helsinki citizens assembly yep presentation

8/8/2019 Helsinki Citizens Assembly YEP Presentation

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Helsinki Citizens¶ Assembly /

YEP Presentation

11 January 2011

hCa Premises



Question 1:How to struck a balance

betweenfocus and inclusiveness?

In other words, how to create more profound output (research,

publication, training, monitoring, advocacy) without compromising

inclusiveness in thematic areas;



Sub-questions for Q1:

How to produce more profound information?

How to better communicate outputs (reports, policy briefs, etc.) with thelarger audience (journalists, social media, youth)?

How to be more active beyond funded project schemes?

How to balance funding >> organisation agenda relationship intoorganisation agenda >> funding.

Question 1:



Question 2:

How to organise hCas

organisational/administrativestructure in anticipation of

expanding resources?



Question 2:


C

hanging the residence,Re-thinking of the human resources,

Re-thinking of job definitions,

Prioritizing the organisational needs.



What is hCa?A general description

The Helsinki Citizens' Assembly defines an international network of

citizens¶ organizations dedicated to peace, democracy and human rights in

Europe. Its structure can best be described as a network of networks, as

branch organisations around Europe are loosely but friendly connected toeach other.

Network

HCA Armenia

ADP-Zid Montenegro

AEC-HCA France

HCA Azerbaidjan

HCA Banja Luka

HCA Moldova

HCA Nagorno-Karabakh

HCA Turkey

HCA UKIKV-PAX CHRISTI

Netherlands

ORC-HCA Tuzla

YHRM

YHRM Berlin



What is hCa?A general description

Different branches of hCa share the aims to;

± introduce the basic rights and freedoms accepted in

international agreements and outlined by universalstandards into daily life,

± to promote peaceful processes for the resolution of problems through mutual understanding dialogue andpeace,

± to improve pluralist democratic bodies and civilsociety initiatives,

± to ensure the supremacy of law and to defend aneconomic system that promotes the well-being of humanlife and the environment.



What is hCa?Story of ³Helsinki´ «

Helsinki Accords (1975),

a diplomatic agreement

Between 35 states For creating conditions

favorable to peace in

Europe

The word "Helsinki" refers

to the historic significance

of this agreement.




On the one hand HelsinkiAccords was a diplomatic

agreement betweenstates.

Groundwork for the laterOrganization for Securityand Cooperation in Europe(OSCE)




On the other hand, the civilrights portion of the agreement

became a manifesto of thedissident and liberal movement

Basis for the works of theInternational Helsinki Federationand Human Rights Watch.



What is hCa?Core values of hCa

Citizen asthe subject

is at the

heart!

power to

the people

«through

nurturing

peace and

democracy in

daily life

practices.

The aim is toempowersolidarity

amongcitizens



What is hCa?Founding hCa in Turkey

Founded in 1993. War between Turkish army and PKK at

its peak.

State of emergency regime on theeastern part of the country

A coercive regime to keep the rest of thesociety uninformed and unaware of what is going in the east.

Little space for public debate ondemocracy within the grey areas of democracy, human rights and peace .

The severity of violence left twooptions; either with us or against us!

.



What is hCa?The role of hCa in 90s political climate

Founders are prominent intellectuals

People from the leftist movement prior to 1980military coup

A safe haven for debating peace, democracy,human rights.

Holding dialogues between conflicting nationalgroups and helping both sides listen to the other.



What it is not Explanation Examples What it is

It is not a grassroots

organisation

Does not work directly withgroups facing violations andproblems

Human Rights Association:http://www.ihd.org.tr/english/

KAMER:

http://www.kamer.org.tr/eng/default.asp

LGBT organisations: Lambda,KaosGL

But it works in direct

contact with the local

grassroots organisations.

It is not a

campaigns/monitorin

g/advocacy

organisation

Does not take up on anissue, carry it to the publicagenda and make advocacyon multiple levels.

Greenpeace:http://www.greenpeace.org/turkey/tr/

Nature Association:http://www.dogadernegi.org/

Amnesty International Turkey:

http://www.amnesty.org.tr/ai/

But it forms ad-hoc

alliances

It is not a

campaigns/monitorin

g/advocacy

organisation

Does not implementtechnical trainings onmanagement, organisationalor fund-raising issues

Civil Society Development Centre:http://www.stgm.org.tr/en

stanbul Bilgi Univesity, NGO Training and Research Centre:

http://stk.bilgi.edu.tr/

But it does

implement trainings

on collective...

It is not a charity NGODoes not provide services or

distribute material aid.

Deniz Feneri Association:

http://www.denizfeneri.org.tr/english.aspxThe Foundation forHuman Rightsand Freedoms andHumanitarianRelief:http://www.ihh.org.tr/anasayfa/en/

It is not a closed think

tank

Does not do strictly policy

oriented research andrelated advocacy

Turkish Economic and Social

StudiesF

oundation:http://www.tesev.org.tr/

But it does generate

ideas through itsaffiliates associates



How does hCa operate?Board of Directors:

Sets the overall agenda.

Important decisions are

brought to its attention.

Does not have an

interventionist approach

on the implementation of general activities.



How does hCa operate?Secretariat

9 working staff: 3 full time, 6 part time.

1 general coordinator part time

3 project officers full time

2 project officers part time

2 finance officers part time

1 volunteer and organisations officer part time



How does hCa operate?Members

hCa has 193 official members.

Founding members are the

intellectual celebrities of

Turkey. No strong membership base.

Yearly fee is requested every

year.

hCa does not pay strong

attention to the formality of

membership relations.



How does hCa operate?Funding

All financial resource are received

from grant applications for the

implementation of proposed projectactivities.

The period for projects range most

of the time from 1 to 3 years.

