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Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation. Our vision is Solidarity in Action. We support people in their efforts to protect and promote their own interests.

Our work is based on collaboration between equal partners – not on charity. Charity delivers control to the giver over the recipient, whereas solidarity means respecting people’s integrity and their right to stipulate their own conditions.

Norwegian People’s Aid is not a politically neutral organisation. We adopt specific standpoints in important social debates. Our goal of a more just world means that we often choose partners that are in conflict with those in power.

Our work in Norway carries the stamp of our members’ efforts, including considerable contributions to our health and rescue services. Work against racism and the running of refugee receptions centres are other important activities.

On the international level, Norwegian People’s Aid has projects in 35 different countries. We undertake long-term development work in which popular participation and organisation are important measures in securing human rights and giving people greater influence over their own lives and social development.

We are well known for our extensive humanitarian demining and political commitment against mines and cluster munitions. Our

work in these fields comprises a useful tool in securing people’s access and rights to land, water and other natural resources.

Countries trying to get back on their feet following years of war or conflict need assistance in building democratic institutions such as legal systems and independent media. Such activity also forms part of the international efforts of Norwegian People’s Aid.

30-year pinsDagfinn Bjørkelo, LørenskogInger Lise Bjørnsletten, Vestre TotenKjell Dahle, Vestre TotenArild Danielsen, OdalenGudrun Gordon, StavangerRandi Pritzlaff Hansen, HamarBjørnar Hanssen, FinnsnesSissel Hanssen, FinnsnesKnut Haugen, OsloKarin Høiby, OdalenSteinar Høiby, Odalen Tore Johansen, HamarPer Otto Knudsen, HamarLiv Karin Kulstad, HamarJan A. Løkken, OdalenJorunn Næss, LørenskogInge Skjellaug, OsloEdel Solberg, Skedsmo

Lauritz Subberud, HamarAud Vestby, OdalenRolf Vestby, Odalen

Honorary MembershipAnne-Grethe Odrun Hauge Arnesen, OsloLiv Billing, OsloMarit Danielsen, SkedsmoSvanhild M. Fosterud, SkedsmoAsgeir Nordengen, OsloJan Erik Holgersen Opsahl, OsloAnnie PettersenÅse Ravdal, OsloElse Myhren Repål, Oslo

Distinctions Awarded 2007CONTENTS2 2007 – A YEAR OF GREAT CHALLENGES3 PROTECTION OF LIFE AND HEALTH – ISSUE OF THE YEAR 20074 VOLUNTEER WORK FOR ALL 5 REFUGEE RECEPTION CENTRES6 NORWEGIAN PEOPLE’S AID YOUTH – TOUGH, BOLD AND DIFFERENT7 OIL – A BLESSING OR A CURSE?8 TEN YEARS OF LAND MINE PROHIBITION 9 CLUSTER MUNITIONS 10 JOINT ACTION FOR PALESTINE11 WOMEN CAN DO IT 12 INDIGENOUS WOMEN’S MEETING13 ANNUAL REPORT

Published by Norwegian people’s Aid 2008Photo: Stig Marlon Weston, Trond Isaksen, Lena Fiske, Kirsti Knudsen, John Rodsted, Fredrik Larsen, Marcel Leiliënhof, Inger Sandberg, Torunn Aaslund, Nina Monsen, Espen Brekke, Christina SantacruzLayout: Fryd Forlag, Heidi Nylund LarsenTranslation: Neil HowardThe annual report is also available in Norwegian.

www.folkehjelp.no

Annual Report 2007

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Finn Erik Thoresen served as Secretary General to Norwegian People’s Aid throughout 2007 before taking over the chairmanship of the organisation. He is particularly proud of the in-creasing commitment from the young members in Norwegian People’s Aid.

– The Issue of the Year, 2007 – the protection of life and health – covers a great deal of what our local chapters undertake in the form of voluntary work for a whole range of different groups within the country. We commit considerable efforts towards groups who find themselves outside society’s current welfare arrangements, and we are both imaginative and steadfast in this work. Our work has an important health policy aspect and we involve local authorities and politicians. Our goal is always to make ourselves unneces-

sary, that out services and activities will gradually be taken over by the public sector. One example of this is our work with epilepsy and the Kure Centre. It was a sad step to cease running Kure after 43 years, but wholly necessary from our side. Today, we can see the public sector delive-ring equally good service to its users as we were previously able to provide.

– First aid, rescue and preparedness are perhaps the services we immediately connect with the protec-tion of life and health. These are central national activities and are put into action in many different contexts throughout the year. Among the things I would like to mention are our important contributions to the state of readiness over Easter, our first aid services during the Norway Cup and the safety at sea campaign during the summer months.

– The running of refugee reception centres and our work with refugees and asylum seekers are other good examples of work protecting life and health that we undertake on a national basis.

International Work– The protection of life and health is also reflected in many of our international activities. First and foremost I would like to mention our work against cluster bombs, which was a central issue through-out 2007. This work is, of course, of tremendous importance to all victims of cluster bombs, but it is important on an internal basis too – in the sense that such work is wholly in keeping with what Nor-wegian People’s Aid is, and what it stand for.

– Thorough strategic groundwork, combined with broad professional skills and experience, was decisive to Norwegian People’s Aid making such a positive mark in 2007. When one thinks of the

opponents we encountered in our work towards an international agreement on the ban of cluster bombs – opponents such as the US, China and Russia – it is proof of the value of perseverance.

– The Palestine Campaign, in association with LO, came to its conclusion on 1st May, 2007. In its cour-se, we put a spotlight on the difficult, wholly unaccep-table situation that the Palestinians find themselves in. We will persevere in out strong commitment on behalf of the people of Palestine.

– I have great respect for the work carried out in all Norwegian People’s Aid offices abroad. Our employees manage an extraordinary contribution despite the enormous daily pressure under which many of them live.

Proud of YouthYoung people in Norwegian People’s Aid are an important source of inspiration for Finn Erik.

– It’s both wonderful and inspiring to see how attractive the organisation has become to young members. The number of young, committed mem-bers grows year by year, and there are not that many organisations whose percentage of mem-bers under 30 is as much as 35 per cent. That is really something to be proud of!

– I would also like to mention the General As-sembly which took place in June 2007. This was a splendid occasion, to which all contributed in a constructive fashion, and it was tremendously inspiring to take part and set the agenda for the meeting. The General Assembly was informed

with broad agreement concerning the objectives of our future activity, and this promises well for the new four year period we have just entered.

The Way ForwardFinn Erik handed over his responsibilities as Secretary General to Petter Eide on 1st Janu-ary 2008 and assumed the office of Chairman, succeeding Grete Faremo.

– It feels like the right thing to have done, and I now have more time to do the things I really want to do. Generally speaking, my involvement is divided along three axes: Organisation building, volunteer work and the international work for solidarity. As Chairman, I get to work in all three areas. To improve the visibility of Norwegian People’s Aid and to clarify its political position, as well as to continue network building, are probably the aspects I am most satisfied to have time to work on now. Beyond that, my main focus for the future in 2008 is to fulfil the resolutions of the General Assembly for this four year period. The structuring and development of the organisation itself also occupies a central position, and I believe the work we have begun on defining and prioritising our core activities – both nationally and internationally – will make Norwegian People’s Aid a united and effective organisation.

2007 – a year of great challenges

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The protection of life and health has permeated the activities of Norwegian People’s Aid from its very beginning in 1939. It is one of the core premises of our activities, both at home and abroad.

Throughout the year, the protection of life and health has been brought to the fore in many dif-ferent ways. The campaign was launched on 21st February in connection with the international con-ference on cluster bombs. The square outside the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo was filled with figures symbolising the many civilian victims of cluster bombs and mines, and showing how important working for the protection of life and health on an international basis is.

At national level, the issue was primarily put on the map in connection with the state of readiness over Easter. By means of its daily contact with all the first aid and rescue groups, the Information Switchboard in Tromsø undertook an informational and motivational campaign towards members, encouraging groups to think about the issue and to consider different activities on a local basis.

Likewise, the protection of life and health was a central issue during the safety at sea campaign,

jointly run with LO, on the ship Liberty. This year’s voyage, focusing particularly on life saving, first aid and safety in water, took place along the eastern Norwegian coast. In almost all of Liberty’s ports of call, NPA volunteers have participated in profiling both the campaign and Norwegian People’s Aid. A number of regions and local chapters also specifically addressed the issue of protection of life and health as part of their annual meetings and conferences.

The Protection of life and health – Issue of the Year 2007

Helper of the YearNorwegian People’s Aid Årdal were awarded the distinction for their tremendous efforts in the local community. The chapter, which has about 200 members, is deeply engaged in the “Årdal Tenk Tryggleik” project, initiated by Norsk Hydro and subsequently taken over by the municipal authorities. The purposes of the project are to prevent and reduce the number of accidents at work, in school, at home and in leisure time; to improve well being and environmental understanding within the municipality; and to undertake crime prevention work.

The prize, which was handed over by the Norwegian Minister of Justice, Knut Storberget, is a sculpture by artist Nils Aas. The minister praised the chapter and the efforts put in by volunteers in Norway. Head of the Preparedness Division of Norwegian People’s Aid Health and Rescue Service, Erlend Aarsæther, presented a cheque for 25,000 kroner to be put towards the boat that the chapter have wished for so long, Flowers and praise were also forthcoming from local mayor, Arild Ingar Lægreid.

Norwegian People’s Aid Årdal are also committed to the municipal project, Politikamaratene. This is a mandatory offer to all confirmees in the area, who may use school time with dogs searching for drugs or learning about fire preparedness among other activities. Norwegian People’s Aid also gives pupils training in first aid and life saving. The chapter, moreover, has its own youth group, which is an active participant in creating fulfilling leisure time for local youth.

