(Not to sound like a broken record, but..) My next meeting was with Center for Civic Initiative (CCI). CCI has been in operation for 15 years. They have had great success with local reform with two different political parties in power. And to put it lightly, they made me actually feel important. It started with a car to pick me up in Skopje rather than taking the bus (which I was willing and able to do and even tried to convince them that I should do). Then I was taken out to lunch and dropped off in front of my friend’s apartment! And they were super super nice, some of the nicest people I have met yet and they were willing to help!
Once I arrived in Prilep, where their NGO is located, we immediately started talking about them! Their office is near the center, but still on the outskirts of town. They have three rooms, a reception area, small kitchen, and bathroom. And the rooms were very full of furniture or books! I will try my best to organize this interview, but we jumped all over the place with questions and answers!
The civil society sector in MK, according to them, is highly dependant upon donors. The different NGOs fight for the same idea, but with such small funding sources, they compete for people and money. There are a large number of NGOs registered, but many are no longer practicing. Former ministers often see the civil society as a place to retire into- and they create their own special NGO just for them. There are a few more NGOs than the normally accepted one that could be recognized, but there are not any watchdog organizations or any constructive critics. Many NGOS will not be politicized, or rather they will not join any parties or be associated with any political party. This way people will not see the NGOs actions as politicized. If they are seen as neutral then their funding doesn’t depend on whatever party is in power.
CCI tries to have a relationship with the entity and not the people in the positions. They partner with the local government, and are now in the position that they can ask them to try new ways of working without having to work for the party in the elections. In the last 2 years the local and national government and the NGOGOs have fostered a division of NGOs into the Soros NGOs and other NGOs. They tried to create the public opinion that the Soros NGOs are trying to make the country weak intentionally. Some of the people in government see enemies in the NGO/civil society sector because the government people think NGOs are trying to take over their jobs. There is now closer cooperation between the NGOs, partly because they are afraid of taking any action that may cause problems for them in the future. Now you can see NGOs working with the government without criticism from the public. Yet, they are working as a passive NGO sector. No one stood up in Feburary when ethnic tensions rose due to the conflict over the museum shaped as a church in the fortress in Skopje, because this was rather risky. The NGO sector is working as a passive sector right now- no one stands up when things are going badly, because they are afraid of the risks. They are happy that there is an NGO sector. They told me that “Our main concern is that we are lacking a strong partnership between NGOs.” There is no union of NGOs nor is there any cooperation. They even claim there there is no sense of working together because it is extremely difficult to get people to work together- make the meetings or phone calls. When asked why- they admitted that there is a known need, but there are some that disagree that there is a need. There is also a lack of effective action towards NGOs. If the NGOs are acting alone, then there is the idea that they are easy to eliminate, but if there is a network of NGOs trying to work together then the government would be more responsive. They work mostly for their own community rather than the greater community of the nation.
For 15 years there has not been a very active NGO sector. From 1999-2001 a lot of money came into MK due to the different conflicts. Many new NGOs were formed to take this easy money without learning how to write good grant proposals or continue the activities after the easy money was gone. Now CCI tries to get the funds and then implement more locally, often through re-granting procedures, the programs to help local people. Some NGOs are afraid to take action because it may cause problems with the government or local authorities. However, you can see NGOs working with the government with out criticism.
CCI feels that protecting human rights isn’t just the responsibility of the government, but also of the NGO sector. The government claims it is working with grassroots organizations, but this is just an excuse for not being active in critical areas, CCI believes. They even emphasized that it is more true now than before because MK is on the edge of a crisis. No community member or government employee is trying to imitate dialog between the government and the opposition or the ethnic groups of MK. They see no other option but for the NGO/civil society sector to step up and help bring the sides together.
CCICCI is trying to make changes through constructive cooperation and showing them it is important through their work with the kids. As long as they are putting topics that bring reform on the agenda, but that do not criticise the government then it is OK to propose them. The reforms need to be satisfying to both sides; often that means focusing on women’s rights, handicapped people, and human trafficking.
The government has helped create the idea in public that if you criticize the government then you are part of the opposition. There is no ‘mature-ness’ about democracy, according to CCI. The previous government/leaders are the ones who have changed it. There is a greater fear of obstacles, more personal power tendencies, and a lack of democratic experiences. While NGOs are making study visits to see how democracy is functioning in other countries, the government officials are not. Everyone is waiting for others to initiate a network rather than being the ones to initiate the network. That NGO that starts it will have the focus of the government (and it is implied the criticism). But waiting for other to act, CCI states, creates a dark atmosphere for NGOs; soon reality will force them to act with democracy.
CCI was began in 1997. They work with human rights/democracy, capacity building for the NGO sector, and the improvement public sector. They mostly focus on human rights/democracy. They began with refugee education, teaching kids so they didn’t loose their place in school. They helped form children/youth centers around MK. They offered classes and clubs in English Language, debate, theater, social skills, IT. The groups would have some focus on human rights and equality. Many kids were targeted through these extra-curricular activities. Then a different agency took over the camps, and some still function today but CCI does not run them.
