Encouraging public participation through local resources

Goal
The project aimed at increasing the capacity of 11 local organisations to mobilize the community, bring their ideas on the public agenda and influence public decisions. In parallel, in this project, CeRe aimed at increasing its own capacity to act as a resource centre.

Results

• With assistance from CeRe:
  • The National Association for Autistic Children and Adults - Craiova branch, convinced the local council to recognize the special needs of autistic children and support financially the Daily Care Centre for Autistic Children from Craiova. 
  • The Pro Democracy Association - Focsani Club convinced the local council to support financially activities developed by nongovernmental organisations. As a consequence of the PDA Focsani club efforts, the local council approved the sum of 350 000 RON to be awarded to NGOs projects and adopted transparency procedures for the management of these funds; 
  • The Coalition Nature 2000 convinced the Ministry for Environment and Water Management to open the debate on the regime of protected areas and to extend it to future sites protected within Nature 2000. After a phase of rigorous research, the Coalition proposed to the Ministry of Environment a number of 27 other sites, 24 of them being included in the list adopted by the Ministry. The Coalition's actions convinced the Ministry of the necessity to consult with the coalition's specialists, and following consultation, the government ordinance had been modified.
• CeRe realized an organisational diagnosis for the NGOs involved and assisted them in formulating a short term plan for increasing their own public participation capacity;
• CeRe elaborated the study "Is There Public Participation in Romania?", the 2006 edition;
• CeRe participated in the founding of the "NGOs Coalition for Structural Funds" in January 2006 and facilitated its advocacy efforts in the relationship with the Management Authority;
• CeRe offered assistance to the Ministry of Administration and Interior in the elaboration of the sectorial operational programme for increasing administrative capacity;
• CeRe offered assistence to the Ministry of Administration and Interior in consulting interested nongovernmental organisations in the programme regarding increasing administrative capacity;
• CeRe elaborated the Public Participation Handbook - „Public Decision in the 21st Century - Practical Guide for Involving the Citizen in the Public Decision Making Process".

[The project "Encouraging Public Participation through Local Resources" was financed by the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.]