Fair lobbying

Description

This project focuses on solving the problem of insufficient capacities of NGOs to promote their interests - lobbying. In particular, medium and smaller NGOs do not have the necessary knowledge, experience nor the capacity for lobbying. Therefore, NGOs do not participate in creating legislative norms. NGOs only take notice of legal proposals at the last stage of discussions, when it’s too late to work in their suggestions and experiences. This results in the neglect of their inputs and has a negative impact on the quality of the decision-making process and standards adopted. Within the project, we will motivate the management of NGOs to participate in lobbying through exchanging of information, experiences, and through meeting with professional lobbyists during two round table sessions. Furthermore, representatives of NGOs will gain knowledge and increase their competencies in lobbying through two workshops, including meetings with MPs in the House of Commons. We will support NGOs to create informal platforms through which they can promote their interests together. In addition, project representatives of NGOs can participate in the ongoing activities of two professional platforms, participate in section meetings, and comment on the prepared legislative standards, which will be supported through professional consultations. We want to achieve the following changes in the project: In the field of advocacy, the NGO staff will use in practice the newly acquired knowledge, information and competencies (min. 20 participants). The NGOs can then create internal capacities to be used to promote their interests (10 NGOs). Within the project the NGOs will comment in detail on six legislative norms. The target group of the project are NGO employees, board members and volunteers.