Peer Review in FoRS: Experience from the Czech NGDO Platform

The Czech NGDO platform –Czech Forum for Development Co-operation (FoRS)- was set up, among others, to support its members in enhancing quality and effectiveness of their work in the area of development cooperation, global education and humanitarian aid.

This support has various forms. The peer review, understood as an opening to external views and opinions that could help enrich and improve the organizations´ practice, started to be used as a new tool within FoRS last year when SIRIRI, a member organization, decided to undergo a strategic peer review within its capacity building project. This pilot process led to some constructive outcomes, including creation of a toolkit for FoRS members on how to proceed with a peer review, though certain internal processes (change at the director´s position) hampered its smooth closing when the results could not be properly shared among the NGO´s staff and experts.

Apart from the strategic peer review, the toolkit also explains the steps and specificities of the basic, narrower type of peer review and its potential to become a regular part of cooperation among FoRS members in the process of their development. It could also help them to fulfil their commitment –to carry out an annual self-assessment of their performance in relation to the Code of Effectiveness of FoRS, which also serves as a checklist. The last year, this kind of peer review was carried out between a member and an observer of FoRS. In addition, the basic peer review could serve for mutual provision of feedback related to any other important aspect for an organization, such as for example its added value in global education or strengths and weaknesses in its work with volunteers.

Following relatively high interest of FoRS members in peer reviews in the ongoing annual action plan, FoRS has recently started with identification of adequate partnerships. When defined, the partners will carry out a self-assessment related to the Code of Effectiveness, consequently identify an area where they would welcome some feedback, confront their views with the partner´s ones, adequately adapt the self-assessment and finally establish an action plan to foster their own effectiveness.

The role of FoRS consists in supporting interested members throughout the whole process so that this new tool really contributes to an increased positive impact of their development work. In line with these efforts, a peer review is also foreseen for the platform this year.

Information provided by Marie Zazvorkova, FoRS

Humanitarian Congress in Vienna: Gender matters

On the 8th March 2013, International Women's day, second humanitarian congress in Vienna was organized by Global Responsibility – Austrian Platform for Development and Humanitarian Aid. Title of the congress was Humanitarian aid and gender matters.

Opening speech why gender matters in humanitarian response was given by Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian aid and Crisis Response. She presented her personal experiences from field visits in DR Congo and some other locations where she observed projects fighting against gender violence and women equality. In her point of view gender equality is a key to fight against hunger and poverty in the future. Later on different panels related to gender matters and humanitarian aid took place. Big debate was on the panel Humanitarian aid and media where representatives of different media and organizations presented their positions.

Special attention was devoted to role of social media (Facebook, Twitter) since they change communication in a personal way and they humanize organization. Congress was a nice opportunity for organizations to meet, discuss and exchange their working experiences. Beside panels small fair was organized where Austrian organizations took part.

More information about the congress is available at http://www.humanitaerer-kongress.at/


Information provided by Darja Rogelj, IRD Slovenia www.ird.si

A.R.T. Fusion Association - The Future We Want

The Future We Want it is not only a wish, it is also a training course organized by A.R.T. Fusion Association between 19th and 28th of April 2013 in Gura Diham, near Busteni, Romania.

Why? Because one of the aims is to increase the level of active involvement in global issues among young Europeans. 24 young Europeans from Italy, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Armenia, Georgia and Romania involved in different NGOs in their local communities will gather and will aproach different issues related to global education.
Some of the topics that will be tackled are: global interdependencies (from cultural, economical and political approach), MDG-s, post 2015 framework, sustainable development, social and global justice, environmental problems, consumerism and sustainable lifestyle, cultural relativism.

The project is implemented by A.R.T. Fusion Association with financial support from the European Commision through Youth in Action Programme.

Contact person: Roxana Turcu, project coordinator, art_fusion_romania@yahoo.com 
Website: http://www.artfusion.ro/?l=en

Information provided by Roxana Turcu, A.R.T. Fusion

Involving Students and Teachers in Development Education in Romania

The project Realization of the Millennium Development Goals: Involving students and teachers in development education programs and projects started in December 2010 and it aims at involving students and educators from 4 EU countries and from the Republic of South Africa in the process of elaborating and promoting development education programs. The project is implemented in partnership of Open Education Centre – Bulgaria, Assistance and Programs for Sustainable Development – Agenda 21 – Romania, Carrefoure Europeo Emilia – Italy, HIVsports – UK and it is co-financed by the European Commission through the program Non State Actors and Local Authorities in Development. Public Awareness and education for development in Europe.

