY TRIP.

Source: TACSO website

Assessment of the European Citizens’ Initiatives In Practice

. Conference on Friday 5th October 2012, 09:30-18:00 Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, Vienna

Since May 2012, the first European Citizens' Initiatives (ECIs) are trying to collect their signatures to influence EU legislation. Much pan-European engagement has been seen through this new instrument over the last months. Nevertheless, significant problems with this new right have stopped the first Citizens' Initiatives from collecting signatures for months. In order to develop the European Citizens' Initiative, the Austrian Institute for European Law and Policy in co-operation with ECAS will therefore organise a conference to bring together initiators, officials, politicians, academics and interested public to evaluate the ECI and discuss the future development of this innovative instrument of direct democracy.

The conference is part of a series of conferences all over Europe in 2012, which will together take stake of the state of the ECI and best practices in EU campaigning. The experiences and success of the first initiatives will be the key for the future development of direct democracy in Europe. This event will give all participants the unique chance to directly get in contact with all those responsible for this future and will therefore allow you to directly influence the development of European democracy.

We would be happy to welcome you to Vienna on October 5th.
Registration will be free and open to all subject to availability. Click here for the programme.   

Should you wish to participate, please send us an e-mail with your name and contact details to office@legalpolicy.eu.  If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at the same address.

Source: ECAS website

European Cooperation Day: 21 September 2012

More than 160 events are celebrating the European Cooperation Day on 21 September 2012: Celebrating Territorial Cooperation—Sharing borders, growing closer!

The European Cooperation Day will be celebrated across Europe and in neighbouring countries for the first time ever. With over 80% of all European Territorial Cooperation programmes on board, more than 160 local events will take place across Europe on 21 September and throughout that week.
The wide variety of events includes cross-border races, children’s theatre, photography contests, nature hikes, project showcases, and so much more.

The aim of the campaign, which carries the slogan “Sharing borders, growing closer,” is to celebrate the achievements of cooperation between European regions and countries. Since the beginning of the 1990s, more than 20,000 projects, co-funded by the EU, have contributed to improving the lives of European citizens across borders, from creating jobs to protecting the environment to improving health care services, transport and energy. EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, has shown his support for European Cooperation Day and will be participating in the celebrations. “This will be a great opportunity to recognise how territorial cooperation helps to bring Europeans closer together, share ideas across borders and solve common problems,” commented Commissioner Hahn. “I’m very impressed that so many European Territorial Cooperation programmes, and external cooperation programmes, have decided to participate in European Cooperation Day.”

The European Cooperation Day campaign is coordinated by the INTERACT Programme in association with the European Commission, and supported by the Committee of the Regions and the European Parliament.

For further information and a detailed list of local events and examples of cooperation projects, visit www.ecday.eu.  You can also like us on Facebook (facebook.com/cooperationday) and follow us on Twitter (@cooperationday/#ecday)!

Source: INTERACT 

ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration 2013

The ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration honours outstanding social projects that show high quality, innovation and sustainability. The goal is to promote and contribute to the development of an inclusive, dignifying and more just society, where nobody is left behind.

The Award is offered biennially for social integration projects from 13 European countries: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.

ERSTE Foundation supports the 30 winning organisations with prize money, visibility in the media, integration in local and international networks as well as opportunities for further organizational development.
Eligible are non-profit legal entities of all sizes (e.g. associations, foundations, public institutions or non-profit limited liability company). The project applied with has to be ongoing or finished and has to have presentable outcomes, results, and/or sustainable outcomes.

The application period ends on the 11th of November 2012, at midnight.

You can apply in all languages of the participating countries and English.
For more information please download the information material  or visit the Social Integration website  http://www.socialintegration.org/.

Source: Social Integration website

Consultancy Opportunity with CONCORD

CONCORD is offering two consultancy opportunities at the moment:

One is on Gender Equality and Human Rights-Based Approach for the autumn of 2012 to conduct a two-day training on HRBA and Gender for the staff.

