Description
Grupa Zagranica plans to continue its statutory activities in the field of public scrutiny of developmental cooperation and participate - as an umbrella organisation, using expertise of its member organisations - in shaping policy in this field. In continuation of the project financed under the first edition of “Citizens for Democracy", They will perform monitoring and advocacy in the areas of: (1) consistency of the developmental policy, (2) next term parliamentary activities in the field of developmental cooperation policy, (3) presence of global education in the formal education system. Through indicating bad practices and presenting proposals of changes, They will try to improve transparency and effectiveness of the developmental cooperation system in Poland. Their activities are addressed both to public administration and MPs, and to interested NGOs, as well as to general public. The project will be implemented together with the Association 61.
Summary of project results
"The Polish system for developmental cooperation is insufficiently transparent and effective. The government administration has poor knowledge on the key notion of the policy coherence for development (PCD). The formal education system lacks information on global aspects. The Parliament fails to exercise its control function in the area of implementation of the developmental cooperation policy. The aim of the project was to enhance the transparency and the effectiveness of the system for developmental cooperation in Poland. As a result of the project, the evaluation of the impact of Polish legislation on developing countries was introduced in the principles for law-making in Poland. Recommendations concerning global education issues in school handbooks were discussed with the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs. The good practice of regular meetings with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and of observation of application evaluation in grant competitions was maintained. Advocacy initiative was launched on introducing provisions on policy coherence for development in the Polish law. Information material on the policy was prepared and promoted, and the issue was discussed by the Program Council for Developmental Cooperation accredited to MFA. The ongoing activities of public institutions were monitored in the field of developmental cooperation, and statements and questions were published. The observers of the Foreign Group were present during the meetings of competition committee awarding public grants for developmental cooperation. Regular meetings with MFA officials and MPs were organised where advocacy initiatives were presented on the volume and the quality of the Polish developmental assistance. In addition, four school handbooks in geography and social sciences were analysed as to elements of global education. The publication containing recommendations for MFA and ME was discussed during an expert seminar. The project activities benefited non-governmental organisations gathered in the Foreign Group, the central administration and MPs. The partner helped to contact MPs interested in developmental cooperation."
Summary of bilateral results