Norwegian People’s Aid Årdal arranges first aid courses and different training exercises such as mountain rescue and avalanche work. The chapter marks ski trails in the mountains and has created good local alliances with, for example, Norwegian Search and Rescue Dogs and Årdal Tourist Association, cooperating in mountain rescue and participating in avalanche prevention.

New Board for Norwegian People’s AidThe General Assembly of Norwegian People’s Aid in June elected a new Board for the period 2007-11. The board of Norwegian People’s Aid was chaired by Grete Faremo until 31.12.07 whereupon the then Secretary General, Finn Erik Thoresen, succeeded to the office. Kjersti E. R. Jenssen from Norwegian People’s Aid, Oslo was elected First Vice Chairman and Atle Høie from Fellesforbundet Second Vice Chairman.

Norwegian people’s Aid chose Protection of

Life and Health – solidarity in practice as the

Issue of the Year for 2007. The issue was

given primary focus at the annual meetings of

most regions and chapters, not least at the

central activity conferences.

Norwegian people’s Aid chose Protection of

Life and Health – solidarity in practice as the

Issue of the Year for 2007. The issue was

given primary focus at the annual meetings of

most regions and chapters, not least at the

central activity conferences.

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In the parliamentary report, Volunte-er work for all, the government cle-arly expresses the value of the work undertaken on a voluntary basis in Norway. The “Volunteer Report” pro-poses the implementation of impor-tant measures to ease day to day life where voluntary work is concerned.

Society may be viewed as a three-legged stool, the legs consisting of voluntary organisations, pri-vate enterprise, and public welfare. All three are needed for the stool to stand firm.

Many fields – a need for co-ordinationThe meeting points between volunteer work and work for inclusion, poverty, student life, sports and preparedness are important perspectives in the parliamentary report. The government expresses its desire to see a simplified, co-ordinated meet-ing point between voluntary organisations and the Norwegian public sector. The

report also raises many issues that are relevant to Norwegian People’s Aid work, such as democrati-sation and participation, and the value of volun-teer work to each indivi-dual who contributes.

Our points of viewNorwegian People’s Aid submitted statements within the consultative process and met with the parliamentary committee to give an account of our points of view. We are satisfied in that we have got a government paper that deals with the whole spectrum of voluntary work and takes a collec-tive overview of the challenges we face. We are particularly positive to the thought that the public sector be better co-ordinated with the voluntary sector.

Health, preparedness and preventive workThe paper, however, says too little about voluntary organisations as a health resource. No mention is made of the importance of the population learning first aid or the value of medical preparedness, such as that provided by Norwegian People’s Aid Health and Rescue Service. Generally speaking, preparedness organisations have many excellent formulae but do not rise to meet the challenges that face us in day to day life.

Norwegian People’s Aid is also of the general opinion that it is difficult to obtain funds for pre-ventive work. It is paradoxical that we, in oil-rich Norway, do not invest more in accident prevention or work targeting vulnerable groups within Norwe-gian Society.

Voluntary work on its own termsBy means of its report, the government clearly ex-presses that voluntary work has a role to

play in challenging the public sector, in developing new initiatives and, not least, in finding new arenas for creating social engagement. For this reason, the government has no desire to implement measures that would weaken the independence of voluntary or-ganisations. The main objectives of the report are to:• Ensure the independence and diversity of volun-

tary work• Make it possible for everyone to be able to parti-

cipate in voluntary work• Ensure better conditions for local voluntary activity• Increase awareness and attention of the role of

voluntary work and its importance to society• Co-ordinate and continuously develop policy in

regard of voluntary work

the Norwegian public sector. The

Volunteer work for all

Training and exercises are important to

Norwegian People’s Aid. We have 20 youth

groups which are active within NPA Health

and Rescue Services. To become an authorised

first aider, a basic 30 hour course must be

completed. These skills can be added to by

means of further training courses, specialised

seminars and practical exercises.

Volunteer work for all

The Norwegian Rescue Service is a collaboration between voluntary rescue organisations and the public and private sectors.

AppellThe Norwegian People’s Aid magazine, Appell, was issued quarterly during 2007.

The topics were:1. The situation in Palestine: Crushed hope

– crushed lives2. Ten years of the mine ban treaty: The

battle against cluster bombs has begun3. The Artist Gala 20074. Youth – better than their reputation

In addition, both an information booklet about NORAD projects and a net based guide to international work were produced. The number of visits to the Norwegian People’s Aid website is steadily increasing.

The running of Husebyparken, Kongs-vinger, Vardåsen and Veumalléen refugee reception centres continued throughout 2007, while our service at Løren Refugee Transit Centre, which we had been running since its opening in 1999, came to a close.

On 29th February 2008, we assumed the run-ning of Tanum Refugee Transit Centre and were thus, at the turn of the year, running five refugee reception centres in Norway. Secretary General, Petter Eide, was present at the ceremony which marked the beginning of operations for Norwegian

People’s Aid at the centre. He underlined how refugee reception centres are a natural part of both globalisation and NPA’s solidarity work.

– Our employees at refugee reception centres give us a unique approach to understanding the challenges the world faces, said Eide. Continu-ing, he commented that the refugee reception centres should be an integral part of Norwegian People’s Aid, providing information which makes it possible for the organisation to be a critical voice in the public debate about the conditions under which asylum seekers live in Norway.

The guardian projectSince 2002, Norwegian People’s Aid has been engaged in training guardians for

unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. We have worked towards an understanding of the guardian’s role and tasks, developed methods and material for recruitment, training and follow-up of guardians, and produced a model for how guardian work can be car-ried out on a nationwide basis. The work of guardians remains a neglected area, and Norway has been repeatedly criticised by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Norwegian People’s Aid conti-nues to work the earliest possible implementation of arrangements which ensure competent guardians for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers.

The guardian project is an example of how experience gained by Norwegian People’s Aid in refugee reception centres may be used to expose weaknesses and identify development oppor-tunities in work with refugees and asylum seek-ers. Guardian work with unaccompanied minor asylum seekers has been, and remains, marked by great variation; this concerns understanding the role itself and the work undertaken both by the public guardians office and each individual guar-dian. Lack of training remains a central concern.

The project Diversity and Voluntary Work resul-ted in 100 old and new volunteers running activities both inside and outside refugee reception centres. A handbook based on these experiences was produced and, using funds from Health and Reha-bilitation, both the project and this material will be developed further in 2008 and 2009.

refugee reception centres are a natural part of both globalisation and NPA’s solidarity work.

– Our employees at refugee reception centres give us a unique approach to understanding the challenges the world faces, said Eide. Continu-ing, he commented that the refugee reception centres should be an integral part of Norwegian People’s Aid, providing information which makes it possible for the organisation to be a critical voice in the public debate about the conditions under which asylum seekers live in Norway.

The guardian projectSince 2002, Norwegian People’s Aid has been engaged in training guardians for

Refugee reception centres

Combating racism Norwegian People’s Aid activities to combat racism and challenge attitudes took many forms in 2007: Racism Free Zone, Show Racism the Red Card, The Human Library, Diversity and Dialogue (DAD) and Immigrant Women Can Do It courses. A new project, With Sport against Gay and Lesbian Abuse, a collaboration between the Norwegian Sports Federation and the Norwegian National Association for Lesbian and Gay Liberation, was set in motion under the administration of Norwegian People’s Aid. The administrative duties were subsequently transferred to the Norwegian Sports Federation in 2008.

The course of 2007 witnessed the strengthening of cooperation with Fagforbundet (The Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees) in terms of anti-racist and attitude challenging work: Racism Free Zone, DAD courses, the Human Library, Immigrant Women Can Do It and People’s Friend initiatives are all to contribute to Fagforbundet’s work in being the “Union of Good Attitudes”.

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Preventive Health WorkThe development project, “Preventive health work in refugee reception centres”, conducted by the Psycho-social Resource Centre in collabora-tion with Norwegian People’s Aid at Kongsvinger, Vardåsen and, previously, at Birkelid Reception Centres, continued in its twin objectives: to create a good model at reception level for the identifi-cation and prevention of psychological suffering in the target group; and to increase the skills base in this area within Norwegian People’s Aid. Throughout the entire project period, psychologi-cal/clinical services have been made available to residents of the participating reception centres, and there has been an ongoing collaboration with both the municipal health services and specialist health services in the municipalities concerned.

Mari Holan, elected as leader for Norwegian People’s Aid Youth (NPAY) in 2007, does not need to be asked twice about what she wants to do over the next four ye-ars. She wants to profile the organi-sation; wants everyone to know just how bold, tough and different NPA is compared to other organisations.

For Mari, there are two things in particular about Norwegian People’s Aid that make her glow about the work and the organisation: Here there’s an ocean of opportunities to do something that means something and you’re allowed to have your own opinions.

– That NPA stands by particular points of view actually makes it easier to get people involved. That’s my experience, she says.

Norwegian People’s Aid has 4,000 members between the ages of 13 and 30 who come under the banner of NPA Youth. Most youth groups belong to ordinary chapters, although they have their own meetings and activities.

Mari Holan leads the central youth committee, which consists of representatives from the

organisation’s six regions plus the leader and two deputies. The regions also have their own youth committees.

Active studentsIn March 2007, a new student group got under way at the University of Oslo. 22 interested students turned up expressing a desire to get involved in refugee issues, anti-racism and international affairs.

Renate Viken was one of the group. – It’s great to be part of forming a completely new group, she says. Renate was previously an active volunteer at Løren Refugee Reception Centre, which was NPA-run for several years. Norwegian People’s Aid, Oslo wishes the new group welcome. The chapter celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2007, and the student group is a positive contribution to showing the organisation’s attitudes to just such issues as racism and xenophobia.

NPA Youth has also acquired a new student branch in Trondheim, established in autumn 2007 at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

Mari Holan finds it natural for students to be a part of NPA’s active membership.