DEADLINE for applications: 15 September 2012
Details on the goal of the consultancies, expected tasks as well as candidates profiles and information on how to apply can be found here. For further inquiries, please contact Julieta González: Julieta.GONZALEZ@concordeurope.org

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Furthermore CONCORD AidWatch is looking for a consultant for the briefing paper on the future of ODA/FFD.

Essential requirements are:
• Excellent knowledge and extensive research experience in the field of ODA/financing for development (at least 5 years of relevant experience);
• Excellent writing and editing skills;
• English mother tongue or equivalent;
• University level education in a relevant field;
• Ability to take part in the teleconferences and meetings in Brussels. Desirable
• Experience with working in the NGO environment and with complex multicultural networks;
• Post-graduate degree in a relevant field;
• Good experience in political communication.

DEADLINE for application: 14 September 2012, 10:00am Brussels time.
Please send your CV, cover letter, written assignment and list of your publications to Zuzana Sládková, CONCORD Secretariat, zuzana.sladkova@concordeurope.org. Also feel free to request further information.

Source: CONCORD

INTERACT is recruiting a Communications Manager

The INTERACT Joint Technical Secretariat is recruiting a Communications Manager for its office in Bratislava.

Please find the vacancy announcement here.
Should you have any doubts or queries regarding this vacancy, kindly contact us at any time at interact@interact-eu.net.

Information provided by the INTERACT Programme Secretariat 

New CONCORD Publications available

CONCORD, the European NGO Confederation for Relief and Development, published two documents on the European external actions.

The Reader 2012 is helping tool for EU Standard Contract Management. It is based on the March 2011 update of EuropeAid’s 2010 Practical Guide (PRAG) for external actions. This reader was compiled in 2012 and based on outcomes of regular meetings with the European Commission’s Development and Cooperation Office EuropeAid – DEVCO. While the core report has been formally endorsed by EuropeAid’s unit R3 in May 2012, the annexes haven’t and are indicative.

The Reader is an important tool for NGOs and EU officials to interpret the complex rules of the European Commission. Indeed, it provides a clear explanation on all articles in the 2010 Practical Guide (March 2011 update). The Reader is conceived as a concrete instrument that should help CONCORD members and other NGOs to better address different contractual issues concerning the implementation of grant contracts. Meanwhile, we remind you that the final interpretation of the rules always falls within the mandate of the European Commission and EU Delegations.

Available here with annexes.

The EU Delegation Watch report monitors the experience of NGOs working with the EU's overseas Delegations in developing countries.
The report finds that:
• EU Delegations lack transparency and predictability in handling call for proposals, which creates barriers for CSOs to access EC funding.
• Efficiency of development aid projects delivered by CSOs is hampered by serious delays in approvals by EU Delegations through all phases of the project
• Useful monitoring activities led by EU Delegations of development projects are diminished by limited preparation and a lack of feedback towards CSOs.

Transparency and predictability are serious concerns: “There’s a real need for EU Delegations to ensure maximum predictability, transparency and accountability in the programming, selection and award of funds processes. A way to this would be for example to ensure timely and systematic consultation with CSOs in EC programmes planning; to standardly use the restricted procedure for all calls for proposals; and to give a comprehensive feedback on the reasons why a proposal was rejected. This would take out some of the mystery around how to access EC funding. ” Says Nils Rocklin from CONCORD member Handicap International.

Efficiency of EU Delegations’ work with CSOs in the field can be improved: “CSOs are still detracted from their main purpose of delivering development aid by an excessive administrative burden and serious delays in grant management issues by EU Delegations. This is increased by the inconsistency and restrictive approach to the interpretation of the Standard Contract requirements by Delegation staff. The EC should develop a “Code of Good Practice” to provide a consistent interpretation and encourage flexibility wherever it brings simplification.” Says Nils Rocklin from CONCORD member Handicap International.

