Development Trends in Belarus` Civil Society

Developing sectoral expertise to fit the country development needs

About ODB

• Belarusian organization directly implementing EU programs in Belarus

• Mission changed over the years: from informing international community to promoting European values and standards inside Belarus

• Tribute to Vitali Silitski: developing pro-European strategy together

Belarus in2010 NGO Sustainability Index by USAID

• BY lowest level of sustainability among countries of Eurasian region

• In 2010 some promising trends in advocacy and coalition building

• No significant developments in capacity building

• Local fundraising not developed• Still in need of Intermediary Support

Organisations (ISO)

Belarusians Want Reform• As of March 2012, majority of people in Belarus are for

reforms and change (BISS polling) – there are weak domestic forces to push this through

• 3-track EU policy: restrictive measures due to political prisoners, support to civil society, dialogue for modernization - at the same time support by Belarusians to the EU decreased

• While political contacts frozen, EU increased support to CSOs over past years

• US long time support to build capacity of CSOs and media – but let the EU take the lead on policy.

• Disconnection between EU-linked processes (EaP and ED) and capacity: no sectoral knowledge

BY CSOs in Eastern Partnership

• Civil Society Forum (EaP CSF)• National Platform: from being first to least

organised• National Platform prospects: strategic choice

and ability to compromise, capacity to participate

European Dialogue for Modernization (ED)

• Very new – “multi-stakeholder exchange of views and ideas between the EU and representatives of the Belarusian civil society and political opposition on necessary reforms for the modernisation of Belarus”

• a) political dialogue and reform;• b) justice and home affairs, including mobility; people-to-

people contacts;• c) economic, social reform and sector policy issues,

including privatisation;• d) trade, market and regulatory reforms• Lack of sectoral knowledge recognized by all participants:

government, civic actors and EU

What Next?

• Strong rent seeking environment toward external actors - government aided by RU, opposition by the West

• But independence has become the major shared value across various groups – already achievement in a divided society

• Long-term investment into society and people at home to aid domestic forces of change: projects that will help to keep people in the country and encourage them work on changing their own place, make them feel responsible for its future.