After the camps, CCI focused on institutional development and capacity building. They did different studies on how to run an NGO. They received funding to build their own NGO up so they could help others. They want to share their experience and help with deeper cooperation. From the funding that they received to capacity build they also learned the “zig-zag” process. This process states that they go to the community and learn their needs. Then they go back to the board to create a program. When they have an idea, they go back to the community to implement to project.
They have over 80 implemented projects. They have discussed needs with different NGOs. They also deliver training to other NGOs and organizations. They will often give the new NGOs support, they monitor the implementations and assess their success. They believe that this could be applied to all sectors of governmental work. They have a big involvement in the beginning of new NGOs they fund. They have been granted money and through a process of re-granting they have helped over 30 other NGOs (such water meters, healthy, violence) all in the Prelip region. This re-granting has helped their reputation.
Another thing that CCI helps in providing legal aid to victims of human rights violations. They hired a lawyer to provide legal advice on domestic violence or work violations. This is still required in today’s climates, people come to complain to them almost every day. Since 2004 they focus on police violence. Now the lawyer is an internal asset to CCI rather than an external collaborator. Through cooperation with NGOs in Kumanovo, Strumitca, and Skopje all under the coordination of the Skopje organization this way they have almost the entire country covered.
Another thing they work on is prevention of human trafficking by training in schools and in the center of social care. They have developed teacher manuals and tested them in schools. They have lobbied to have the manuals adopted, but so far they have not been successful. MK is both a transit (girls are passed through MK) as well as an origin company (girls originate in MK). They are trying to make people more aware about the problem and what they can do to stop it. Most people who are responsible for the origin are members of the girls family. Most girls are traded for sex and are minors. Human trafficking needs to be recognized, and reported in especially in some areas. Part of the difficulties is the lack of knowledge. The government has called for proposals, but only certain NGOs get money from the government. There is some public perception of human trafficking but it needs more PR to have a higher awareness.
They also work on public administration a bit. They have an office in the municipality to help people become familiar with the NGO sector. They use this mainly to work with the the municipality on the NGO sector. They are working with neighborhood units so they can decide that their needs are locally rather than national government decided. There are 16 communities in the Prilep area. The neighborhoods are able to promote their positions in the municipalities. They are not asking for individual needs but rather the neighborhood action. They are trying to implement these in other countries or municipalities. The neighborhood units are a potential civil society outreach, but they need minimum funds to support volunteerism and lobby for the community.
They have received funding from many foreign donors, such as the US, EU, and individual organizations. However, they have never received funding from the MK government. CCI has applied but there is a very selective approach to who gets the MK funds. While they do not receive monetary funding, the government helps them out non-financially. There is great cooperation between the ministry of education , ombudsman, justice and the interior. Most NGOs have problems with funding a few have received funding through the EU as well as the US. This funding is mostly to new or different NGOs.
Once I arrived in Prilep, where their NGO is located, we immediately started talking about them! Their office is near the center, but still on the outskirts of town. They have three rooms, a reception area, small kitchen, and bathroom. And the rooms were very full of furniture or books! I will try my best to organize this interview, but we jumped all over the place with questions and answers!
The civil society sector in MK, according to them, is highly dependant upon donors. The different NGOs fight for the same idea, but with such small funding sources, they compete for people and money. There are a large number of NGOs registered, but many are no longer practicing. Former ministers often see the civil society as a place to retire into- and they create their own special NGO just for them. There are a few more NGOs than the normally accepted one that could be recognized, but there are not any watchdog organizations or any constructive critics. Many NGOS will not be politicized, or rather they will not join any parties or be associated with any political party. This way people will not see the NGOs actions as politicized. If they are seen as neutral then their funding doesn’t depend on whatever party is in power.
CCI tries to have a relationship with the entity and not the people in the positions. They partner with the local government, and are now in the position that they can ask them to try new ways of working without having to work for the party in the elections. In the last 2 years the local and national government and the NGOGOs have fostered a division of NGOs into the Soros NGOs and other NGOs. They tried to create the public opinion that the Soros NGOs are trying to make the country weak intentionally. Some of the people in government see enemies in the NGO/civil society sector because the government people think NGOs are trying to take over their jobs. There is now closer cooperation between the NGOs, partly because they are afraid of taking any action that may cause problems for them in the future. Now you can see NGOs working with the government without criticism from the public. Yet, they are working as a passive NGO sector. No one stood up in Feburary when ethnic tensions rose due to the conflict over the museum shaped as a church in the fortress in Skopje, because this was rather risky. The NGO sector is working as a passive sector right now- no one stands up when things are going badly, because they are afraid of the risks. They are happy that there is an NGO sector. They told me that “Our main concern is that we are lacking a strong partnership between NGOs.” There is no union of NGOs nor is there any cooperation. They even claim there there is no sense of working together because it is extremely difficult to get people to work together- make the meetings or phone calls. When asked why- they admitted that there is a known need, but there are some that disagree that there is a need. There is also a lack of effective action towards NGOs. If the NGOs are acting alone, then there is the idea that they are easy to eliminate, but if there is a network of NGOs trying to work together then the government would be more responsive. They work mostly for their own community rather than the greater community of the nation.
