Freest J Saralegui-Harries Economistas sin Fronteras CONGDE: Spanish Platform of NGDO

1. Development Education in times of crisis: What can we do? Freest J Saralegui-Harries Economistas sin Fronteras CONGDE: Spanish Platform of NGDO

2. Development Education in times of crisis: What can we do? • Consequences of the neoliberal globalization & role of Global development education • Golden days of GDE • From the golden days to the crisis: consecuences & solutions? • What are NGDOs doing in this context? The Role of GDE • The Spanish DE working group

3. Consequences of the neoliberal globalization & role of Global development education Loss of democratization of the state, politics and society • breakthrough of populism • disappointment • weariness of political • parties & institutions Political apathy & social conformity Deep distrust & disaffection Two different realities. Rise in citizen action for social justice as a response to the systemic crisis. End apathy and social conformity GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION Promote learning about the local-global links related to social justice issues Adequately engage with local struggles for justice & citizens initiatives & movements

4. Consequences of the neoliberal globalization & role of Global development education We need to build a strong civil society where “ “ Each citizen, no matter where they live, forms part of the global society & knows that they are a participant, along with their co-citizens, in the fight against exclusion, the root of any type of inequality or injustice”

5. 2. The Golden days of GDE:national level DE appears in the political agenda in 1998 with the International development Law 2004-2005 “Development Education: An Indispensable Strategy for International Development Cooperation”. 2005-2008 Development cooperation 3 year plan 2007 National Development Education Strategy 2000 Promotion of DE @ university level Formal Education 2006 Subject citizenship education

6. 2. The Golden days of GDE:regional and municipal level Strengths Weaknesses Great heterogeneity & uneven progress between communities Budgets are very small Structures & equipment management insufficient Facilitates citizen participation Regional level Promotes democratic ownership of policies & processes Lack of performance indicators. Combines the local and global DE exists even before than at a national level Budget in some cases reached the 0,7% Municipal level Ability to create a new culture of solidarity that is close to their citizens

7. 2. The Golden days of GDE: National Context • Dynamic and changing Social and political context: • Spain is a new donor country • Spanish society have a high consideration for development • Favorable context for development & DE especially since 2004 • The next 3 year development plan is going to be drafted • Growing NGDO sector: • Spanish Platform is weakened • DE working group has had a low profile: • Tired of self-criticism & questioning DE • Tired of diagnosis

8. 2. The Golden days of GDE: The DE working group • Change of mindset: Start a process of empowerment and ownership • Need for political documents, strategies: It’s up to the WG to set an agenda for DE • Liaise with other DE actors: local NGDO platforms, other national platform and at a European level (Dare forum) • Undertake seminars and conferences about the need of a strategy and the role of DE in development • Open new channels of communication with development and education authorities • Outcome: • The DE group becomes an important actor in the DE & development sector. Other actors look towards the group • The document has a great impact on DE definition & the DE • National Strategy

9. 2. The Golden days of GDE: “An Indispensable Strategy for International Development “Cooperation” • Objective: to contribute to the elaboration of the next 3 year Plan for Spanish Development Cooperation by advocating for the inclusion of DE • This document: • Spells out the broad consensus agreements elaborated and supported by the DE working groups of the Spanish and the European NGDO platforms. • Presents an overview of the current DE movement in Spain, the participating actors, and the required areas of work; • Offers concrete proposals for the improvement of policies to support DE

10. 2. The Golden days of GDE: “An Indispensable Strategy for International Development “Cooperation” The importance of this document : It envisaged as DE being a long term development strategy and looked towards social transformation taking into account the global perspective, DE is a project for the entire world. It shows us that our society is not limited to our neighborhood, our city, our country. It is a political endeavor: “Only a DE exercised from the base and its corresponding mobilization that can give legitimacy to political actions” It proposes a revision of the definition to obtain a more integral concept that is in tune with the current social, economic, and political realities.

