Call for Papers and for Panels, EADI / DSA Conference 2011

For the conference Rethinking Development in an Age of Scarcity and Uncertainty: New Values, Voices and Alliances for Increased Resilience of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), in co-operation with the Development Studies Association (DSA) of the United Kingdom and Ireland the organisers call for the submission of panel proposals as well as papers. The deadline for the submission of panel proposals is 15 October 2010. The deadline for abstract submission is 15 January 2011.

The conference will take place from 19 – 22 September 2011 in York, UK.

For further information on the conference topic and the working group sessions please take a look at the conference website www.eadi.org/gc2011. Submissions are welcome in English and French. Please contact the conference team at gc2011@eadi.org for any questions.

BCSDN Website publishes 1st On-line Database on Civil Dialogue

For the first time, an on-line database on civil dialogue mechanisms and structures provides complete information on the state of civil dialogue in the Balkan countries in one place. The data include information on the legal framework, current situation, history and concrete mechanisms and structures that exist in each country. It includes also an inventory of all available documents (i.e. strategies, agreements, and bylaws) and contacts of coordination mechanisms. The database gathers data for 10 countries, both 7 EU pre- and accession countries and 3 Balkan EU Member States (Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia). The data were gathered through a unified questionnaire by BCSDN members and its partners, primarily from secondary sources or research conducted for their own needs, which makes this database a collaboration of local CSOs, especially BCSDN members and its partners. Visit the database.

Source: BCSDN E-Mail Alert 213

Czech AidWatch report 2010

The Czech Forum of Development Cooperation (FoRS), is launching the annual AidWatch report ahead of the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The report called How the Czech Republic Eradicates Global Poverty focuses on the MDGs from various points of view.

The report shows how the MDG commitments are reflected on the highest level of Czech politics including the conceptual and strategic frame of Czech development cooperation. It analyzes the impact of MDGs on the programming of development cooperation from 2005 till 2009.

The Czech development cooperation has progressed rapidly since its revival in 1995. It has increased not only in volume, but also in quality and advanced from pure humanitarian help to programming development. However, this report shows that the economic and pro-export interests of the Czech Republic have dominated during those five years. A great part of Czech development cooperation’s bilateral resources were directed at countries situated in the Southern and South-eastern Europe, where poverty is not as alarming as in Africa. It is also barely arguable that developing the industrial sector can influence decrease in mothers’ death rate or improvement of conditions of girls’ and boys’ education. The increasing level of Czechs’ living standards does not lead to the relative value rise of Czech development cooperation’s magnitude.

On the occasion of the UN Summit on MDGs, FoRS will discuss development cooperation and global issues with MPs. This is especially relevant as most of the MPs are new-comers. The FoRS representatives will introduce the main conclusion from the “How the Czech Republic Eradicates Poverty” report.

The full report will be available in Czech on the webpages of FoRS from 16th September, an English summary will be available soon.

Information provided by Tereza Ambrozova, FoRS

Workshop on Climate Change and the Humanitarian/Development Sector. Prague, 23-24 Sept, 2010

Caritas Czech Republic toghether with the Czech NGDO platform FoRS invites you to the Workshop "Climate Change, Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid: Effective Responses to an Uncertain Threat". The event will take place on September 23 and 24, 2010, in Prague. The workshop is led by international speakers and is open for participants from other countries than Czech Republic. However, travel and accommodation costs unfortunately can not be covered for the participants. Further information is available at http://www.fors.cz/ in News section. Download the programme (pdf).

Information provided by Marie Zazvorkova, FoRS

CARDET Development Education Portal

CARDET, an international NGDO based in Cyprus announces the launch of the Development Education Portal http://www.developmenteducation.org/.
The Portal has been developed by the ICT Department of CARDET - with the contribution of the project partners - in the context of the EuropeAid Project “Raising Awareness on Development Cooperation”. The web portal will be a specialised resource space for educational institutes at all levels, NGOs, civil society organizations, educators, students, journalists and the general public interested in development education.

The site will serve as a tool to disseminate the ongoing results of the project and provide opportunities to interested groups and individuals to learn about development cooperation. The portal can provide the opportunity for social networking through easy-to-use online discussion tools where individuals and organizations will engage in MDG related debates, voice their opinions and share ideas. Through the portal, registered members will be able to attend e-learning courses related to Development Education and the MDGs. All online modules developed in the context of the project will be available via blended learning courses supported by the Learning Management System Moodle. The website will be regularly updated with news related to the project, the MDGs, and Development Education. All interested actors are strongly encouraged to register on the portal and use its resources. CARDET will also welcome any reports, articles or relevant material on topics related to Development Education. For further information please contact us at info@cardet.org.