For 15 years there has not been a very active NGO sector. From 1999-2001 a lot of money came into MK due to the different conflicts. Many new NGOs were formed to take this easy money without learning how to write good grant proposals or continue the activities after the easy money was gone. Now CCI tries to get the funds and then implement more locally, often through re-granting procedures, the programs to help local people. Some NGOs are afraid to take action because it may cause problems with the government or local authorities. However, you can see NGOs working with the government with out criticism.
CCI feels that protecting human rights isn’t just the responsibility of the government, but also of the NGO sector. The government claims it is working with grassroots organizations, but this is just an excuse for not being active in critical areas, CCI believes. They even emphasized that it is more true now than before because MK is on the edge of a crisis. No community member or government employee is trying to imitate dialog between the government and the opposition or the ethnic groups of MK. They see no other option but for the NGO/civil society sector to step up and help bring the sides together.
CCICCI is trying to make changes through constructive cooperation and showing them it is important through their work with the kids. As long as they are putting topics that bring reform on the agenda, but that do not criticise the government then it is OK to propose them. The reforms need to be satisfying to both sides; often that means focusing on women’s rights, handicapped people, and human trafficking.
The government has helped create the idea in public that if you criticize the government then you are part of the opposition. There is no ‘mature-ness’ about democracy, according to CCI. The previous government/leaders are the ones who have changed it. There is a greater fear of obstacles, more personal power tendencies, and a lack of democratic experiences. While NGOs are making study visits to see how democracy is functioning in other countries, the government officials are not. Everyone is waiting for others to initiate a network rather than being the ones to initiate the network. That NGO that starts it will have the focus of the government (and it is implied the criticism). But waiting for other to act, CCI states, creates a dark atmosphere for NGOs; soon reality will force them to act with democracy.
CCI was began in 1997. They work with human rights/democracy, capacity building for the NGO sector, and the improvement public sector. They mostly focus on human rights/democracy. They began with refugee education, teaching kids so they didn’t loose their place in school. They helped form children/youth centers around MK. They offered classes and clubs in English Language, debate, theater, social skills, IT. The groups would have some focus on human rights and equality. Many kids were targeted through these extra-curricular activities. Then a different agency took over the camps, and some still function today but CCI does not run them.
After the camps, CCI focused on institutional development and capacity building. They did different studies on how to run an NGO. They received funding to build their own NGO up so they could help others. They want to share their experience and help with deeper cooperation. From the funding that they received to capacity build they also learned the “zig-zag” process. This process states that they go to the community and learn their needs. Then they go back to the board to create a program. When they have an idea, they go back to the community to implement to project.
They have over 80 implemented projects. They have discussed needs with different NGOs. They also deliver training to other NGOs and organizations. They will often give the new NGOs support, they monitor the implementations and assess their success. They believe that this could be applied to all sectors of governmental work. They have a big involvement in the beginning of new NGOs they fund. They have been granted money and through a process of re-granting they have helped over 30 other NGOs (such water meters, healthy, violence) all in the Prelip region. This re-granting has helped their reputation.
Another thing that CCI helps in providing legal aid to victims of human rights violations. They hired a lawyer to provide legal advice on domestic violence or work violations. This is still required in today’s climates, people come to complain to them almost every day. Since 2004 they focus on police violence. Now the lawyer is an internal asset to CCI rather than an external collaborator. Through cooperation with NGOs in Kumanovo, Strumitca, and Skopje all under the coordination of the Skopje organization this way they have almost the entire country covered.
Another thing they work on is prevention of human trafficking by training in schools and in the center of social care. They have developed teacher manuals and tested them in schools. They have lobbied to have the manuals adopted, but so far they have not been successful. MK is both a transit (girls are passed through MK) as well as an origin company (girls originate in MK). They are trying to make people more aware about the problem and what they can do to stop it. Most people who are responsible for the origin are members of the girls family. Most girls are traded for sex and are minors. Human trafficking needs to be recognized, and reported in especially in some areas. Part of the difficulties is the lack of knowledge. The government has called for proposals, but only certain NGOs get money from the government. There is some public perception of human trafficking but it needs more PR to have a higher awareness.
They also work on public administration a bit. They have an office in the municipality to help people become familiar with the NGO sector. They use this mainly to work with the the municipality on the NGO sector. They are working with neighborhood units so they can decide that their needs are locally rather than national government decided. There are 16 communities in the Prilep area. The neighborhoods are able to promote their positions in the municipalities. They are not asking for individual needs but rather the neighborhood action. They are trying to implement these in other countries or municipalities. The neighborhood units are a potential civil society outreach, but they need minimum funds to support volunteerism and lobby for the community.
They have received funding from many foreign donors, such as the US, EU, and individual organizations. However, they have never received funding from the MK government. CCI has applied but there is a very selective approach to who gets the MK funds. While they do not receive monetary funding, the government helps them out non-financially. There is great cooperation between the ministry of education , ombudsman, justice and the interior. Most NGOs have problems with funding a few have received funding through the EU as well as the US. This funding is mostly to new or different NGOs.
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