broadening horizons

estrategia_cubiertas04_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:28
PÆgina 1
INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY 2006-2012
BROADENING HORIZONS
© Pablo García Mateo
www.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Enrique Jardiel Poncela, 6, 1ª planta. 28016 Madrid. 902 402 404. informacion@ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Javier Lasso de la Vega, 3, bajo. 41002 Sevilla. 954 21 51 63. informacion@andalucia.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Balmes, 32 3º-1ª. 08007 Barcelona. 934 88 33 77. barcelona@barna.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Maestro Clavé, 10, puerta 2. 46001 Valencia. 963 10 61 21. informacion@valencia.ayudaenaccion.org
Av. del General Sanjurjo, 64. Bajo izq. 15006 A Coruña. 981 13 37 37. informacion@galicia.ayudaenaccion.org
Pl. Sarrikoalde, 3 (entrada por Av. Lehendakari s/n). 48015 Bilbao. 944 47 96 77. informacion@euskadi.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Cimadevilla, 15. Esc. A, 2º E. 33003 Oviedo. 985 21 47 25. información@asturias.ayudaenaccion.org
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:18
PÆgina 3
CONTENTS
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CHAPTER I: STRATEGIC FOCUS
The world at a glance
..............................................5
Inequity and exclusion in the world
Human Rights at the heart of the fight against poverty and exclusion
New perspectives for international cooperation
Broadening horizons: our institutional identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
The road since our 2001-2005 strategy
The image of AeA in 2012
Keys to our institutional identity
CHAPTER II: INTERVENTION STRATEGY
Local development processes and the fight against poverty
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Local work: a core commitment
Consolidating local presence: the approach to territorial development
Increasing our capacity to address humanitarian action
Strengthening our commitment with people
for the fulfilment of their rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Increased presence in decision-making circles
Acting from a rights based approach, women's rights and the leading role of children
Strengthening strategic partnerships
Cohesion of action between local and other levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
National level: strengthening civil society
In Spain: promoting citizen engagement to build a fair world
Regional and international levels: influencing international cooperation policies
and the fulfilment of human rights
Lines of action, themes and actors
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
CHAPTER III: STRENGTHENING THE ORGANISATION
Consolidating our organisational presence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Internationalisation
Geographical expansion
Institutional communications
Networking
Fundraising
Transparency and accountability
Promoting volunteer work
Organisational development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
People at the core of our organisation's work
Knowledge management and learning
Quality-based organisational culture
3
24/10/2007
19:19
PÆgina 4
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Foreword
In 2006 we undertook a process to reflect on our work, which led us ultimately to the
development of our new institutional strategy: "Broadening horizons". This strategy encourages
us to take on new challenges and strengthens our determination to eradicate poverty and
inequity.
The final document is the result of the experience and contributions both of communities in the
South and of the teams, supporters, collaborating organisations and volunteer groups of Ayuda
en Acción, and it will guide the Organisation's course and efforts over the forthcoming years.
For over 25 years, Ayuda en Acción has worked to promote structural changes that contribute
to the eradication of poverty and injustice. This goal is still the cornerstone of our action, but
we had been aware for a number of years that the fight against poverty needed to be
addressed as a global task transcending local development processes, and that this made the
advocacy of people's rights a crucial issue. Throughout the new strategy period, empowerment
will continue to be an essential tool for people and communities to acquire the social, technical
and political capabilities they need in order to lead their own development; it will contribute
towards creating a society that is active, has a voice of its own and that is capable of
demanding its rights, therefore guaranteeing the feasibility of development processes.
Likewise, we will continue to work to ensure the basic needs of poor people and communities,
working alongside them to implement health, education and infrastructure projects.
In a sense, our new strategy is a continuation of the previous one, in that our achievements
to date are but a part of an ongoing process that we must build upon day after day. However,
it also adds vital elements that reinforce our commitment to put people at the heart of our
actions, as required by our rights-based approach. This view leads us to particularly emphasize
the promotion of the rights of women and children, the most vulnerable among the poor, and
it encourages us to work even harder to eradicate inequity.
