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Description
The project aims at a proactive mapping of governance in Romania in relation to 3 main directions of action: transparency and competence in public functions, transparency and integrity in public administration and, fighting illegal exploitation and destruction of biodiversity.
We want to responds, on one hand, to the need of correct information and awareness of young people regarding the rule of law, and on the other hand, to proposes effective mechanisms for civic involvement in legitimizing/sanctioning political and governmental measures.
Impact of political management on the health system; the phenomenon of illegal deforestation; misappropriation of public funds (especially in the award of public procurement contracts), abuse of power, i.e. conflict of interest in the public system; fictitious employment in state institutions and companies - all have a common denominator – CORRUPTION. Thas why we propose through the project actions to identify and "map" the political sector, advocacy actions on systemic slippage, investigation and watchdog activities on the main issues addressed, respectively actions of active involvement of 3,000 young people in watchdog activities and legitimate influence of political decisions. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the young adults (18-29 years old) to which are added the adults, 300 representatives from the private environment, NGOs and the public sector involved in the awareness activity regarding the role of the applicant organization.
We will collaborate with the Rise Project organization on investigative journalism and with Conservation Carpathia Foundation on the subject of monitoring illegal deforestation.
Summary of project results
The WATCH PR - Watchdog - Advocacy - Transparency - Correctness - Map of Romanian Politics project carried out advocacy activities in 3 areas over the course of 24 months - (a) ensuring transparency and competence in public functions, (b) integrity in public administration and ( c) the fight against illegal exploitations that destroy biodiversity. The project was designed to stimulate the involvement of young people in the community, improve the process of civic participation and increase the responsibility of public decision-makers through concerted advocacy, watchdog and public policy monitoring actions.
Within A3, approximately 3,000 young people between 18 and 29 were recruited to involve them in the project''s activities. Some of them participated in A4 in various webinars on topics such as - the concept of watchdog and advocacy, the phenomenon and impact of authorized deforestation, petitions, notifications, strategic litigation processes, etc. Later, from among the participants and within A5, 60 beneficiaries were selected to participate in intensive seminars (with a duration of 50 hours each), having as themes "Transparency and competence in public functions", "Transparency and integrity in the public sector" and the topic "Illegal deforestation". The participants acquired skills in watchdog and monitoring activities. After the seminars/courses, the participants were involved in watchdog activities working as volunteers to monitor and investigate corruption and lack of transparency in the public sector, monitor illegal deforestation, and initiate advocacy campaigns for legislative changes. Activity A6 - carrying out watchdog and advocacy activities - aimed at 3 objectives: 1. watchdog and monitoring (an activity also supported by contracting legal services) through which research was initiated on the project''s themes and requests for access to information were sent to various public institutions. The volunteers received recommendations and legal opinions regarding the investigated aspects, including possible violations of the law related to declarations of wealth and interests or the obligation to publish the CV for certain categories of people. The case studies were analyzed by the legal coordinator, who decided on the subsequent steps, either through additional documentation, selecting a specific advocacy tool, or abandoning the case. 2. advocacy: informative materials about the concept of advocacy were developed and distributed to the volunteers involved, together with the drafting of an advocacy plan. 3. strategic litigation: following the research and the analysis of their results, 26 possible cases of strategic litigation were identified on which intensive work was done. These were ranked based on the chances of success in court and the votes of the volunteers. At the same time, the investigative activity on the topic of illegal deforestation was started by monitoring a forested area with the help of a drone, and advocacy campaigns were started around the problems established as a priority, consultations were organized with the members of the Parliament to solve the problems, there were submitted petitions to the concerned authorities and launched the 2 strategic litigation procedures.
As part of the organizational development activity, the Promoter developed media partnerships, a communication and marketing plan, an activity report, and 4 press articles.
The "WATCH PR" project was an exceptionally ambitious and successful initiative, designed to drive significant change in Romania by promoting transparency, integrity, and competence in public office, as well as combating illegal deforestation. For 24 months, the project successfully mobilized 3,918 individuals committed to change, significantly surpassing initial expectations. A robust network of 60 trained volunteers was established, who have become vigilant guardians of fairness, actively monitoring and reporting irregularities in public administration and forest conservation across Romania. The project strategically focused on three key areas: ensuring transparency and competence in public office, maintaining integrity within public administration, and fighting against illegal exploitation that endangers biodiversity. The results are impressive: three direct consultations with members of Parliament were held, comprehensive advocacy strategies were developed, and 209 concrete actions were initiated to address corruption and abuse of power. In two major instances, legal action was pursued, with a steadfast commitment to upholding justice. Moreover, advanced technology was employed to monitor illegal deforestation, including using a high-performance drone, which enabled effective surveillance of high-risk areas. These efforts have been widely publicized, securing substantial visibility for the project and demonstrating that meaningful change is achievable through collective effort. The "WATCH PR" project represents not only a series of outstanding results but also exemplifies the collective power to drive social transformation. The project has demonstrated that, with determination and well-coordinated efforts, a more transparent and just Romania is within reach.