Case by case small grants arecommon for one-time events or in

support of larger grants.



How does hCa operate?Project cycle management

Dependence on

external projects for

funding All staff responsible

from all phases of PCM

PCM is a bureaucratic

burden Thematic constraints

Competitive



How does hCa operate?Volunteers

There is a pooling of

volunteers from which

help is asked on an ad-hocbasis.

Recently started a flexible

internship scheme

Job description usually

loosely defined



What does hCa do?Topography of hCa Activities

Subject area Topic

Human rights andcitizenship

Freedom of expressionRight to assemblyJustice system

actical innovation in human rights

Freedom from torture and ill treatmentRights of womenRefugee rights

Democratization andsociety

Citizen participationLocal governance

Rights of minorities

and multiculturalism

Right to native language

Rights of Roman peopleDiscrimination

Religion and secularismMinority rights

Civic approaches in

conflict areas

Solidarity with Bosnia (1993)

Kurdish- urkish conflicturkey Armenia

YouthBalkans and Caucasus



T p of ti iti L l of u

Sy si s/c f r c s:* * * * *

ls:

* * * * * t l s:* * * * *

W rki ti s:* * * * *

Summer sc ls:* * * * *

ublic ti

* * * eport/r esearc :* *

Tr ai i /coac i :* *

vocacy/loby:*

What does hCa do?Topography of hCa Activities



What does hCa do?Periodization of hCa Activity:

1990s and early 2000s

±Series of roundtables, panels, working meetings, summerschools were held and books published

±Political climate of severe pressure. HCA role as a safe haven

deemed very important. ±Lively civil dialogue between intellectuals and activists fromamongst different groups.

±Advocacy and training activities were existent but minimal.Reports mostly prepared as editorial work.

±HCA staff as a catalyst for finding the right agenda and theright people, consistent with the role of hCa within givenpolitical climate.




A sample of projects and activities from the period;

± Peace Initiative for Kurdish Question: Conference / book,1992

± Democracy Report: Report / 1993 ± Attention! Our Rights: Guide book on rights / 1993

± Where does Europe End?: Symposium / book, Ankara, 1993

± State-Religion Relationship in Turkey: Living Together:

Symposium / book, 1994 ± Refugees in the Year for Tolerance: Symposium on

Expectations from Non-governmental Organizations, 1996





± Freedom of Expression: panels series / conference / apolicy framework report, 1998

± Freedom of Association in Turkey: series of panels /

conference / a policy framework report, 2000-2001 ± Political Criteria in the EU Process: international roundtable

meeting, stanbul, 2003 ± Civic Approaches towards Conflict and Youth Participation:

international summer school, Çanakkale, 1997

± Civil Approaches towards Conflicts for a World with Peace,international summer school, Çanakkale, 2000




In 2000s: ± Turkey in a process of transition to liberal democracy. ± In a political climate where public debate on issues of basic

rights and freedoms is relatively open, free, and diverse. ± Mushrooming of NGOs on a diversity of themes, localities

and organisational structures. ± hCa has been orienting its focus into more issue based

agendas

± This new leaning in thematic focus not accompanied withnew working methods. Still, advocacy/training activitiesand thematic expertise are limited.




Human Rights Education: training, in partnership with SabanciUniversity and Amnesty International, stanbul, 2002-2003.

Guideline Information for NGOs: Booklet Set, 2003

Language Rights during EU Process: international panels /roundtable meeting / documentary / book / stanbul, 2003.

New Tactics in Human Rights: international symposium / working

meetings / cross trainings/ report / inventory book, 2003-2004 Woman's Handbook: Our Rights in the Laws: conference / book,

2006

Gamats Gamats Yava Yava International Summer School for

Youth from Armenia and Turkey: summer school, 2006





Roma in Turkey: We Are Here!: series of local panels / training / capacitybuilding / conference / book, 2008

Strategic Mapping of Torture in Turkey: trainings / interactive web-tool /innovation / network analysis / conference / book, 2008

Refugee Advocacy and Support Program: legal aid / training / advocacy /report, 2005 today.

Practices of Secularism in Daily Life: roundtable meetings / internationalpanel / report, 2009-2010

Black Sea Peace-building Network: roundtable meetings, 2009-2010

Mapping Discrimination in Turkey; field-work / roundtable meetings /tool development / innovation / network analysis, 2009-2010




Q1. How to struck a balance between

inclusiveness and focus?Activities: Does hCa use

it?

If not, does hCa

want to use it?

Discuss on how to

improve.

Arts Ocassionally to

support main

events

It wants to use it

more then

occassionally.

Q1

Capacity building Yes, but not in

the sense of

technical

assistance

ants to improve a

little more.

Q1

Policy advocacy Not to the level

we aspire

ants to improve. Q1

Community organising

/ campaigning

No No

Direct services RASP does it hCa main office

does not.



How to produce more profound information on field of activity?

How to be more active beyond funded project schemes?

How to balance funding >> organisation agenda relationship intoorganisation agenda >> funding.

How to better communicate outputs (reports, policy briefs, etc.)with the larger audience (journalists, social media, youth)?

Question 1: How to struck a balance

between focus and inclusiveness?



Q2. How to organise hCas

organisational/administrative structure?

It is anticipated that inMarch 2001, Medicine

Sans Frontier will beincluded into hCas

organisational structurebringing in its own

share of financial andhuman resources.

It is also anticipatedthat a mix of big and

small scale projectgrants will be awardedduring spring 2011,increasing financial

resources.



Question 2: How to organise hCas organisational /

administrative structure in anticipation of

expanding resources?


Changing the residence,

Re-thinking of the human resources,

Re-thinking of job definitions,

Prioritizing the organisational needs.



Thanks

helsinki citizens assembly yep presentation

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