– Students are traditionally active and socially aware. In NPA we have activities which are suitable for most people. It’s good for sedentary students to get out to the mountains, take part in searches, provide first aid, go climbing and driving snow scooters. They need some proper action. There are also things available to people who want to work with poverty issues at home or abroad or get involved with good, oldfashioned solidarity work.

Principles and value basisThe new NPA Action Plan for 2007-11 contains the following paragraphs concerning NPA Youth: Norwegian People’s Aid prioritises the work of recruiting youth and giving room to them throughout the organisation. We recruit young people from all parts of society, irrespective of ethnic or social background. Youth is to be given the opportunity to participate in the activities and arrangements of the entire organisation. Norwegian People’s Aid shall contribute to creating good, safe meeting places for youth in a drug free, social environment.

Young people are often more curious and radical than adults and have a greater desire for change. NPA Youth is free to stand by its own points of view as long as they do not conflict with NPA’s value basis and statutes.

NPA Youth is an open, inclusive part of Norwegian People’s Aid, visible in society and challenging young people to get involved. Its work with outdoor activities and rescue, international solidarity and in challenging attitudes, is based on the organisation’s vision of Solidarity in Action. The Human Library, first aid courses, Red Card and exchanges with youth in Palestine, North West Russia and South Africa are examples of its activities.

NPA Youth will continue its work in both domestic and international networks and fora. Here, youth has the opportunity to show solidarity in practice, increase its levels of knowledge and contribute to social development.

Active youth organisation2007 was a year marked by a great many activities and a high level of engagement throughout the country. This is the way we like it, and the tempo is to be kept up in 2008.

A new initiative this year was the Regional Youth Committees’ meeting in Asker. The meeting gave representatives from local, regional and central levels the opportunity to meet and discuss solutions to the challenges in binding these levels together. There is a strong need for youth to meet between local chapters, and we must try to make this possible. If there is to be a sense of community and unity within NPA Youth, we have to meet and get to know each other, and learn from one another. We have been working on this during 2007, and we will not be giving it up easily.

Principles and value basis

Norwegian People’s Aid Youth – tough, bold and different

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In many countries where Norwe-gian People’s Aid is active and has partners, oil and gas deposits are neither under democratic control nor used to promote the com-mon good. On the contrary, many countries are affected by oil and gas resources being more akin to a curse, with corruption, misrule, conflict, economic difficulties and environmental destruction as direct consequences.

In November 2007, Norwegian People’s Aid, LO and the Norwegian Union of Industry and Energy Workers arranged a conference “How to make Oil a Blessing – not a Curse” in Stavanger. Partners from African and Latin American countries were invited to attend in order to learn, discuss and make plans concerning ways in which oil and gas resources might become a positive benefit to society.

The 35 international delegates were the central participants of the 60 or so who attended the conference, which was officially opened by the

then NPA Secretary General, Finn Erik Thoresen. The opening address was held by Torbjørn Urfjell, political advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Over the two conference days, a host of presen-tations, workshops and plenary discussions were undertaken. The international partners presented their experiences, anxieties and involvement vis-à-vis the oil and gas sector. A number of Norwegi-an speakers introduced various perspectives from the Norwegian oil story and differing experiences of the role of the oil sector in Norwegian society.

Oil for developmentThe Oil for Development Programme has been a tremendously important area of investment for the Norwegian administration’s development policy over the last year. For Norwegian People’s Aid, the conference in Stavanger was just one link in the chain towards complementing and influencing this development area, but a number of perspectives, which we regard as important, are still insufficiently taken care of by the administration’s programme. Nor-wegian People’s Aid does not think it enough simply to attempt to build functioning, bureaucratic adminis-trative institutions; NPA believes that participation and pressure from civil society organisations, trades unions and local communities are necessary to create a democratic foundation for the extraction of oil and gas, and so that the population’s needs are taken care of.

It was for precisely this reason that a number of NPA partner organisations were invited to Stavanger. Organisa-

tions from countries where the oil industry is still in the starting blocks were able to learn and get useful suggestions from participants with more, often expensively purchased experience in the field. At the same time, the conference was an important arena for network building between countries and different organisational forms. Pos-sibilities of effective interplay between LO’s trade union partners and NPA’s civil society partners in southern countries emerged as a particularly inte-resting issue during the conference.

Delegates also presented some clear recom-mendations to the Development for Oil Pro-gramme. On the one hand it is important that civil society is taken on board so that democratic pro-cesses can give a voice to the people;

on the other, Norway must ensure that its own house is in order, that Norwegian compa-nies do not operate with poorer standards in the South than they do in Norway.

Norwegian People’s Aid, in collaboration with its partners, will monitor Norwegian companies’ acti-vities in the South. At the same time, NPA is par-ticularly concerned with strengthening its partner organisations and their opportunities to engage with the oil sector in their respective countries. The Stavanger conference was an important beginning to this work.tremendously important area of investment for the

Norwegian administration’s development policy over the last year. For Norwegian People’s Aid,

trative institutions; NPA believes that

and local communities are necessary to create a democratic foundation for

that the population’s needs are taken

It was for precisely this reason that a number of NPA partner organisations were invited to Stavanger. Organisa-

society is taken on board so that democratic pro-cesses can give a voice to the people;

beginning to this work.

Oil – a blessing or a curse?

Bolivia EcuadorCambodia

Oil for developmentOf those countries encompassed by the Oil for Development Programme, Norwegian People’s Aid is engaged in the following:Angola Sudan Tanzania Mozambique

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The tenth anniversary of the inter-national treaty prohibiting the pro-duction, sale, transport and use of land mines was celebrated in Oslo in September 2007 by a large group of people from around the world.

Alongside the official programme to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the international agreement against land mines on the 18th of September, Norwegian People’s Aid, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marked the occasion with a large arrangement in central Oslo. A 130 sq.m tent exhibited land mines, cluster munitions, clearance equipment, posters and photographs; outside it, the public were treated to a spectacular exhibition of the work of photographer Werner Anderson. The Norwegian

Armed Forces had also lent us an 18-ton mine clearance machine.

Part of the occasion was also dedicated to demonstrating mine clearance. One of the mine dogs from the Norwegian People’s Aid Global Training Centre for dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina was put through its paces and two mine clearance workers demonstrated manual techniques. Ten tons of sand provided an artificial mine field, parts of which the public were able to enter. Treading on any of the six dummy mines resulted in a loud report and those doing so, if they wished, were subsequently able to walk around wearing a prosthesis to get some kind of an idea of what it must be like to lose a leg. NPA Health and Rescue Service participated with ‘injury make-up’, making everything look as realistic as possible. The occasion achieved broad media coverage.

60 countriesAlmost 60 countries of the world have various degrees of mine problems. Often a country will appear on the list owing to a mine problem along its borders. These areas are often easier to control, however, because they are known to be risky and people therefore keep away. Countries which have had long term conflict, such as those in Africa fighting for independence, are those which are most seriously affected. Afghanistan and Cambodia also have extensive problems while Latin America is one area where considerably better control has been achieved.

A great deal has been achieved since the Mine Ban Treaty was signed in 1997. The agreement stigmatised this type of weapon so much that there is no longer a market for anti-personnel mines. Even non-governmental activists and guerrilla groups have now refrained from using them.

Mine clearance toolboxTen years after the mine ban treaty, the world is still waiting for a revolution in mine clearance. Despite efforts involving everything from radar systems to gene modification of plant material, no new discoveries have been made to make the job more effective. Mine detectors, mine sticks and sniffer dogs are still the most effective ways of detecting mines. Norwegian People’s Aid has developed a toolbox for use in the battle against mines. This includes machines, men and women who undertake manual clearance, as well as mine dogs.

Often what is most difficult is finding out where to start clearing. The mine problem is often difficult to define because it is the fear of mines which makes an area unusable. Maybe an area lies unused by the local population because of a mine accident; there often turns out to be just one mine in such an area and that has already exploded when mine clearance is put into action.

Since mine clearance is so costly, time consuming and demanding in terms of safety, it is essential that prior analyses ensure that teams are not dispatched to search through empty areas. Norwegian People’s Aid believes there will be greater cooperation in the future with local authorities where mine clearance is concerned. NPA will encourage national administrations to show the strength and will to solve problems themselves. This will result in fewer programmes such as that currently in Sri Lanka, where between 500-600 NPA personnel are involved.

Mine clearance toolbox Since mine clearance is so costly,

Ten years of landmine prohibitionMine clearance

in Jordan. Norwegian

People’s Aid is doubly engaged

in the work against mines

and cluster munitions, both

as an active mine clearance

organisation and as a

political player.

Female mine clearance workers in Sri Lanka.8

As with land mines, cluster bombing is a means and a method which leads to unacceptable suffering for civilians. Cluster bombs affect wide areas and are difficult to limit and aim, often landing in places that were not intended. Many are left lying on the ground and function, in practice, as land mines.

Norwegian People’s Aid stands at the forefront of the Cluster Munitions Coalition (CMC), a network of over 250 organisations worldwide which has been working for an international ban on cluster munitions since 2003.

In February 2007, Norway, in the form of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre, launched an international process to ban cluster munitions. At the first meeting, in Oslo, 46 countries committed themselves, alongside Norway,

to negotiate a ban before the end of 2008. Conferences were thereafter held in Peru and Austria, as well as regionally, and a specific conference for affected countries was arranged in Beograd in September.

Worse than minesIf the world’s enormous stockpiles of cluster munitions were to be used in conflict, it would lead to an humanitarian catastrophe. The US has almost one billion cluster bombs stockpiled, China and Russia probably the same. Nearly all are of the type which are so problematic with their high failure ratios. If all these were to be used, it would result in greater amounts of unexploded ordnance than the number of mines when the mine ban came into force. A cluster munitions ban could therefore turn out to be even more important than the ban on mines.