At Ayuda en Acción we believe that such actions go beyond the realm of feelings and emotions;
they are based on the legal recognition of human, economic, cultural and social rights that
promote people's dignity and the development of a more equitable and symmetric society. We
cannot accept the notion that social inequity is determined by nature. Doing so would imply the
denial of every human being's right to dignity and the rejection of our own efforts to change
the causes of exclusion. It would imply a denial of the capacity of society and individuals to build
an environment of freedom based on equity and solidarity.
Our aim during this new period is not only to improve our action and increase our international
presence, but also to make further progress in our transparency and accountability as
fundamental elements to maintain the trust of our members and supporters. You can be sure
that we will strive hard to do so.
In short, our new strategy embodies our commitment to stand up for people and for their
rights as the cornerstone of our work, to promote a society where active citizens demand their
governments to fulfil human rights, to further advance community development processes in
poor countries and to consolidate and increase our international presence.
Jaime Montalvo
Chair
Rafael Beneyto
Chief Executive
24/10/2007
19:19
PÆgina 5
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
CHAPTER I: STRATEGIC FOCUS
The world at a glance
Inequity and exclusion in the world
The world today is marked by the inequities between countries, between the rich and the
poor, urban and rural areas or different ethnic groups. In Latin America, Asia and Africa,
millions of children live in a situation of poverty, neglect, vulnerability and lack of education
and opportunities. While industrialised nations, home to 15% of the world's population,
control almost 80% of global income, barely 6.3% goes to "low income" countries, inhabited
by 3.5 billion people.1
Inequity among countries is compounded by inequity between men and women: 70% of
people living in poverty are women. Differences are similar as regards access to and
control of services and resources in areas such as health, employment, independence and
participation in decision-making, to name a few.2
Social inequity cannot be accepted as a natural occurrence; doing so would imply
denying human beings' capacity to build freedom on the basis of equity and solidarity.
Poverty not only implies the lack of material goods and services for the people who
endure it. It also restricts their ability to develop their potential, independence,
capabilities, opportunities and the exercise of their fundamental rights.
In order to generate adequate conditions for social development, four particularly
important areas require urgent attention:
The correction of global dissymmetry caused by globalisation.
The need for policies and programs aimed at poverty reduction to incorporate the aim
of eradicating inequity.
The improvement of employment opportunities.
The promotion of social integration and cohesion as key conditions for development,
peace and security.
1. "The Globalization of Poverty and the New World Order", Michel Chossudovsky, Spanish edition, Siglo XXI
ed. México, 2002.
2. ILO data, UNDP Report 2003, United Nations Publications.
5
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:19
PÆgina 6
Human Rights at the heart of the fight against poverty and exclusion
Ever since the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, these issues have
been addressed by a series of summits and agreements. The 1990s were a fertile decade
for the development of international tools to protect these rights,3 although results were
uneven. While legal and judicial aspects of civil and political rights were broadly developed on
an international level, the same cannot be said in the realm of economic, social and cultural
rights (ESCR). As a result, more and more organisations are mobilising to achieve the
justiciability 4 of these rights so that they can be demanded, if necessary in court.
The fulfilment of government commitments is absolutely crucial if people are to fully
exercise their human rights. Organisations focused on social, cooperation, human rights
and social action issues play a key role in generating widespread social mobilisation to
demand that governments and international bodies implement the agreements they have
undersigned.
In the year 2000, governments committed to implementing a basic agenda to fight
poverty, set forth in the Millennium Declaration. Five years on, these goals are yet to be
fulfilled. Societies, driven by NGDO action, are becoming increasingly aware of the need to
claim the fulfilment of these basic goals.
New perspectives for international cooperation
5
In addition, the Millennium Development Goals are also one of the keystones of current international
cooperation. Their accomplishment will mainly depend both on the fulfilment of financial
commitments undertaken by rich countries - the basis for poor countries to fund their programs as well as on economic, political and social reforms in developing nations.
On the other hand, at present there are two trends in international cooperation, based on
approaches to international relations: one, spearheaded by the United States, promotes bilateral
relations and agreements with Southern countries; the other, led by the European Union, supports
the strengthening of multilateral organisations (UN, WB, IMF, WTO, etc.). The discourse at the
international agreement structures (summits, conferences, forums…) that defend human rights
unambiguously supports multilateralism, coordination and cooperation between States, as well as
the coherence of their individual policies, where the basis for agreement lies in the respect for
national policies drafted with civil society involvement.
