Report on the Conference on Global Perspectives 2010

Report on the Conference on Global Perspectives 2010

From 14 to 16 November 2010,Mr. Huang was invited by the BerlinCivilSocietyCenter to take part in the Conference on Global Perspectives 2010 with funding support by InWEnt.

Report on the Conference on Global Perspectives 2010

Devising Joint Strategies Towards the Full Achievement of MDGs

December 19, 2010

Haoming Huang

Vice Chairman & Executive Director of China Association for NGO Cooperation (CANGO), Beijing, China

Summary

On 14 to 16 November 2010, the BerlinCivilSocietyCenter convened its second annual Global Perspectives conference for leaders of international CSOs. 119 participants including 18 global CEOs and 46 national CEOs, as well as experts and stakeholders engaged in three days of highly interactive and outcome-focused debates. Under the title Devising Joint Strategies towards the Full Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the conference participants discussed how we can ensure full achievement of the MDGs and what we should be aiming for after 2015. Mr. Huang was invited by the BerlinCivilSocietyCenter to take part in the Conference on Global Perspectives 2010 with funding support by InWEnt

It is of real importance for Chinese CSOs to understand the role of CSOs for implementing MDGs. The conference produced four major findings: firstly, CSOs models for implementation of the MDGs is not only useful for most developing countries, but also is beneficial for Chinese societies. Secondly, discussion process for MDGs strategies is very effective and constructive for stakeholders. Thirdly, individual communication with participants is beneficial for future cooperation. Fourthly, networking among stakeholders is necessary for sharing experience and difference opinions for implementation MDGs;

CSOs model for implementation MDGs

During the conference 13 types or models applied during the first 10 year s success and failures were introduced by organizations and their work for the MDGs. In particular, I took part in three parallel presentations, including one held by representatives from ActionAid International, Care International, as well as Planning International. Through participation in these sessions I got many new ideas, as outlined in the following;

1) How to increase peoples accountability for MDGs in the participation level. For example, reporting on MDGs as if people mattered is according to ActionAid International of crucial importantance for people to understand the MDGs. According to their report, the collective viewpoints and experiences of more than 340,000 impoverished people living in 5,000 villages across 18 countries were surveyed during June, July and August 2005 inAfghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Senegal, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Brazil and Guatemala. This report s findings include:

• In 64% of the villages AAI visited, people regularly go hungry
• In 83% of settlements, work is not available for part of the year
• Nearly half the villages have no access to any social services.
• Women often subsist on less than half the wages paid to men
• Children as young as 5 work for money in 71% of the villages.
• Four out of five school-age girls have never been inside a classroom.

2), How to work in the community level for implementation of MDGs? Because of difference country circumstances there are different situations regarding economic development, culture for development, public participation and the political process.

3). How to cooperate with difference stakeholders including governmental agencies, local governmental organizations, enterprises, medias, NGOs local as well communicated based organization. This is important because of the different actors who have different access to resources and unequal advantages.

Discussion process for MDGs strategies

This conference was very useful for participants to get involved in discussions for MDGs strategies. There are three main importance methods as outlined as follows.

1). The key speakers were really involving and detailing the action planning for MDGs, not only those from the UN and other international organization, but also from NGOs on local level and international NGOs. In particular, Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, her speeches gave high level perspectives for participants.

2). The experts from universities provided good orientation for participants to understand the functions of CSO in achieving MDGs, both in practices process and in theory. Because of some time the action planning needs to show an organisations social value, the MDGs also are relative to the governmental task for each country. For example, China and India also contributed more models for poverty alleviation and other seven goals among MDGs.

3). The small group discussion have been more productive and more efficient for meeting this goal. For example, work session 3 about fostering sectoral and cross-sectoral partnerships provided space for discussion to share the different views from stakeholders. For instance, the role of enterprises for MDGs is also a real important part and the third sector, CSOs/NGOs, need to work with them and find common goal with regards to MDGs.

Individual communication with participants

It has been a good opportunity for me as a CSO leader to communicate with other participants during the conference. Here are several examples:

1). Regarding potential cooperation with OECD, in fact, China is not the member of OECD currently, but OECD did a lot of research in terms of China economic and social development. However, the OECD so far was unable to work CSOs/NGOs with their reports and research. After discussion with some staff from OECD, they expressed interest in NGOs/CSOs in China. Recently, CANGO received the linkage about consultation with OECD, it is real good start for CANGO to work with OECD in the future.

2). Regarding potential cooperation with India, after this communication with representative from Voluntary Action Network India-VANI, CANGO and VANI was set up the mechanism between both two NGOs in terms information sharing and personal exchanges. Both two organizations as well as potential dialogue with interesting topic with regards to MDGs experiences.

3). Regarding cooperation with German partners, including the representatives from Berlin Civil Society Center, Heinrich Boell Foundation, Free University Berlin, GTZ, as well as Transparency International, particularly, the discussion with Mr.Burkhard Gnarig of Executive Director of BCSC was very fruitful. He seemed very eager to have more participants from China. After this discussion, CANGO is going to establish a data bank of CSOs/NGOs with regards to their interest in this conference. the two criteria will be both good knowledge of English and involving international exchanges of development in China.

Networking among stakeholder

Since CANGO s founding, CANGO has developed good relations with 170 foreign NGOs as well as bilateral and multilateral organizations, which are maintained through our day to day operations. Through attending this conference, I had the opportunity to discuss about cooperation work with traditional international NGOs, for examples, World Vision, Oxfam, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), CIVICUS etc. Also, I met many new potential International NGOs partners, for instance, Inter Action, USA, Transparency International, The Humanitarian Forum, ActionAid International, CIDSE etc.

Suggestion for Future work

1), I hope that this conference will have many more CSOs/NGOs representatives from developing countries in particular. We hope to invite many CSOs/NGOs representatives from China, if possible.

2), I hope this conference would have had some specific experience sharing opportunities for leadership of CSOs/NGOs. There are many interesting topics, for example, leadership, strategic planning, fundraising and alliance as well as programme cooperation with MDGs.

3). I will share with CANGO colleagues around working meeting 2010 and board meeting 2011 about this conference. And I will be publishing this report to our English language newsletter and websites.

4), In fact, CANGO would like to organize one workshop with regards to CSOs/NGOs role for MDGs in China. Because CANGO has 141 members organizations across China, 90% member organization are involved currently in work related to the MDGs. If CANGO would get some funding from donor agencies, including InWEnt or GIZ for upcoming years, this could be easily realised.

Acknowledgements

On behalf of CANGO and my personal, I would like to express our great appreciation for InWEnt s fund support, Without InWEnt s support, I would not have been able to get this fruitful achievement during short time in Berlin of Germany.

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