In February, Norwegian People’s Aid also launched a report concerning NATO’s use of cluster munitions in Serbia in 1999. The report shows that cluster bombs from that time continue to take lives and that it is civilians who are worst affected. “Yellow Killers” was written by Jelena Vicentic from Norwegian People’s Aid Serbia, and her work has lead to the creation of a network for cluster bomb victims in that country. This group visibly and effectively lobbied the conference for affected countries in Beograd, in October, and subsequently formed the core of a world wide network of cluster bomb victims, which has since continued its lobbyist activities in the Oslo Process.

Cluster Munitions ReportIn December, Norwegian people’s Aid presented a new report confirming the rectitude of the Norwegian government’s decision in 2006 to introduce a moratorium on Norwegian stocks of cluster bombs. M85 – An analysis of Reliability was launched in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and British explosives clearance expert Colin King during the Vienna Conference on cluster munitions. The conference brought together 133 states to discuss ways to arrive at a ban before the end of 2008.

Some of the countries in the Oslo Process argued that sub-munitions with self destruct mechanisms did not cause unacceptable humanitarian consequences and that they should not therefore be banned. The Israeli-produced sub-munition M85, stockpiles of which were retained by Norway, Finland

and the UK, among others, became a symbol for this approach because it demonstrated the best available technology for self destruct mechanisms. It is also the only sub-munition with a self-destruct mechanism to have been used in conflict – by the UK in Iraq in 2003, and by Israel in the Lebanon in 2006.

The Israeli manufacturer claimed the failure rate of M85 to be under one per cent. Norwegian tests also showed a failure rate of around one per cent for this weapon. The Norwegian People’s Aid report, however, showed the failure rate for M85 in the Lebanon to be around 10 per cent. The report underlined that the example of M85 in all probability illustrates the considerable difference between tests and reality, and set the agenda for further discussions in the Oslo Process.

alongside Norway,

worst affected. “Yellow Killers” was written by Jelena Vicentic from Norwegian People’s Aid and the UK, among others, became a symbol

Cluster munitions

Successful negotiationsAt the end of May 2008, after long negotiations in Dublin, 107 countries agreed upon a ban against cluster munitions. The agreement is to be signed in Oslo in December 2008.

– Cluster bombing is a means and a method, so to speak, which invariably leads to unacceptable suffering in the civilian population, says Norwegian People’s Aid advisor, Grethe Østern.

The first NPA bomb

disposal teams were

swiftly in place in

South Lebanon to

help remove some of

the one million or so

cluster bombs left on

the ground after the

war of summer 2006

before the civilian

population finds them.

There are still some

850,000 cluster

munitions awaiting

clearance.

9

LO and Norwegian people’s Aid be-gan a joint action for the people of Palestine in September 2006. The collaboration was originally intended to last to New Year but was exten-ded, culminating in a 1st of May parade in 2007.

The collaboration brought in over one million NOK for work in Palestine, a sum which was equally divided between NPA and LO.

The situation in Palestine ahs not improved during 2007. Author and journalist, Amira Hass, writes in her article The Experiment is a success – the Palestinians are killing each other, published 4th October 2006 in Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz:

They are behaving as expected at the end of the extended experiment called ”what happens when you imprison 1.3 million human beings in an enclosed space like battery hens.

These are the steps in the experiment: Imprison (since 1991); remove the prisoners’ usual means of livelihood; seal off all outlets to the outside world, nearly hermetically; destroy

existing means of livelihood by preventing the entry of raw materials and the marketing of goods and produce; prevent the regular entry of medicines and hospital supplies; do not bring in fresh food for weeks on end; prevent, for years, the entry of relatives, professionals, friends and others, and allow thousands of people - the sick, heads of families, professionals, children - to be stuck for weeks at the locked gates of the Gaza Strip’s only entry/exit.

Steal hundreds of millions of dollars (customs and tax revenues collected by Israel that belong to the Palestinian treasury), so as to force the nonpayment of the already low salaries of most government employees for months; present the firing of homemade Qassam rockets as a strategic threat that can only be stopped by harming women, children and the old; fire on crowded residential neighborhoods from the air and the ground; destroy orchards, groves and fields.

Dispatch planes to frighten the population with sonic booms; destroy the new power plant and force the residents of the closed-off Strip to live without electricity for most of the day for a period of four months, which will most likely turn

into a full year - in other words, a year without refrigeration, electric fans, television, lights to study and read by; force them to get by without a regular supply of water, which is dependent on the electricity supply.

It is the good old Israeli experiment called ”put them into a pressure cooker and see what happens,” and this is one of the reasons why this is not an internal Palestinian matter.

The success of the experiment can be seen in the miasma of desperation that hangs over the Gaza Strip, and in the clan feuding that erupts almost daily there, even more than in the battles between Fatah and Hamas militants. One can

only wonder that the feuding is not more frequent, and that some bonds of internal solidarity have been maintained, which saves people from hunger.

Joint action for Palestine

The Artists’ GalaThe Artists’ Gala, TV2’s humanitarian fund raiser in September 2007 was devoted to the work of Norwegian People’s Aid. The programme, which was sent live from Drammen Theatre with a host of international artists and reports from our projects, had a particular focus on mine clearance work. During the spring, five ambassadors travelled abroad to become more familiar with NPA work. Ane Dahl Torp and Ane Brun visited the Norwegian People’s Aid Global Training Centre for dogs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Erik Thorstvedt met mine victims in the Lebanon, Minken Fosheim, met female mine clearance personnel in South Sudan and Solveig Kloppen visited villages in Cambodia. Prior to the Artists’ Gala, a new donor arrangement was put into place – folkehjelper.no – and, during the gala, 3000 new regular donors to NPA work were enrolled.

The jont action for Palestine culminated with parades and fund raising across the country on the

1st of May 2007.

10

– It’s amazing how much has happe-ned in so short a time! No-one would have believed it when we started six years ago.

150 women from 26 countries came together in Beograd 16th to 18th November to sum up six years of the Women Can Do It programme. The purpose of the courses is to give women the self-confidence and organisational training necessary to participate in political life. So far, around 25,000 women from over 30 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa have taken part in Women Can Do It courses. 1200 women have received training for cour-se leadership and more and more countries are asking after the courses.

The Labour Party Women’s Network and Norwegian People’s Aid initiated the Wo-men Can Do It collaboration in 2001. The collaboration also embraces local organi-sations in 19 countries, all of which have helped shape the programme.

– It is important not to present Norway as a country with perfect sexual equality, emphasises Anniken Huitfeldt, Akershus’ parliamentary representative and leader of the Labour Party Women’s Network, in her address during the conference. – Far too few women participate in politics in Norway; Norway also experiences abuse of women. It is important to com-municate this to people from other countries who think Norway has solved all the problems.

– We have now discussed what we can do to support our sisters living under occupation and in situations of conflict. We should acknowledge

that we are extremely privileged to be able to come here and discuss strategy for three whole days, said Helena Zefa-nias Lowe, to resounding applause. Lowe works for Norwegian People’s Aid in Angola.

Then Secretary General, Finn Erik Thoresen, gave the

closing address to the conference. He recalled how women got full wind under their sails during the 1980s in the Norwegian Graphical Union, of which he was then leader. – The women gave us men a robust challenge, setting question marks against all our customary conceptions. Goodness, didn’t

that do us good! I am proud of you; you are the leaders of the future. Norwegian People’s Aid will continue to put its efforts into the Women Can Do It programme in the years to come, pro-mised Thoresen.

– It is important not to present Norway as a country closing address

Fatima A. Madar got a job in an IT company after taking part in Norway’s first Immigrant Women Can Do It course.

Women Can Do It

Women’s right to participationThe Women Can Do It programme was introduced to South Africa in 2003 and renewed in 2007. The programme combines organisational and political training and helps give women increased self-confidence, awareness of their own strength and motivation to concrete action and activity. The programme is conducted in cooperation with the Labour Party Women’s Network and is based on the Women Can Do It course manual. The Women Can Do It programme is now conducted in over 20 countries where Norwegian People’s Aid has a presence.

The target groups are first and foremost women who are engaged in political work, unions, voluntary organisations, media, students and women in public positions. Special focus is put on young women. The purpose is to strengthen women’s position in society and to motivate women to participation in political work and public debate.

necessary to participate in political life. So far, around 25,000 women from over 30 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa have taken part in Women Can Do It courses. 1200 women have received training for cour-se leadership and more and more countries are asking after the courses.

Norwegian People’s Aid initiated the Wo-men Can Do It collaboration in 2001. The collaboration also embraces local organi-sations in 19 countries, all of which have helped shape the programme.

with perfect sexual equality, emphasises Anniken Huitfeldt, Akershus’ parliamentary representative and leader of the Labour Party Women’s Network, in her address during the conference. – Far too few women participate in politics in Norway; Norway also experiences abuse of women. It is important to com-municate this to people from other countries who think Norway has solved all the problems.

support our sisters living under occupation and in situations of conflict. We should acknowledge

Helena Zefanias Lowe from Norwegian

People’s Aid talking to the conference in

Beograd.

The jont action for Palestine culminated with parades and fund raising across the country on the

1st of May 2007.

11

Just a few months ago, an historic meeting took place in a Wayuyu vil-lage in the Mayabangloma region of north Colombia. For the very first time, indigenous women from all over Latin America met to discuss indigenous women’s needs and vio-lence against women.

The Wayuyu people were the conference hosts and all the 80 participants lodged in the local com-munity. In this way, the ‘conference feeling’ that a hotel gives was avoided and, at the same time, all the local inhabitants were able to participate in the arrangement. This was such an important event for the Wayuyu people that local schools closed to enable children to participate. It was a large, festive occasion for the hosts who had

been preparing for the visit for the previous two weeks. They built a great roof over a large open space, something which helps a great deal in the hot, humid climate. They served food, and every-one stayed in local rooms and houses, sleeping in hammocks. This informal framework provided a wonderful atmosphere for the whole arrangement.

