Civil Society Network in the Context of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in Greece

Description

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations member states in 2015 are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. It was only by 2018 that Greece has adopted a strategic approach to achieve the SDGs, ensuring political ownership. The country has introduced a “whole-of-government” approach, with an active operational Inter-Ministerial Coordination Network, steered by the General Secretariat of the Government, and a “whole-of-society” approach with a stakeholder engagement aiming at enhancing transparency, partnership and accountability. However, although the Voluntary National Review of 2018 included a reference to the engagement NGOs, in practice this was extremely limited, with very few consultations and activities that were almost exclusively focused on environmental issue, even though few of the 17 SDGs are related to the environment.

Greek civil society ecosystem includes few federations or second-tier organizations and networks. Most of them focus on specific areas of involvement and include NGOs and groups with similar objectives. The aim of the project is to create a new civil society network for the promotion of SDGs in Greece. The project aims to mobilize both formal and informal groups in urban and in rural areas and create cross-subject and cross-organizational synergies, promote cooperation and partnerships and strengthen advocacy and consultation with public bodies. ELIAMEP in cooperation with the Icelandic Human Rights Center will use their long experience to build a new Greek civil society community in the context of SDGs.

Summary of project results

The project sought to address several interconnected challenges:

1. Lack of Networking and Coordination Among CSOs:

   • Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Greece often operated in isolation, limiting opportunities for collaboration and shared learning.

2. Limited Familiarity with Advocacy and Lobbying:

   • Many CSOs lacked experience or confidence in advocacy and lobbying as tools to influence public policy and decision-making.

3. Fragmentation in Approaches to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • There was a lack of unified action or understanding of how different SDG issues (e.g., Partnership, Planet, Peace, People, Prosperity) interconnect and impact communities on both local and national scales.

4. Barriers to Participatory Planning:

   • CSOs had limited opportunities to engage meaningfully with government representatives and influence policy decisions based on their on-the-ground experiences.

5. Geographical and Sectoral Disparities:

   • Organizations from different regions and with varying thematic focuses had few platforms to interact, share challenges, and identify common goals.

The activities and outputs of the projects are: 

• Networking and Training Initiatives:

  • Conducted training and discussion webinars for all organizations in the network (94 organisations)
  • Organized online consultation meetings with five single-themed groups aligned with SDG categories: Partnership, Planet, Peace, People, and Prosperity.

• In-Person Events:

  • Held two physical meetings with representatives from participating CSOs to foster networking, synergies, and collaborations.

• Advocacy and Lobbying Capacity Building:

  • Introduced CSOs to advocacy and lobbying strategies, highlighting their importance for citizen participation in decision-making processes.
  • Educated representatives on the prerequisites and steps for effective advocacy and lobbying.

• Participatory Planning:

  • Facilitated dialogue between CSOs and government officials to align public policies with CSO experiences and priorities for SDG implementation.
  • Familiarized CSOs with participatory planning processes, encouraging collaboration with institutional stakeholders.

• Strategy Development:

  • Assisted organizations in drafting strategy documents for implementing SDGs in Greece.
  • Encouraged discussions on the public policy agenda for SDGs, both within CSOs and with representatives of ministries and private institutions.

The project achieved the following results: 

• Stronger Networks and Collaborations:

  • Brought together 94 organizations from across Greece, many of which had never interacted previously, fostering a sense of collective purpose and mutual understanding.
  • Facilitated relationships between organizations of varying sizes and profiles, enabling them to find common ground despite differing approaches.

• Empowered Civil Society Organizations:

  • CSOs broadened their understanding of their roles in advocating for and implementing SDGs.
  • Organizations previously inexperienced in advocacy or lobbying gained the confidence and knowledge to engage in these activities.

• Enhanced Focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Encouraged CSOs to view SDG issues not as isolated concerns but as interconnected challenges requiring coordinated action.
  • Deepened understanding of SDG implementation, both locally and nationally, and highlighted the global implications of their efforts.

• Participatory Policy Development:

  • Established dialogue between CSOs and government representatives, creating opportunities for CSOs to influence public policy based on field experiences.
  • Demonstrated the value of participatory planning and citizen engagement in shaping sustainable development policies.

• Geographical and Sectoral Integration:

  • Broadened perceptions among CSOs of the geographical scale and diversity of SDG-related issues.
  • Promoted understanding of the interconnectedness of challenges and solutions across sectors and regions.

Beneficiaries

• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from all over Greece, who gained access to training, networks, and tools for advocacy and collaboration
• Government representatives and policymakers, who benefited from CSO input to shape more grounded and effective policies.
• Broader Greek society, through improved coordination among CSOs working on sustainable development issues and advocacy for inclusive public policies.

By bridging gaps and fostering collaboration, the project laid the groundwork for a more cohesive, informed, and empowered civil society in Greece, advancing the collective goal of implementing the SDGs

Summary of bilateral results

The collaboration with the Icelandic Human Rights Centre (ICHR) began in the initial phase of the project with an introductory remote meeting focused on planning and coordination. ICHR''s role was to provide expertise in mobilizing informal groups to participate in the network, share insights from the Nordic experience in volunteering, and present good practices for networking among civil society organizations. ICHR’s contributions significantly enriched the project by sharing valuable insights and practical examples from Icelandic civil society.