3. The list of agreements is extensive and covers a range of areas: administration of justice, freedom,
racism, refugees, child rights, women's rights, forced labour and slavery, torture and inhumane or
degrading treatment, freedom of information and association, employment, crimes against humanity and,
to a lesser extent, some agreements and declarations on the subject of social development, welfare and
progress. For further information regarding international agreements and treaties see
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/intlinst.htm.
4. Justiciability is defined as "the capacity to legally enforce the fulfilment of obligations acquired by the State as
a consequence of its ratifying an international instrument on human rights or having acknowledged these rights
in its own internal legislation." Translation of information contained in Revista Aportes Andinos, November
2002; "Exigibilidad de los derechos humanos relacionados con la comunicación desde el ámbito de las políticas
públicas," by Romel Jurado Vargas.
5. Information drawn from the lecture "Tendencias de la cooperación al desarrollo" ("Trends in development
cooperation"), delivered by Lucía Durán at the Seminario del PLANEX (Seminar on the Foreign Policy Plan of
Ecuador), Quito, 19th April 2006.
6
24/10/2007
19:19
PÆgina 7
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Broadening horizons: our institutional identity
Ayuda en Acción is an independent, non-party and nondenominational Non-Governmental
Development Organisation (NGDO), created in Spain in 1981 with the aim of supporting structural
change for the eradication of poverty and injustice in the world.
Our main task is to promote the enhancement of the individual and collective capacities of children
and their families and communities. We work alongside people and groups to fulfil their aspiration
to a dignified life. Our distinguishing feature is the promotion and establishment of solidarity ties in
order to help build a fair world.
Our Organisation focuses on people and our internal culture is one of commitment to hard work,
quality, appraisal and continual learning.
At Ayuda en Acción we aim to achieve a world where poverty has been eradicated; where people
fully enjoy their rights and participate in the democratic processes that shape their lives.
The road since our 2001-2005 Strategy
Our previous strategy reasserted the idea that poor people must be the main actors of their
development. Where we had previously focused on communities, we moved on to
acknowledge people as rights holders, placing them at the core of our organisational efforts.
Likewise, we began to implement our rights based approach.
This is how the concept and implementation of solidarity ties,6 began. These ties reclaim the
qualitative potential of relationships between people living in different contexts, based on a
shared vision of joint responsibility, dignity and solidarity.
In recent years our efforts to empower7 people and groups were focused from the
perspective of women's rights. This allowed us to broaden our action. While we had
previously focused essentially on strengthening technical capabilities, now we also develop
capabilities related to participation and negotiation in public settings.
6. Throughout our 25 years of work both in the North and South, one of the main features of our
organisation has been the use of child sponsorship as a mean for our supporters to cooperate not just
financially, but also from a personal and emotional point of view, thanks to the personalised relationship the tie - that these supporters are able to build with the child they sponsor. This implies the
encouragement of North-South cooperation on a one-to-one basis.
7. "Empowerment" refers to the process of strengthening the social, technical and political skills and capabilities
of groups and individuals so that they can exercise their rights and duties, actively taking part in discussion,
design and monitoring processes on the policies that shape their lives, enabling them to propose and
implement the development projects aimed at dignifying and improving their living conditions.
7
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:20
PÆgina 8
Esta Estrategia también impulsó la participación en redes y plataformas, el trabajo de
incidencia política, la educación para el desarrollo y la sensibilización. En esta tarea hay
que destacar el voluntariado como un actor de primer orden en la dinamización de la
sociedad española a nivel local.
Además, en el período 2001-2005 se enriqueció la comunicación y se produjeron
importantes avances hacia un modelo de gestión orientado al desarrollo y a la
efectividad organizacional con un enfoque de calidad.
Con la estrategia 2006-2012 nos proponemos consolidar los procesos iniciados en la
anterior etapa y hacer frente a nuevos retos.
La imagen de Ayuda en Acción en 2012
Queremos ser una organización:
Bases its action on the acknowledgement of the poorest people and groups as leaders
of their development
Is internally and externally recognised as international cooperation organisation; as a
point of reference of good practices on a local scale and that is capable of promoting
solidarity ties between industrialised and developing nations.
