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Partnership in the fight against poverty: Good practices and recommendations Elodie Fazi, EAPN 8 December 2008. 1. Introduction: partnership and social inclusion. 1. Structural funds and social inclusion. What is the European Anti-Poverty Network? 24 national networks Created in 1990
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Partnership in the fight against poverty: Good practices and recommendations Elodie Fazi, EAPN 8 December 2008
1. Structural funds and social inclusion What is the European Anti-Poverty Network? • 24 national networks • Created in 1990 Structural funds matter for social inclusion • 78 million Europeans facing poverty • potential impact on poverty eradication (bringing resources and new approaches) • - 12,4% ESF expenditure for inclusion + ERDF
1. Why partnerhsip? Essential in the fight against poverty (complex and multidimensional: employment, services, health, education) Requires bottom-up approaches and participation • Positive examples from past (EQUAL): how to make progress in mainstream SF programmes?
2. Partnership in governance: what for? Art. 11 SF regulation requests involving stakeholders (regional, local authorities, social partners, civil society and NGOs) Good governance principle (democracy, transparency and legitimacy). But not only this: • more and better information • - better absorption of funds (improved selection of projects and information to beneficiaries)
2.Make it happen through the whole process Participatory planning to strengthen ownership of structural funds : - strong publicity - go beyond a mere electronic consultation - make it really matter Open up monitoring committees to civil society Make evaluation more than an expert’s exercise
2.Golden rules for partnership in monitoring committees • Open up beyond “traditional” partners • Transparent selection process and clear mandate for NGO representatives - Apply to ERDF committees as well - Give full membership (not just observers) - Make all documents available in advance to all members - Publish relevant information on public website - Train members to make sure they can play their role
3. Who delivers projects (and how) matters NGOs as partners in structural funds delivery (art. 5.4 ESF) - adapt to needs of excluded groups (Roma...) - need for multi-dimensional and integrated approach to inclusion (e.g. employment, social services…) Yet numerous obstacles (information, administrative capacity, co- and pre-financing) • How to ensure that partnership goes beyond rhetoric?
3. Using technical assistance to strengthen partners’ ability to take part in projects Providing targeted training for NGOs (UK, MT, SP, FR…): - information on ESF and other funds - financial management - project management, monitoring and control Ongoing assistancefor projectpreparation and appraisal: - application rounds • implementation, evaluation and reporting
3.Providing adequate procedures and financial mechanisms Putting in place a global grant system (UK, FR, PT, HU, SP) to allow access from smaller organisations Providing: • small-sized grants • 100% up-front financing • accessible application systems and procedures • support to applicants and grant recipients
4.Conclusion • 2007-2013: less and less bottom-up approach, despite some progress • Partnership sometimes more rhetoric than reality • But not too late to act: European Parliament report requesting clear common definition and progress • Which role for the European Commission?