Association of German development non-governmental organisations

Content

• Who we are
• What we want
• What we do
• How we are organized
• Questions and answers
  • Does VENRO fund development project?
  • Does VENRO place staff?
  • Does VENRO offer practical training?
• Publications
• Contact

WHO WE ARE

VENRO, the Association of German development non-governmental organisations (NGOs), is the umbrella organisation of independent and church related NGOs working in the fields of development cooperation, emergency assistance, development education, and advocacy.

Currently, the Association has 100 member organisations. In addition to the member organisations, local initiatives and small NGOs are represented in VENRO through NGO networks on regional level. Thus, as a network of about 2000, middle and small NGOs, VENRO represents a considerable part of German civil society.

All member organisations contribute to achieving the aims of VENRO, each within its own specific context. Through their diversity, member organisations promote and shape the profile of VENRO. At the same time, the autonomy of each individual member organisation is respected.

Frequently, NGOs are described as the core of "democratic civil society". NGOs protest and interfere, they are dedicated to dialogue and cooperation. NGOs reflect the will of socially and politically responsible and committed citizens who, to a large degree, work on a voluntary basis.

Folder: VENRO in a nutshell, (PDF, 48 KB)
Factsheet: VENRO Structure and members, as of March 2007, Englisch (PDF, 34 KB)

WHAT WE WANT

Under the umbrella of VENRO the member organisations want to emphasize their work towards a social and human development which is geared at poverty reduction. VENRO subscribes to the principles of sustainability (AGENDA 21), the preservation of natural resources and the realization of human rights.

VENRO strives towards these goals by:

• working towards a coherent development policy at all political levels and establishing the principles of such a policy in society
• strengthening the dialogue between private and government actors in the field of development cooperation
• safeguarding and enlarging the social and political contribution of development NGOs

WHAT WE DO

VENRO:

• compounds the extensive experiences of NGOs in development cooperation
• intensifies the dialogue and exchange of experiences between member organisations
• represents the common interests and positions of the member organisations vis-à-vis the public, the government, the European Commission and other international organisations
• supports the exchange of ideas with other parts of society
• offers a political forum for NGOs and expert groups
• identifies new challenges to NGOs
• supports and coordinates joint activities in advocacy and public relations work
• drafts working papers on important issues in development policy and emergency aid
• offers workshops, seminars and training courses
• extends and deepens european and international contacts and cooperations

HOW WE ARE ORGANIZED

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Does VENRO provide project funds?

VENRO has no projects of its own in develping countries. Neither does it provide any co-financing funds. You will find information on the country projects of the VENRO members in Mitglieder.

Does VENRO place staff?

VENRO cannot help to place development experts abroad.
In the following, you will find an overview of German development organisations which place professionally experienced experts.

In addition, you will find job offers in the German field of development co-operation at: www.epo.de

Does VENRO offer internships?

It is possible to do an internship at the VENRO head office in Bonn. Our working language is German. Only apply for advertised internships (see "Stellenangebote").

PUBLICATIONS

• EU aid: genuine leadership or misleading figures? An independent analysis of European Governments’ aid levels. Joint European NGO Report, CONCORD
  (April 2006)
  PDF(1,3MB)

• Working Paper No. 17: Linking relief, rehabilitation and development
  Approaches and financing instruments to improve the transition between relief, rehabilitation and development co-operation
  (February 2006)
  PDF (505KB)

• Working Paper No. 15:"Towards sustainable development - Learning for a world qualified for the future." A discussion paper of the Association of German development non-governmental organisations (VENRO) on the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005-2014' (June 2005)
  PDF (219KB)

• Working Paper No. 14: Humanitarian aid put to the test - Principles, criteria and indicators to ensure and monitor quality in humanitarian aid (August 2005)
  PDF (219KB)

• Working Paper No. 13: Documentation of the Workshop " Reality or Wishful Thinking - Does the Cotonou Process Strengthen Civil Society?" on July 29th in Bonn (December 2003)
  PDF (169KB)

• Statement of the chairman of the VENRO board on the UN General Assembly, High Dialogue on Financing for Development (New York, 28th October 2003)
  PDF (13KB)

• VENRO position paper Armed forces as humanitarian aid workers? Scope and limits of co-operation between aid organisations and armed forces in humanitarian aid (May 2003)
  PDF (123KB)

• Statement of the Working Group on European Development Policy on the Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee on "Participation of Non-State Actors in EC Development Policy" (February 2003)
  PDF (140KB)

• Minimum Standards Regarding Staff Security in Humanitarian Aid (January 2003)
  PDF (310KB)

• Declaration of attac, DGB (German Federation of Trade Unions) and VENRO "Making Globalization Equitable" (December 2002)
  PDF (275KB)

• VENRO`s Position on the Imminant Military Intervention on Iraq (December 2002)
  PDF (59KB)

• The VENRO Position Regarding "Structural Key Elements of the New European NGDO Co-ordination" (September 2002)
  PDF(140KB)

• Statement of the Working Group on European Development Policy on the Document of the European Commission "European Governance – White Paper" (February 2002)
  PDF (132KB)

• DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FINANCING – How Financing for Development Can Contribute to Reaching the 2015 Goals, in: 2015 in Dialogue, No. 2, VENRO-Project "Prospects for 2015 – Combatting Poverty Requires Involvement" (January 2002)
  PDF (268 KB)

• VENRO Statement – The Terrorist Attacks and the Consequences: Where German Development Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) See a Need for Action (October 2001)
  PDF (124KB)

• checking and learning. Impact monitoring and evaluation - a practical guide (January 2000)
  PDF (236KB)

• Working Paper No. 8 on "Sustainability in Humanitarian Aid" (September 1999)
  PDF (347 KB)

CONTACT

VENRO e.V.
Kaiserstrasse 201 · 53113 Bonn
Tel.: ++49(0)2 28-94 67 7-0  ·   Fax: ++ 49 (0)2 28-94 67 7-99
Internet: www.venro.org  ·  Email: sekretariat@venro.org

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