STRATEGIC PLAN
OF THE NATIONAL EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY FORUM
(NEDF)
2015-2018
STRATEGIC PLAN OF THE NATIONAL EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY FORUM (NEDF)
2015-2018
This publication is a result of a project “Towards Practical Implementation of LGBT* Rights in Lithuania” which is supported by the NGO Programme Lithuania funded by EEA Grants.
This publication is a result of a project “C.O.D.E: Coming out for Diversity and Equality” which is funded by the European Union program PROGRESS.
NEDF‘s activities in 2014 were partially supported by the Ministery of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania
The opinions expressed in the publication do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the supporters.
© LGL, 2015
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Contents About NEDF NEDF Strategic Management Primary Challenges to NEDF’s Successful Strategies Vision, Mission and Values Strategic Aims Strategic Objectives NEDF’s Applied Methods and Resources
About Nedf “I stand for simple justice, equal opportunity and human rights; the indispensable elements in a democratic society—and well worth fighting for.” Helen Suzman (1917-2009), two-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee of Lithuanian-Jewish descent who spent many decades fighting against apartheid in South Africa. From the very first works of political philosophy about human rights and freedoms, it is common to speak not of the world’s entire population, but about the rights of specific groups (ex. nobility rights, residents’ rights, citizens’ rights, women’s rights, etc.). Sometimes such divisions were necessary in order to further benefit privileged sectors of society, and it was only in recent centuries that thinkers, writers, and activists have begun paying increased attention to vulnerable social groups and their rights. Race, gender, sexual orientation, faith, age and other personal characteristics have been considered legitimated grounds for discrimination for most of human history, and it is only thanks to the long fight for universal human rights that these very traits can be encouraged, cherished and celebrated as contributing to societal diversity. It is not enough to merely talk about human rights when discussing the most vulnerable groups in society; concrete actions must be taken to fight against discrimination and for equal opportunities. Just like the rest of the
About NEDF
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world, Lithuania has plenty of nongovernmental organizations and activists primarily focusing on the problems of singular vulnerable groups; there are organizations for women, the LGBT community, the disabled, the young, the old, and many others. However, no matter how significant the differences are between the target groups of these actors, what they all have in common is that they are working with people. Thus, it is clear that issues of human rights and equal opportunities should be perceived holistically and as part of a broader system that integrates all vulnerable social groups. The merging of a wide range of human rights issues is significant in terms of legislation, which is formed by lawmakers and implemented by executive authorities. In a democratic society, in order for vulnerable groups to be properly represented to and heard by policy-makers, it is essential for nongovernmental organizations to unite under one effective human rights umbrella. It is precisely in this context that the National Equality and Diversity Forum (NEDF) operates, uniting the diverse range of nongovernmental human rights organizations in Lithuania. NEDF is a national cooperation network that brings the country’s human rights NGOs together in the general fight against discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, beliefs, race and ethnicity. NEDF is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2015. NEDF was established in 2010 through the project “Against Discrimination and Intolerance: Searching for Possibilities of Effective Collaboration” as a part of the European Union’s Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity (PROGRESS). Members of NEDF work together to promote equality and human rights in Lithuania, both through public policy and in practice. Seven organizations representing societal groups victimized by discrimination are currently collaborating under NEDF. The Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office also actively contributes to implementing the forum’s initiatives and planning future ones.
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About NEDF
Even as an informal (not officially registered) umbrella organization, the forum is distinguished by its members’ high levels of activity, with NEDF member organizations meeting every month. During these meetings, members share information and ideas, learn from one another, create professional connections, and plan for the future. Decisions are made by reaching a consensus and respecting the opinions of each NEDF member concerning the matter at hand. The members’ collaboration is based on the principles of solidarity, transparency and democracy. NEDF’s main activities include public educational initiatives promoting human rights and equal opportunities, and active participation in the creation and implementation of national social policies for equal opportunities. NEDF collaborates with the communities represented by its members, government agencies and bodies, other nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, lawyers, and the academic community. The member bodies of NEDF often have different goals and objectives, so a considerable amount of attention is given to developing the individual member organizations, raising awareness, improving internal communication, and optimizing strategic management. It is precisely for these reasons that each year, NEDF organizes team-building trips, strategic planning sessions, and frequent meetings to monitor the implementation of the forum’s plans. The forum’s responsible attitude and management are the guiding principles determining the creation and implementation of NEDF’s strategic plan. This publication provides an overview of NEDF’s vision, mission and goals, defines the forum’s aims and objectives for 20152018 and describes their development, lists the organization’s most effective methods, and briefly summarizes the primary challenges to successful strategic management.