11. 2. The Golden days of GDE: How should DE be undesrtood? Education for development should be understood as a process to create critical awareness and to make each person responsible and politically/socially active. The end objective is to construct a new civil society in both the global North and South – one that is committed to the principle of solidarity, which implies equal treatment and participation, and whose demands, needs, worries should be taken into account when making political, economic, and social decisions.

12. 2. The Golden days of GDE: National Development education strategy • Positive aspects of the strategy: • Shows the commitment of Spanish development policies with DE • DE becomes a strategic dimension of international development and key in social transformation • DE is defined as: • “a constant educational process (formal, non formal and informal) that, through knowledge, attitudes and values, aims to promote global citizens that generate a culture of committed solidarity in the fight against poverty and exclusion as well as with the promotion of human and sustainable development” • Recognises the role of the different actors in DE and the different scopes 3. The Masterpiece 3. The Masterpiece

13. 2. The Golden days of GDE: Strengths and weaknesses • Strengths: • The process: of developing a position paper empowered the DE group. This led to being known, having channels of communication that didn’t exist before. We were considered as experts by authorities. • The strategy: incorporated the concept of DE as strategic and set aside DE as mere tool. Recognized the role of the different actors and that more funds and personnel had to be given to DE if it was going to be important. • It had its own funding lines. There was a commitment from the authorities • DE at least for some years was within the education curricula • Weaknesses: • National DE strategy wasn’t followed by an action plan • Lack of proper evaluation procedures • The Human and financial resources within the Spanish Development Agency weren’t enough

14. 2. The Golden days of GDE: Lessons learnt • Reflection has to lead to action • Empowerment and ownership are key • Start from common understandings to overcome barriers • Learn from other experiences • DE is only legitimized through specific representation both within the organizations, the platforms and at a political level. • It’s necessary to open communication channels with actors at different levels • A strategy has to be followed by an action plan

15. 3. FROM THE GOLDEN DAYS TO THE CRISIS: The dark side of the Crisis Choked by structural adjustment plans that are causing a social genocide Spain is THE 8TH most unequal country of the 34 members of the OECD Average income has dropped by 4%, Economical, political & social crisis The income of the people who have the lowest incomes have fallen by 5% 10,5 million poor people 26% unemployment & 55% youth unemployment

16. 4. The bright side of the crisis: Social upraise Dignity movements Citizens tides 15 M "Indignados" SOCIAL UPRAISE Debt platform Stop Eviction platforms

17. 6. Spanish National platform & Development Education Working group 83 NGDO CONGDE Sector coordination and strengthening : to promote the efficiency, sustainability and good practices of the sector, as well as encourage the participation of member organizations in coherence with their values and principles. 17 regional platforms. Social change & communication: to contribute to the strengthening of informed, critical citizens that have solidarity and that encourage social and political transformation in the fight against poverty, the promotion of Human Rights, gender equality and environmental sustainability through social communication for change approach. 3 Commissions Advocacy : to contribute to a global development model that is constructed in a participatory way and is environmentally sustainable, based on the expansion of people’s opportunities for them to lead a dignified life and equally exercise their rights. Humanitarian development Finance & policies Global development education Working groups Gender

18. Development Education WG Internally & Externally: Networking Internally • Working in two commissions: Advocacy & Social change & communication. • Internal training & seminars • Participating in CONCORD DARE Forum Externally • Working with the Administration • Form part of the Cooperation Council • Bonding with CSO

19. DE WG Internally Position paper on the importance of development education and the role of NGDO in the construction of global citizenship What is this document • Framework to highlight the importance of DE in the development Cooperation work • Framework to highlight the work and define the role of NGOs in building a Global Citizenship through DE Composed by • Evolution of DE and its 5 generations • Outlines what GDE is • Outlines recommendations for the NGDO sector & the administration

20. Development Education & the Spanish new educational system: An image is more than words 

21. Development Education WG La educación que nos une Platform composed not only by educators or people/organizations directly with education but by other social actors such as social movements and NGDOs “Because we believe that education, to be understood as such, must be public, democratic, inclusive, co-educational, scientific, ecological and secular”

22. The end! THANK YOU