The meeting lasted four days and contained presentations of all the indigenous groups that were represented, accounts of their own experi-ences of the role of leaders and group work on diverse issues such as violence in the home, state violence, equality in organisational life and women’s rights in international agreements.

The meeting ended with a political declaration which acknowledged violence and inequality as problems which affect women, that indigenous

women need their own space to meet, discuss and ex-change experiences, and that this was the beginning of a network that had to continue. The declaration urged the authorities of the countries concerned to take action in relation to this situation and encouraged the UN to in-crease their efforts beyond the current level.

Extreme violence– The whole thing kicked off with an e-mail from the Head of Foreign Affairs at Norwegian People’s Aid, says Cristina Santacruz, who is an NPA programme coordinator in Ecuador. The email said that it might be possible to secure funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for projects concerned with violence against women. – We immediately thought of our partners in Colombia, ONIC – the Colombian Natio-nal Organisation for Indigenous Women.

– Women in Colombian villages experience an extreme degree of violence both inside and outside the home. Women’s bodies have become a weapon of war. Men are killed and women are raped, Cristina confirms. Women live under con-stant pressure and threats from different groups – the authorities, armed bands and drugs barons.

– Alongside an Ecuadorian partner organisa-tion, Ewaru Nari, we met in Bogota to discuss what could be done. Thus the idea of arranging a meeting for indigenous women from the whole of Latin America emerged. It was very exciting to witness the development during the course of the

meeting. We gradually took a few paces back so that the participants were able to feel ‘ownership’ of the arrangement. It was almost as if we had dropped a small ball in their half of the pitch and then watched it expand, recalls Cristina.

As well as the participants from Ecuador and Bolivia, women from Mexico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Argentina also arrived to take part. The next goal is to arrange a women’s summit in connection with the continental summit for indigenous peoples of the Americas, which is due to take place in Chile in 2009. The women’s summit will take place two days before the main summit. Working parties have already been formed for the different issues to be raised, issues such as violence against women, sexual equality, and training and skills enhancement within organisational work.

Indigenous women’s meeting

The occasion was so important for the Wayuyu people that schools closed during the conference, allowing children to take part.

The hosts built an

enormous roof over

an open space,

helping against

heat and humidity.

12

The organisation Norwegian People’s Aid is a member organi sa -t ion, active in four key areas: youth activity, health, rescue and preparedness, socially targeted work and international involvement. A large amount of our activity is based on the voluntary efforts of members.

At the turn of the year, Norwegian People’s Aid had 11,161 members, divided into 98 chapters. This is a slight reduction on the previous year. 3,455 members were under 30 years old. Through affiliated LO associations, Norwegian People’s Aid has around 850,000 collective members.

Norwegian People’s Aid is an active organi-sation and the tendency of recent years towards increased recruitment and activity among members under 30 years old is continuing.

The head office of Norwegian People’s Aid is situated in Oslo, and our six regional offices are located as follows: Northern Region in Tromsø, Central Norwegian Region in Trondheim, Eastern Region in Hunndalen, South Eastern Region in Tønsberg, South Western Region in Stavanger and Western Region in Bergen. We also maintain staff at refugee reception centres. Abroad, Norwegian People’s Aid has local or regional offices in 13 countries and projects in 36 countries.

Result for 2007The Board confirms that the prerequisites for continued operations are present and that these form the basis for compiling the accounts for the period. Reference is made to information provided on equity and revenues.

Available funds in 2007 totalled NOK 729 million, compared with NOK 752 million in 2006.

The operating result for 2007 is NOK 5.989

million, compared with NOK 9.895 million in 2006. 2.3 million of the operating result is covered by consumption of previously collected funds, the remaining 3.6 million by distributable reserves.

Our incomeWe have worked to strengthen collaboration with our largest and most important donors.

LO and the trade unions, their local branches and associations contributed NOK 5.6 million to Norwegian People’s Aid in 2007. Of this amount, NOK 3 million is the fee for LO members’ collective membership.

Lotteries and games brought in NOK 25 million in 2007, a gross reduction of NOK 15 million on the 2006 figure. Income from slot machines was drastically reduced after Norsk Tipping was granted sole operating rights. The National Lottery is under pressure as a result of ever increasing numbers reserving themselves against telephone sales.

Norwegian People’s Aid developed a new, regular donor concept in 2007, called folkehjelper.no, which is expected to show significant results in 2008. Participation in TV2’ Artists’ Gala in September led to the recruitment of 3,000 new regular donors to the organisation’s work.

Activity in 2007

In NorwayNorwegian People’s Aid is an organisation governed by its members and based on their voluntary efforts. Central tasks for our volunteers are first aid, rescue, preparedness and accident prevention work throughout the country. Many of our members in local chapters are concerned with taking social

responsibility in the areas where they live, and they thus represent an important contribution over and above the responsibilities of the public sector. It is a source of pleasure that young people within Norwegian People’s Aid have shown such enormous involvement in our international work for solidarity.

Throughout the year, Norwegian People’s Aid has been running five national refugee reception centres on commission from the Directorate of Immigration. Anti-racist work continues to be a key area of activity for our work in Norway. The Show Racism the Red Card, Racism Free Zone and Human Library projects have reached a great many people through their net works. Refugee work and attitude creation work previously came under the social unit at head office. This unit was dissolved in 2007 and its responsibilities divided. Work with reception centres and asylum seekers was transferred to the Administration Depart-ment, while refugee policy and attitude creation work was transferred to the Communication Department. Work on behalf of women from minority back grounds and Immigrant Women Can Do It courses continued and were developed further in 2007.

International workNorwegian People’s Aid has developed its inter-national cooperative work along three main lines: • Support to liberation movements and other

groups fighting for political and civil rights • Support to local popular organisations in their

struggle against poverty and for human rights and redistribution

• Mine clearance and political work to prohibit all production, storage, sale and use of land mines and cluster munitions. In 2007, Norwegian People’s Aid worked within

the framework of the cooperation agreement with Norad for the period 2004-07. In addition, 2007 saw the execution of a whole range of other programmes with financial support from Norwegian and foreign donors, programmes which contribute to building the foundations of peace, democracy and development in the 36 countries where Norwegian People’s Aid is active.

In South Sudan we are well on the way to changing our programme from emergency relief to reconstruction and development, and work to extend the programme nationally is on course. Serious problems with mines, food supplies and health affect the whole country and national capacity and competence is seriously lacking. This creates enormous challenges in terms of both the peace agreement and the building up of the nation.

In September 2007, a large group of people assembled from around the world to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the international conven-tion which prohibits the production, storage, sale and use of land mines. The Norwegian government and Norwegian civil society, in the form of the Forum for Development and Cooperation in partnership with Norwegian People’s Aid and other members’ organisations, hosted the gathering.

Work to achieve an international ban on cluster munitions was stepped up in 2007. The first international conference took place in Oslo in February, 2007, starting what swiftly became known as the Oslo Process. 46 countries committed themselves to negotiating a ban against cluster munitions by the end of 2008. Norwegian People’s Aid has been a key player in this work from the beginning and our efforts will be intensified further during 2008.

Norwegian People’s Aid is the Norwegian People’s Aid is the Norwegian trade unions’ humanitarian organisation for solidarity. Solidarity and human dignity are our fundamental values. We work both nationally and internationally to improve living conditions for vulnerable groups and to contribute to a more just society.

ANNUAL REPORT 2007

13

In collaboration with LO and Norwegian Union of Industry and Energy Workers, Norwegian People’s Aid organised a conference in November 2007 concerned with the issue Oil for Development.

We also entered a new agreement with Norad to be in force from 2008.

AdministrationWhere administration is concerned, the Board continued to emphasise the further development of governance and report systems in 2007. In order to ensure the correct use of funds, a great deal of time and resources have been put into the development and systemisation of administrative routines, which are available on a joint, global platform (MS Sharepoint). The focus on internal control and internal accounting was also intensified in 2007 and we have, among other measures, undertaken internal accounting reviews in two national programmes (in Sri Lanka and Sudan).

A key issue in the work with internal control has been a sharper focus on anti-corruption measures. In this context, Norwegian People’s Aid has initiated work upon an anti-corruption policy, accompanied by associated procedures and guidelines. This work will be completed in 2008.

The Board: Composition and workNorwegian People’s Aid held its National Assembly in June 2007, in Sandefjord. The Assembly passed a new Action Plan and elected a new board for the period 2007–2011. Acting Secretary General Finn Erik Thoresen was elected Chairman of the Board, assuming the post on 01.01.2008, when Petter Eide took over as the new Secretary General. The previous Chairman, Grete Faremo, continued in the position until the end of 2007.

The new Board consists of:• Chairman • 1st and 2nd Vice Chairman• One representative from each of the six regions with two personal deputies • The leaders of each of the four central committees with two personal

deputies • Two representatives elected by and among NPA employees, with personal

deputies.

