Efficiency of the NGOs in development cooperation

Efficiency of NGOs in development cooperation is a process that aims at improving the efficiency of NGOs as development actors. It is a holistic concept, which focuses on the effect - measurement of specific changes in the lives of the poor and marginalised individuals as a result of the action of NGOs. It is also a political process of gradual empowerment of excluded and marginalised communities.

The process of establishing principles and standards of efficiency of NGOs is also a response or an alternative to the Paris Declaration (2005), which is an international agreement between developed and developing countries on the effectiveness of development aid and does not reflect numerous roles and priorities of NGOs in development cooperation.

On a global level, civil society organizations (CSOs) have set up the so-called Open Forum, which brings together CSOs from all regions of the world. Open Forum engages itself in dialogue on development issues and challenges of efficiency of the NGOs, and its key objective is to establish a global framework of principles which would determine efficiency of NGOs in the development process by 2011.

Part of the Open Forum is the so-called Global Facilitation Group, the leading group of the process at the global level, which consists of 25 organisations. The Group is also committed to setting up a political dialogue with governments and donors.

A number of individual NGOs, national development platforms, coalitions and networks have drawn up their own mechanisms and tools to improve and demonstrate their efficiency, including CONCORDS's working group (WG CSO effectiveness), which allows mutual learning through exchange of good practices and cooperation.

In the spotlight

APPLICATIONS: NEW INTENSIVE COURSES

We are collecting applications for intensive training courses

In April 2012 we will start organizing intensive educational programs from the fields of Theatre of the Oppressed, Documentary photography and Documentary film. All programs are free of charge.

We invite everyone to take part in the courses who would like to gain or upgrade their existing knowledge in the selected fields and would at the same time like to – through the use of art – expose social issues which are important to them. The courses are open for everyone, however priority in selection will be given to members of different ethnic minority groups, national minorities and migrants. Everyone who speaks English or Slovene can apply for the training. The language of the training will be decided afterwards taking into account the prevailing language knowledge of the participants. If necessary, simultaneous interpretation will be organized.

The participants will be offered different types of support, among other things they will be able to borrow equipment, they will have access to the digital dark room, some will be awarded grants for future development of their projects, participating in festivals and meetings, and accommodation.

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