EBRD-CSO Newsletter Keeping you up to date with the EBRD The 2017 Civil Society Programme April-June 2017 at the EBRD Annual Meeting in Cyprus Welcome to the The role of Cypriot civil CSO Newsletter society in promoting In this issue we economic development report on the for reconciliation 2017 Civil Society Programme, held as The first event of the CSP was organised 48 part of the EBRD’s on Tuesday 9 May by the civil society Annual Meeting and organisation NGO Support Centre, who Business Forum in Nicosia, Cyprus on were selected following a competitive 9-11 May. You can also read about call for proposals. The discussion was The 2017 Civil Society Programme (CSP) a workshop for IFIs’ accountability hosted at the H4C in the UN Buffer Zone took place on 9-11 May in Nicosia, mechanisms and CSOs in the SEMED in Nicosia, a unique site for civil society Cyprus. The Programme featured multi- region, a workshop for Self-Funded dialogue and peace-building. The panel stakeholder panels on the role of civil Communities in Istanbul as part brought together representatives from society in supporting transition resilience of the EBRD’s refugee response, the business world, academia, civil and in promoting green cities, in line with and the Bank’s support of safe and society and journalism to discuss the the EBRD’s updated transition concept. sustainable transport in Tajikistan. role of Cypriot civil society in promoting A CSO-led panel, hosted at the symbolic economic development for reconciliation. Home for Cooperation (H4C), also explored As always, we bring you the latest The panellists presented innovative the topic of a long-term sustainable news about the Bank’s dialogue with programmes that have been mounted by reconciliation process in Cyprus through CSOs on country strategies, recent civil society in order to create stronger the engagement of civil society. As every projects and initiatives. socio-economic ties between the Greek year, the CSP represented an opportunity Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities for CSOs to discuss strategic issues as well on the island, including initiatives aimed as investment projects with EBRD staff, at engaging young people by the Stelios senior management, the President and Philanthropic Foundation and Civic Space. Board of Directors. This year the project Representatives from both chambers of For more information visit: discussions focused on the following commerce also shared their vision for a www.ebrd.com/who-we-are/ topics: EBRD investments in the Power & à solution to the Cyprus dispute which builds civil-society/news-and-events Energy Utilities, Natural Resources, on stronger economic integration between Transport, and Agribusiness sectors. In the two communities. addition, participants had an opportunity to discuss recent EBRD initiatives in the open format of ‘World Cafe Roundtables’. The Civil Society Programme is the flagship event of the EBRD’s engagement with civil society and takes place every May alongside the EBRD’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors and Business Forum. April-June 2017 EBRD-CSO Newsletter 1 Civil Society Programme at the 2017 Annual Meeting (continued from page 1) The role of civil The panellists examined the link Participants also discussed the Bank’s between civil society development and Green Cities Programme: this offers a society in promoting the sustainability of reforms in various holistic approach to a city’s challenges, transition resilience countries, with a focus on central and combining a creative financial product with eastern Europe. They also gave their views technical assistance, donor support, as The 2017 CSP featured a panel discussion on what civil society can do to promote well as strategic planning. Green City Action on the role of civil society in promoting transition resilience and minimise the risk Plans (GCAPs) are designed with CSO transition resilience. Transition is not of backtracking in the Bank’s region. engagement opportunities at many stages a linear process and there have been and thus ensure that community priorities set-backs and reversals along the way Civil society and are correctly reflected and help determine in the EBRD region. Transition resilience the target areas of municipal infrastructure refers to the stability of economic and green cities investments. The panellists concluded political reforms, which is directly related that the challenges cities face can only be The final panel discussion of this year’s to a societal buy-in for reforms and local addressed by aligning all stakeholders’ CSP was dedicated to the role of civil ownership of transition. Civil society, efforts in improving the quality of urban society in contributing to successful operating in the space between the public services and infrastructure, providing green urbanisation that helps cities, and private sectors, can play an important enabling environments for innovation and which represent a significant source of part in this process. ultimately improving citizens’ quality of life. environmental impact, to maximise their potential as drivers of