CIDSE WorkShop 9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014 · on growth, development and consumption. In our work with our...

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CIDSE WorkShop 9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014

Transcript of CIDSE WorkShop 9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014 · on growth, development and consumption. In our work with our...

Page 1: CIDSE WorkShop 9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014 · on growth, development and consumption. In our work with our ... of the CIDSE workshop, “Acting for transformation towards a just & sustainable

CIDSE WorkShop9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014

Page 2: CIDSE WorkShop 9 10 SEptEmbEr 2014 · on growth, development and consumption. In our work with our ... of the CIDSE workshop, “Acting for transformation towards a just & sustainable

C IDSE wo rksho p

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CoNtENtS

SElECtED publICatIoNS of CIDSE mEmbErS

Introduction 3

Key outcomes 4

Strategies for transformational change 5

Food systems 6

Climate, extractives & energy 7

Economic, social, cultural and gender inequalities 8

Political strategies for systems change 9

Change in our societies 10

Actors for change 11

Conclusion 12

BROEDERLIJK DELEN: “Movimientos sociales, solidaridad internacional y construcción de alternativas: ¿más allá

del desarrollo?,” August 2013

CAFOD: “Common good and the economy,” October 2014

ENTRAIDE & FRATERNITE: “L’agroécologie et les systèmes alimentaires localisés : Les conclusions de six ans de

rélexion,” March 2014

FASTENOPFER: “What is a good life?”, December 2013

MANOS UNIDAS: “he Hunger Challenge: Food Security in our Globalized World,” April 2013

MISEREOR: “Intercultural Relections on the Global Common Good,” July 2014

TRÓCAIRE: “My Rights Beyond 2015: Making the post-2015 framework accountable to the world’s poor,”

September 2013

Xavier Ricard, CCFD-TERRE SOLIDAIRE: “Le progrès, c’est l’équilibre !,” October 2013

Published in January 2015

By: CIDSE, Rue Stevin 16, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium

Design and layout: Fuel, Brussels, www.fueldesign.be

Editors-in-chief: Bernd Nilles, Denise Auclair

Photos: Francesco Seraini, Karel Ceule and Cordaid

Great thanks to all participants, to the CIDSE Sustainable Development

group, and to the CIDSE team for their many contributions, and especially

to Denise Auclair, Chiara Martinelli and Yvette Pierret for coordinating

the event.

his document is available in English, French, German and Spanish.

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Since 2008 we have seen impacts worldwide of the crises in inance

and economy, climate, food and energy. Changes in patterns of

inequality and increasingly common challenges are taking us

beyond divisions between “North” and “South,” towards shared

global perspectives. Development cooperation frameworks are

undergoing profound evolution. In this context, the CIDSE alliance

and its member organisations have been engaged in a fundamental

rethinking of development and a sustainable future.

Over the past six years, CIDSE has worked to challenge assumptions

on growth, development and consumption. In our work with our

partner organisations, we endeavour to ight the structural causes

of injustice and poverty, whether related to the impacts of mining,

climate change, land grabbing or gender injustice. And yet despite

good work, there is a sense of frustration at the continuing overall

trends in inequalities, hunger, climate change, and corporate

interests being put before people and planet.

his puts a responsibility on us to question our ways of working

and test new approaches. We have done so by fostering dialogue,

based on experience and trends, and by encouraging new ways of

thinking and understanding. Our workshop in May 2013 was an

important milestone, helping us to put forward a common vision

on “what” key changes are needed for a just and sustainable world

(see box). Since then, we have been focusing on “how” we can act

to bring this about.

In 2013-14, we saw a growing dynamic and momentum throughout

the work of CIDSE and our member organisations. Further

developing our strategies towards pathways for change was the aim

of the CIDSE workshop, “Acting for transformation towards a just

& sustainable world,” 9-10 September in Brussels, which gathered

70 participants from across CIDSE membership, allies and partners

on all continents.

As faith-based agencies, we have a great potential to draw from

Catholic Social Teaching in reaching out to citizens to question

the functioning of our current system and to promote value-based

alternatives. Our values can help us to “walk the talk” in our own

practice and organisations, increasing our credibility within our own

societies.

