Czech Forum for Development Co-operation (FoRS)
Trialog Central Training, March 9 – 10, 2006, Budapest
FoRS was established in 2002, currently 22 members, several observers; broad cooperation with national and international partners.
1. highlights in 2005:
® Continuing position as the Institutional partner for MFA and Development Centre IIR
® Member of CONCORD (since January 2003)
® Grant system for NGDOs doubled in 2005
® Special ODA budget line for trilateral projects
® Public awareness campaign and development education
® Participation in development projects
® Working groups for 8 programming countries and other three WG for awareness, education and volunteers
® Involvement in „Tsunami“ relief and reconstruction
FoRS as the Institutional partner for MFA and Development Centre of the Institute for International Relations
Since the very beginning, FoRS was recognized as reliable institutional partner for Czech authorities involved in ODA:
§ We receive strategic documents for comments and suggestions (e.g. legislative proposals, CSPs)
§ We cooperate in organization of ODA events - conferences, workshops, seminars, round tables (e.g. „Enlarged Europe - Reinforced Responsibility“ in 2004, „A.R.S. Progetti“ seminar in 2005 and many others)
§ We are involved in preparation of ODA guidelines as well as in training activities (Project Cycle Management)
§ We prepare official statements for international meetings
§ We are involved in ODA and humanitarian projects implementation as well as in their appraisal and evaluation
§ We are partners of MFA within RPP - Regional Partnership Programme for Development Cooperation in Austria and Neighboring New Member States (Slovenia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia)
FoRS enforced introduction of 2 special budget lines for NGDOs:
Grant system for NGDO support was launched in 2004 with a budget of 2 mil. CZK. It was increased in 2005 at 4 mil. CZK and up to 9,4 mil. CZK in 2006. The budget line covers four (5 since 2006) topics:
§ Capacities (FoRS members succeeded with 2 projects in 2005)
§ Awareness (1 project in 2005)
§ Education (5 projects in 2005)
§ Partnership (2 projects in 2005)
§ NGDO Platforms (since 2006)
NGDOs share in implemented ODA projects:
§ In 2004, NGDOs implemented 29 projects (of 124) with a total budget of 60,8 mil. CZK (of 500 mil. CZK), i.e. 12,2 %.
§ In 2005, 26 projects of 133 are implemented by NGDOs (21 of them by FoRS members) and the financial share is 91,2 mil. CZK (of 600 mil. CZK), i.e. 15,2 %.
New special budget line for trilateral projects was introduced in 2005, with a budget of 6 mil. CZK (10 mil. CZK in 2006):
§ In 2005, FoRS members succeeded with 2 projects and one member is involved in the third one (4 projects were approved); these projects are supported by ODACE programme of CIDA
§ The budget line is to be used also for EC projects co-financing and for trilateral cooperation with Austria (1 development project already approved)
FoRS - Participation in Public Awareness Campaigns and Development Education
Since 2002, FoRS members are involved in projects on development awareness and development education:
§ There are ongoing development awareness activities focused on general public, using different media and public events
§ In 2005, two large joint events of FoRS members have been carried out:
® Festival of Development Cooperation (July 2005)
® Campaign „Czech Against Poverty“ (culminated in September 2005 – during the MDG Summit); the campaign is going on
§ We are involved in national and international trainings on Project Cycle Management for state and non-state actors
§ We support and we are involved in GLEN - Global Education Network of Young Europeans, a project of development education of old and new member states
§ There are several projects on development education for all types of education institutions, state officials and journalists
Selected FoRS activities initiated in the CR in 2005
§ Fund-raising campaign on Tsunami relief (since January 05)
§ MFA Grant program for NGDOs (17.1.05)
§ Tender on humanitarian aid for Asia (18.2.05)
§ Round tables on CSP preparation (January - March 05)
§ Trilateral projects MFA - CIDA (28.2.05)
§ Study tours to priority countries (Angola, Yemen, Zambia)
§ MDG campaign (since May 05)
§ MFA Grant program for Development Education (June 05)
§ Festival of Development Cooperation (July 05)
§ Summer School on Development Cooperation (August 05)
§ Other awareness and education events, publications, etc
FoRS - activities in the frame of international cooperation
§ CONCORD Working Groups + representation in the Board
§ Meeting with Mr. Commissioner Louis Michel (25.2.05)
§ Seminar A.R.S. Progetti (4.3.05)
§ Activities with ODACE and TRIALOG (Fund-raising 8.-10.3.05)
§ Activities with TRIALOG (Central training 14.-15.3.05)
§ Activities within DEEEP (Summer School Sweden 5.-12.6.05)
§ Support for volunteers within GLEN - Global Education Network of Young Europeans
§ Cooperation with NMS (Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland…)
§ Cooperation with other donor countries (Austria, Luxembourg, Canada…)
Activities of FoRS are funded from the following sources:
§ ODACE programme of the CIDA (since 2002 until March 2005)
§ MFA Grant programme for NGDOs „Partnership“ (since 2004)
§ Programme TRIALOG (part of CONCORD fee, exchange of experience)
§ Austrian Regional Partnership Programme (since May 2005)
§ European Commission (e.g. „EC Development Cooperation…“)
§ CONCORD (exchange of information, travel expenses)
§ Member fees and Travel Fund co-financing scheme
§ Services (e.g. logistic support for workshops and conferences)
§ Cost-sharing of members or partners, fund-raising
2. main issues for advocacy and policy dialogue of FoRS in 2006
At national level
Since 2006, the Czech ODA system has changed, with a significant focus on 8 priority countries. The total budget for ongoing projects is 462,3 mil. CZK and NGDOs are to carry out 21 projects of 90 (19 of them by FoRS members) with a total share of 62,1 mil. CZK, i.e. 13,4 %. We suppose to be successful also in some tenders and calls for proposals for new projects in priority countries (179,5 mil. CZK) and in non-priority countries (58,2 mil. CZK).
