advocacy and policy dialogue of bulgarian ng(d)os in 2005 and 2006 seminar for ngdo platforms of new...

AAdvocacy and dvocacy and PPolicy olicy DDialogue ofialogue of Bulgarian NG(D)Os inBulgarian NG(D)Os in 2005 2005 and 2006 and 2006

Seminar for NGDO Platforms ofSeminar for NGDO Platforms of

New Member StatesNew Member StatesBudapest, Thursday 9 – Friday 10 of March 2006Budapest, Thursday 9 – Friday 10 of March 2006

TRIALOG Central TrainingTRIALOG Central Training

http://www.trialog.or.at/start.asp?m=4,24,212

2005: Successes2005: Successes and and PProblems roblems ininInternational Development CooperationInternational Development Cooperation

National ODA Policy FormulationNational ODA Policy Formulation

* * Since the middle of 2004 some work has been Since the middle of 2004 some work has been carried out at the MFA and line ministries, esp. at carried out at the MFA and line ministries, esp. at the MEE. It refers mainly to a very early stage of the MEE. It refers mainly to a very early stage of defining approaches to a National ODA Policy.defining approaches to a National ODA Policy.

* A number of meetings and study visits, mainly * A number of meetings and study visits, mainly through diplomatic channels, organized. An through diplomatic channels, organized. An initial, largely coherent, vision surfaced at the initial, largely coherent, vision surfaced at the Workshop on ODA of Republic of Bulgaria, Workshop on ODA of Republic of Bulgaria, Gabrovo, 16-17 Dec. 2005, MFA & MEEGabrovo, 16-17 Dec. 2005, MFA & MEE..


NG(D)Os Sustainability and AdvocacyNG(D)Os Sustainability and Advocacy

* * Beginning of Beginning of 2002005 -5 - 8,000 NG 8,000 NG(D)(D)OsOs, , approxapprox.. 2,000 active. 2,000 active.

* * The sector continues toThe sector continues to expand its scope expand its scope to to representrepresent citizen interests and provide citizen interests and provide needed servicesneeded services, as well as , as well as developed developed stronger partnerships with thestronger partnerships with the government, business community, andgovernment, business community, and mediamedia..


* The * The increased focus increased focus of the sector of the sector on communityon community development in the more marginalized,development in the more marginalized, poorer poorer regions of the countryregions of the country has continued has continued. . EEfforts fforts weakened by theweakened by the withdrawal of foreign funding.withdrawal of foreign funding.

* A* Advocacy groups activedvocacy groups active in lobbying the in lobbying the legislature and monitoringlegislature and monitoring the executive and the executive and judicial branches.judicial branches.– InIn general, the public continues to perceivegeneral, the public continues to perceive lobbying lobbying

activities as a form of corruption.activities as a form of corruption.– The The largest obstacle for developinglargest obstacle for developing future advocacy future advocacy

efforts is that donorsefforts is that donors prefer to invest in community prefer to invest in community serviceservice projects rather than advocacy projects. projects rather than advocacy projects.

2006: M2006: Main ain IIssues ssues in International Development Cooperationin International Development Cooperationat Nat National and ational and IInternational nternational LLevelevel

MFA and MEE, the Gabrovo Seminar:MFA and MEE, the Gabrovo Seminar:* Elaboration of a Conceptual Framework for * Elaboration of a Conceptual Framework for Bulgaria’s Development Cooperation Policy - Bulgaria’s Development Cooperation Policy - within six months. A medium term strategy within six months. A medium term strategy 2007–2011 taking into account the Millennium 2007–2011 taking into account the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to follow.Development Goals (MDG) to follow.* Legislation on ODA - within the next two * Legislation on ODA - within the next two years.years.* Provisional ODA Council at deputy-ministerial * Provisional ODA Council at deputy-ministerial level to be created.level to be created.* Multilateral Aid, Bilateral Aid and NGO work* Multilateral Aid, Bilateral Aid and NGO work* First installment of 0,03 % Gross Domestic * First installment of 0,03 % Gross Domestic Income (GDI), around 15 Mil. Euros from 2007Income (GDI), around 15 Mil. Euros from 2007


Implications for the NG(D)Os:Implications for the NG(D)Os: * Partnership with state bodies and other * Partnership with state bodies and other CSO:CSO: – New approaches from the NG(D)Os. They may vary but New approaches from the NG(D)Os. They may vary but

should continue to be permeated by the perspective of should continue to be permeated by the perspective of partnership within all sectors.partnership within all sectors.

* Organizational Change* Organizational Change– Internal capacity building to strengthen NG(D)Os by Internal capacity building to strengthen NG(D)Os by

introducing introducing strategic planningstrategic planning, sound , sound financial financial management systems and transparency.management systems and transparency. Where Where necessary, adopt changes in missions and goals. Prepare necessary, adopt changes in missions and goals. Prepare for participation in EU ODA projects via consortia or for participation in EU ODA projects via consortia or utilize the new options in financing.utilize the new options in financing.


– National Platform needed for representation at National Platform needed for representation at national and international level.national and international level.

Its creation = a purely voluntary act of the internal Its creation = a purely voluntary act of the internal actors as a response to the existing situation, to their actors as a response to the existing situation, to their needs and agenda.needs and agenda.

Principles: transparency, equal rights and Principles: transparency, equal rights and interaction.interaction.

* Public Awareness raising:* Public Awareness raising:– GGradualradual efforts to be made efforts to be made to explain to explain

internationalinternational development cooperation to the development cooperation to the publicpublic and to promote acceptance.and to promote acceptance. NG(D)Os NG(D)Os involvement is essential, involvement is essential, as well as ofas well as of other other CSO, the state bodies and media.CSO, the state bodies and media.