We know that we must make strategic choices to join forces with

others in new ways, strengthening our collective action to bring

transformational change. he workshop created a space to learn

from experiences, voice challenging questions, and inspire our

strategies in order to realise human rights and a life in dignity for all.

INtroDuCtIoNour vISIoN for a

juSt aND SuStaINablE

WorlD

We wa nt to wo rk fo r a p ro p he tic

ne w na rra tive o f huma n we ll-

b e ing within c re a tio n, g e nd e r

e q ua lity, a nd so lid a rity, with a n

e c o no my a t the se rvic e o f so c ie ty

within p la ne ta ry b o und a rie s.

Ke y e le me nts und e rp inning this

visio n inc lud e :

- a fa ire r sha re a nd limits in use

o f g lo b a l re so urc e s;

- g o ve rna nc e syste ms in whic h

p o we r re la tio ns a re

d e mo c ra tise d a nd g lo b a l rule s

allowforthelourishingoflocal a lte rna tive s;

- e c o no mie s b a se d o n the

commonswithdiversiied, d e c e ntra lise d struc ture s a nd

a c to rs.

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Ke y Outc o me s

to aCt for traNSformatIoN TOWARDS A JUST AND SUSTAINABLE

WORLD, WE NEED …

▶ poWErEverywhere people are increasingly aspiring for greater solidarity and good stewardship of creation. We need to regain control over choices in our societies, building people’s power. his requires clearly naming injustices, and exposing false solutions. As political will to move in the right directions is limited by certain inluences including concentrated corporate interests, we need to work to democratise decision-making and to open “power spaces.”

▶ StorIESOur starting point is the serious injustices and human rights abuses experienced by communities around the world every day. We need systemic narratives that integrate questions related to food, natural resources extraction, climate and energy, and social, economic and gender inequalities. Beyond “North” and “South,” we need to foster a global dialogue on our common challenges and shared responsibilities. We need to advocate for people’s alternatives and promote stories of transformational change, reaching a wider public through simpler messages and alternative media.

▶ mobIlISINGPolitical change will not come without change and activism by people and communities. We need to act together, connecting with social movements, building bridges across struggles and countries and helping to catalyse a global movement of youth, women and men for change. We need to listen at the grassroots, and engage with people personally within and beyond the Church in a shared journey to build alternatives.

▶ ChaNGE that StartS WIth uSAs development agencies, we are called to review and challenge our ways of working, boundaries of action, and footprints. We need to re-examine our relationships with partner organisations around the world, and increase our support for strengthening people’s initiatives. We need to revitalise our roots in our communities and engage in debates that concern our own societal models. Political, partnership and public work as well as funding should be joined up in a coherent whole. “Walking the talk” can strengthen our proiles as credible actors and change agents.

The De c e mb e r 2015 UN c lima te

summit in Pa ris o ffe rs a n imp o rta nt

o p p o rtunity to wo rk to wa rd s a stro ng

mo b ilisa tio n, whic h c a n he lp to b uild

a g lo b a l mo ve me nt fo r c ha ng e .

The issue s a t sta ke g o b e yo nd the

e nviro nme nta l le ns: we urg e ntly ne e d

to ma ke c ho ic e s tha t will p ut us o n

a p a th to wa rd s e c o no mic , so c ia l

a nd e nviro nme nta l justic e fo r a ll o f

huma nity, o n o ur sha re d p la ne t.

Mo ve me nts a nd c itize ns c a n c o me

to g e the r to d ra w a tte ntio n to the

p ro b le ms a nd p ro mo te a lte rna tive s. As

Ca tho lic d e ve lo p me nt o rg a nisa tio ns,

we c a n wo rk to stre ng the n vo ic e s

within the Churc h a nd to he lp

d e mo nstra te mo re susta ina b le wa ys o f

living , b a se d o n the G o sp e l’ s va lue s.

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Stra te g ie s fo r tra nsfo rma tio na l c ha ng e

to ImprovE our StratEGIES TO ACT FOR TRANSFORMATION, WE SHOULD

WORK FURTHER ON...