About NEDF
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NEDF Strategic Management Strategic management involves the alternation of organizational leadership, the determination of desired future outcomes, and the creation of related action plans that allow for the realization of this future. Strategic management is comprised of four main principles, which in turn can be divided into finer parts: strategy creation—the conceptualization of where we are, and how and where we are going; strategic action planning—the answer to the question of what must be done in order to achieve strategic aims; the implementation of strategic plans to realize established goals; the monitoring and control of changing situations. In order to ensure that the first step of strategic management—strategy creation—was effectively approached and that all of the forum’s members were involved in this process, trainings for team-building and strategic planning were organized from November 24th to 25th, 2014, and were attended by all NEDF members. Attendees not only engaged in activities designed to enhance their understanding of their partner organizations and participated in creative problem solving activities, but also sought answers to the following questions: What is the current state of NEDF? What are the primary activities of NEDF, and how do they benefit their target populations?
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NEDF Strategic Management
Are the forum’s activities truly in line with its previously determined strategic aims? What is the desired future for NEDF? What steps must be taken for this future to be realized? What are the possible strategic aims and activities? Attendees of the training sessions critically reviewed NEDF’s vision, mission and values in the current context and discussed both necessary and potential changes. They also reviewed the forum’s financial situation, human and other types of resources, competitive position, and contributions to democratic political processes and the promotion of equal opportunities in the political sphere. During the sessions, members evaluated their partner organizations’ primary activities, productivity, and usefulness to their target communities, society, and the forum itself. Members took time to learn more about their partners and ask questions. The training sessions provided many opportunities for discussions, the sharing of experiences, constructive criticism, and the discovery of new ways to improve both NEDF and the activities and practices of its member organizations. Finally, everyone analysed the current trends with respect to the forum’s internal and external challenges and developments (i.e. in the field of legislation, at the international level, etc.).
NEDF Strategic Management
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Primary Challenges to NEDF’s Successful Strategies Like any other question relating to the complex management of nongovernmental organizations, NEDF’s strategic management has its share of challenges. None of these challenging situations must occur; by taking advantage of the monitoring and management experiences of member organizations, potential problems can be identified in advance and such obstacles can be effectively overcome. This section shows how the most important challenges can also serve as guidelines for successful strategy formation. The assignment of roles within the forum and the lack of an administrative body may constitute NEDF’s primary challenge to successful management. The forum has yet to be officially established and operates informally, basing its strategies upon the member organizations’ longterm experiences and partnerships. Successful management requires not only meeting goals and objectives, but also monitoring and evaluating these processes. Without a doubt, formalized procedures, a clear understanding of the distribution of work, and the rotation of administrative responsibilities would help to eliminate potential problems related to the forum’s management.
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Primary Challenges to NEDF’s Successful Strategies
Short-term attention to strategic planning and the completion of projects: As previously noted, strategic management is not a short-term process restricted to the period of planning. Although the planning phase requires special attention in order to ensure that the strategy created is appropriately implemented, it is crucial to not only responsibly realize established goals, but to also constantly monitor changing situations, and to reconsider and correct parts of the strategic plan if necessary. Fear of changes in the organization: Changes in the external environment, political and legal situations, financial resources, societal attitudes and other such developments require the forum to address strategic challenges so that it can continue to productively further its work, maintain its human resources, and respond to the needs of the community. Such challenges may be related to the structure of the organization, the diversification of financial resource generation, and the pursuit of project objectives. Organizations accustomed to working in a certain way (i.e. according to proven methods, tested activities, etc.) may be prone to doubts and concerns regarding the necessity of changes, which can interfere with the successful realization of the strategic plan. Moreover, these doubts may limit the forum’s creativity and ability to implement new ideas, accept new member organizations, and develop its human resources. Disparities in member competence are also relevant to strategic management. Such differences may persist in the processes of implementing, controlling, and monitoring the strategic plan. If it were to be decided that the forum should be governed by a rotating administrative apparatus, it would be necessary to determine how to address this challenge. External challenges: the unfavourable political environment and policies of the nongovernmental sector, inconsistent opportunities for raising funds, challenging geopolitical situation, growing service costs of NEDF (ex. for research), etc.
Primary Challenges to NEDF’s Successful Strategies
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Vision, Mission and Values Vision A society free from discrimination, where diversity is promoted and where all people are equal, can reach their full potential without obstacles, and are free to express their individuality without the fear of hatred and violence.
Mission To develop respect for human rights, raise societal awareness of the problem of discrimination, and unite nongovernmental organizations representing vulnerable groups in the field of promoting equal opportunities.
