With support from Norad, Forum for Development and Environment's (ForUM's) partners in the global South had the opportunity to participate in international advocacy work for development, environment, human rights and peace. With ForUMs contribution, NGOs and networks in developing countries were given opportunities to influence and participate in the development in their civil societies.
In 2016 ForUM contributed to activities in 30 organisations, in addition to information spread in the member organisations. These organisations were:
· Two regional nodes through Climate Action Network
· Three organisations participated in the OECDs Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct, through OECD Watch.
· 30 human rights activists was schooled in the use of OECDs and IMFs guidelines, through CIVIDEP India.
· Five youth activists participated in the African Youth Conference on Climate Change
In 2016 ForUM also gave finanicial suppert to activities that facillitated and strengthened representatives from the global South and their participation in international policy and advocacy work, concerning work for development, environment, human rights and peace.
ForUM supports and participates in international civil society organisations to accomodate exchange of information, capacity building, cooperation on development of commen politics and coordinated advocacy work for human rights, responsible business and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ForUM strongly believes in the effect of supporting various networks so that more civil society organisations are reached. Networks and coallitions often have hundreds, sometimes thousands member organisations that agian spread and share the information and resources, and thus contribute to competence building in many organisations.
The support helped contribute to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
SDG 13: ForUM extended their agreement with Climate Action Network (CAN) for two more years. The reports from CAN show that the regional nodes i South Africa (SACAN) and in the Arab countries (CANAW, stationed in Morocco), have had a solid impact on their civil societies. The nodes participated in COP22 i Marrakech in 2016, and participated in workshops and seminars in Morocco. The two participating nodes have strengthened their work on climate change, and had success in the mobilizing and the participation in South Africa and the Arab world. The nodes made new important and useful contacts and are now better equipped to work on these matters towards policymakers in ther own countries.
In 2016 ForUM also supported five youth activistes from Zimbabwe and their travel and participation to the second African Youth Conference on Climate Change, that was held in Nairobi in October. The conference's concern was to to develop strategies and positions from African youth organisations to be presented at COP22. The organisations also developed common platforms of advocacy work on future climate work.
SDG 16: In 2016 ForUM signed a new two year contract with the global CSO Coalition Control Arms, nominated to the Nobel Peace Prize for its instrumental role for the lifesaving Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The ATTs goal was to have at least 30 African countries to ratify the Treaty by 2016.
Among ForUMs the activities in 2016 was a side-event held during the UN Genereal Assembly, in cooperation with African Control Arms members. ForUM also supported the campaign #ArmsFreeAfrica.
ForUM is a Steering Board Member at Control Arms together with representatives from Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, USA, Asia, and the Middle East. ForUM has worked closely with these organisations since 2009 for a strong Arms Trade Treaty.
SDG 8: ForUM gave financial support to the participation and travels of three NGOs' at the Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct in Paris in June 2016. This was made possible thorugh the OECD Watch network, where the three organisations were given the possibility to attend policy discussions, that otherwise would have been held behind closed doors.
SDGs and civil societies under pressure: Two representativs for NGOs from developing countries participated in the UNs High-Level Political Forum i New York in July 2016. ForUM also supported the Together 2030 event: «Are we already left behind? The role of civil society and stakeholders on national reviews of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development» . ForUM was a co-host of this event, togheter with governments and civil societies from developing countries.
ForUM also hosted two open meetings in Oslo about SDG and the international civil society under pressue. The global network CIVICUS (based in Johannesburg) was the main speaker, representatives for Kenya and Zimbabwe, and the Norwegian Foreign Ministry were keynote speakers.