▶ ChaNGING NarratIvESNew narratives are a living process, based on dialogue. hey represent our vision and should comprise a set of questions, principles and elements including Catholic Social Teaching values, human rights and justice beyond a North/South divide. hey must address systemic causes of injustice in a holistic way and be rooted in concrete struggles. hey should showcase the plurality of alternatives through powerful stories of change, which can inspire, motivate and liberate. he narratives should awaken the senses, ofering a smell and taste of the challenges and alternatives.

▶ SprEaDING thE mESSaGEWe need to speak plainly, spreading stories of change relating to our new narrative with direct and positive messages. Beyond working with mainstream media, we could pool resources to build alternative media channels and platforms, such as radio stations, social media or video clips. his would require joint eforts by staf with communications, campaigns and policy expertise, working together with creative agencies.

▶ lINkING WIth movEmENtShere is a need to enhance capacity and create spaces for networking. We can act as connectors and catalysts, using our convening power to bridge diferent constituencies. his can mean fostering exchanges across countries on strategies concerning speciic struggles, but also broadening views and joining with a variety of “sectoral” actors. It can mean strengthening relationships between organisations, activists and youth in our own countries with movements on other continents. his would require working in an integrated way, joining up notably programme and advocacy work.

▶ mobIlISING thE ChurChhe Church is a local, national and global institution comprising a number of entities and people. A multi-faceted approach should be taken, based on simple and consistent principles that can link to the many struggles around the world. he theological context ofers this basis, but work is needed both to make texts accessible, as well as to amplify major opportunities such as the upcoming encyclical on ecology. We need “1 billion leadership,” capturing the imaginations of all people of faith and good will and working with them to call for putting the preferential option for the poor at the heart of global decision making. Young people in particular should be engaged to become guardians of creation.

▶ rEvIEWING our WayS of WorkINGWe need to build on eforts to better connect advocacy, programme, campaigns, education and fundraising work within CIDSE and its members. his means investing in a common “landscape,” in which advocacy staf have direct experience with partners’ work, and programme staf have a complete picture of the global context and root causes afecting their projects. Our constituencies in our social base have great potential to be promoters for change, if we can connect people and issues between our own countries and other continents. In this context, we can relect on future roles of Catholic development agencies, including within our own societies.

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Localised food systems are increasingly referred to as a way to achieve the right to food. here is a need to regain control over natural resources and food systems, in order to make them diversiied, decentralised, democratic and sustainable. Equally urgent is to confront access and gender inequalities perpetuating food insecurity. Empowering citizens, farmers and consumers, and opening “power spaces” are necessary if we are to secure a deep transformation of our food systems and achieve food sovereignty.

he dominant discourse surrounding food, which frequently ofers an array of false solutions to perceived ‘crises in production’, must be challenged. Misleading approaches, such as ‘climate-smart agriculture,’ may only reinforce harmful practices and market concentration. Building strong, evidence-based critiques will allow us to get to the crux of the debate.

Our objectives require a holistic approach, linking the ongoing crises facing our food, environmental and economic systems simultaneously. his calls for addressing issues that Northern and Southern peasants and farmers are facing together. We can also promote concrete actions to link farmers, consumers, churches, and youth, including within the context of rural development. his can help to highlight the shared but diferentiated responsibilities of multiple actors.

Building positive alternatives for “good food” involves showcasing examples, supporting grassroots movements in putting farmers and small producers at the centre of dynamics, and seeking new allies such as within schools. Such an agenda requires a shift in our practices as development actors.

fooD SyStEmS

“The majority o f the world’s food is

produc e d by smallholde rs – allowing

farme rs to c ome to the ne gotiations

table and spe ak for the mse lve s about

the ir c halle nge s is c ruc ial.”

- G e o rg e Dixo n Fe rna nd e z, FIMARC

trust for Community outreach and Education

TCOE (So uth Afric a ) wo rks with fa rme rs a nd

p e a sa nts, b uild ing the ir c a p a c ity to e nte r the

lo c a l ma rke t, a nd sup p o rting the m in the ir

strug g le s a g a inst la nd g ra b b ing a nd the c a p ture o f

b io d ive rsity a nd se e d so ve re ig nty b y multina tio na l

c o rp o ra tio ns. In c o lla b o ra tio n with the Rura l

Wo me n’ s Asse mb ly, a nd in ho no ur o f Ne lso n

Ma nd e la ’ s le g a c y, TCOE e mb a rke d in 2013 o n a

‘ Ma rc h to Fre e d o m’ , whic h, a t e a c h o f its 27 sto p s,

g a the re d wo me n sma ll-sc a le fa rme rs to sha re

se e d s, a nd p la nt c ro p s o r tre e s, ma rking a c a ll

fo r so lid a rity a nd fre e d o m fro m hung e r, p o ve rty,

vio le nc e a nd the e xp lo ita tio n o f na tura l re so urc e s.

