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Nineteen Spaniards are contributing their faces and their stories to explain to citizens what the development aid lent by the European Union consists of.
The face of development aidNúria is a “Barcelonesa” and she lives in Angola. She is a face of cooperation. She collaborates with a local development project in this African country. It’s not the first time she’s worked as a volunteer, or in Angola or Africa. Mozambique and Mauritania were earlier destinations.
Now 39 years of age, she’s contributing her experience as an economist and social worker to local Angolan institutions. The purpose of this project, financed by the European Commission and managed by the FIIAPP, is to improve opportunities for economic development and access to basic social services for vulnerable rural families.
This year, Núria has been chosen as one of the faces of the “Nineteen Citizens Give Development Aid a Face” campaign as part of the “2015 European Year of Development” launched by the Representation of the European Commission and the Information Office of the European Parliament in Spain. The goal is to explain what Europe is doing in the area of cooperation through the experiences of these citizens. All of them are Spaniards.
Did you know that the EU is the largest donor to development aid?
The European Union and its Member States are the largest donors of development aid worldwide, and they fund and drive hundreds of programmes and initiatives aimed at improving living conditions for citizens. In 2013 they donated 56.5 billion euros to help countries all over the world fight poverty.
The “2015 European Year of Development” seeks to publicise this activity and also its results. “Our world. Our dignity. Our future” is its slogan, and the story of Núria and all the other faces of development aid are helping to spread the word about it in Europe and the rest of the world. #EYD2015#19Rostros
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In the week when the OECD is presenting its report on the economic progress of Latin America, we bring you the reality of Argentina thanks to EUROsociAL.
The European Union cooperation programme for Latin America, EUROsociAL, focuses its work on social cohesion and development in various Latin American countries. One of them is Argentina, where work is being done on several projects for access to justice and prevention of violence in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice.
Kids in the “Jóvenes con más y mejor trabajo” [Young People With More and Better Jobs] programme of the Access to Justice Centre of Santiago del Estero mounted a campaign against institutional violence. Among their actions, the mural created with the slogan of the campaign, “No me pongas la mano encima” [Don’t lay a hand on me], an “open-mike radio show” and a street performance stand out.
Street violence
The IDLO, the international organisation that supports justice, (with the collaboration of EUROsociAL), held a workshop in Santiago del Estero Province to train young people on how to create their own campaigns to raise awareness about rights, and there was almost no debate: “institutional violence”—and in particular the mistreatment young people experience at the hands of the police—would have to be at the centre of their actions.
According to the IDLO, in Argentina, kids going about their business on the streets know that being detained, chased and possibly arrested by a police patrol on its rounds is a real possibility.
In most cases, there is no real motive for this. The most habitual pretext is “having the face of a criminal” or “looking suspicious”—their appearance is what makes them suspicious. Wearing a track suit or a baseball cap is an aggravating factor. One minute you’re talking to your friends, and the next you’re up against the wall with your things scattered on the pavement and a pair of hands frisking you looking for weapons or drugs.
Since 2013, EUROsociAL has been consolidating various tools for access to justice policies oriented towards different vulnerable groups: besides the young protagonists of this story, it has championed migrant women’s right to justice in Costa Rica, women victims of violence in Honduras, women victims of human trafficking in Chile, the indigenous population in Peru, and African-descended young people in Brazil”.
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Here we leave you with the report prepared by the national Spanish television network (TVE) on the presentation of the book “Situational Analysis of Drug Trafficking. A Police Perspective”.
A book containing AMERIPOL data on drug trafficking in some Latin American countries that was made possible by the FIIAPP programme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9pUwtB1YuR0#t=0
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Over 1,000 public employees participate in the FIIAPP’s projects each year. They strive to improve public operations and the quality of life through technical assistance projects, R&D, and public leadership, while training leaders and high-level civil servants.
Many government organisations are dedicated to the development of our society, but there aren’t many that rely on civil servants as a fundamental element in this progress. This, however, is the case of the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), a public institution dedicated to international cooperation that specialises in the promotion of good governance.
With the goal of improving institutional frameworks in the countries where the FIIAPP works and of strengthening the image of Spain and Europe abroad, the organisation annually mobilises over 1,000 civil servants to participate in our projects, improving legal frameworks, public sector operations, and the quality of life through technical assistance, R&D, and public leadership, by training leaders and high-level civil servants.
Ambassadors of the Spain brand
“The success of the FIIAPP’s 15 years in operation is due to the contribution of the know-how of over 10,000 civil servants in cooperation projects with various administrations. They are the foundation of these projects, the basis of our competitiveness for winning bids with international organisations, and a very important part of Spain’s reputation abroad. Unfortunately, not many people are aware of this role and many civil servants are unfamiliar with our projects. We have to change this situation,” says Javier Quintana, Director of FIIAPP.
Since the organisation was founded, public employees have been responsible for modernising public administrations and are, therefore, the best ambassadors of the Spain brand. Spanish civil servants are the best example of our country as a leader in many sectors, and for other countries to value our knowledge and experience regarding important issues such as exports, justice, safety, the environment, agriculture, and transportation.
A high-level Board of Directors
The Administration’s involvement in this foundation is evident in the high-level members of its Board of Directors. Headed by the Vice President of the Government, Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the Board also includes the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Minister of Justice and Health, and the Minister of Social Services and Equality, who serve as spokespeople for the institution, and are accompanied by…
Report from MUFACE Magazine
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Here is the report that was emitted on 13Tv about the FIIAPP. Thank you!