Works to fulfil human rights and enhance participation and democracy.
Has developed an intervention program in Spain backed by its volunteers and sponsors
Has increased and reinforced its presence in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Has expanded its presence in Europe and other geographical areas
Plays a predominant role in networks and platforms and has developed new forms of
cooperation with other organisations
Has diversified its funding sources and has a highly committed social base
Emphasises transparency in the use of funds
© CONGDE
Has a plural and engaged board of trustees
24/10/2007
19:20
PÆgina 9
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Keys to our institutional identity
During this period we wish to reassert our core identity features:
We are an independent, non-party, nondenominational organisation
We wish to continue to be an independent, nondenominational, non-party organisation whose
independence is based on the trust of the thousands of people who make up our social base.
We are determined to support the most underprivileged people in the countries where
we work to help them overcome circumstances of poverty and exclusion, regardless
of political or religious beliefs.
We put people and local presence at the core
Over the past 25 years, Ayuda en Acción's work has been guided by our faith in people and
their capacity to lead their own development processes. The long-term presence of Ayuda en
Acción in the places where we work enhances interaction between local capacities and efforts
and the Organisation's contribution.
Ayuda en Acción aims to strengthen the leading role of people and groups as the real actors
in their own development processes.
Solidarity ties
Through solidarity ties Ayuda en Acción aims to promote direct and close relationships
between people and groups in different countries, in order to favour intercultural
experiences on the basis of mutual acquaintance and respect, solidarity and the
engagement of citizens to defend and promote human rights and the fight against poverty.
Solidarity ties reinforce and enhance the value of child sponsorship as a means of
cooperation.
Strengthening capacities as our methodology of intervention
Ayuda en Acción's work is based on education and the strengthening of people's
capabilities. Our Organisation believes that education is a fundamental right that opens up
a wide range of development opportunities for people and their environment; likewise, it
contributes to individual and collective empowerment and promotes citizen building,
democracy and the exercise of human rights.
9
24/10/2007
19:21
PÆgina 10
© Pablo García
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
CHAPTER II: INTERVENTION STRATEGY
Local development processes and the fight against poverty
Local work: a core commitment
Our commitment to local work is based on the acknowledgement of the fact that poverty and
marginalisation are a violation of human rights. We consider the local sphere and its people to be
the keystone of our work.
On this level we believe that it is vital to support development processes capable of generating
significant change. In order to achieve this we will support processes that:
Improve living conditions for people in the areas of health, nutrition, education and
housing.
Enhance local economies by supporting the improvement of infrastructures, production
processes, commercialisation and employment.
Improve local technical capacities: training, human resources and knowledge
management.
Contribute to environmental regeneration and protection.
Promote active citizen engagement.
Promote risk management and favour action in emergency situations.
Consolidating local presence: the approach to territorial development
8
Globalisation processes, such as migration or lack of food security, have
significantly changed rural settings. Our action in rural areas should aim to bolster
8. The territorial approach proposes actions that break the poverty cycle endured by many local rural communities by
acknowledging and promoting people's potential and capacity to achieve economic, social and political change. In
addition, this approach seeks global action whereby local development processes are not performed in isolation.
Rather, they are the first step for broader action, enabling synergies with other groups and promoting partnership
processes that increase the impact of the initial actions.
10
24/10/2007
19:21
PÆgina 11
© Pablo García
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
individual and group capacities in order to achieve economic, social and political
transformation.
Such action will be based upon:
Supporting people and groups in the defence of their social rights
Strengthening economic fabric through a social economy approach
Promoting participative democracy
Driving the participation of young people
Creating national openings in our search for new development opportunities
Increasing our capacity to address humanitarian action
Ayuda en Acción has extensive experience in the prevention and relief of natural disasters and
humanitarian crises. In this new period, we will aim to consolidate our work in this field and
continue to act both on their consequences and causes. To achieve this we will work on
disaster prevention and reduction programs as a means of ensuring the continuity of
development processes.