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Addressing the global over-exploitation of natural resources requires limits. he expansion of mining in many countries is afecting people’s rights, land and livelihoods. Corporate inluence over legislation and payments to security forces are eroding democracy; this needs to be exposed. People’s movements have had some successes in ighting such injustices, for example in gaining allies and broader support to freeze the Conga open-pit mining project in Peru. At the same time, there is a need to link up local movements across areas afected by the agro-mineral-energy complex. Some new tools are helping to do this, such as the Atlas of Environmental Justice. Similarly, it is important to make visible the frontline communities that are afected by climate change.

Climate change should not be considered a specialised, stand-alone topic: it interlinks with lifestyles, development paradigms and corporate inluence over political decision making. hese intertwined elements come into play when it comes to working for alternative, decentralised and carbon-free models of energy. Local, people-led solutions such as in water management have potential, but may not address global justice. here is a need to move beyond thematic to systemic approaches, creating a common narrative also including gender equality. his could help to catalyse a global movement of people’s power, for example around the concept of ‘freedom.’

Building a wider, sustained movement for change would reach out beyond activists, and beyond milestones of climate negotiations. It would not be only dependent on political processes that may sufer a lack of political will, while keeping awareness of these. It would instead anticipate moments to create change, such as the upcoming encyclical on ecology. Key elements could also include simpler messages, use of alternative media, and engaging with people in a journey such as a pilgrimage.

ClImatE, EXtraCtIvES aND ENErGy

“If powe r is porous,

we c an be granular.”

- Pa b lo Sá nc he z, G RUFIDES

GrufIDES

G RUFIDES (Pe ru) is wo rking o n the imp a c ts o f

mining o n lo c a l c o mmunitie s. La rg e -sc a le mining

p ro je c ts ha ve se ve re ly imp a c te d ma ny re g io ns in

La tin Ame ric a , suc h a s tha t o f Ca ja ma rc a in Pe ru.

This ha s inc lud e d tra nsfo rma tio n o f la nd sc a p e s,

e nviro nme nta l a nd wa te r c o nta mina tio n, a s we ll a s

d isp la c e me nt o f lo c a l p o p ula tio ns. Suc h p ro je c ts

ha ve a lso c o ntrib ute d to e c o no mic d e p e nd e nc e

b y d e stro ying live liho o d s, a nd to und e rmining

d e mo c ra c y b y p a ying na tio na l se c urity fo rc e s a nd

d isre g a rd ing c o nse nt p ro c e sse s fo r ind ig e no us

p o p ula tio ns. In Ca ja ma rc a , the p e o p le ’ s

mo ve me nt e ng a g e d in lo c a l p e a c e ful strug g le s,

whic h b uilt into a ma ssive mo b ilisa tio n e ng a g ing

ne ig hb o ring c itie s a nd inc lud ing a na tio na l ma rc h

fo r wa te r. The mo ve me nt a lso fo und a llie s a mo ng

a nti-fra c king mo ve me nts a nd Ca tho lic inve sto rs. In

2011, the Co ng a Pro je c t wa s susp e nd e d .

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Economic paradigms need reshaping in order to uphold human creativity, social inclusion, gender equality, and democratic political culture. For this, naming the structural causes of inequalities, whether social, economic or gender-based, is needed. his includes identifying key actors contributing to those causes, including those with powerful economic interests. Links need to be drawn between inequalities and other dynamics, for example related to extractives, climate change or consumption.

Gender equality is central to an agenda for transformation. It is important to continue dialogue on related issues, with a spectrum of voices within the Catholic community and beyond. Some approaches ofer the potential to bring together economy, environment, family, the personal and political. Women’s movements have been some of the most efective agents for change, and should continue to receive support. New technologies could ofer new opportunities to help overcome structures of injustice. Catholic agencies may also relect on gender equality within their own organisations.