The Board until 23.06.07Chairman Grete Faremo 2nd Vice Ch. Espen Brekke

Northern Region Gry Brækmo JohansenCentral Norw. R. Edel Danielsen Western Region Samba Njie South Western R. Martha RondestvedtSouth Eastern R. Ole Marius Vollen Eastern Region Kjersti E.R. Jenssen

Norwegian Union of Industry and Energy Workers Sonja MeekNorwegian Civil Service Union Turid LilleheieNorwegian United Federation of Trade Unions Atle HøieNorwegian Food and Allied Workers’ Union Helge Egeland

Employees’ Rep. Tord LierNPA Youth Trine Høistad NPA Health/Rescue Ørjan N. Karlsson NPA Society Tove Rønning NPA International Torulf Mikkelsen

The Board from 24.06.07Chairman Grete Faremo until 31.12.07 1st Vice Ch. Kjersti E.R. Jenssen2nd Vice Ch. Atle Høie

Northern Region Stig Ole PedersenCentral Norw. R. Arne Hauan Western Region Anne Kari Knutsen South Western R. Edvard TunglandSouth Eastern R. Harald R. Larsen Eastern Region Elin Skovly

Norwegian Union of Industry and Energy Workers Sonja MeekNorwegian Union of Railway Workers Arne DrabløsThe Electrician and IT Workers’ Union Terje O. OlssonNorwegion Union of Municipal and General Employees Anne Grethe Skårdal

Employees’ Rep. Tord LierEmployees’ Rep. Ivar Aamodt NPA Youth Mari Størvold Holan NPA Health/Rescue Anne Mette Johnsen NPA Society Tove Rønning NPA International Torulf Mikkelsen

The Board met seven times in the course of 2007 – three times prior to the General Assembly, and four times afterwards. The Financial Control Committee met four times during the course of the year.

i praksis14

Personell, health, safety and environmentAt the end of 2007, Norwegian People’s Aid had 94 employees at Head Office in Oslo, 25 at refugee reception centres, 57 on contract abroad and 2,664 locally employed workers on foreign projects.

At Head Office, Norwegian People’s Aid manage-ment has close collaboration with employee repre-sentatives through separate committees such as the Committee for Cooperation and the Committee for Health, Safety and the Environment.

The working environment is regarded as sa-tisfactory. Absence owing to illness was at 2.7 % for the period as opposed to 2.54 % the previous year. The figure was higher for women (3.9 %) than for men (1.2 %). There were no injuries of any note or accidents reported during the period.

Protective inspection rounds were undertaken at Head Office and at the regional offices.

The frameworks for international local personnel policy and the NF Standard were adopted.

The figures for self-notified and professionally certified leaves of absence owing to illness are constantly updated and reported.

EqualityHead Office employs 58 % women and 42 % men. The percentages for men and women at top and middle management level are approximately equal. 47 % of full members of the board are women. Sa-laries and working conditions are considered to be equally well arranged for both sexes.

Norwegian People’s Aid recruitment policy intends towards positive discrimination. Persons of immigrant background and women are en-couraged to apply for vacant positions. A mode-rate quota system is practised at all levels and in all areas of activity.

External environmentNorwegian People’s Aid activities have only a mar-ginal negative influence on the external environment in Norway. In collaboration with our partners, we maintain a sharp focus on environmental, as well as social and financial, sustainability in our development work. Norwegian People’s Aid engages in awareness raising about this issue in all our projects.

Future prospectsThe General Assembly resolved that the Board ap-point an organisational committee; this has been done and the committee has commenced work. Norwegian People’s Aid must be a forward-looking organisation and the General Assembly called upon the organisational committee (through the Board) to ensure that discursive fora be set up in order to arrive at a sounder basis for undertaking necessary adjustments to the organisation’s work. It was also an expressed wish on behalf of the Board that the orga-nisation be more unified than it is currently.

The financial situation is difficult. For this reason, the Board resolved that revenue generating work will be closely followed throughout the period of the Assembly in order to build up reserves that stand in relation to operations and so that the organisation is less vulnerable. The Board is concerned about the breadth of our international involvement, which requi-res considerable financial and administrative resour-ces. The Board has therefore requested a thorough examination, envisaged for 2008, of our programmed activities abroad. The same concerns activities on the home front, and the administration makes the initia-tion or continuance of all projects conditional on their ability to break even.

Work towards the labour movement progres-sed well in 2007. Norwegian People’s Aid is the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for

solidarity, and this work must be given even grea-ter weight and followed closely by the Board. Col-laboration with the labour movement must occur at all levels – centrally, regionally and locally.

The Board will now be paying particular attention to organisational work as the third area for special focus during the period of the Assembly. As pre-viously mentioned, an organisational department to strengthen the development of Norwegian People’s Aid was set up in 2007. The government white paper concerning voluntary work, which was published in the summer of 2007, underlines that most organisa-tions of similar character to Norwegian People’s Aid are experiencing a certain decline. The Board notes that this is also the case with Norwegian People’s Aid, but is pleased to report that the percentage of members under 30 years of age is on the increase. Through the combined efforts of a well-run organisa-tional department and an organisational committee with strong ties to the Board – the 1st Vice Chairman is the committee’s leader – the Board feels secure that the organisation will be able to fulfil the expecta-tions conveyed in the General Assembly resolution of 2003, and renewed in 2007, namely that Norwegian People’s Aid be a forward-looking organisation.

Entering new countries and establishing large pro-jects in countries and regions where we are already active may involve a degree of uncertainty. Such uncertainty may be linked with financing on the short, medium or long term. Rapid action is required par-ticularly in relation to the clearance of mines and/or cluster munitions in the aftermath of war or armed conflict to ensure that humanitarian aid and assis-tance is able to get in.

Shifts in requirements and changing framework conditions demand that we carry out measures necessary in

relation to restructuring, competence enhancement and new methods to achieve prioritised objectives. We must be able to fulfil our own, and our partners’, expectations and demands of a professional huma-nitarian organisation. Defensible control routines are put into action the moment we start new projects or establish ourselves in new areas.

Financial risk Norwegian People’s Aid desires to take as little financial risk as possible. The organisation has in-ternal procedures for spreading currency risk across different projects. In addition to this, donations are maintained in the donor’s currency as long as pos-sible. All contracts with our partners contain clauses to prevent risks connected with currency.

Finn Erik Thoresen Chairman

Kjersti E.R. Jenssen1st Vice Chairman

Atle Høie 2nd Vice Chairman

Petter EideSecretary General

i praksis15

ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AS OF 31.12(Figures in thousands)

ACQUISITION OF FUNDS Notes 2007 2006 Income from membership 1 282 993 Official donors 609 257 618 331 Others 15 239 14 186 Total donors 2 624 496 632 517 Gaming and lotteries 24 765 39 551 Donors 3 21 934 18 409 Total collected funds 46 700 57 960 Activities which fulfil NPA’s objectives • Refugee reception centres and other operating units in Norway 44 910 57 748 • Sale of advertising space Appell 340 249 Activities which create income: • Product sales 1 589 2 562 Total accrued funds from operational activities 46 839 60 559 Foreign exchange gains/losses 1 155 -83 Finance income 3 626 2 037 Other financial costs -2 634 -1 500 Total financial income 2 147 454 Other income 7 861 0 TOTAL ACQUIRED FUNDS 729 325 752 483

FUNDS USED Notes 2007 2006 Gaming and lotteries 10 983 11 018 Donors 8 600 8 695 Product sales 1 636 1 856 Artist gala 14 311 0 Other costs 3 262 5 788 Total costs to acquirement of funds 38 792 27 357 Mine clearance 213 797 219 329 Rebuilding, food and emergency relief 144 738 166 423 Society-building and rights 149 028 135 372 Hospital operations and other health work 21 469 27 568 Attitude-changing and anti-rascist activities 4 538 3 473 Refugee reception centres and other operating units in Norway 43 169 55 702 Members organisation 14 973 14 913 Information work in Norway 5 265 4 515 Other projects 64 737 66 283 Project follow-up at the head administrative office 20 385 25 348 VAT payments -2 095 -3 438 Total costs to objectives 680 004 715 488 Administration 16 517 19 532 TOTAL FUNDS USED 735 314 762 377 ANNUAL ACTIVITY RESULTS -5 989 -9 895 ALLOCATION OF ACTIVITY RESULTS

Transfered to/from Equity with externally imposed restrictions 11 443 -14 387 Transfered to/from Equity with self-imposed restrictions 11 -2 792 241 Transfered to/from other equity 12 -3 640 4 251 TOTAL ALLOCATION -5 989 -9 895

16

ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AS OF 31.12(Figures in thousands)

ACQUISITION OF FUNDS Notes 2007 2006 Income from membership 1 282 993 Official donors 609 257 618 331 Others 15 239 14 186 Total donors 2 624 496 632 517 Gaming and lotteries 24 765 39 551 Donors 3 21 934 18 409 Total collected funds 46 700 57 960 Activities which fulfil NPA’s objectives • Refugee reception centres and other operating units in Norway 44 910 57 748 • Sale of advertising space Appell 340 249 Activities which create income: • Product sales 1 589 2 562 Total accrued funds from operational activities 46 839 60 559 Foreign exchange gains/losses 1 155 -83 Finance income 3 626 2 037 Other financial costs -2 634 -1 500 Total financial income 2 147 454 Other income 7 861 0 TOTAL ACQUIRED FUNDS 729 325 752 483

FUNDS USED Notes 2007 2006 Gaming and lotteries 10 983 11 018 Donors 8 600 8 695 Product sales 1 636 1 856 Artist gala 14 311 0 Other costs 3 262 5 788 Total costs to acquirement of funds 38 792 27 357 Mine clearance 213 797 219 329 Rebuilding, food and emergency relief 144 738 166 423 Society-building and rights 149 028 135 372 Hospital operations and other health work 21 469 27 568 Attitude-changing and anti-rascist activities 4 538 3 473 Refugee reception centres and other operating units in Norway 43 169 55 702 Members organisation 14 973 14 913 Information work in Norway 5 265 4 515 Other projects 64 737 66 283 Project follow-up at the head administrative office 20 385 25 348 VAT payments -2 095 -3 438 Total costs to objectives 680 004 715 488 Administration 16 517 19 532 TOTAL FUNDS USED 735 314 762 377 ANNUAL ACTIVITY RESULTS -5 989 -9 895 ALLOCATION OF ACTIVITY RESULTS

Transfered to/from Equity with externally imposed restrictions 11 443 -14 387 Transfered to/from Equity with self-imposed restrictions 11 -2 792 241 Transfered to/from other equity 12 -3 640 4 251 TOTAL ALLOCATION -5 989 -9 895

