NGO development cooperation

Support for NGO development cooperation totalled EUR 83,7 million in 2009.

As set out in the development policy, NGOs have an important role in Finland’s development cooperation as a whole. The development cooperation carried out by NGOs complements public bilateral and multilateral cooperation as well as the EU’s own development cooperation. The strengths of the activities include direct contacts between civil societies and the enterprising development of the livelihood of the poorest people in developing countries.

There are around two hundred Finnish NGOs taking part in the implementation of development cooperation projects or in the provision of communication on development. Finnish NGOs have projects supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in over 80 developing countries. Aid was granted for the three-year development programmes of ten experienced and expert partnership organisations and as project-specific aid for development cooperation undertaken by small and medium-sized organisations. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs also channels support through three special foundations into projects of local NGOs in developing countries on human rights, the environment and the disabled. In addition, operational support is granted to KEPA, the Service Centre for Development Cooperation, which is made up of nearly three hundred NGOs and to UN related agencies. The training and advice provided by Kehys ry, the Finnish NGDO platform to the EU, has helped Finnish organisations receive development financing from the EU Commission.

The aim of NGO development cooperation is to strengthen civil society in developing countries and to further the UN Millennium Development Goals. In this way, developing countries’ own NGOs can better succeed in their basic task of providing services, lobbying and providing information. The work of voluntary organisations usually focuses on basic needs – social development, education, health, improving livelihoods – and rural development in its various forms.

Development cooperation funds can also support the activities of international non-governmental organisations (INGO) if the organisation can offer complementarity and added value to tasks which would otherwise not be carried out.

An important part of NGO development cooperation is the strengthening of global solidarity. Organisations are granted support for communication projects and long-term development education projects. A total of 85 organisations received support for communications and development education in 2009.

The organisations raise development issues for debate throughout Finland. The subjects vary from general development cooperation and policy to global themes and the status of women, children, refugees and other minorities. During the year under review, cooperation was continued with the Ministry of Education to strengthen global education in Finnish society. The Education for Global Responsibility project launched by the Ministry of Education will continue the national strategy work on global education.