Identification and formulation mission Civil Society/NGO Support Programme (I) / Design of EU support to reinforce MISA and its NGO department (II)

Detailed description of project Back

Since the adoption of the Barcelona Declaration in 1995, there has been a growing recognition of the key role of civil society in the process of turning the Mediterranean basin into an area of peace and prosperity and in allowing people to share the benefits of political and economic growth. EC support to NGOs in Egypt has been channelled so far through funding of individual projects outside the scope of the MEDA Programme. In the last years, however, it has been felt that the funding mechanisms available were in many cases neither adequate nor sufficient to cover the needs and requests coming from Egyptian civil society organisations. In order to address this situation, the National Indicative Programme (NIP) 2002-2004 for the co-operation between Egypt and the EU foresees a Social Development and Civil Society/NGO Support Programme.

The mission’s specific objective is to identify and to formulate an EU supported project for civil society and NGO development in Egypt. The overall objective of an EU intervention in support of civil society would be twofold: First, to support civil society organisations as delivery agents in their contributions to social and human development, and, second, to support NGOs as representation of people’s needs and choices and as a means to enhance the participation of civil society in the development process (i.e. ultimately promoting democratic values).

The first mission pointed out that the difficult situation of the NGOs in Egypt is very much a product of the former and actual NGO Law that subordinates NGOs’ existence and activity to administrative control. In this context the NGO department of the Ministry of Social Affairs (MISA) plays an important role: there is general recognition that capacity building for MISA’s NGO department will have a positive impact on the relationship between MISA and the NGOs. The purpose of the follow-up mission is therefore to design EU support to reinforce MISA and its NGO Department in Cairo and the Governates, in particular in reinforcing its facilitative role for NGOs.

Type of services provided

Mission I

• Analysis of the social and political context of the Egyptian civil society
• Description of the actual role and main problems and potentialities of Egyption NGOs and civil society organisations
• Analysis and assessment of the legal environment
• Feasibility study and preparation of a Project DocumentTeam of experts: Team Leader; civil society/community development capacity building expert; civil society expert/networking advocacy.Mission II
• In depth assessment of MISA’s NGO Department
• Identification of the needs both in upgrading of capacity as well as equipment
• Preparation of draft project documentThis mission was carried out by one local civil society/capacity and institutional building expert and one local civil society/NGO development expert.

PROMAN further ensured the backstopping: logistics, quality control of reports and services, participation in (de)-briefings.

Mission II

• In depth assessment of MISA’s NGO Department
• Identification of the needs both in upgrading of capacity as well as equipment
• Preparation of draft project documentThis mission was carried out by one local civil society/capacity and institutional building expert and one local civil society/NGO development expert.

PROMAN further ensured the backstopping: logistics, quality control of reports and services, participation in (de)-briefings.