Information provided by Sotiris Themistokleous, CARDET

Report on Global Development Education in the Czech Republic in 2008-2010

The Czech Forum of Development Cooperation (FoRS) launched the report Global Development Education in the Czech Republic 2008-2010. The report arose from the National Seminar on Evaluation Methods and Monitoring of Activities in the Area of Global Development Education (GDE) that was organized by FoRS in cooperation and with the financial support of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The seminar took place in Prague in June 2010.

The report builds on information and recommendations comprised in the Global Education in the Czech Republic report, elaborated by the Global Education Network (GENE) in 2008, and submits supplementary information about trends of Global Development Education in the Czech Republic in 2008-2010, focusing on the monitoring and evaluation of activities.

The trends are characterized from the perspective of the development cooperation sector, the education sector, the creation of inter-sectional education strategies and from the European context. The report also provides information about the practical part of the seminar led by international expert from the UK-based organization RISC Louise Robinson. It comprises the main findings and recommendations for the main actors in the field of GDE. The Report is available on the webpages of FoRS in Czech and English.

Information provided by Tereza Ambrozova, FoRS

Advocacy for CEDAW implementation in Poland 2010-2012

KARAT has the pleasure to announce its new project within its Women’s Human Rights program. The project aims at advocating for the full implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in Poland to advance women’s human rights and women’s access to justice. The Project is related to the CEDAW reporting process in Poland where the Polish government is due to be reviewed in 2012. The Project includes the production of the Shadow Report in coalition with national women’s rights organizations and advocacy for the priority critical women’s rights issues in Poland (e.g. adoption of parity and anti-discrimination act, reproductive rights). The Project also aims to asses women’s access to justice and eliminate barriers that hamper the litigation of their rights. The Project is funded by the Open Society Institute - Budapest.

For more information contact Magda Pochec at magda.pochec@karat.org.pl

Source: KARAT News, 13.8.2010

Mobilising Europeans for the Eradication of Global Poverty, Brussels September 15 2010

The European Multi-stakeholder group on Development Education, with the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Ska Keller (German representative of the Green/ European Free Alliance) and Filip Kaczmareck (Polish representative of the European People's Party) will hold a lunch event “Mobilising Europeans for the Eradication of Global Poverty: The Role of the European Parliament in Promoting Development Education and Public Awareness on Development Challenges“ at the European Parliament in Brussels on September 15. At the event the European Development Education monitoring Report "DE Watch" and the European Commission DEAR Study will be presented and a roundtable on the role and added value of the European Parliament in mobilising European citizens for development will be held. Outcomes of the event will be shared in the next TIS issue.

Information provided by Chiara Tripepi

Conference Documentation New Voices in Development

On 23 April 2010, the association of Irish Non-Governmental Development Organisations Dóchas hosted a conference entitled New Voices in Development, which brought together established and emerging development organisations with southern voices and representatives of the private sector, philanthropy and academia. The aim of the conference was to provide a forum for discussion between these groups to encourage cooperation between them and improve their collective understanding of what works. See the Dochas-Website http://www.dochas.ie/newvoices/ for the conference documentation and lots of resources.

Sharing the Czech EU Presidency Experience

The Czech Platform of Development Cooperation (FoRS) has launched a new report titled „How to engage in the new EU Presidency” sharing the Czech EU presidency experience with Polish and Hungarian development CSOs and their platforms. From 15 to 17 June 2010, a pre-Presidency workshop and study visit to Prague took place where nearly 20 Polish and Hungarian CSO representatives participated. At this workshop experiences with the Czech presidency were shared both on the policy/advocacy and project level. The main EU developments were explained, such as the development effectiveness agenda and climate change negotiations.

This programme enabled a reflection on national platforms' priorities and plans for the EU Presidency in the light of the Czech experience and initiated discussions of a potential cooperation with respect to Hungarian and Polish official presidency priorities. The presidency experience was summarized from the perspective of the national platform and CSOs, and it was advised how to develop and manage a successful advocacy strategy based on this experience.

The role of the representation of the European Commission in the presidency countries was also discussed and and finally, government representatives shared their experiences of the Czech presidency. The report summarizes the main recommendations and findings from all the meetings and discussions. You can find the report in English and Polish on webpages of FoRS.

Follow-up events will take place in October in Hungary and in November in Poland on presidency priorities. Please contact FoRS, Zagranica Group or HAND for details.

Information provided by Tereza Ambrozova, FoRS

3rd Black Sea NGO Forum, 21-23 October, Constanta, Romania

The third edition of the Black Sea NGO Forum with the title is approaching. The traditional annual event will take place on 21-23 October 2010 in Constanta, Romania. Thus, for the first time the Forum the Black Sea will be present not only in the minds of the participants, but also in their sights.

