Cyprus NGDO Platform

Charalambos Vrasidas [email protected]

Emete Imge [email protected]

Avgie Savvidou [email protected]

2006

Overview • The uniqueness of the Cyprus case • NGOs and NGDOs in Cyprus • NGDO platform efforts • Seminar and conference on international development • Issues and challenges

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Cyprus on the Map

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NGOs in Cyprus

• There are over a 100 active NGOs in Cyprus • The majority of NGOs have as primary activity work within Cyprus and neighboring countries 4

TRIALOG training

• November 2005, TRIALOG study visit • NGOs from Cyprus – Doctors of the world – The Management Centre of the Mediterranean – C.N.T.I.

– CARDET • The study visit led to first efforts for establishing an island wide NGDO platform in Cyprus 5

Seminar on Building an NGDO Platform 23 February, 2006

Island-Wide Participation from the following Organization:

1. Management Centre of the Mediterranean 2. C.N.T.I.

3. Green Action Group 4. Cyprus Family Planning Association 5. Doctors of the World 6. CARDET 7. Unit of Environmental Studies, RDC-I, Ecognosia 8. UNDP-ACT 9. GÜKAT (Güzelyurt District Development Association) 10.EC (EuropAid) 11.KTDD (= CTDA) Cyprus Turkish Diabetes Association 12.Kemal Saraçoğlu Foundation for Children with Leukemia and Fight Against Cancer 13.TRIALOG

14.Malta NGDO platform 15.EC (EuropeAid) 6

Conference on International Development

9.15-10.00

10.00-11.00

11.30-12.30

12.30-13.00

14.00-15.00

15.00-15.30

Cyprus in the context of international development and the role of Civil Society Organizations

 •  Petros Mavrikios, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Emmanuela Lambrianides, Planning Bureau Eleni Theocharous, Member of the Parliament

The capacity of CY NGOs to get involved in international

development (5 NGOs/NGDOs presented)

NGDOs in the European Union new member states

 Christine Bedoya, TRIALOG  Vince Caruana, Maltese NGDO platform

The policy of European Commission towards international development

  Michela Beati, European Commission/EuropeAid

UNDP Contribution towards development of civil society in Cyprus

Andrew Russell, UNDP

Possibilities of cooperation between the NGDOs platforms and networks from EU and CY NGOs

  Lada Parizkova, TRIALOG Vince Caruana, Maltese NGDO platform

Development Education and Public Awareness Raising on development issues

  Christine Bedoya, TRIALOG Vince Caruana, Maltese NGDO platform 7

NGDO Mission

• To bring together NGOs/NGDOs working on international development, development education, and development cooperation to improve the effectiveness of their work and advocacy 8

Priorities

• Raise awareness among Cypriots on issues related to international development, poverty, development education, development cooperation, health, human rights, and the UN Millennium Development Goals. • Promote the development of projects in developing countries • Support the distribution of information to all NGOs and NGDOs • Promote advocacy and lobbying with relevant authorities in Cyprus, EU, and internationally • Engage in capacity building activities for its members and affiliates • Promote the information and knowledge exchange via internships and other means. 9

Members

• The platform will be open to all Cypriot NGOs/ NGDOs regardless of their community or geographical location.

• Full members must currently be NGDOs and meet the following criteria: – Qualify for NGDO based on CONCORD’s definition – Existence for more than one year – Apply rules of transparency with regard to their decision making procedures and budget management 10

Affiliate Members

• Affiliate members: All NGOs who are interested to become NGDOs can join the platform as affiliates. • They will submit a proposal /plan on the kinds of activities they plan to engage in over a period of 1.5 years, with concrete deliverables, targets, and timeframe. • That plan will be approved by the Steering Committee and the NGDO platform will provide support to the NGO to meet its targets and become a full member of the NGDO. • Affiliate members qualify for all access to information, training opportunities, and the like. 11

Issues & Challenges

• Steering committee elections • Representation and authorities of the committee • Ensuring equality and fairness • Defining Development • Ensure that affiliates meet development goals • Links with MFA and access to ODA • Need samples of MOU, statutes, lessons learned, etc. from other NGDO platforms 12