Annual Rolling Political Plan 2008-2009

1. Preface
The Annual Rolling Political Plan is the object of discussion and approval each year at the MS General Assembly. The purpose of having an annual rolling political plan is to stake out overall political perspectives and objectives to work towards for the MS programme areas. The plan is an up-to-date, political interpretation of the principles and basic values of the association and determines the overall principles and priorities for the work of the association.

The purpose of the plan is:
•  to accentuate MS as an association with a stance that has clear political objectives, which serve as a common political and relevant framework pointing out clear goals to aim for,
•  to safeguard the proper involvement and powers of decision of the General Assembly in relation to central political decisions,
•  to lay down guidelines for the Board’s work during the coming year.

In between general assemblies, the plan regulates and forms the basis  for the work of the association as well as for the formulation of specific action plans for the different activity areas. In addition to the plan, the General Assembly will, whenever relevant, take up specific issues for  more in depth debate, while the Board will approve specific strategies for the different work areas.

2. Status on the 2007-2008 plan

1. MS has been carrying on its work on making democracy the unifying factor for the work of the association. New country programme strategies have been elaborated for all the programme countries, and these are now being implemented. MS is on the way to becoming a knowledge-organisation. Within each of the chosen themes, knowledge-groups, which develop and gather knowledge to be used in the ongoing development of strategies and methods, have been established. Work is being done in order to develop MS’ ability to offer courses within the areas of these themes. An external review of staff competences (development workers) who work in  partner organisations supported by  MS’ has been carried out. In continuation of this, work is also being done on the development of a broader strategy for Face2Face (an intercultural people meet people exchange strategy) . Work on the development of an overall strategy is awaiting the completion of the Face2Face approach which is expected by the autumn of 2008.

2. A new communication strategy, which will strengthen this work area considerably, has been elaborated. By way of its external communication, MS wants to become a leading popular voice in the political debate about development issues. MS wants to establish a critical and constructive line that catches the interest of people and gets them involved and that, at the same time, supports our membership and fundraising work by staking out a more political approach to the fight against poverty. MS’ communication strategy  should build on MS’ own experience from work in its programme countries; ensure an increased focus on current development related political issues; as well as also ensuring a focus on MS’ cross-cultural people to people exchange in its current updated form.  Additionally, the communication strategy should attract new members, volunteers and activists to become involved in MS’ work in different ways – through work, contributions or debate. MS’ communication strategy is action oriented and suggests how states, but also individual people, can make a difference.

3. The Board has approved a new membership strategy, which is to develop the framework within which active members can contribute to the achievement of the objectives and specific strategies of the association and become actively involved in the activities of the association in Denmark. Different networks have been established (youth-network, collection network, DW network and country network) and work is being done in order to strengthen local MS representation in the different municipalities in Denmark. A student assistant has been hired in Århus, and during the autumn of 2008 we expect to be able to establish a national network of contact persons.

4. Recently, MS has been able to strengthen its public profile. This is due partly to campaigns for a democratic Zimbabwe and Fair Trade, organised by MS itself, but also in connection with political developments in Nepal, Kenya and particularly in Zimbabwe, as well as  in relation to the public debate on development aid, the information grant and on international trade. In addition, Global Contact has been the object of a considerable amount of media coverage. MS’ access to the media has been improved substantially during the past year, and the number of articles in the media has greatly increased in comparison with last year.

5. In January 2008, the Board approved a MS Fundraising Strategy, which consolidated our work over the past few years to develop several independent sources of income. Throughout 2008, the strategic and practical work with fundraising has continued, and gradually 4 or 5 solid sources of income have been established. As such, we are now working specifically with independent, income-generating activities like the nationwide collection – the Denmark Collection – contributors/supporters – Global Contact – corporate initiatives – Focus Projects. The fundraising work is still being developed, but MS has not had any problems fulfilling the demand for own funding. A possible affiliation with ActionAid is expected to add considerable expertise and give some possibilities for further investment in this area.

6. A considerable amount of analytical work on opportunities (advantages and disadvantages) of a possible future affiliation with ActionAid International has been carried out, and the whole issue has been thoroughly discussed at all levels in the association. The debate has guided the Board towards a recommendation to the General Assembly of entering into an association agreement with AAI.

3. Action 2008-2009

1. MS will consolidate its work to strengthen each individual person’s engagement in global problems (global citizenship) and must strengthen relations between people by way of further developing ”det folkelige møde” (the meeting between people from different cultures, of different sexes, age-groups and from different social and professional backgrounds). As part of the follow-up on the DW review, the Board must also develop a new framework for technical assistance and professional exchange. In particular, the Board must further develop the Face2Face strategy as a comprehensive framework for both the people to people work and for the more professional areas relating to technical assistance.

2. The Board will elaborate a comprehensive overview of the current strategies and policies guiding the work of the association. This compilation should not only establish the framework for the various sub-strategies and policies that have been developed over the past years, but also clarify possible uncertainties or contradictory elements.

