Making the connection: Promoting NGO partnerships in Moldova
By Bobbie Jo Traut
With Moldova’s elections expected in the fall, NGOs are poised to play a critical role in furthering the country’s democratic transition. NGOs were actively involved in monitoring both the April and July elections, and they remain at the forefront of promoting democratic change by fostering independent media, defending human rights, and promoting greater accountability in the government. Unfortunately, challenges to civil society in Moldova persist and the third sector remains underdeveloped and isolated.
To help strengthen Moldova’s third sector at a critical moment, the first annual European Partnership Fair was held in Chisinau on June 15 – 16, 2010. Organized by the Brussels-based European Partnership for Democracy and partially funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, the event brought together more than 88 civil society representatives from Chisinau and the regions, including Transnistria. For many participants, this was the first time they were able to meet their counterparts from other cities, including Soroca, Balti, Tiraspol and Comrat. Despite the country’s small size, many NGOs remain isolated and unaware of one another. The Fair, held at the Republican Palace, provided them with the opportunity to meet face-to-face and share experiences, lessons learned, best practices and successful program models from their respective cities and regions. Thanks to the efforts of the NGO Promo-Lex, participants also deepened their understanding of the unique challenges and difficulties facing the less-developed third sector in the breakaway territory of Transnistria.
Participants from more than 20 prominent Central and Eastern European NGOs were also invited to contribute their unique perspective and expertise on democratic transitions, as well as to offer opportunities for cooperation on crossborder projects. Members of the international donor and implementer community gave presentations and fielded questions in order to make their funding procedures more transparent and their assistance more accessible to potential partner organizations. The workshops fostered dialogue and debate on pressing topics such as European integration, human rights, and civic action. Each spare moment at the conference produced a flurry of conversation as participants continued their discussions over coffee and lunch.
A memorable and popular component of the conference was the NGO exhibition on June 15th. Each participant had the opportunity to set up a display table with brochures, pictures, and posters featuring his or her organization’s activities. The featured organizations ranged from anti-trafficking campaigns to civic education groups and social programs for young people. The exhibition was an excellent snapshot of the diverse activities in which Moldovan civil society is engaged.
In addition to the many business cards, attendees exchanged a myriad of ideas and experiences during the two-day event. They formed new contacts and created new initiatives that will hopefully lead to more crossborder cooperation, collective action, and innovative projects for Moldova. Such contacts and collaboration are essential, not just for the success of this year’s elections, but for the growth and development of the country’s nascent civil society, as well as its future prospects for EU integration.
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Bobbie Jo Traut is an Assistant Program Officer for Europe and Eurasia at the National Endowment for Democracy, where she works on Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus and Crossborder programs. She has an MA in Central and Eastern European Studies from Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland.
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