This year the theme of the forum is “Investing in our common future”. The topics of the forum will include panels dedicated to Democracy and citizen participation, Economic Development and Corporate Social responsibility, Youth movements and youth policies, Bridging Divided Communities, and Environment, as well as on tools for strengthening civil society. The focus will be on the vocation of civil society to lead by example. Good practices in various fields and countries and successful cooperation initiatives in the region will be presented during the Forum. Based on an analysis of the regional dynamics during the last three years of existence of the Forum, a set of recommendations for Governmental actors and civil society in the region will be proposed.

The Black Sea NGO Forum was launched in 2008 by the Romanian Federation of Development NGOs (FOND) and is organized in cooperation with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation. The Forum aims at increasing the level of dialogue and cooperation among NGOs in the wider Black Sea region, as a means of strengthening NGOs and their capacity to influence regional and national policies.

Since 2008, the event has provided a unique regional forum for debate centered on NGOs as a driving force for positive change in the wider Black sea region. Over 300 participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, European Union member states and other important actors in the wider Black Sea Region, with different backgrounds (civil society, Governments and international organizations) have been engaged in the Forum's discussions.

Participation to the 3rd edition of the Forum is open to all actors in the region or working in the region, with a vocation for transnational and regional cooperation, interested in sharing good practices, mutual learning and joint mobilization.

As usual, a limited number of organizations from outside the wider Black Sea region are invited to participate to the Forum. Unfortunately, organizers cannot cover travel and accommodation costs. To apply, please fill in the application form available at http://www.blackseango.org/ and send it by the latest 20 September to forum@blackseango.org .

The agenda of the event and further details are attached, and also available on the web page of the Forum. For further details please contact us at forum@blackseango.org (contact person: Valentin Burada, project coordinator).

Report The Missing Peace - the need for a long term strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 14th of September 2010 the report "The Missing Peace - the need for a long term strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina" was launched in Brussels. The report is the result of the collaboration between UK based organization Saferworld working on conflict prevention and a local partner organization from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Nansen Dialogue Centre Sarajevo (NDC). It outlines findings from research carried out earlier this year and analyses the post war situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina with regards to politics and ethnicity, economy, regional relations.

The report focuses on community perceptions of the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a special attention towards youth, seen as a propagator of ethnic prejudices, due to educational systems and parent’s influence.

The launching benefited of the presence of various participants, from local activists and representatives of international NGOs, to representatives of European Commission (DG Enlargement) and European Union Special Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUSR).

The main conclusion of the report is that despite significant achievements in the security field, Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to face a unique set of challenges. As for the EU role in the region, it is noticeable that even after years of engagement its credibility in the public perception is at a very low level. Therefore the authors recommend that the EU strategy towards the country should be adapted in a more realistic manner to Bosnia and Herzegovina real needs and problems.

You can download the full version of the report (pdf) in English.

Information provided by Karina Mereuta, Trialog Brussels

Guatemalan Organisation INEPAS offers internships and voluntary work

INEPAS was founded in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, in 1994 as a self-sustaining non-profit organization. It is fully recognized by the Guatemalan government for performing a range of social, legal, and humanitarian projects within the framework of developing rural communities in and around Quetzaltenango. INEPAS functions solely with the help of national and international volunteers who offer their support, professional talent and work experience in diverse fields.
INEPAS has received official recognition from UNESCO. Its first social project, the foundation and construction of a rural school in the Maya-K'iché community of Choquiac was designated by UNESCO as exemplary for other organizations that work on similar projects. INEPAS generates the necessary funds for its social aid programs through its Spanish language school, thus remaining self-sustaining and non-partisan. It offers programs for individuals wishing to learn Spanish in the context of voluntary work and voluntary internships both in Social Projects and as an International Co-ordination Assistant.

If you would like to receive more information about our organization, please visit our website at http://www.inepas.org/ or contact INEPAS at info@inepas.org.

FA!R PROCURA 2010: Fair Trade Public Procurement, a tool for sustainable development

Join the conference at the Dortmund Westfalenhalle, Germany, on 24th September 2010. The conference aims at presenting the key outputs of a research and successful initiatives about the existing experiences of Fair Trade Public Procurement (FTPP) in Europe. The conference will also set the state of play of FTPP in the continent and explain how to continue using FTPP as a tool to support sustainable development and in particular marginalized producers from developing countries. Many high level speakers from all over the EU are expected to discuss key topics of FTPP such as legal do and don’ts in FTPP, textile and clothing, as well as food and catering sector issues. A specific session about FTPP in NMSs is foreseen. For more information about the conference and the registration procedures, please visit http://www.european-fair-trade-association.org/observatory/