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Training and strengthening NGOs and Civil Society Organisations
A comprehensive programme of action to enhance the capability of Colombian civil society to engage positively and proactively with key issues facing the country.
Description
With an end of strengthening NGOs and civil society organisations, the following aspects contributed to the initiative:
1. Building trust and promoting knowledge-sharing amongst NGOs; and between them and governmental organisations;
2. An increase in the understanding of NGOs concerning international agreements with the State;
3. Training workshops: for more details, see the Fungamma initiative, Supporting the National Focal Group and Inter-sectoral Commission;
4. Expert conferences: Grip, AOS, Small Arms Survey, International Alert, Universidad Externado, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada;
5. Finance of postgraduate studies in security and defence for professionals of Fungamma and other NGOs;
6. Production and dissemination of research material regarding human security and fire arms (see also Fungamma initiative, Production and Dissemination of Information on Firearms); and
7. Exchange of information and experiences with NGOs.
Aims / Objectives
- To engage civil society on the issues of peace, security, and sustainable development strategies through the supply of technical support and capacity building. This is to assure their participation in the realisation and implementation of the necessary processes of the UN Programme of Action (UNPoA), the Convención Interamericana contra la Fabricación y el Tráfco Ilícito de Armas de Fuego, Municiones, Explosivos y Otros Materiales Relacionados (CIFTA), and Decision 552. These are the three main documents guiding Latin American experiences relating to the illegal traffic of small and light weapons;
- Mobilise civil society and key stakeholders of the country, increasing their ability to implement the UNPoA;
- Identify NGOs and civil society organisations interested in the issues of human security, preservation of human life, and firearms control;
- Build a database of NGO information, raise their profile, and offer training and tuition to them; and
- Increase mutual trust between these organisations and state institutions, through joint working experiences.
How it is Articulated
An exhaustive selection process was undertaken, sourcing representatives from diverse sectors of society (religious organisations, the business sector, women, youths, the manufacturing sector, agriculture, the floriculturist and cattle-dealer sectors, movements, grassroots communities, the academy, investigation centres, and professional associations, amongst others), at a municipal, departmental and national level. The idea was to achieve a wide range of participants with geographical, thematic, and population representation.
- Creation of a database and establishment of motivation mechanisms with NGOs and civil society organisations;
- Workshops with NGOs and civil society, including representatives from ARIANSA (one from each of the 5 countries of the Andean Region). These workshops focused on: the participation and role of civil society in the implementation of the UNPoA, CIFTA and Decision 552; the unification of the Megaproject (see below), and its methodology and presentation;
- External and internal training of professionals from Fungamma in Pretoria, South Africa;
- Participation in IANSA’s Board of Management meetings;
- Specialisations in Management of Security and Defence at the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada;
- Inter-sectorial meetings;
- Trainings in investigating action in arms, with the co-ordination and technical cooperation of BICC-TRESA, Germany; and
- Consultancy services to some local governments and to NGOs in programmes of firearms control.
Achievements / Learning Points
Main Achievement:
66 directors, both men and women, and professionals from 45 NGOs and civil society organisations from around the country signed the “Cooperation Pact – Ariansa Colombia” on 1st April 2005. These organisations committed to work in Human Security, Preservation of Life, Culture of Peace, and Disarmament. This is the first time that civil society groups have come together to address these issues, therefore raising their importance and profile.
During the first phase, Fungamma was designated leader and co-ordinator.
19 of these organisations, plus another 56 in support and coordination, designed a unified product - The Megaproject* - targeting 15,450 beneficiaries from 15 localities of Bogota, and 47 other locations around the country (in total 85% of the national territory).
*The Megaproject has not been developed due to a lack of financial support from co-operating international organisations.
Learning Points:
There is widespread mistrust between NGOs, and between NGOs and the Government. This mistrust is a product of failures of previous attempts at co-operation, which have led to frustrating experiences. In some cases there is the perception amongst small NGOs of being “used” by bigger or more important NGOs. These larger NGOs can take advantage of and use the budget of supposed "joint projects”, without making a real contribution to strengthening or supporting the action. In other cases, the failures are due to frictions and the impossibility of mediating differences on the best methods and approaches. For this reason they often act like “opposite parties”. Only through the establishment of mutual trust and knowledge-sharing between NGOs and between NGOs and governmental organisations can action programmes be implemented in all sectors of society, without exclusions of any kind.
The mistrust between NGOs and the Government is a result of the fragile stability that exists when co-operative projects are being implemented. No real solution is given in the places where the projects are intended to operate and the real needs of the population are not being satisfied.
It has taken nearly five years to erode this mentality between NGOs and create a general feeling of credibility and trust. Unfortunately, this new found trust has been hampered by the difficulties experienced in obtaining the financial resources needed for joint ventures.
International organisations have five or three year action plans, many of which are based on unrealistic diagnoses made by academics or politicians. There is also a prevalence in support for projects that address the needs of the donor countries instead of those of the third world. Also, it is not easy to obtain finance for short or medium term projects, or projects that don't represent an opportunity with high impacts on mass media.
Some of the registered organisations have lost interest since 2004, and focused more on other fields of action due to the difficulty in obtaining financial resources.
Geographical Area of Operation
- Bogotá;
- Atlántico;
- Bolívar;
- Santander y Santander del Norte;
- Tolima;
- Huila;
- Quindío;
- Chocó;
- Cauca;
- Valle;
- Nariño;
- Cundinamarca;
- Putumayo;
- Casanare;
- Antioquia.
Funding Resources
- Fugamma – own resources (2001-2006);
- British Government (1st semester 2005);
- BICC-TRESA (2nd semester 2005).
Organisations Involved
- Fundación Gamma Idear (Leadership and Coordination);
- SaferAfrica;
- Organisation of American States;
- BICC-TRESA (Germany) and GRIP (Belgium);
- International Alert, Small Arms Survey;
- 10 governmental organisms of the Commission, at a national level. (Ministries, Departments, etc.); and
- The same 40 organisations that signed with Fungamma the Ariansa-Colombia Cooperation Pact to work in Human Security, Life Salvation, Disarmament and Peace Culture.
Stories
Stories from this initiative can be accessed through a Spanish language publication of UNDP-Colombia in the section of Buenas Prácticas.