climate-resilient Through its representation, intermediation growth. CSOs can promote behavioural and social service provision functions, change towards innovative green economy civil society can reach out to the more practices and also play a crucial advocacy vulnerable groups in society and role for improving municipal regulations promote democratic participation, policy and national legislation. accountability and good governance. Workshop: IFIs meet with civil society About 30 representatives of local CSOs CSOs often support communities in raising from Jordan participated in a workshop their concerns with the financiers of organised by the EBRD’s and EIB’s projects. The IAMs regularly conduct public Complaint Mechanisms with the support outreach sessions in collaboration with of the Phenix Center for Economics & CSOs in the areas where the multilateral Informatics Studies. The workshop, held in financial institutions are active, in order to Amman on 24 May, provided an opportunity raise awareness of their services among for CSO representatives to learn about civil society networks. how the Independent Accountability Mechanisms (IAMs) can help people that This workshop provided the IAMs and CSOs are potentially affected by IFI-funded with an opportunity to exchange views on projects. issues related to public and private sector development projects in Jordan. CSOs from The IAMs receive complaints and Jordan learned how to file a complaint, address grievances from project-affected which complaints are eligible and what they people about environmental and social should expect as a result of a complaint. impacts and access to information projects financed by the IFIs. IAMs have Workshop participants stated that addressed a range of issues, including communities in Jordan face challenges compensation for resettlement and arising from the pace of economic growth, livelihood restoration, impacts on culturally competition for natural resources and significant landscapes, engagement with climate change risks. IAMs together with local communities, environmental impacts, CSOs have a major role to play in ensuring concerns over community health and that IFIs meet the highest standards safety, and labour issues. of transparency and accountability. 2 EBRD-CSO Newsletter April-June 2017 CSO Capacity Enhancement Framework Supporting Self-Funded Communities in Turkey The civil war in Syria has displaced millions On 7-8 February a workshop on micro of people and placed significant stress savings and loans was held by Jana and on the economies of neighbouring host ACAF in Istanbul for Turkish CSOs and countries including Jordan and Turkey, community centres. The workshop, which where the EBRD invests. In response to a brought together more than 25 participants sudden surge in population in these two from across the country, focused on countries, the EBRD is leading efforts with introducing the Self-Funded Communities host communities and refugees alike to (SFCs) model to CSO representatives. build economic resilience to the challenges SFCs are small communities in which posed by the crisis. In Turkey, the Bank is the partners, usually between 10 and 30 working in partnership with international people, give small amounts of money that and local CSOs to enhance business skills allow them to become shareholders of among those affected by the crisis and to the SFC. For refugees without access to improve access to finance for refugees. formal banking services, SFCs can provide A technical cooperation (TC) project an important source of financial security. implemented by the Spanish Association of Jana and ACAF will work throughout the Self-Funded Communities (ACAF) and the TC project to establish SFCs across Turkey, Turkish CSO Jana, with support from the targeting refugee women and communities EBRD, is providing financial literacy training affected by the crisis, and to build the and building community savings and business skills of the members through loans schemes together with local CSOs in financial literacy training and mentorship. Istanbul and south-eastern Turkey. Launch of a seatbelt and eco-driving campaign in Dushanbe The EBRD has launched a new technical In order to lay the groundwork for the cooperation assignment in Tajikistan to campaign, observational surveys on support a campaign to raise awareness of seatbelt equipment and use are being the importance of wearing seatbelts and conducted in Dushanbe, alongside focus the benefits of eco-driving, working with the groups on knowledge and attitudes. The traffic police and civil society in Dushanbe. public awareness-raising campaign, which The campaign is being organised by the will include media broadcasts, will then Young Generation of Tajikistan and EASST, be designed and will run for five months. focusing on young people. There will also be special seminars on the benefits of eco-driving for drivers, In a car crash you are twice as likely to die companies and society as a whole. if you don’t wear a seatbelt, and unbelted back seat passengers can kill drivers during The EBRD is supporting the road safety an impact.