People’s behaviour, and individual or community choices, have an inluence on broader issues of equity. Today, inequalities exist all over the world, questioning the relevance of a discourse which divides North and South. hese changing trends challenge us to link economic realities “there” and “here,” connecting this with people in our own societies. Transformation may require relecting on how we understand justice, and how we build upon our work with people in poverty, also thinking about the role of middle classes in decisions on future pathways in our societies. We can ind best practices and innovations in the struggle against inequality both in the work of our partners in other countries, as well as within our own societies, including by youth movements.

ECoNomIC, SoCIal, Cultural aND GENDEr INEqualItIES

“Talk to me , not about me .”

- Ca ll to NATO b y Afg ha n wo me n’ s

ne two rk sup p o rte d b y Co rd a id a t a

p ro te st o n the e ve o f the NATO

summit in Ne wp o rt, UK

CorDaID

Co rd a id (Ne the rla nd s) mo nito rs the

imp le me nta tio n o f the UN Se c urity Co unc il

re so lutio n 1325 o n wo me n a nd p e a c e a nd se c urity

withaparticularfocusonconlictareasinfragilesta te s. To g e the r with p a rtne r o rg a nisa tio ns, it ha s

d e ve lo p e d the Wo me n’ s Pe a c e a nd Se c urity

Ba ro me te r. This me a suring instrume nt o f the

d a ily re a lity o f lo c a l wo me n is use d in c o untrie s

suc h a s Afg ha nista n. Da ta fro m the b a ro me te r

is use d fo r e mp o we ring lo c a l wo me n to b uild

theircapacityandknowledgetoinluenceandimp le me nt p o lic ie s, a nd to c o nfro nt inte rna tio na l

p o lic y ma ke rs. In the Ne the rla nd s, Co rd a id is a lso

e ng a g e d in d isc ussio ns o n g e nd e r issue s inc lud ing

wo me n’ s a c c e ss to p ub lic a nd e c o no mic life .

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Our advocacy has helped to secure certain “wins,” and in other cases prevented things from getting worse. Still, a question of doubt lingers: are we really making a diference? Our ability to “win the argument” and convince policymakers may be overshadowed by the inluence of powerful actors and vested interests. Hopes that global crises could force a rethink, have faded away in the face of a return to “business as usual” in terms of concentration of wealth and excessive proit-seeking behaviour. Economic incentives continue to disregard social and environmental concerns. And certain “lock-ins” in political choices, such as within trade agreements, will make it more diicult to seek alternative pathways in the future.

Instead of “policy speak,” we should be aiming to change the terms of the big debate, looking at economy through a lens of human rights, dignity and sustainability. his means exposing self-seeking ideology. It means developing a new, convincing story, that can break through deeply-set mental frames such as the desire to “have more.” his can tap into Gospel messages of love and sharing, reaching others through what it means to be human: spirituality, culture, art, music, a sense of humor.

Key to changing the balance of forces, is to build a people’s agenda powerful enough to challenge vested interests, including those of concentrated corporate actors. Diverse alternatives are developed at local levels, but often don’t address the wider picture. A number of “popcorn” social movements have risen up, only to die down again. While it is important to maintain a seat in democratic decision making, the centre of gravity of our work should not be lobby strategies only. We should give greater attention to social movement building, identifying the speciic role a Catholic network can play.

polItICal StratEGIES for SyStEmS ChaNGE

“We need to ind a new story, using language of kindness, sacriice, love and sharing. Familie s should

be c onsuming to live , not living to

c onsume .”

- Lo rna G o ld , Tró c a ire

foCuS oN thE Global South

Fo c us o n the G lo b a l So uth, b a se d in Tha ila nd ,

is wo rking a lo ng with a numb e r o f o rg a nisa tio ns

o n the Syste mic Alte rna tive s p ro je c t. The p ro je c t

ha s hig hlig hte d the p o te ntia l o f the ma ny e xisting

a lte rna tive c o nc e p ts, inc lud ing b ue n vivir,

d e g ro wth, d e g lo b a lisa tio n, rig hts o f Mo the r Ea rth,

e c o -fe minism a nd e c o -so c ia lism. One c o nc lusio n

is tha t a n a lte rna tive c o nc e p t ne e d s to a d d re ss

so me ke y e le me nts a nd c ha lle ng e s, inc lud ing

p ro d uc tivism, p a tria rc hy, a nthro p o c e ntrism,

c a p ita lism, a nd mo st imp o rta ntly p o we r. Fro m

e xp e rie nc e , the re ha ve b e e n te nsio ns b e twe e n

p e o p le ’ s mo ve me nts a nd p o litic a l d yna mic s.