In 2012, the main results registered in Romania were: elaboration of the curriculum on Development Education, an education package on The role of development education in realizing the Millennium Development Goals, sessions on good practices regarding the project theme, one international event Understanding and resolving the global problems through an international partnership (during this event, students elaborated bilateral projects on issues related to development education focused on the problems of Sub-Saharan Africa to be implemented in cooperation with pupils from Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Africa).

A movie documentary FACT or FICTION, focused on how sports can help raising awareness about HIV/AIDS, was launched in London by the partner from UK, HIVsports, in the House of Lords. The documentary is made up by 5 short movies created by young people from UK, Romania, Italy and Africa that are involved in the project. The documentary can be viewed on http://www.hivsport.org/news-2.php and www.agenda21.org.ro, the educational package associated with the documentary can be downloaded at http://www.agenda21.org.ro/en/news.html.

Photography by Effren Sergio Hernandez, Launch of the movie documentary FACT or FICTION in the House of Lords.

Information provided by Nina Cugler, Agenda 21

Biofuels in Tanzania: Fuelling Poverty or Progress?

The Evert Vermeer Foundation (EVF) launched its report ‘Fuelling Poverty or Progress? The EU and Biofuels in Tanzania’ on March 19th in Brussels. The Foundation’s advocacy programme Fair Politics campaigns for Policy Coherence for Development: putting an end to EU policies which undermine poverty eradication in developing countries. One example of that is the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, which calls for a 10% target for renewable energy in transport fuel, to be met almost entirely by first-generation biofuels. These biofuels are a key factor in driving food prices and the global land rush.

The EVF researched the impact of this policy in Tanzania, and found that it was one of several key drivers for European companies to set up large-scale plantations of energy crops in the country. These projects led to many land grabbing issues: rural communities losing access to their land without adequate compensation.

During our launch the EVF presented their recommendations: to phase out support to food-based biofuels and to introduce social sustainability criteria on biofuels contributing to renewable energy targets. The European Commission responded critically, denying a link between impacts in Tanzania and EU policy, blaming it mainly on governance issues on the part of Tanzania. Special guest, Dar es Salaam-based Yefred Myenzi of HakiArdhi-Lands Rights Research Resources Institute presented his experiences with the impacts of investment in land in Tanzania on rural communities, calling for better governance and a strong role for civil society.

Read the full report of the launch on our website and check out the study here.
You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up-to-date on the Fair Politics programme! www.fairpolitics.eu
www.facebook.com/fairpolitics
www.twitter.com/fair_pol

For more information contact Jasper van Teeffelen: jvteeffelen@evertvermeer.nl



Information provided by Jasper van Teeffelen, EVF  

European Endowment for Democracy – How will it work?

The first call for proposal of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) will be launched in June 2013, announced Jerzy Pomianowski, Executive Director of EED during a meeting with Polish NGOs. The EED will support political activists and democratization movements, including non-registered groups (so far European programs not allowed this kind of group to apply for the grants).

The EED will be financed from two sources: an institutional grant from the European Commission (used only for administration costs) and voluntary remittances from member states (used for grants and beneficiaries). At this moment, in the second pool 14-15 million EUR are declared for 2-3 years (3-4 million EUR per year). The donors are: Poland, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Holland. So far there is no declaration from the biggest countries like Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.

The EED’s main purpose is direct grant-making to pro-democracy activist and/or organizations struggling for democratic transition in the European Neighbourhood and beyond, through specific flexible procedures (mainly continual). The EED can also work through European CSOs (such as Political Foundations). Apart from grants, the EED will support organizations in writing proposals to other funds and donors, searching for new source of financing, as well as networking with institution on the European level. The EED can also give short-term institutional grants for small organizations and groups.

The EED was established in October 2012 as a private law foundation under Belgian law. The secretariat will be placed in Brussels (in the building of the old Polish embassy). The Executive Committee will supervise the work of the secretariat and consist of an executive director, 3 representatives of NGOs, 2 representatives of the Member States (Spain and Romania) and 1 representative of the European Parliament (Chairman of the Executive Committee). The highest body is the Board of Governors (representatives of the Member States and Switzerland + 9 MEPs + 3 representatives of NGOs, chosen by the Board), which will meet twice a year.