Our challenges regarding local development processes in the fight against poverty are to:
Ensure that people are the keystone of intervention processes, emphasising women,
young people and children
Strengthen the social capital of communities to drive these processes
Bear in mind the initiatives and economic and production processes of the groups we
work with
Enable a leading role for children in development processes
Promote women's rights
Promote the participation of young people in local actions
Promote awareness of human rights and strengthen the capacity to defend them
Enhance the technical capabilities of development area teams
Develop the concept of strategic partnerships to promote relationships with the social
organisations we work with locally
Ensure the cohesion of solidarity ties. We will pay special attention to children and their
families and communities as well as to transparency
Promoting the development and implementation of our humanitarian action policy
Strengthening our commitment with people for the fulfilment of
their rights
Increased presence in decision-making circles
The most disadvantaged people and groups lack access to the supranational bodies
that establish the laws and decisions that shape their lives. International
11
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:21
PÆgina 12
cooperation organisations can exercise influence on these bodies and make
people's demands heard.
In this sense, our presence in national, regional and international spheres will seek
to influence decision-making within a broader framework aimed at promoting a
worldwide citizenry comprised by social movements, networks, non-governmental
organisations and organised civil society groups. Together with these international
movements, we will pursue the common goal of creating a world in which human
rights are universally observed.
Acting from a rights-based approach, women's rights and the leading role of children
During this new period we will advance our rights-based approach.9 This implies recognising that
people who live in poverty are rights holders who are entitled to demand the active implementation
of measures aimed at ensuring their freedom, development and dignity. This new approach
reinforces efforts undertaken in the previous strategy period, which was based on empowerment,
women's rights and the defence of the rights of children and adolescents through the building of
solidarity ties.
In view of this rights-based approach, our actions will contemplate the following:
Claiming economic, social and cultural rights, as well as promoting rights related to children,
women, education, AIDS, health, water and food security.
Improving technical capacities and knowledge management
Incorporating methodologies that illustrate the degree to which the people we work with are
able to fulfil and exercise their rights.
Performing advocacy and social awareness-raising activities to demand rights.
Performing research to allow us to better recognise situations and enable us to act more
efficiently.
Increasing impact by seeking and establishing synergies through sectorial solidarity ties
between groups that work around the defence of similar rights.
Strengthening strategic partnerships
Ayuda en Acción promotes strategic partnerships with local, national and international
organisations and other social actors on the basis of equality, independence and mutual
respect.
Strategic partnerships increase efficiency in the pursuit of common goals and the impact
of advocacy.
9. The rights based approach implies working to ensure the rights of people living in poverty and demanding
the effective implementation of measures to guarantee their development and dignity. Ayuda en Acción
promotes actions that favour the fulfilment of these rights, especially for women, children and adolescents.
12
24/10/2007
19:21
PÆgina 13
© CONGDE
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Cohesion of action between local and other levels
Our presence in national, regional and international spheres is coherent with our
commitment to local action. During this new period we wish to consolidate our institutional
capacity in order to increase the impact of our actions.
National level: strengthening civil society
In the national arena, we will take part in the strengthening of civil society so as to increase
the repercussion of the demands we make. The aim is to influence governments in the
spheres that discuss and decide upon issues related to international cooperation.
Our main challenges are:
To drive citizen engagement by supporting grassroots organisations, in order to influence
public policies, seeking also to involve society in institutional campaigns and actions.
To strengthen our presence in public spheres specific to international cooperation.
Develop a national agenda to influence human rights, child rights, and education issues. In
short, it will cover every issue related to the improvement of the living conditions of the
groups we work with.
In Spain: promoting citizen engagement to build a fair world
Developments in our awareness raising and advocacy efforts in the Spanish context have
led us to believe that Spain has a very high potential for intervention. This will reinforce
and contribute towards the achievement of our objectives in the field.
Increasing awareness-raising and advocacy activities will mean that Ayuda en Acción will:
Achieve greater involvement of our social base and our volunteers.
Come closer to and more engaged with Spanish civil society and increase our capacity
for advocacy with Spain's central and regional governments, with the aim of influencing
policies related to cooperation and poverty.
13
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:21
PÆgina 14
Regional and international levels: influencing international cooperation policies
and the fulfilment of human rights
One of the keys for this new period is to make our Organisation's presence felt in the international
settings where decisions are taken that influence and affect the lives of the people we work with.
Our aim is to play a greater role on a regional and international level. We will increase our presence
in settings such as: the European Union, Latin American regional settings and in Asia and Africa.