In La tin Ame ric a , e ve n so me p ro g re ssive

g o ve rnme nts ha ve e sse ntia lly c o ntinue d in the line

o f d e struc tive d e ve lo p me nt p a ra d ig ms. Fo c using

o n g e tting le a d e rs into p o we r is no t e no ug h; it is

ke y to wo rking o n c ha ng ing the rule s o f the g a me .

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We live in a time where the systemic crises and failures of growth paradigms are becoming more and more evident. People are increasingly protesting, looking for alternatives and testing new ways of living. But meaningful and long-lasting change still remains elusive, constrained by lack of political will, for example in the face of climate change. here is powerful potential in people’s active commitment and social change, requiring a good understanding of the mechanisms of this.

Social transformation operates on the level of key values that prompt human actions. One approach is to consider how to work towards ‘repositioning’ values in society. To address the sustainability challenge of social transformation we can learn a great deal from the knowledge and richness of the plethora of cultures and experiences from around the world, particularly indigenous values. hese include helping people to build active citizenship over passivity, promote sharing over individualism, favour innovation over immobility, and deliver concrete results instead of abstract thinking.

To build new narratives, it is important to engage and connect with a wider public, highlighting how systemic challenges touch people’s daily lives on a personal level. Such is the case for climate change – a crisis touching people all over the world and from all social and economic backgrounds, albeit to diferent extents and in diferent ways. Making interlinkages between political and behavioural dimensions, particularly in our campaign work, can be vital for empowering people to build a better world.

Social innovation is being driven by people’s movements, local organisations and others. hese experiments are creating new ways to relate and communicate with each other beyond as consumers, encouraging a sense of community. We can explore ways of working with people to engage with them in experiencing and building alternatives.

ChaNGE IN our SoCIEtIES

“The dre ams and hope s o f pe ople are

not relected in government decisions, be c ause o f the growth impe rative .”

- Shri Ja g a d a na nd a , Ce ntre fo r

Yo uth & So c ia l De ve lo p me nt

CAFOD

CAFOD (Eng la nd & Wa le s) is e ng a g e d in a c lima te

c a mp a ig n a s p a rt o f a b ro a d c o a litio n in the

Unite d King d o m. One o b je c tive o f the c a mp a ig n

is to he lp c re a te a lo ng -te rm na rra tive o n c lima te

fo r a b ro a d a ud ie nc e , whic h is no t d e p e nd e nt

o n o nly o ne p o litic a l mo me nt. It a ims to d e live r

a p o sitive me ssa g ing to the p ub lic a nd c re a te s

p o litic a l sp a c e fo r p o litic ia ns to ta lk a b o ut c lima te

c ha ng e . The c a mp a ig n a ims to sta rt c o nve rsa tio ns,

o n the b a sis tha t we a ll lo ve so me thing tha t is

thre a te ne d b y c lima te c ha ng e . Exa mp le s re la te

b o th to imp a c ts in the UK a nd in o the r c o untrie s.

The c e ntra l me ssa g e is “ Fo r the lo ve o f… Le t’ s

d o so me thing a b o ut c lima te c ha ng e .” While

inc lud ing life style a sks in c a mp a ig ns c a n b e

c ha lle ng ing , it c a n b ring g re a te r a uthe ntic ity,

imp a c t, a nd e ng a g e me nt with a so lid a rity

d ime nsio n.

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Brusse ls, 9-10 Se pte mb e r 2014

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People-driven processes can lead to genuine movement building and local change. Marginalised communities can collaborate to put into action their own visions of well-being and their fair chances to participate in social and economic development. At the same time, today there is a lack of alternative research and thinking from grassroots actors, addressing diferent understandings of development and how we want to live in the future.

