Documentation of the Expert Seminar on the Future of Civil Society Development Organisations

November 10-11, 2009, Vienna

The Expert Seminar was a possibility to deepen the discussion on the role of CSOs in development, in times when the overall political environment for the work of genuine CSOs is getting less and less favourable.

For quite some time, a debate has gone on in the CONCORD family of organisations about various relevant aspects regarding the future work of non-governmental development organisations (NGDOs) or civil society development organisations (CSOs).

Several events have challenged current development approaches and the role of CSOs in development, to name just two of these conferences: "Are we on the right track? Paradigm Review by CSOs as Development Actors" in Prague in May 2008, and "CSO Development Effectiveness - Searching New Ways" in Prague in June 2009.

A further conference on the role of CSOs is planned for November 2010 in Managua/Nicaragua and will focus on practical orientations for the CSO community in South, East and North. To make sure that the Managua Conference will have an optimum impact, this prior Expert Seminar was organised by the TRIALOG Advisory Group incl. CONCORD and partners in Vienna.

Introduction

Introduction and presentation of the expert seminar rationale, by Christine Bedoya, TRIALOG

Read more about the context and the rationale of the Expert Seminar in the Agenda or in the invitation documents. See also the concluding remarks of the Expert Seminar.

View photos from the event. 

Keynote speeches

• Definition of CSOs: NGDOs, liberation movements, social movements, by Vince Caruana, KOPIN Malta
  
• The actual role of European CSOs in development cooperation, by Verena Winkler, Eurostep (Minutes/TRIALOG)
  
• The actual role of “Southern” CSOs in development, by Iván Garcia Marenco, Coordinadora Civil Nicaragua
  

Presentations from working groups 

Three working groups discussed the following questions:

• What motivates our work and what are we working for?
• What values inform our work and how do we reflect those in practice (e.g. Code of Conduct)?
• What are the main factors that influence/change your organisation?
• What are the similarities and differences between new EU member states (NMS) and old member states (OMS) in the development cooperation processes? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the NMS and OMS in relationship to development cooperation? Democratization: OMS concepts - NMS practice?
• North - South - East – West: What do these mean in your organisation´s context? What are the trends observed in the debates over these notions?
• Dependency “made in ….”, How to avoid dependency?

Presentation Group 1

Presentation Group 2

Presentation Group 3

Keynote speeches

• Processes and factors that help or hinder the development of the role of CSOs, by Nilda Bullain, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Hungary
• The current crisis: Consequences, survival strategies, demands to donors, by Jiri Silny, Ecumenical Academy Prague
• CSO development effectiveness (see also Key Questions), by Melanie Oßberger, Global Responsibility - Austrian Platform for Development and Humanitarian Aid
• Code of conduct, good CSO governance and the role that corruption plays (see also slides), by Joachim Lindau, development expert
  

Working Groups on the topics of the keynote speeches.

Talk Show: Presentation of outcomes.

For details, you can download the flipcharts of each WG:

Flipcharts - WG Helping or hindering factors for CSOs

Flipchart - WG The current crisis

Flipcharts - WG CSO development effectiveness

Flipcharts - WG Code of Conduct/CSO governance

Presentation of key findings of the first seminar day 

Reflections by TRIALOG Advisory Group members

Suggested topics for the Managua conference

World cafe outcomes

Concluding remarks, by Christine Bedoya, TRIALOG 

Analysis The Future of Civil Society Development Organisations.

Outcomes, Remarks, Questions and Invitation of Comments for Further Planning.

Evaluation of the expert seminar: Results