On a regional and international level we intend to:
Influence the international cooperation agenda and policies aimed at eradicating
poverty and exclusion.
Defend and demand the fulfilment of people's human rights.
Lines of action, themes and actors
The main lines of action that we will base our work on are:
Meeting basic needs. Meeting the basic needs of people continues to be our main line
of action in the countries where we work. The areas covered by this line of action
include: education, health and infrastructure improvement.
Driving empowerment, citizen building and governance processes. Empowerment will
continue to be a key tool for people and communities to acquire the social, technical and
political capability they require to be able to lead their own development. By encouraging
engagement and helping people raise their own voices to demand their rights,
empowerment helps to ensure the feasibility of development processes.
© Jacobo Quintanilla / Ayuda en Acción
Strengthening capacities. Ayuda en Acción works to contribute to development by
directing part of its efforts towards strengthening local technical capacities,
through technical and professional training for young people and adults. Programs
in this area include training of leaders, teachers, literacy workers, health staff and
14
24/10/2007
19:22
PÆgina 15
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
promoters in the fields of farming, agriculture, human rights and organisational
management.
Enhancing economies. Another cornerstone of our action is the promotion of initiatives that
allow people to engage in local economic processes and dynamics, with the aim of
increasing family income, food security and wellbeing.
Reinforcing humanitarian action and risk management. Ayuda en Acción carries out
humanitarian action programs with the aim of protecting life; preventing, reducing and
alleviating human suffering; defending the fundamental rights of affected people; and
ensuring the continuity of development processes by preventing their disruption due to
natural disasters as far as possible.
Promoting women's rights. We will carry out actions to prompt government
fulfilment of international agreements on this issue; we will seek strategic
partnerships and drive civil society participation in activities that support women's
rights.
The prominent role of children. We will pay special attention to children, as well as
women and adolescents - the groups that endure poverty situations most.
Developing solidarity ties. Ayuda en Acción draws on solidarity ties and child
sponsorship to encourage direct relationships between people and communities in
the North and South, on the basis of mutual understanding and joint responsibility
around the fight against poverty.
Strengthening advocacy. In order to achieve our aims, we need to play a prominent
role in decision-making arenas.
Education for development. As underlined by the Millennium Development Goals, education
is the cornerstone for people to move forward. At Ayuda en Acción we will defend the
fulfilment of this basic right by means of specific actions and institutional campaigns.
Developing our organisational communications. We will continue to work to create a clear
and coherent message that reflects our commitment with the poorest.
15
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:23
PÆgina 16
During this new strategic period, our core themes will be:
Global issues. Those referred to human rights, the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG) and those related to Official Development Aid (ODA).
Institutional campaigns. The Organisation will carry out campaigns around specific
issues such as education, women's rights and AIDS, attempting to promote the
accomplishment of the MDG at all times.
National interest issues. Circumstances specific to some of the countries where we
work will lead us to position ourselves and advocate in situations affecting specific
groups and themes: children, youths, risk management, food security, water, social
economy, fair trade and health.
The key actors for us to perform our role as an organisation for development cooperation are:
Actors who are the goal of our action. We will focus our work on youths, children,
women and teachers. Both in the North and South, the people involved in our
solidarity ties will be the key actors of our actions.
Strategic partners and allies. Better results will be achieved through the joint effort
of local and international cooperation organisations and public and academic
institutions in the North and South.
© Icíar de la Peña / Ayuda en Acción
Target actors for advocacy. We will address national and local authorities and
regional and international bodies to win their support for our actions and demands
in the South.
16
24/10/2007
19:24
PÆgina 17
© Omar Ayyashi
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
CHAPTER III: STRENGTHENING THE ORGANISATION
Consolidating our institutional presence
During this new phase Ayuda en Acción intends to consolidate its worldwide presence and will therefore
work to consolidate its reputation as an international organisation. To enhance the impact of our work,
we need to maintain and increase our presence and level of action in Europe, America, Africa and Asia.
Internationalisation
To consolidate our reputation as an international organisation we intend to:
Optimize our work with ActionAid International, which we are linked to since our foundation in 1981.
Reflect upon our desired profile as an international organisation.
