Donations to the third sector are currently scarce in Mexico, as a result, levels of overall investment in the projects supported by civil society are rather low.
At the same time, although organizations are accountable and report to various authorities, society at large does not know about such information, or simply do not have easy access to it.
Fondos a la Vista has developed a platform to facilitate information about civil society organizations committed to social development and their donors.
The project has as its main objective to promote transparency and accountability in the sector and to promote trust in private donations and organizations.
It also aims to the recognition of the work and commitment of CSOs that already are have good transparency practices in place.
Facebook: Fondos a la Vista • Twitter: @FondosalaVista
The project aimed to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of corruption, and develop advocacy for reforms. Also, the outcome of the project was expected to be a public/private partnership which would deal with problems in a cooperative way.
The project seeks to improve the role of the structures of the civil society in the city of Gabrovo in the formulation of policies and programs at municipal level. Some of the main project activities were: 1. realization of surveys aimed to define the main problems and deficiencies in communication between the local administration and the civil society at large; 2. monitoring activities regarding the work of the administration and development of precise recommendations for improvement; 3. organization and realization of round tables with representatives from the civil society and experts from the municipal administration aimed to encourage the dialogue and partnership between the two target groups; 4. realization of educational seminars regarding the civil control over the work of the administration; 5. realization of a regional information campaign “Civil society organizations – factor for increasing the transparency and accountability of the municipal administration””.; 6. development of precise recommendations for the public administration on how to incorporate good practices and procedures, which will ease the access to information for the citizens and the business and engage the civil society into the decision making process regarding the provision of services of general public interest.”
Through the project instructive seminars for teachers and high school pupils were organized during the school year under the name “Against Corruption””. Politics and economy, sociology and ethics teachers were invited, as well as any interested teachers of other subjects.”
The general aim of the project was to develop an effective and functional partnership between the structures of the civil society and the municipal administrations through better transparency and accountability of the local administrations. In order to achieve its goals the project aimed at: improving the organizational structures at administrative level and improving the procedures for civil control over the municipal strategies for development. Some of the main activities of the project include: 1. analyses and evaluation of eight strategies for development in eight selected municipalities; 2. defining the role, which the civil society plays in the development and realization of the strategies by analyzing good practices in other countries in the EU; 3. educational seminars for the representatives of the civil society on how can they influence the strategies in order to increase the transparency and accountability of the process. 4. realization of a conference for the dissemination of the project results.
To support the growth of the strength of the Media in the struggle against trafficking, reinforcement of efforts for respect of human rights, stability and construction of a new mentality of civil and human values. The project focused on five cities in Albania.
The project aimed to facilitate the mechanisms for partnership between the structures of the civil society and the local and regional administrations in the South-west region of Bulgaria. The main project goal was: better transparency, more accountability and control over the work of the administration. Some of the project activities included: 1. analyses, development of recommendations and educational seminars; 2. development and maintenance of an information web site; 3. activities for capacity building for monitoring the activities of the local and regional administration; 4. development of recommendations for improvement of the legal framework, strategic documents or public services provided by the targeted administrations; 5. activities for information and publicity.
Continuation of the project ‘Budget monitoring laboratory’ implemented in the previous year. The overarching goals again were long-term and difficult to measure their outcome straight after the project. Projects objectives were:
• improving transparency of local government finances and enhancing citizens participation in budgetary process
• increasing the level of civic control over local authority activities
• enhancing information flow between citizens and local governments
The goals of the project included:
• Empowering citizens and local civic organizations to watchdog local administration and public officials as well as raise awareness about citizens’ right to information;
• Developing the Local Civic Groups network and creating common working standards;
• Empowering and encouraging already existing initiatives through local interventions aiming at developing cooperation among CSOs and enhancing their awareness of each other;
• Deepening learning interactions between local CSOs and other informal civic groups in order to share experiences and interesting practices.
This was a 2008 continuation of the previous year project run by the Association of Leaders of Local Civic Groups (SLLGO), with similar objectives, i.e. not only enhance citizens’ awareness of their right to public information, but also increase a number of civic watchdog organizations and initiatives at the local level that attempt to improve local governance and attain more transparent public life without corruption and other pathologies. SLLGO’s goal is to create a country-wide watchdog movement, and the Association intended to provide theoretical knowledge, practical know-how and mutual learning opportunities to organizations and individuals willing to develop watchdog initiatives in their regions in order to increase their confidence, efficiency and effectiveness of their activities.
The goal: to raise the investigative capacity of 8 to 10 journalists through intensive training.
BIRN seeks support to monitor the performance of public institutions in all the regions of Kosovo. Specifically, BIRN seeks support for the monitoring of courts, health and education structures in seven biggest municipalities of Kosovo and the regions surrounding them. Through monitoring these three most criticized public sectors in Kosovo, BIRN will hold public officials in charge for the well-functioning public services accountable, with a particular focus in courts and rule of law. By collecting the quantitative and qualitative data through municipal monitors in the sphere of rule of law, education and health BIRN will advocate for democratic reforms and contribute to breaking down the barriers for a European integration.
The project soght to support and provide citizens more accountability of the political system in Kosovo, to enhance participation of citizens into institution making procedures and decision making processes.