Values These values reflect how the forum and its members work and carry themselves in achieving the desired goals and results: Solidarity: Although the members of NEDF represent different interest groups and communities, the organizations provide support and assistance to each other as needed. As members of the forum, these organizations work as a united community. Even the smallest issues are discussed by representatives of all of the participating organizations. Progressivism: The principle of always encouraging innovative, forward-thinking initiatives, and searching for new, advanced
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Vision, Mission and Values
and improved measures and methodologies (ex. in the field of human rights education). Creativity: Strongly related to progressivism, creativity allows the forum to use its imagination for increased productivity and improved community representation. This way, ambitious ideas can be transformed into valuable and usable plans that can be implemented. Proactivity: Encourages the forum to be constantly ready to act and take initiative, instead of retroactively react to past incidents. Democracy: The forum upholds this principle not only in its internal affairs (i.e. through democratic decision making and management), but also in its goals, objectives and activities. NEDF is actively involved in the field of national policy-making and -implementing relating to equal opportunities, in social activities involving human rights education and training, and in initiatives that enhance the connection between the communities they represent and policy-makers.
Vision, Mission and Values
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Strategic Aims 1. 2. 3.
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To actively participate in the formation and implementation of policies relating to social equality and equal opportunities, and represent the interests of vulnerable groups in these processes. Public awareness and education, and the promotion of human rights, equality and diversity. Strengthen the skills and competencies of NEDF and its member organizations.
Strategic Aims
Strategic Objectives In order to achieve its strategic aims, NEDF will pursue the following objectives:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Participate in the working groups of the government, ministries and other institutions, where issues relevant to NEDF’s activities are being discussed, and if necessary, initiate the formation of such working groups; Contribute to the creation of policy measures and legislation promoting non-discrimination, and participate in other democratic processes influencing these initiatives; Monitor and actively participate in EU policy-making and –implementing initiatives related to equal opportunities; Initiate and strengthen collaboration with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office and other institutions and organizations working in that field; Provide public institutions, media representatives and other interested parties with expert evaluations of issues pertaining to non-discrimination, human rights, equal opportunities, diversity and vulnerable social groups; Initiate the creation of a diversity council in the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office;
Strategic Objectives
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7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
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Create, implement and monitor a governmental program for non-discrimination; Organize the National Equality and Diversity Awards based on NEDF’s best practices; Organize training sessions, conferences, seminars, discussions and other public events addressing human rights, equality, diversity, and the challenges related to the promotion of these principles; Organize informational social campaigns, use a wide range of external communication platforms, and search for other innovative ways to raise awareness of various societal groups and their human rights amongst politicians, employers, unions, students, and other relevant parties; Carry out joint projects of NEDF member organizations and continually search for new project opportunities and funding sources; Prepare regulations governing admission to and release from NEDF, and rules detailing the supervisory functions, organization and rotation of the administrative body; Improve the methods and quality of internal communication, and seek to create sustainable, long-term partnerships between members; Develop and improve the organizational and managerial capabilities of NEDF and its members, and improve other competencies that are relevant to the implementation of the forum’s mission and aims; Encourage the forum’s members to familiarize themselves with their partners’ organizations, activities and represented communities.
Strategic Objectives
NEDF’s Applied Methods and Resources Educational methods, such as learning from each other (peer education) and both formal and informal educational and training measures designed through modern technology (ex. the game “Know” (lith. ‘Pažink’)) allow NEDF to raise public awareness about target groups, diversity, human rights, equal opportunities, and other relevant topics, and to increase the competencies within the forum itself. Advocacy consists of the actions that aim to ensure human rights and equal opportunities by influencing legislation, policy-making and policyimplementation; NEDF’s representation of vulnerable and marginalized community groups, and development of policies promoting their social inclusion and economic development; support of various national and international initiatives that seek to ensure human rights on the regional, national and international level. Institutional capacity building is necessary to effectively realize the forum’s objectives. First, it is important that all member organizations increase their ability to impact activities related to NEDF’s operations, including administrative and organizational ones. It is also critical to invest in human resources and the individuals who directly contribute to NEDF’s activities. Their skills may be strengthened in the fields of advocacy,
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awareness-raising, community mobilization, funding diversification, social advertising and others. Communication, both internal and external, is of the utmost importance. External communication entails the effective use of all accessible, traditional and alternative informational systems and social media platforms to inform desired audiences of strategically chosen information. It also includes informational campaigns pertaining to NEDF’s aims and objectives. Internal communication is designed for efficient work and easy daily communication between forum members, and also uses all available tools for exchanging information. Strategic collaboration and coalition strengthening consists of the identification of meaningful strategic partners in the governmental, nongovernmental and private sectors that can help the forum to realize its strategic plan, and the creation and strengthening of sustainable partnerships and coalitions. An example of strategic collaboration is NEDF’s partnership with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office.
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NEDF’s Applied Methods and Resources