Possible key Possible key political messagespolitical messages::* To the state institutions:* To the state institutions:– Adopt a coherent and effective National Policy on IDC;Adopt a coherent and effective National Policy on IDC;– Continue with theContinue with the establishedestablished partnership practices; partnership practices;

further invite NG(D)Os to participate in initiatives for further invite NG(D)Os to participate in initiatives for ccapacity building within apacity building within state bodies.state bodies.

* To NG(D)O sector: Build your * To NG(D)O sector: Build your organizational capacity.organizational capacity.

– Implement internal changes where necessary to meet Implement internal changes where necessary to meet EU membership challenges and the redirection of EU membership challenges and the redirection of funding. Aim funding. Aim to secure financial sustainabilityto secure financial sustainability;;

– Support the creation of an official Forum for information Support the creation of an official Forum for information exchange, discussions and member capacity building exchange, discussions and member capacity building which could lead to the setting up of a national Platform;which could lead to the setting up of a national Platform;


– Continue with the creation of Continue with the creation of direct links direct links with your with your counterparts in the NMS and acrosscounterparts in the NMS and across the EU.the EU.

* To CSO: Partnership for development.* To CSO: Partnership for development.– Prepare to promote national priorities in ODA policy via Prepare to promote national priorities in ODA policy via

projects and consortia formation;projects and consortia formation;– IIdentify areas wheredentify areas where government and government and the Ethe EUU should do should do

more to more to mobilise public supportmobilise public support for for developmentdevelopment issueissues;s;– Build links across the EU to allow yourBuild links across the EU to allow your fair fair access to EC access to EC

funds for CSO financingfunds for CSO financing;;– Fight corruption practices within organizations; andFight corruption practices within organizations; and– Maintain autonomy and provide innovative approaches Maintain autonomy and provide innovative approaches

to international development cooperation as “seekers” to international development cooperation as “seekers” for development.for development.


ActivitiesActivities at the national level: at the national level:

* * CollaborationCollaboration within the NG(D)O sector within the NG(D)O sector to to officially set-up officially set-up a Forum fora Forum for information information exchange, discussions and member capacity exchange, discussions and member capacity building. To be followed by the setting up of a building. To be followed by the setting up of a National PlatformNational Platform..

* Production of a * Production of a cross-sector research cross-sector research reportreport and/or collection of materials on and/or collection of materials on MDG &MDG & Future Bulgarian ODA PolicyFuture Bulgarian ODA Policy..

– Dissemination and discussion through own website;Dissemination and discussion through own website;– Present the findings to the MFA and line ministriesPresent the findings to the MFA and line ministries

withwithin our partnership rounds.in our partnership rounds.


* * Organization of trainings in cooperation Organization of trainings in cooperation with TRIALOG on:with TRIALOG on:

– building up the capacitybuilding up the capacity for obtaining EU fundingfor obtaining EU funding - - EU EU funding possibilitiesfunding possibilities, , project cycleproject cycle management and management and applications for EUapplications for EU Calls for ProposalsCalls for Proposals;;

– organizational capacity building;organizational capacity building;– co-financing measureco-financing measures and s and in privatein private fundraisingfundraising;;– developmentdevelopment education andeducation and the increasingthe increasing of public of public

awareness of developmentawareness of development issuesissues; and ; and – advocacy and policy dialogueadvocacy and policy dialogue

* * Dissemination of research, articles, Dissemination of research, articles, results from workshops on EU and results from workshops on EU and National ODA policy through own Website National ODA policy through own Website and to national mediaand to national media..


ActivitiesActivities at the European level: at the European level:* Lobbying for the inseparable link between * Lobbying for the inseparable link between

internal and international development internal and international development issuesissues (MDG) (MDG) with regard to poverty with regard to poverty reduction as the case currently stands for reduction as the case currently stands for Bulgaria.Bulgaria.

* * Support the Support the lobbying activitieslobbying activities of of TRIALOG TRIALOG and and CONCORDCONCORD towards towards thethe EC in EC in order to achieve order to achieve wweakeningeakening of the of the eligibility criteria foreligibility criteria for NMS NMS and AC and AC NGNG(D)(D)OsOs for a transition period for a transition period of some yearsof some years by identifying and making contacts with by identifying and making contacts with Bulgarian decision-makers.Bulgarian decision-makers.


* * Support the building of regional Support the building of regional NG(D)O NG(D)O partnershippartnershipss and networks and networks in in South Eastern EuropeSouth Eastern Europe in order to benefit in order to benefit from different experiences and synergiesfrom different experiences and synergies,, as well as to strengthen civilas well as to strengthen civil society.society. Website & Electronic publishingWebsite & Electronic publishing..

* * Support exchange/trips to Brussels Support exchange/trips to Brussels for mixed groupsfor mixed groups of governmental, of governmental, parliamentary and NGparliamentary and NG((DD))OO representatives.representatives.

Presentation:Presentation:Evgeni Lestanski, Evgeni Lestanski, Index FoundationIndex Foundation

Bulgarian Central Training Participants:Bulgarian Central Training Participants: Desislava KolevaDesislava Koleva, , Save the Children BulgariaSave the Children Bulgaria Elena StoyanovaElena Stoyanova, , Gender Project for BulgariaGender Project for Bulgaria FoundationFoundation Bojura PavlovaBojura Pavlova, , GERTGERT Miryana Malamin-SiriyskiMiryana Malamin-Siriyski, , Pokrov FoundationPokrov Foundation

http://www.index-bg.org/

http://www.savethechildrenbg.org/

http://www.gender-bg.org/



http://www.gert.ngo-bg.org/article17.html

http://www.gert.ngo-bg.org/article17.html

http://www.pokrov-foundation.org/

advocacy and policy dialogue of bulgarian ng(d)os in 2005 and 2006 seminar for ngdo platforms of new...

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