Description
For Third Sector CSOs it is difficult to make their voice heard and to defend their interest in political decision-making processes and to establish strategic relationships with policy makers. CSOs lack an accurate knowledge of the political decision-making processes. There is a lack of transparency about the decision-making processes and the political accountability is limited. This project will strengthen the capacities of Spanish CSO and networks both to participate and influence the decision making processes and on the implementation of political commitments. Thereby the project will strengthen their activism and policy advocacy capacity. It will also provide these organizations and networks aspects of poverty and inequality in Spain with which to design and strengthen their advocacy strategies and to promote the generation of an informed public discourse about these issues. On the other hand, the project will strengthen their capacity to create strategic relationships and influence policy makers and to encourage participatory democratic dynamics.
Summary of project results
The TIPI project (Transparency, Information, Participation and Advocacy) led by "Salvador Soler Mundo Justo" Foundation has aimed to raise the profile and relevance of networks and social action organizations as political actors in the Spanish society. It has been necessary to improve their ability to participate in and influence the processes of political decision making and the formation of public opinion, being well informed about the challenges of poverty and social exclusion in Spain. We note three important contributions of this project. First, the design and operation of an IT tool for monitoring and offer an automatic classification of the Spanish parliamentary activity in 15 thematic areas of great social relevance. With the help of this tool, organizations and networks can develop follow-up to parliamentary activity and compliance with political commitments with little effort and high impact and effectiveness, creating added value. This tool is completed with two journalism research data on child poverty and migrant population they have been made available to anyone interested. Secondly, there have been 19 regional workshops. They searched defending generate awareness for the fight against poverty and social exclusion by presenting and disseminating tools and methodologies of data journalism. Finally, they have promoted meeting spaces and public debate on poverty and social justice in Spain for the organizations of civil society, representatives of public institutions, politics and the media. Through access to information and training in data journalism has contributed to the empowerment of civil society by the generation of a tool, a networking and a dynamic exchange of experiences that persists beyond the months of project implementation.
Summary of bilateral results