A traditional project-based approach risks being driven by donors’ demands and technical requirements, far removed from the needs and complex realities of the communities we serve. A model considering NGO staf as the experts can overshadow local people’s own change processes and solutions. It is important to relect on our agencies’ responsibilities. A more suitable role can be one of facilitators, catalysts and accompaniers of local communities’ processes of change. here is a need for connectors, to support spaces for linking diferent people-led initiatives to gain social power in favour of people-driven advocacy.

he time is ripe for new relections on our future roles and ways of working. hese could include revisiting our programme and advocacy approaches, and our partnership and funding models. It could include acting as a bridge between networks and actors for social transformation in other countries and in our own societies. here is a need to build linkages, articulation and sequencing between diferent spaces for mobilisation, looking ahead from experience with the World Social Forum. Building broader shared narratives is an important element. here is also great potential and opportunity in our work with the Church.

aCtorS for ChaNGE

“A ‘paradigm shift’ should

not be arrogant or one -way.

Re lationships and mindse ts

should be humble , partic ipative ,

and re spe c tful o f o the rs.”

- Jo hn Pa tric k Ng o yi Ka so ng o ,

Justic e , Pe a c e & De ve lo p me nt

Co mmissio n

mISErEor

MISEREOR (G e rma ny) ha s initia te d p ro c e sse s o f

mutua l le a rning a nd sha ring o f e xp e rie nc e s a mo ng

p a rtne r o rg a nisa tio ns a nd the MISEREOR sta ff

tha t wo rk with the m. The id e a is to d e ve lo p ne w

a p p ro a c he s, p ro mo ting a d e e p e r und e rsta nd ing

a nd a p p re c ia tio n o f p a rtic ip a to ry p ro c e sse s. As

aresult,communitiesarebuildingconidencetoa sse rt lo c a l initia tive s a nd inno va tio ns. In se ve ra l

p o o r d istric ts o f Orissa sta te (Ind ia ), lo c a l fa rme rs

le a d le a rning e xc ha ng e p ro g ra mme s thro ug h

b lo c k le ve l se e d fa irs a nd wo rksho p s. Furthe rmo re ,

b o th me n a nd wo me n o f the d iffe re nt c o mmunitie s

g o t invo lve d in suc c e ssful a d vo c a c y c a mp a ig ns to

re sist ne g a tive fa rm p o lic ie s o f the g o ve rnme nt.

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CoNCluSIoN

Cruc ia l inte rna tio na l d isc ussio ns a re und e rwa y fo r the c o ming ye a rs, with d e c isio ns to b e ma d e onfutureSustainableDevelopmentGoalsandtheirinancing,aglobalclimatedeal,modelsofa g ric ulture a nd o f b usine ss. We will c a rry fo rwa rd the o utc o me s o f the wo rksho p a c ro ss the se a re a s o f o ur wo rk, a nd into o ur 2015-17 Jo int Ac tio n p ro je c t tha t a ims to mo b ilise c itize ns fo r c ha ng e to wa rd s susta ina b le life style s.

Anumberofstrategicquestionsandchallengeshavebeenidentiied,whichwillbetakenupin d isc ussio ns o n CIDSE’ s stra te g ic fra me wo rk fo r 2016-21. We will c o ntinue to wo rk in the sp irit o f g re a t e ne rg y fe lt d uring the wo rksho p , to he lp us to mo ve o ut o f o ur c o mfo rt zo ne . Insp ire d b y the wo rd s o f Po p e Fra nc is e nc o ura g ing the Churc h to g o o ut into the stre e ts a nd p e rip he ry, weind“solidarityinourdoubts”asweseekourfuturepaths.Convincedoftheimportanceofse izing the mo me nt, we will p ursue wa ys to unite o ur wo rk in the CIDSE fa mily a nd b e yo nd , a s to g e the r we a re stro ng e r.

Be rnd Nille s, CIDSE Se c re ta ry G e ne ra lDe nise Auc la ir, CIDSE Se nio r Po lic y Ad viso r

CIDSE members

Austria Canada

Switzerland

SlovakiaLuxembourg

Germany

Belgium

England and Wales

USAScotland

the Netherlands

Ireland

Belgium

France

Spain

PortugalItaly

www.cidse.org

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IDSE