citizen’s initiatives for global solidarity in hungary
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Citizen’s Initiatives for Global Solidarity in Hungary Balázs Szent-Iványi Lecturer, Department Of World Economy. Brussels , 29-31 January 201 4. Outline. Hungary as a re-emerging aid donor Attitudes of Hungarian citizens towards global solidarity NGOs and CIs Conclusions. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Citizen’s Initiatives for Global Solidarity in Hungary
Balázs Szent-Iványi Lecturer, Department Of World Economy
Brussels, 29-31 January 2014
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Outline
Hungary as a re-emerging aid donor
Attitudes of Hungarian citizens towards global solidarity
NGOs and CIs
Conclusions
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Hungary as a donor of foreign aid
Hungary re-emerged as a donor between 2001-2003
After initial growth, Hungarian ODA settled around 0.1% of GNI, about $120 million in 2012
80% of this is multilateral aid, the rest is mainly composed of small bilateral projects After 2008, severe cuts due to government austerity in
country programmable aid
Very low political priority, no public debates No written aid strategy or legislation until 2013
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Citizen’s attitudes towards global solidarity
First representative public opinion survey carried out by DemNet Foundation in 2013
Some highlights: In general, solidarity is strong among Hungarians – 85% of
respondents have helped someone (with donations, volunteer work, etc) in the past year However, solidarity is mainly expressed towards family members Solidarity towards foreigners: only in case of high-profile
humanitarian catastrophes
Two thirds of Hungarians think that Hungary is in need of foreign aid Only 10% thinks that Hungary is developed enough to provide aid
and does not need to receive aid
Source: Demnet 2013
Are you aware that Hungary provides long term aid in non-emergency situations to poorer countries to assist their development?
yes no no answer
Hungary currently provides 0.1% of its national income as aid to poorer countries. Hungary has pledged to triple this amount. Do you think the country should…
pay more and keep it’s promisepay as much as it does currentlypay lessnot provide aid at allno answer
Among the following actors, who can aid developing countries most effectively? (2 answers were possible)
Source: Demnet 2013
UN
European Union
World Bank
Churches
IMF
civil society org’s
Hungarian government
No answer
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Development NGOs
No research or mapping on CIs About 60 development NGOs in total - the sector shows
strong duality The ‘Big 3’: large, faith based, domestic social care NGOs, Small organizations centered around a specific issue
Many of the small organizations are one person affairs, which only do work if they manage to get a grant – closer to CIs than to traditional NGOs?
Beyond the Big 3, only a few do actual development work in the ‘field’, others engaged in DEAR
Problems of collective action: the NGDO platform, HAND, has 15 members ( and only 1 from the Big 3)
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Development NGOs
NGO finances: Mainly through project based grants The state has severely cut down its grant funding, so
international sources are most important Grassroots fundraising for development work is almost
totally absent NGOs argue that they are unable to raise donations due
to a lack of public willingness But, NGOs are geared for writing project proposals, and
have no capacities/expertise in other types of fundraising
Balázs Szent-Iványi
Conclusions – What scope for CIs?
Hungarians generally do not perceive themselves as citizens of a first world country
There is little trust in civil society and not much culture of civic activism – a legacy of Communism?
(neither of these is just a question of income!) These two perceptions need to be changed if
global solidarity activism is to take greater root