Increase international representation in our governing mechanisms and management teams.
Consolidate our internal culture as an international organisation.
17
24/10/2007
19:24
PÆgina 18
© CONGDE
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Geographical expansion
We wish to increase our international presence. This will allow us to increase our influence in the decisionmaking processes which affect cooperation and thus improve the impact of our work.
Institutional communications
We are convinced that we must continue to build our organisational communications to drive and develop alternatives for the poorest people to make their voices heard. The
actions we intend to develop include: drawing up a communications strategy and policy
in line with our new challenges; developing our message so that we can solidly convey
our identity and commitment with the poorest people; raising the profile of the voice of
the South more prominent by including "Communications for Development" in our lines
of action and enhancing the role of Solidarity Ties.
Networking
During this new phase we intend to increase and bolster our networking efforts. Doing
so will reinforce our capacity to influence public policies concerning poverty, promote the
exchange of experience and learning and enable coordination with other institutions with
which we share common goals and interests.
Fundraising
We will work to obtain the resources needed to fulfil our institutional strategy.
During this period, we want to maintain and increase our current donor base and
consolidate our relationships with companies, foundations and public funding
institutions, both on a national and international scale. The balance and diversification
of funding sources will allow us to remain financially independent.
Resources will be obtained at all times in coherence with our commitment to the
sector's recommendations and ethical codes.
18
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:25
PÆgina 19
Transparency and accountability
One of Ayuda en Acción's principles is to proceed transparently and to make ourselves
accountable to our supporters, communities in the South and society in general at all
times. Donors, public bodies, companies and public opinion increasingly demand to
better information regarding the management, work and results of NGOs. Therefore,
we wish to promote a culture of information and accountability based on quality.
Promoting volunteer work
© Ayuda en Acción Bolivia
At Ayuda en Acción we are well aware of the importance of volunteers for transforming
society and conveying values. Our aim for the forthcoming years is to drive volunteer
work by promoting their involvement in the awareness raising and advocacy actions that
encourage citizen engagement. Through our volunteers we will disseminate solidarity
values, increase our involvement in networks and move closer to achieving our
organisational aims.
19
24/10/2007
19:25
PÆgina 20
© Icíar de la Peña / Ayuda en Acción
estrategia_interiores05_ingles.qxp
Organisational development
People at the core of our organisation's work
At Ayuda en Acción we are convinced that an Organisation is only as good as its people,
and we consider that the involvement and commitment of our teams is crucial. To this
end, we will continue to support their professional furtherance and work to ensure that
our organisation is open to continual learning and that its management is inspired by
values.
Knowledge management and learning
In order to make our action more efficient, we will continue to expand our research and
analysis capacities. In this new period we will stress conceptual and methodological
development aimed at fulfilling our right based approach, one of the keystones of our
new strategy, and we will advance in the systematisation of our organisational
experience to deepen our knowledge and continual improvement.
Quality-based organisational culture
In addition, we will commit to implementing appraisal systems that help us to improve.
Ayuda en Acción aims to achieve the best possible results and we wish to instil an
organisational culture based on quality.
20
estrategia_cubiertas04_ingles.qxp
24/10/2007
19:28
PÆgina 1
INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY 2006-2012
BROADENING HORIZONS
© Pablo García Mateo
www.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Enrique Jardiel Poncela, 6, 1ª planta. 28016 Madrid. 902 402 404. informacion@ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Javier Lasso de la Vega, 3, bajo. 41002 Sevilla. 954 21 51 63. informacion@andalucia.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Balmes, 32 3º-1ª. 08007 Barcelona. 934 88 33 77. barcelona@barna.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Maestro Clavé, 10, puerta 2. 46001 Valencia. 963 10 61 21. informacion@valencia.ayudaenaccion.org
Av. del General Sanjurjo, 64. Bajo izq. 15006 A Coruña. 981 13 37 37. informacion@galicia.ayudaenaccion.org
Pl. Sarrikoalde, 3 (entrada por Av. Lehendakari s/n). 48015 Bilbao. 944 47 96 77. informacion@euskadi.ayudaenaccion.org
C/ Cimadevilla, 15. Esc. A, 2º E. 33003 Oviedo. 985 21 47 25. información@asturias.ayudaenaccion.org