INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS
Links with international institutions are essential for NGOs working in the humanitarian aid sector. As well as being major donors, these institutions are key policymakers. By developing partnerships with them, MdM is able to influence international policymaking. MdM is also a member of various NGO collectives which facilitates our access to international decision-making bodies and enables us to advocate in the name of the NGOs concerned.
EUROPEAN UNION (EU) The two main EU institutions concerned with solidarity are the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office (DG ECHO) and the International Development and Cooperation Programme (DG DEVCo), whose funding is provided by the EuropeAid mechanism (AIDCo). Since 2015, through its European network, MdM has also secured funding from DG SANTE and its Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency for projects in support of migrants. In 2018, MdM, also through its European network, secured funding from DG JUST for its projects in support of migrants in Europe. Lastly, in 2017 and 2018, MdM was a sub-recipient of grants from the European Union Trust Funds. DG ECHO’s mandate is to provide aid and emergency relief to communities affected by natural disasters or conflicts outside the EU. DG ECHO works in partnership with nearly 200 partners (European NGOs, the Red Cross network and specialist United Nations agencies). Around one third of the budget allocated for the funding of humanitarian projects went to NGOs. DG DEVCo, via EuropeAid, is responsible for implementing the aid mechanisms of the European Commission, one of the main contributors of official development assistance. For several years now, MdM has been a particularly active member of the Brussels-based NGO collective VOICE (Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in
76 /
Emergencies), which is an interface between European humanitarian aid NGOs and EU institutions (European Commission/DG ECHO, European Parliament, Member States). VOICE brings together over 80 of Europe’s largest and most influential NGOs. MdM France, representing the MdM network, participates in several VOICE working groups (FPA Watch MdM’s dealings with DG DEVCo are conducted through CONCORD (European Confederation of Relief and Development NGOs), via the French NGO collective Coordination Sud which lobbies EU institutions and contributes to the development of common positions on European development policy and other major aspects of North-South relations. The Council of Europe (CoE) brings together 46 European States. MdM’s International Network has consultative status with the CoE and is a member of INGO-Service, a liaison group of NGOs with this status.
UNITED NATIONS The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the main coordinating body for the economic and social activities of the UN, its specialist bodies and institutions. MdM’s International Network has level 1 consultative status (the highest level), allowing it to conduct lobbying actions, notably directed at the Human Rights Commission. It has observer status on this subsidiary body of ECOSOC. MdM’s International Network has representation at the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Since the start of 2018, MdM has been recognised as an official partner of the WHO and we are an active member of the civil society reference group working on WHO recommendations concerning viral hepatitis. MdM is a member of the International Council of Voluntary Organisations (ICVA), a Geneva-based network of NGOs that focuses on humanitarian issues. ICVA brings together over 100 international NGOs.
Annual Report / Institutional Relations
