Maris PuurmannChief specialistLocal Government and Regional Administration Department Ministry of the Interior of Estonia

Implementation of Estonian Civil Society Development Concept – progress report and suggestions for futher

progress

Activities on promoting citizen participation in the Ministry of the Interior, Local Government and Regional Administration

Department

Citizen participation:1) cooperation between the government and civil society

organisations

2) community involvement

Activities on promoting citizen participation in the Ministry of the Interior, Local Government and Regional Administration

Department

Issues of cooperation between the sectors, citizen participation and strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations

1) Issues are dealt as part of organisational development public sector offices and departments concentrating on thematic issues NGOs, their frameworks

2) Process of development of the Civil Society Development Concept

Why?

• Common understanding

• Use of resources

• Use of expertise

• Development of cooperation

• Trust

Estonian Civil Society Development Concept

• the Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (EKAK) was approved by the Parliament in December 2002;

• Concept brings out

• Joint Committee of Government and NGO representatives for working out activity plans and systems for monitoring the implementation of the concept;

• Committee reports on its work to the Government every year and every second year a public discussion on the issue of civil society development has to take place in the Parliament;

• activity plan of the implementation process for 2004-2006

Division of tasks

Committee as a decision making body

Working group as a “working body”

Members as mediators

Work of the commission is organised in three working-groups: • law and involvement • financing and statistics • civic education and public awareness

Activity plan for 2004-2006

• 11 objectives• Activities, results expected, responsibility, resources

needed, time-scale;• Concentration on progress • Development planned step by step• Widening of the process part of the process

Activity plan for 2004-2006

Issues to be dealt: - framework for the cooperation of government and NGOs - principles of involvement procedures - legislation and regulations related issues (forms of participation, voluntary work); - participatory forums; - funding principles; - in-direct supporting - statistics; - role of umbrella organisations in cooperation; - supporting structure for participation; - promotion of participation in the frames of formal and non-formal education.

Coordination of the work of the joint committee

• Achievements:

– good cooperation environment and framework;

– discussions on problems, needs, possibilities are wide and constructive;

– awareness of the wishes, possibilities and boundaries of different counterparts;

– developing partnerships in and between sectors.

• Challenges

– issue of representation of NGO-s;

– issue of representation of the public sector;

– developing expertise;

– patience and consistency;

– upper-level decisions;

– sustainability of the work in the committee.

Further progress

• Awareness

• Interest

• Upper-level decisions

• Resources

• Participation

Planned . . .

Clear plan for 2004-2006

Raise of interest and awareness

Dilemmas on coordinating . . .Dilemmas on coordinating . . .

• results - resources• resources - priorities• priorities - needs, vision• vision - awareness• awareness - results

Thank you!Thank you!

For further contacts and information:

Maris Puurmanne-mail: maris.puurmann@sisemin.gov.eeTel: +372 612 5144