Finn Erik Thoresen Chairman of the Board

Atle Høie 2nd Vice Chairman

Kjersti E.R. Jenssen 1st Vice Chairman

Petter EideSecretary General

ASSETS Notes 2007 2006

Tangible fixed assets Fixed assets 4 11 998 9 958 Total fixed assets 11 998 9 958 Current assets Stocks 923 153Receivables 6 136 807 150 789Current asset investments 7 26 553 22 709 Cash at bank and in hand etc 13 178 704 185 105Total Current Assets 342 988 358 755 TOTAL ASSETS 354 986 368 713

Balance as of 31.12 (Figures in thousands)

EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Notes 2007 2006

Equity Other reserves 12 18 140 21 780 Restricted equity Equity with externally imposed restrictions 11 999 556Equity with self-imposed restrictions 11 33 190 35 982 Total equity and funds 52 329 58 317 Liabilities Current liabilities Received funds re non-completed projects 5 223 492 224 067Liabilities to project donors 8 8 888 10 084Unpaid interest on funds received 8 1 654 949Various creditors 23 316 20 357Unpaid government charges, holiday pay 13 606 12 875Provisions for liabilities and charges 9 26 362 31 370Other current liabilities 10 5 339 10 693Total liabilities 302 657 310 395 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 354 986 368 713

Restricted funds 13 Pension commitments 14

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CASH FLOW STATEMENT 2007 2006 Annual result -5 989 -9 895Depreciation 6 438 4 395Gains/loss with sale of fixed assets -47 93Change in stocks -770 -114Change in accounts receivable 13 981 39 466Change in accounts payable and other accruals -11 584 -5 106NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES 2 029 28 839 Deposits from sales of fixed assets 43 159Expenses from purchase of fixed assets -8 473 -2 750NET CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES -8 430 -2 591 Allocation of funds 0 0NET CASH FLOW FROM FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 0 0 Net change cash flow -6 401 26 248Balance cash at bank and in hand 01.01 185 105 158 857BALANCE AS OF 31.12 178 704 185 105

NOTE 1 Accounting principles: The Annual Accounts of Norwegian People’s Aid consist of the following: • Activity accounts • Balance sheet • Cash flow statement • Notes The Annual Accounts have been prepared by the organisation’s Board and management and must be read in connection with the Annual Report and the Auditor’s Report. Basic principles - assessment and classification - other matters The Annual Accounts have been submitted in accordance with the Norwegain Accounting Act and gene-rally accepted accounting principles, including the Provisional Norwegian Accounting Standard on Good Accounting Principles for Idealistic Organisations as of September 2006. The Annual Accounts provide a true picture of the organisation’s earned resources and how these have been used during the course of the year, as well as its financial position at the end of the year. The Annual Accounts have been edited and they have been presented in a summrised form. The necessary specifications appear in the notes. Consequently the notes form an integral part of the Annual Accounts.

The Annual Accounts are based on the basic principles that apply to historical costs, matching, the going concern assumption, all-inclusive income and prudence. The basic principles realting to transactions, earned income and matching have been deviated from in acordance with Section 4-1, sub-section 3 of the Norwegian Accounting Act, where such can be regarded as generally accepted accounting practice. Further details about the accounting priciples appear below. When actual figures were not available/certain at the time the accounts were presented, generally accepted accounting practice dictates that the management should make the best possible estimate for inclusion in the accounts. There may be deviations between estimated and actual figures.

General principlesAssets intended for permanent ownership and use are classified as fixed asets. Other assets are classified as current assets. Current assets/liabilities are valued at the lower/higher of cost and their estimated value. The ac-tual value is defined as the estimated future sales price minus anticipated sales expenses. Stocks are valued at the lower of cost in accordance with the ”first-in first-out principle” and estimated sales price. Receivables have been entered at their nominal value with deductions for anticipated losses. Assets are basically valued at cost. Assets that diminish in value are depreciated. If the normal turnover value falls below the capitaised value on the date of the balance sheet, the asset in question is written down. Similar principles are also normally applied to liability items.

In accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, thee are a few exceptions from the general rules relating to assessment. These exceptions are commented on below. When employing accounting principles and

NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS(Figures in the tables are given in thousands of NOK; the text records the exact figures)

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presenting transactions and other matters, emphasis has been placed on the financial realities of the situation in question, not just the legal form. Conditional losses that are probable and quantifiable are carried to expenses.

The division of activities is based on the organisation’s internal control and reporting structure. The activity accounts have been included in the notes to the Annual Accouunts, while the profit and loss ac-count is based on the nature of operations. Figures relating to activities are presented in order to show the organisation’s compliance with its objectives. Geographical fields of activity are also shown where relevant. These figures have been reconciled against the organisation’s profits/losses and net assets.

Accounting principles relating to major acounting items

Date of revenue recognition/earningsIncome is entered on the profit and loss account as and when it accrues. For income which is not offset, e.g. gifts, such is regarded as being earned when the following three criteria have been complied with:1. The organisation must be legally entitled to the income in question2. It must be reasonably certain that the income in question will be received3. It must be possible to measure the income in question with a satisfactory degree of reliability

Reasonable certainty that income will be received is based on an accounts-related understanding of probability concepts, cf. Norwegian Accounting Standard no.13 - Uncertain commitments and assets indicating a probability of 90-100 %.

Income from members The organisation receives voluntary subscriptions from its members. These are not offset and are taken to income on a continuous basis.

Operating subsidies Subsidies that are designed to cover expenses are taken to income gross. Where the criteria for revenue re-cognition have not been met, such subsidies are entered as liabilities on a separate line on the balance sheet. Subsidies are entered on the accounts at the same value as that which applied on the transaction date. Large subsidies for which it is not possible to estimate a real market value are explained in the notes. Inused project funds are ntered as liabilities payable to the donor at the nd of the project in question.

Sponsor funds Sponsor funds are accrued at the same rate as any offsets agreed. If it is not possible to undertake a reliable measurement of such offsets, linear earnings are used as a practical line of approach. Income from lotteries and gaming machines Income from lotteries and gaming machines is taken to income gross. Expenses relating to lotteries and gaming

machines are entered under Expenses relating to the procurement of funds. As regards income from gaming machines when the organisation does not own the machines concerned, but simply receives a percentage of the income received, these funds are regarded as being gross income for the organisation. Date when items are charged to expenses/comparison Expenses are compared with and carried to expenses simultaneously with the activity that incurred the expenditure in question. This applies both to the expenses incurred in order to obtain funds and also to those incurred in order to realise the objective. Expenses that cannot be directly linked to activities are carried to expenses as and when they occur. Division of expenses Wherever possible expenses are linked directly to the activities to which they are related. Expenses re-lating to more than one activity are divided between the various activities in question in a manner that is as reasonable, reliable and consistent as possible.

The following distribution keys have been employed when dividing up expenses: Expenses Distribution keyWages and salaries Time per activityOther expenses, e.g. rent and IT No. of man-labour years per project Other expenses and income Expenses and income that are regarded as being extraordinary and essential to the organisation are presented on a separate line in the activity accounts. Tax The organisation does not have any activities that are liable to taxation. Tangible fixed assets Tangible fixed assets are entered on the balance sheet at cost, minus accumulated depreciatio and write-downs. A tangible asset is regarded as being permanent if it has an economic life of over three years, as well as a cost price of over NOK 15,000. Tangible fixed assets acquired in order to carry out projects abroad are carried to expenses at the time of acquisition.

If the normal sales value falls below the capitalised value on the balance sheet date, the tangible asset in question is written down to its actual value. If it is difficult to determine the sales value, the cost of acquisition minus depreciation is used to determine its actual value. In cases where the basis for write-downs no longer exists, such write-downs are reversed. Write-downs, and any reversals of such are entered on the same line in the activity accounts. Write-downs are classified as administration expenses when they cannot be linked directly to an activity.

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DepreciationOrdinary depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated life of the tangible assets in question and based on the historical cost minus the estimated scrap value. Depreciations are regar-ded as administrative expenses when they cannot be directly linked to an activity.

LeasingAs regards leases that are not capitalised (operational leasing) rental payments are treated as operating expenses. Rental expenses are regarded as administrative expenses when they cannot be linked di-rectly to an activity.

Financial investmentsMarket-based, bonds and other financial instruments are classified as current assets valued at actual cost if they are listed on the stock exchange or administered by a professional capital manager and if the actual value of the investments in question can be reliably measured. The profits (returns and change in value) on such investments are classified as financialand investment income.

Pension commitments and expensesAs of 1st March 1994, the organisation’s pension agreement was transferred from Sparebanken1 Livs-forsikring to Statens Pensjonskasse (the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund). The annual expen-ses are charged against salaries and social expenses. Norwegian people’s Aid has no commitments over and above paying premiums to Statens Pensjonskasse. The funds in Sparebank1 Livsforsikring, cf Note 14, are being used to cover remaining commitments to former and current members under the old agreement and have not been included in the accounts. Three people are recieiving money from this premium fund. Norwegian people’s Aid has no commitments over and above this. The premium fund is considered to be adequate to cover all future commitments and has not therefore been capitalised. Assets in foreign currency/foreign exchange gains Assets in foreign currency are related to specific projects and wherever possible foreign exchange gains/losses are taken to income/carried to expenses for for the respective projects. Stocks at the end of the year are valued at their price on the balance sheet date, and any foreign exchange gains/losses are either taken to income/carried to expenses in respect of the project in question or entered on the profit and loss account under financial income/expenses. Cash flow statement The cash flow statement has been drawn up in accordance with the indirect method of accounting. Li-quid assets comprise cash, bank deposits and current asset investments that are valued at their actual value.