The meeting with Jerzy Pomianowski was organized by Solidarity Fund Poland - democracy support and development cooperation agency.

Contact person: Magdalena Trojanek of the Polish NGDO Platform Zagranica Group, Magdalena.trojanek@zagranica.org.pl
 

For more information on the EED, please see: http://democracyendowment.eu/ or http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-17_en.htm
Aditionally you can read an article on the Deutsche Welle.


Information provided by Magdalena Trojanek, Zagranica Group

European Program for Development Evaluation Training

Development Worldwide (DWW) and the Slovak Evaluation Society have the pleasure to invite you to the European Program for Development Evaluation Training - EPDET 2013 in Prague (15th - 21st September 2013). The core curriculum of the training follows a successful scheme of the summer school IPDET (www.ipdet.org), organised annually by Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada.

EPDET 2013 will be provided in English again by top lecturers, the training is recommended for evaluators and managers of development projects and programs. The training graduates will obtain a Certificate of the IDEAS-International Development Evaluation Association (www.ideas-int.org).

The participant fee is 1100 EUR and includes tuition, accommodation and full board. Participants will receive both printed and electronic versions of the training manual and other training materials. Capacity of the training is limited, therefore we ask all applicants to confirm their interest until 30 April 2013 by email to EPDET program manager: Mr. Daniel Svoboda (svoboda@dww.cz) and/or fill in the online application.

Information provided by Daniel Svoboda, Development Worldwide

Central and Eastern Europe CSR Summit 2013

The biggest event on CSR in the CEE region will take place on May 30, 2013 in Bratislava, Slovakia. Pontis Foundation and Business Leaders Forum Slovakia in cooperation with KÖVET, RespACT, BLF Czech Republic and Centre for CSR invite you to the Central and Eastern Europe CSR Summit, which will offer global perspective on sustainability, tips for improving communication on CSR, review of inspirational sustainability reports from the CEE region, and much more.

Listen and interact with more than 20 speakers from 8 countries.
Network with CSR professionals
Share experience with 170 CEOs, CSR professionals, HR, communication and environmental managers.
Learn more about sustainability in 21st century, responsible brands and GRI G4 Reporting Guidelines.

Participation fee includes conference materials with presentations, 2 x fair trade coffee breaks, healthy local buffet lunch. Registration ends on May 27, 2013.

The number of places is limited and we encourage you to register soon and make use of the Early Bird discount. Registration rates – Early Bird Discount (valid until April 30, 2013) for NGO/non-profit: 125.00 € excluding VAT.

Find out more on the official website: http://www.cee-csr-summit.eu/home/

Source: http://www.cee-csr-summit.eu/home/

Programme on Systemic Peacebuilding

The International Peace and Development Training Centre (IPDTC) of PATRIR is announcing it's June 5-day Advanced Certificate Programme on Systemic Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation and Post-War Recovery and Reconciliation(PCTR).

When: 10th-14th of June, 2013
Where: Cluj Napoca, Romania

The PCTR is a five-day intensive programme which provides experts, practitioners and policy makers with a forum for reflection and targeted, relevant professional development in a dynamic and stimulating environment. Given the issues it addresses, it is also relevant for those working in political, gender, security, human rights, development, and humanitarian fields, donors, and diplomats, working in areas affected or threatened by war and armed conflict or in post-war situations.

Positions are limited and those interested are encouraged to apply early. Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact iPDTC at training@patrir.ro or www.patrir.ro/training

Information provided by Kai Brand-Jacobsen

Monitoring for Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development

BCSDN (Balkan Civil Society Development Network) members and partners have in 2012 embarked on a process of creating the 1st Monitoring Matrix for Enabling Environment for Civil Society Development, which presents a sustainable monitoring tool developed by local CSO from 10 Western Balkans countries and New EU Member States. The aim was to develop our own tool to monitor and fuel advocacy of civil society in creating an enabling environment in which CSOs work and operate on daily basis. In its development, the tool has been recognized by Governments offices for cooperation with civil society as a possible basis for development of their own self-assessment/monitoring tools to measure sustainability and progress of openness, supportiveness, accountability and transparency of its support to CSOs.

It is on this basis that the monitoring is being launched for the 1st test year in all Western Balkan countries and Turkey. A Tool-kit to help explain the Matrix as well as enable smooth monitoring on the part of CSOs has been also prepared. Presentation of the Monitoring Matrix is taking place in all IPA countries since end of February.