In this respect, FoRS put forwards following aims:
® Strengthening cooperation of FoRS members in national awareness and education projects and programmes
® Supporting capacities of FoRS members by means of PCM trainings and consultancy activities during preparation of project proposals both for national and international funding
® Negotiations with the Czech ministries (i.e. the ODA actors) about procedures of calls for proposals and all PCM issues and participation in the evaluation of the new system of the ODA
® Increasing the budget lines for DE and raising public awareness
At international level
® Continuing efforts for enabling more NGDOs from NMS to take part in the EU funding schemes
® More active involvement in CONCORD Working Groups and TRIALOG Programme (a.o. establishment of new FoRS Working group on International Relations)
® Development of other funding opportunities and increasing these funds (Presidency Fund, RPP, and other regional or thematic programmes) hand in hand with enhancing active involvement of Czech NGDOs in international Calls for Proposals
® Sharing experience in order to support emerging NGDO platforms from ACs, development of cooperation and joint action at the level of EU
3. main challenges facing FoRS during 2006
® Building up a stable secretariat with one/two full and one part time employees since September 2006
® Strengthening the cooperation within the platform and with key partners (Development Centre of IIR, MFA, cooperating organisations).
® Pursuing official opinions and carrying out common programmes and projects – mainly through the FoRS Working Groups.
® Strengthening external cooperation and increasing the position of FoRS vis-à-vis external institutional partners and public in CR and abroad
® Active participation in the European policy and cooperation through CONCORD, the CONCORD Working Groups, RPP and Trialog
® Supporting the FoRS members in participation in bilateral, trilateral and multi-lateral development projects and projects on DE.
® Working towards the general public to get higher support for development interventions (not only for NGDOs)
® Czech (and EU) ODA system still remains complicated and inefficient; FoRS aims at changing this situation
® Holding of the ODA events - conferences, workshops, seminars, round tables
® Continuing support of capacity building of NGDOs - training activities (Project Cycle Management, etc.)
® Reacting and commenting efficiently on actual strategic documents of ODA and participation in evaluation of the first year of new ODA system in the CR
Acknowledgement for support:
§ MFA and DC IIR for partnership and grant programs
§ CIDA / ODACE for „capacity building“ and trilateral program
§ TRIALOG and RPP for support of NMS
§ CONCORD for enhancing influence on EC decisions
§ and active members and partner organisations
Recommended web pages
FoRS / www.fors.cz particularly www.fors.cz/conferenceDevelopment Centre of IIR / www.rozvojovestredisko.cz
Department of Development Cooperation of the MFA / www.mzv.cz/rozvoj
Information webpage on development / www.rozvojovka.cz
Make poverty history Campaign in CZ – Czech Against Poverty / www.ceskoprotichudobe.cz
Contacts:
České fórum pro rozvojovou spolupráci
Czech Forum for Development Co-operation
FoRS, Máchova 7, 120 00 Praha 2, CR
phone/fax: (+420) 222 513 123, 222 513971
Board Contacts
® Mr. Simon Panek, Chairman of the Board
phone: (+420) 226 200 400,
® Mr. Daniel Svoboda, Vice-Chair of the Board
phone: (+420) 724 179 562,
E-mail:
http://www.fors.cz
1
Czech Forum for Development Cooperation www.fors.cz