NOTE 2

THE FOLLOWING NORWEGIAN DONORS HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS: 2007 2006 The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 83 480 262 544 The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation 122 290 125 683 Other public Norwegian donors 12 186 7 502 TOTAL NORWEGIAN DONORS 417 957 395 729 USAID 105 892 113 940 US Department of state 19 902 24 824 FN/UNHCR 16 075 15 620EU 145 20 578 SIDA 3 083 9 785 The Dutch Directorate of Immigration 16 693 15 975 Other public international donors 29 511 21 880 TOTAL INTERNATIONAL 191 301 222 602 TOTAL PUBLIC DONORS 609 257 618 331 THE FOLLOWING PRIVATE DONORS HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS: Health and Rehabilitation 3 150 3 728 Others 12 089 10 457TOTAL 15 239 14 186

Norwegian People’s Aid has received NOK 29 658 466 from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, and NOK 10 082 786 from Østfold County council for the operation of refugee reception centres and other operating units. NOTE 3 CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE ALSO COME FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES 2007 2006 Private 14 350 10 859 Businesses 1 967 1 250Trade Union Movement 5 617 6 300 TOTAL 21 934 18 409

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NOTE 4 SPECIFICATION OF TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS Acq. Bought Sold Dep. 2007 2006 Sites and buildings 2 662 0 0 448 0 2 214 2 214 Fixtures/fittings 2 172 0 16 1 941 56 215 272 EDB maskiner 4 570 1 010 67 4 392 451 1 121 549 Software 12 545 505 776 8 838 2 221 3 436 5 150 Other fixed assets 2 664 881 31 2 507 1 262 1 007 1 397 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 24 613 2 396 890 18 126 3 990 7 993 9 582 Moving costs 625 0 0 343 94 282 376 Moving expense Sudan 0 6 077 0 2 354 2 354 3 723 0 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 11 998 9 958 These fixed assets have a depreciation period of 3-5 years. Sites and buildings are not depreciated. Moving expenses are carried to expenses over the remaining period of tenancy which in this case is 3 years. Moving expenses to Juba in Sudan are carried to expenses over a period of 5 years; the remaining depre-ciation period is 3 years. It was decided in 2008 that the administration for the Sudan programme was to move from Nairobi to Juba. Funds have been put aside for the move but the final costs are uncertain. In 1999, Norwegian People’s Aid entered an agreement concerning the hire of computers. Since this agreement is regarded as an operational leasing agreement, the total rental expenses have been included under operating expenses. The total rental expenses relating to computers in 2007 is NOK 19 380. NOTE 5 INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL PROJECTS Country/region Acq *) Used Change Asia/Latin America/Middle East 100 602 205 247 218 463 87 386 -13 216 Africa 88 008 352 877 344 102 96 783 8 775 Europe 25 991 83 683 84 288 25 386 -605 Other projects 9 466 172 912 168 441 13 937 4 471 Funds received re. uncompleted projects 224 067 814 719 815 294 223 492 -575

All projects that have not been completed have been reviewed and included in the above table and will be taken forward next year. Administration income has only been included in respect of that perecentage of projects that has been completed.

*) Acquisitions comprise grants from Norwegian and international donors for international projects, as well as Norwegian People’s Aid’s own contributions for such. NOTE 6

Curent accounts receivable 2007 2006 Donors, international project 113 017 120 849 Domestic activities/NPA groups/others 23 790 29 940 TOTAL 136 807 150 789 There are no accounts receivable that fall due for payment more than one year after the end of the financial year.

NOK 0 has been entered against expenses for losses on accounts receivable. NOTE 7

Shares/Units 2007 2006 Other investments 410 410 Norwegian shares and units 26 143 22 299 TOTAL 26 553 22 709 Norwegian shares and units are primarily related to the Furumo/Løren fund cf Note 11. NOTE 8

Liabilities to project donors The organisation’s projects have been conducted within the amounts budgetted for, and any surplusses are being returned to the donors.

Unpaid interest on funds received Accrued interest on funds granted by donors that are to be repaid as agreed.

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Acc.dep.

OB 01.01 CB 31.12

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NOTE 9 PROVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES AND CHARGES 2007 2006 Provisions for severance pay schemes at foreign offices (see Note 14) 12 783 16 168 Other provisions for international projects 7 738 6 425 Maintenance of reception centres 1 922 3 511 National conference 0 900 Other provisions 1 516 2 548 Provisions for project reviews 2 403 1 818 TOTAL REVISIONS FOR LIABILITIES AND CHARGES 26 362 31 370 NOTE 10 OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES 2007 2006 Operating grants paid in advance by the Directorate of Immigration (UDI) 0 4 115 Other current liabilities 5 339 6 578 TOTAL OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES 5 339 10 693 NOTE 11 NET MOVEMENT IN EQUITY WITH RESTRICTIONS Equity with externally imposed restrictions 1) 556 443 0 999 443 Equity with self-imposed restrictions 35 982 12 903 15 695 33 190 -2 792 TOTAL 36 538 13 346 15 695 34 189 -2 349 SPECIFICATION OF EQUITY WITH SELF-IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS Collected funds 2) 15 647 775 4 680 11 742 -3 905 Furumo/Løren 3) 18 323 1 746 932 19 137 814 Kure Epilepsy Centre 4) 2 012 10 382 10 083 2 311 299 TOTAL SPECIFICATION 35 982 12 903 15 695 33 190 -2 792

1) These are earmarked funds which have been collected during various campaigns. 2) These funds are gifts that are not earmarked for any special purposes, including a gift of NOK 10 000 000 from Norsk Hydro. Norwegian People’s Aid has decided that the Board will be responsible for allocating the Hydro funds. In consequence, the Board has voted to allocate NOK 1 032 000 for 2008, as follows: NOK 350 000 for the ”Folk til Folk” joint venture in the north, NOK 682 500 for the project entitled ”Organisation building as a Basis for Reducing Poverty”. A total of NOK 4 279 130 has now been allocated and transfered to projects; thus NOK 5 720 870 remains. 3) The returns on the Furumo/Løren fund will be used to benefit the disabled and other vulnerable groups with a view to imprving their lives and their chances of obtaining work. The returns may also be used for attitude building work. 4) The Kure Epilepsy Centre is owned and run by Norwegian People’s Aid. Services offered at the centre are nationally available and suitable for people with a difficult degree of epilepsy. It was decided that the centre should be sold in 2007, cf the Board’s decision of December 2006. Operations at the centre cea-sed on 30.09.2007. The centre remains unsold as of 31.12.2007. NOTE 12 ANNUAL EQUITY MOVEMENTS 2007 2006Equity 21 780 17 529From annual profit/loss -3 640 4 251EQUITY AS OF 31 DECEMBER 18 140 21 780 NOTE 13 CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND ETC. 2007 2006Security for lottery profits 4 000 4 000Tax deducted from employees 2 973 3 764Other bank accounts/frozen 3 832 4 037Total frozen bank deposits 10 805 11 801Other restricted funds not placed in frozen accounts 62 314 75 789 Other restricted funds in foreign accounts 67 898 76 382 Total restricted funds 141 017 163 972 Unrestricted funds 37 687 21 133 TOTAL CASH AT BANK AND IN HAND ETC. 178 704 185 105

OB 01.01 Bought Used CB 31.12 Net change

NOTE 14 PENSIONS AND OTHER COMMITMENTS ON BEHALF OF EMPLOYEES 2007 2006 Premium fund 1 882 1 762 TOTAL 1 882 1 762 WAGES AND SALARIES 2007 2006 Wages and salaries re. All employees abroad 150 497 156 326 Wages and salaries re reception centres and projects in Norway 24 416 28 393 Wages and salaries at head office 32 553 34 103 Employer’s National Insurance contributions 10 883 11 436 Pension expenses 2 677 2 717 Other benefits 40 287 39 761 TOTAL 261 313 272 736 Total wages and salaries include salaries paid to Norwegian and foreign relief workers based abroad. As of 31.12, there were 94 employees at the head office in Norway, 25 at refugee reception centres, 4 at other operating units, 57 on contract at offices abroad and approx 2 664 local employees working abroad.

Compulsory service pension The organisation has 193 employees covered by the statutory regulations relating to compulsory service pensions. All employees are covered by a collective pension scheme that complies with the require-ments specified in this legislation. Allocations for severance pay at offices abroad Total wages and salaries include provisions for severance pay abroad where such is a statutory require-ment. Practices vary at the organisation’s various foreign offices and these are dictated by the statutory provisions that apply in the programme country concerned. Norwegian People’s Aid has estimated its future commitments and has drawn up a joint programme in collaboration with donors containig provi-sions for severance pay.

Remunerations/pay for Board members and the Secretary GeneralNo remunerations were paid out to Board members in 2007. Salary paid out to the temporary Secretary General was NOK 752 987 and other benefits amounted to NOK 2666. The permanent Secretary General particiates in Norwegian People’s Aid’s ordinary pension scheme and does not receive any other remunerations apart from an ordinary salary. Norwegian People’s Aid is not obliged to make any payments to the Secretary General upon termination of, or in the event of any changes to, his/her employment contract.

AuditorAuditor’s fees amounting to NOK 445 000 excl VAT were carried to expenses for auditing the annual accounts at the organisation’s head administrative office. The organisation’s donors require special cer-tification relating to all projects. The costs of conducting audits at the organisation’s offices abroad and in connection with foreign project activities amounted to NOK 4 260 611 and the cost of auditing project activities in Norway was NOK 809 324. These audits covered 400 projects. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration requires that all reimbursement demands be audited and the costs thereof amounted to NOK 638 376.

NOTE 15

Lawsuits/disputesNorwegian People’s Aid is involved in disputes in respect of some of its foreign activities. The necessary provisions have been made in the accounts following consultation with local legal advisors.

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Norwegian People’s AidP.O. Box 8844Youngstorget0028 OSLO

Tel.: +47 22 03 77 00 Fax: +47 22 20 08 70norsk.folkehjelp@npaid.orgwww.folkehjelp.no