For further presentations consult BCSDN website or contact our in-country members. The presentations and the test monitoring will take place in the framework of the EU-funded “Balkan Civil Society Acquis” project.


Source: Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN)

(M)Bake the World a better Place: New Database with "Recipes" of Development Education for a new Target Group

At www.bakeabetterplace.org you find a new database, with which knowledge is swapped from 25 actions over a period of two years in which the project used techniques of the advertising and marketing industry, mixed them with topics of development education, and got appealing actions out of it that addressed people who were closed to our messages before.

The project especially reached out to a new emerging group in society, which development education barely got through to before. It is the young trend elite, also called “Modern Performers”. The database is based on the experiences of 5 NGOs from Czech Republic, Germany, Poland and Portugal in a European founded project. It provides “recipes” of unconventional development actions as well as information on new methods to reach target groups, usually not targeted by development education.

Information provided by Verena Günther, finep - forum for international development + planning

New Master Programme in International Development Studies

The Palacký University in Olomouc/Czech Republic, is opening a new International Development Studies master’s programme fully taught in English. The aim of programme is to prepare professionals for careers in development policy and practice.

Students will acquire profound knowledge in development related issues as well as research methodology. They can also choose from a variety of specialization courses to best suit their needs and interests, for example on project cycle management, global environmental issues or community development. Additionally there is an offer of regional courses on Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and Central Asia.

The programme is starting in September 2013, applications are due on July 15th 2013.

For more information please visit www.development.upol.cz/ids  or send an email to ids-olomouc@upol.cz  

Information provided by Petra Krylová, Palacky University

TRIALOG Training of Multipliers for Liaison Officers from CSO Platforms in the enlarged EU

From 13th to 15th of February 2013, TRIALOG organised its annual Training of Multipliers in Vienna. Liaison Officers from eleven development CSO platforms in the enlarged EU, who are project partners of TRIALOG, formed the target group of the training.

Support and information for them was provided by resource persons form CONCORD, Glopolis and the TRIALOG staff. Together they worked on enabling the Liaison Officers to fulfil their role towards platform members and to be active multipliers of knowledge and capacity. Therefore the training addressed not only selected policy issues but also organisational development, as well as communicational skills.

Several sessions were enriched by inputs of the Liaison Officers to share experience and knowledge among each other. The training – which took place in the TRIALOGs head office in Vienna – focused on three policy topics. It started with an update on the Multiannual Financial Framework by Christine Bedoya, TRIALOG, which was followed by a presentation on Policy Coherence for Development (PCD) held by Petr Lebeda of Glopolis (Czech Republic). The next day, participants debated lively on private sector engagement in development cooperation. The policy topics alternated with instructive exercises, such as strategic communication training or planning advocacy and engagement strategies. There has also been an afternoon session on membership engagement to strengthen cooperation between members and platforms, led by Daniel Nuijten from CONCORD.

The participants contributed actively and enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of the training. Finally, after two and a half days of working intensively, the participants were exhausted but content and motivated and they agreed that the training has been a full success.

TRIALOG says thank you to everybody involved!

Find the report and photos of the training on our website.

In the photo: participants of the Training of Multipliers 2013.

Information provided by Marlene Radl, TRIALOG

Seminar “Climate Change as a Development Problem?”

On February 21st, Czech Climate Coalition, Glopolis and Czech Forum for Development Cooperation-FoRS organized a seminar for workers of Czech development and environmental NGOs on the impact of climate change on development cooperation.

The aim of the event was to highlight the importance of this issue and the necessity to take it into consideration when making efforts in fighting against poverty given the fact that on the one hand donor governments from the North, including the Czech Republic, provide ODA, but on the other hand they contribute significantly to the climate change.

Juraj Mesik, expert on climate change, actually lecturer at two universities and a consultant for the World Bank, provided the participants with the key facts on climate change and its impact on development and development cooperation. The participants also learned from Lies Craeynest from Oxfam EU, specialist on the EU policy in the area of climate change and agriculture, how the issue of climate change could be reflected in policy work of development NGOs. An important part of the seminar consisted of a discussion among present NGO workers about their work related to climate change and about possible ways for cooperation between Czech development and environmental NGOs.

Information provided by Marie Zazvorkova, FoRS