3. MS is to further develop the framework for the active participation of members in the development and implementation of campaigns and in the mobilisation of the Danish population to become more engaged in questions relevant to development-issues.

4. MS is to further develop its work on becoming an important and serious voice to be reckoned with in the debate in Denmark on development issues.

5. In August 2007, the Board approved a gender policy. At the beginning of 2009, the Board will assess to what extent this policy has been followed up upon.

(not yet translated from this point)

6. Med udgangspunkt i den af bestyrelsen udarbejdede rapport om ’vurdering af associeringsmuligheder med ActionAid International’, skal bestyrelsen forhandle og indgå en associeringsaftale/affilieringsaftale med ActionAid International.

Som grundlag for denne beslutning lægges der vægt på mulighederne for:
• at overføre mere magt til partnere i Syd
• at MS kan deltage i international lobby, advocacy og kampagnearbejde
• at skabe et større internationalt element i MS’ mellemfolkelige arbejde med opbygning af et mellemfolkeligt globalt medborgerskab
• at MS kan øve indflydelse på opbygningen af en international føderal og demokratisk organisation, der arbejder på samme værdigrundlag som MS
• at MS kan få adgang til erfaring, viden og ressourcer i et større netværk
• at MS kan få en større gennemslagskraft og bredde i sit arbejde for demokrati
• at frigøre administrative ressourcer, så der kan lægges større vægt på arbejdet for forenings formål.

I forhandlingen med AAI forpligtes bestyrelsen til at sikre:
a) at Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke kan bibeholde sit navn i Danmark
b) at MS fastholdes som en dansk medlemsorganisation med en valgt politisk bestyrelse
c) at MS kan fortsætte sit oplysningsarbejde og lobbyarbejde i Danmark
d) at MS selv kan bestemme sine fundraising metoder i Danmark
e) at MS kan fortsætte sit arbejde med at skabe et folkeligt møde imellem mennesker fra forskellige kulturer og baggrunde
f) at MS kan bevare sit fokus på Demokrati.

MS skal i sit arbejde i ActionAid arbejde for at:

a) ActionAid bibeholder en føderal og demokratisk struktur og at MS får indflydelse såvel i den internationale bestyrelse, som i relevante komitéer og udvalg

b) Der i alle lande etableres og udvikles nationale ActionAid organisationer, der er folkeligt forankret i progressive kredse i civilsamfundet i det pågældende land, og nyder generel opbakning og respekt. I de lande hvor MS arbejder, skal vi yde en særlig indsats for at sikre at det nationale ActionAid forankres i de miljøer, der arbejder for en demokratisk og fattigdomsorienteret udvikling.  MS vil arbejde for at nyetablerede ActionAid organisationer udvikler sig hen imod egentlig medlemsbaserede demokratiske organisationer indenfor en 5-års periode efter deres affiliering med AAI (enten i form af individuelle medlemskaber eller forskellige former for repræsentative medlemsstrukturer)

c) De nationale ActionAid organisationer deltager i civilsamfundet på en måde der faciliteter samarbejde og opbygger kapacitet af et diversificeret civilsamfund, og at de ikke udvikler sig til ’bistands entreprenører’, der dominerer det lokale ’fundraising marked’

d) Der sker en videreudvikling af ActionAid’s partnerskabstilgang, som bygger på et respektfyldt gensidigt samarbejdsforhold, som tjener til at opbygge og udvikle kapaciteten hos partnerne.

e) Lobby og advocacy aktiviteter i Danmark øges og udvikles.

f) MS får en særlig rolle som ’centre of excellence’ i ActionAid inden for demokratiområdet (governance). At MS hjælper med at udvikle og facilitere viden indenfor demokratitemaet ved at etablere vidensstrukturer og udbyde kurser, som kan styrke såvel de nationale ActionAid organisationer, som relevante partnere og andre civilsamfundsorganisationer. 

g) Det mellemfolkelige aspekt udbygges i ActionAid. MS skal tilbyde at skabe muligheder for et folkeligt og fagligt møde imellem mennesker såvel indenfor de enkelte lande, som indenfor forskellige udviklingslande og imellem Nord og Syd.

h) At ActionAid giver mulighed for at græsrødder, medlemmer og aktivister får mulighed for at etablere direkte internationale kontakter.

i) ActionAid (gennem de europæiske affilierede) bliver en slagkraftig aktør i forhold til EU og dennes politikker.  

j) ActionAid arbejder internationalt i samarbejde med andre netværk og organisationer mhp. at styrke bredden og gennemslagskraften i internationale kampagner og lobbyinitiativer.

k) ActionAid fortsat udvikler sit administrative apparat på en ubureaukratisk måde med plads til hurtig, effektiv og klar beslutningstagen og en fleksibel og brugervenlig administrationskultur.

l) MS skal arbejde for placering af danske repræsentanter i AAI’s sekretariat (herunder regions-kontorer).