Download here

Source: CONCORD 

Development Effectiveness in Practice: a new Tool on the Way

The Open Forum launched the consultation on a new resource for implementing CSO Development Effectiveness – the DRAFT Practitioner’s Activity Guide, which will supplement the International Framework for CSO Development Effectiveness and its accompanying Implementation and Advocacy Toolkits!

The aim of the Practitioner’s Activity Guide is to train CSO practitioners to transmit the concepts and collective experience behind the International Framework and the Toolkits, and to help CSOs take those first conceptual and planning steps on the path to improving their effectiveness. The Draft Practitioner’s Guide is available in on the Open Forum website!

At present, the Practitioner’s Activity Guide is in its pilot testing phase. Between August and October 2012, one testing workshop is planned in each of the following regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America, MENA, North America and Europe (see the schedule of consultations). Based on the inputs from these consultations, a finalized version of the Practitioner’s Activity Guide will be completed by early December 2012.

For more information please contact Olga Kozhaeva OFASSISTANT@concordeurope.org or visit  www.cso-effectiveness.org

Source: Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness

EC Publications on the Performance of Development Cooperation

This summer the European Commission (EC) published two reports on the progress and effectiveness of the European Union’s development cooperation efforts.

The 2012 “EU Accountability Report on Financing for Development”, which analyses and illustrates how the EU and its Member States fulfilled their commitments for more and better financing for development was published on 9 July 2012. The report confirms that the EU as a whole has kept up progress delivering on its pledges, although the situation differs greatly between issues and Member States. It covers previous year's efforts by the EU and its 27 Member States to support the mobilisation of development finance.
Read more and download the report here.

The 'Annual Report 2012 on the EUs Development and external assistance policies and their implementation 2011', gives and overview on the European Union’s development efforts during the past year. Especially in the areas of food security, humanitarian aid, good governance and human rights improvements are reported. The biggest challenge will be the shrinking contributions of Member States, due to the multiple crises of the past years. The experience from the Arab Spring underlines the importance of strengthening civil society. Therefore human rights, democracy and good governance, together with promoting sustainable and inclusive growth, should be the focuses of the next years.

Download the report here. 




Source: GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY – Austrian Platform for development and humanitarian aid

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012

This year’s report on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) highlights several milestones. The target of reducing extreme poverty by half has been reached five years ahead of the 2015 deadline, as has the target of halving the proportion of people who lack dependable access to improved sources of drinking water. Primary school enrolment of girls equalled that of boys, and we have seen accelerating progress in reducing child and maternal mortality. The report says that meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, remain possible – but only if Governments do not waiver from their commitments made over a decade ago. A lot has been achieved and significant strides have been made, however some impediments to reaching all the MDGs by 2015 remain. The 2012 report spells out that recent natural disasters and the global financial crisis has slowed progress and that inequality remains. A particular area of concern includes the slow decrease in levels of vulnerable employment. Lastly, and perhaps most concerning is the fact that hunger remains a global challenge.

Download the report here

Source: UN Website 

Improving the EU’s Support for Civil Society in Its Neighbourhood

This study reviews the ways in which EU provides support and cooperates with civil society in its neighborhood and provides a diagnosis of EU-civil society relations by paying specific attention to EU’s assistance procedures for CSOs. It examines furthermore each support mechanism and provides conclusions and recommendations for further improvement of EU’s record of promoting a better environment for the civil society in EaP countries. The study concludes that despite recent improvements in developing better environment for CSOs, still a lot has to be done. EU needs to think long term and embark on a proactive strategy of turning civil society in neighboring countries into a real reform partner. This entails to better include CSOs in the EU-partner countries dialogue and policy process, to better monitor civil society’s situation in partner countries, to pay increased attention to the regulatory framework and effectively applying targeted conditionality.

The study is developed by IRIS (Institut de Relations Internationales et Strategiques) and can be downloaded here.  

Source: BCSDN E-Mail Alerts nr. 254