The project aimed to change the attitude of young people towards corruption through initiation of anti-corruption course in high-schools in the Sliven region. For the purpose, the project developed a program for anti-corruption education that included group simulations, case resolution in areas such as mediation and lobbying, money laundering, conflict of interests etc. Some of the project outputs included: 1. a sociological survey; 2. a round table with municipal representatives, lawyers, non-profit youth organizations, the civil association Public Barometer and students from the four surveyed schools; 3. development of a three-module training program; 4. a press conference.
The project was realized under the Coalition 2000 and USAID initiative: “Civil Society Against Corruption”” Small Grants Program. Its primary goal was the legitimization of the school mediator as a possibility for resolution of conflicts in the sphere of secondary education.”
The STAGE project aims to build the capacity of rural associations through improving management structures and staff skills, raising awareness, establishing relationships with the private sector and national-level organisations, which are able to advocate for local development at the central government level. Since November 2006, the project has been working in eight municipalities of Georgia: Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Aspindza and Adigeni in Samtskhe-Javakheti and Gardabani, Marneuli, Tetristskaro and Tsalka in Kvemo Kartli. This 30-month project, funded by “Austrian Development Cooperation and Cooperation with Eastern Europe” (ADC) (for more information please visit: www.mfa.at/adc, www.ada.gv.at), is implemented by CARE Oesterreich (Austria) and CARE International in the Caucasus in partnership with three local non-governmental organisations: Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA), Civitas Georgia and Civil Development Agency (CiDA).”
The project builds on a similar project being implemented in Romania and is designed to address the issue of local government integrity in ten Bulgarian big and mid-size municipalities. The overriding goal of the project was to formulate and implement local integrity policies designed to institutionalize civic participation in drafting and instituting procedural and administrative safeguards against misuse of position and institutional corruption in the local administration; ensure that both society and local government are stakeholders of the policies. The overall aim of the project was to develop transparency and integrity of local government in Bulgaria, as a pre-requisite for the development of a truly democratic society, which is able to face and solve problems that might otherwise endanger justice, communication and transparent management of local administration.
The project aimed at promoting the accountability and transparency of the judiciary through establishing effective ways of handling citizens’ complaints and increasing the involvement of the public in judicial inspections. The project sought to influence improvement of legislation with regard to the access of individuals to the judicial inspection process. In addition, the project was expected to increase information of the public regarding the procedures and ways of following up complaints regarding judges and courts, and in particular the public participation and cooperation during the inspection of judicial cases.
The project aims to promote the community needs in order to improve public services.
The project consisted in training seminars and an analysis report. Its goals were to: identify specific corruption risks within the process of acquisition of citizenship, evaluate their occurring probability and their level of harmful effect; develop probable solutions and propose short and long term recommendations; sensitize and train the staff of the Naturalisation Board on the issues of corruption risks and their minimization.
The project aims to increase public confidence in the judiciary by assessing the status quo and offering solutions. Three thematic components that are focused on (1) The Judicial Code of Ethics (2) the assessment system of judges’ performance and skills (3) judges’ disciplinary action and other forms of accountability.
The goals of the project included: To support the organized citizens
The aim of the project was to increase the transparency, publicity and accountability of the municipal public administration through a strategic partnerships with the structures of the civil society. The project foresee: elevation of the current conditions regarding the transparency and accessibility in the work of the municipal administration; dissemination of the opportunities which the Law on Accessibility to Public Information gives to the structures of the civil society to control and monitor the work of the administration; provision of a basis for better cooperation between the municipal administration and the civil society and evaluation of best practices in the field in different EU countries. Some of the activities of the project include: 1. development and support of a web site of the association; 2. survey among civil society organizations regarding the level of transparency and accessibility of the public administration;3. development and publication of information materials concerning the project; 4. realization of educational events and round tables for the target groups – representatives of civil society organizations and experts from the municipal and regional administrations.
The aim of the project: To train citizens and civil society organizations to carry out evaluation of the results of elected representatives work and currently ruling local authorities in selected municipalities, and based on that enable the citizens to make decisions at local elections which is scheduled in October 2008.
The primary purpose of the project is to deepen the positive influences that GROZD campaign made resulted in changing attitudes and behaviors of citizens and organizations of civil society in terms of need for their greater involvement in overall political and social processes in community and society in 2006 and 2007 and to make elected representatives most responsible for the problems citizens face with at the local level.
Direct project beneficiaries were the citizens gathered in local GROZD organizations in 30 selected local communities (Goražde, Rudo, Foca, Doboj, Livno, Tomislavgrad, G. Vakuf, Jablanica, B. Petrovac, B. Krupa, Prijedor, Jajce, Ključ, Velika Kladuša, Trebinje, Gacko, Kalesija, Travnik, Konjic, Visoko, Kakanj, N.Grad-Sarajevo, Bugojno, Sekovici, Zavidovici, Breza, Ilidza, Kalinovik, Modriča and D. Vakuf), as well as representatives of other NGOs, local formal and non-formal organizations and citizens groups which are interested in. During the year, 30 advocacy campaigns were organized, including informative and media campaign (project and goals were presented by 8 radio stations in Bosnia-Herzegovina) with aim to organize a pressure on candidates forcing them to include a way of solving key problems of citizens in their political program under local agenda.
