Is civil Society on the right track to handle global problems?

From May 14 - 16, 2008, in Prague Anna Balmush, Vice President of the BPW Moldova participated at the first EU wide meeting of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working in international development cooperation. The main question and the title of the conference - “ARE WE ON THE RIGHT TRACK?” were put on the table to initiate a review of paradigms which underlie the development work of CSOs. Speakers and participants came from the entire EU as well as from developing countries of the South (Africa, Latin America and Asia) and the East (Eastern EU neighborhood). The conference, initiated by TRIALOG and co-organized by CONCORD, FoRS and the Ecumenical Academy Prague, aimed to be a forum of exchange on the current “nature” of development work and for all participants it was a real place to find the most promising development approaches for the future. The main issue of this fantastic event was the possibility to speak about recent trends in development assistance. Trough series of meetings participants tried to answer the following questions: what “development” are Civil Society Organizations looking for, do CSOs from West, East and South identify the same needs and challenges, how can CSOs learn from their different perspectives, what do CSOs from developing countries expect from European CSOs?

The main objectives of this very useful event were: to serve as a forum of civil society actors from the West, East and South: from the 15 old EU member states, from the 12 new EU member states and from developing countries of the South (Africa, Latin America, Asia) and East (Eastern EU neighborhood); to present an insight into the specific contexts and environments of CSOs in the field of development; to challenge current development approaches and paradigms; to find the most promising development approaches. The conference was opened by Christine Bedoya, Director of TRIALOG, also this event was honored by the presentation and speeches of Jirí Silný, Director of Ecumenical Academy Prague; Justin Kilcullen, President of CONCORD; Šimon Pánek, Chairman of FoRS; Chico Whitaker, member of the World Social Forum International Council from Brasil; Rebecca Tanui, BEACON, from Kenya; T. Rajamoorthy– Third World Network, from Malaysia; Olga Ponizova, Eco - Accord NGO from Russian Federation; Duncan Green, Oxfam GB; Hildegard Hagemann, VENRO and Justitia et Pax from Germany. During the conference, Anna Balmus participated in the workshop titled “Rights-Based Development Practical Tool Symbolic Power”. During this workshop Salvatore Parata, Terre des Hommes representative, Luis Morago, Oxfam International representative, presented to the participants of this workgroup two presentations regarding to the human rights-based approach.

Two great experts in this filed explained the 5 Core Principles of it and etc. As a result and during discussions attendants agreed that human rights-based approach is covering lack of legitimacy of development sector with a « mantle » of human rights; avoid challenging the status quo too much and keep international system in interest of powerful actors / states; and the main issue is that human rights-based approach is evolving paradigm – tool to overcome poverty. But all these can be aimed only by promoting greater social acceptance of human rights values, principles and rules; building/strengthening enforceable legal and political instruments based on the above values and principles and understanding, unveiling and challenging vested interests. Only together we can make the world better. Besides of the real and very useful knowledge, the EU states experience in different fields of social development, documentation that can be used and adapted for the seminars for rural women in Moldova one of the greatest result of this fantastic event for BPW Moldova was the creation of the MEC – The Middle Europe Coalition. The initiator of this coalition is Alfred Horn, HELP Region Representative in Afghanistan , Iran , Himalaya , and Specialist for HELP's Development activities. HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. is a German non-governmental relief organization duly registered with the courts of law in Bonn . In the wake of the war in Afghanistan and thereby caused refugee crises, members of Parliament of all parties represented in the German Parliament and other distinguished personalities founded HELP in July 1981. HELP started its work by providing humanitarian assistance for Afghan refugees having fled to Pakistan . After the very first years of its existence, HELP started to continuously expand its humanitarian work to other countries. Aid is given regardless of race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind. Aid priorities are calculated solely on the basis of need. During the Prague conference all members of this coalition from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Georgia, Byelorussia and Moldova participated in a lot of discussions regarding to the future collaboration. The expectation towards MEC is to find one or several Coalition partners in Middle Europe to design and implement joint activities which can either build on HELP's existing emergency operations and organize follow up actions in: rehabilitation, capacity building, vocational training, rural development, ecology, ecotourism, waste management – together with the civil and government – partners in low-income countries. For the beginning the focal point of MEC was selected Tamar Tskhadadze from CEE in Tbilissi.

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Arhives