2. FoRS Czech Forum for Development Co-
operation
• focuses on capacity building of its members to enhance their quality and
development effectiveness in the area of development cooperation, development
education and humanitarian assistance.
• FoRS members have endorsed the framework development effectiveness principles
stated in Prague Proclamation in June 2009 and Istanbul principles agreed in the
global process of the Open forum for Civil Society Organisations Development
Effectiveness.
• Based on an open discussion, the FoRS Members accepted the FoRS Code of
Conduct on Effectiveness, including regular evaluations of agreed principles and
indicators.
• It has been agreed that the focus will be given to the effectiveness principles in the
following five areas.
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3. FoRS Code of Conduct on Effectiveness
The principles:
1. Grassroots knowledge
2. Transparency and Accountability
3. Partnership
4. Respect to human rights and gender equity
5. Accountability for impacts and their sustainability
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4. 1.Grassroots knowledge
The projects of FoRS Member organizations apply field knowledge of the specific
situation, issues and priorities of target groups. FoRS Members use this knowledge
to influence development programs priorities and preparation of own strategies
including fundraising as long-term priorities cannot be changed ad hoc based on
latest calls for proposals or tenders announced by donors.
Indicators:
A. FoRS Members´ strategic priorities are published on their websites and in official documents including
their basic justification.
B. The territorial and sector specialisation of FoRS Members is stated in their official documents.
C. FoRS Members participate in FoRS working groups´ activities in the field of their specialisation.
D. Principles of democratic ownership are applied in preparation and project implementation. Local actors
are involved already in identification and formulation of projects.
E. During project implementation and evaluation, necessary information is varified directly at the location,
where the project is implemented.
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5. 2. Transparency and Accountability
FoRS Members are fully accountable for their project outcomes and working
procedures and are prepared to publish them. FoRS Members have a transparent
management structure and transparent way of financing their activities. They
collaborate with project partners to prepare information about implemented projects
and this information is available and accessible to public to the extent as required.
Indicators:
A.The information about organization´s activities and the sources of financing are stated on its website and in
annual reports that are freely accessible to public.
B.FoRS Members are prepared to put forth the outcomes of realized audits and internal or external evaluations.
C.FoRS Members have a transparent management structure and the contacts of executive staff are freely
accessible to public.
D.FoRS Members present trustful and distortion less information about their activities, partners and target
groups (key indicator).
E.FoRS Members refuse to use and tolerate corrupt practises to obtain financial resources for their activities and
projects (key indicator).
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6. 3. Partnership
FoRS Members share with their partners all facts regarding joint goals and
activities. Partnership is based on shared values and interests, mutual trust and
shared accountability towards donors, private sponsors and target groups.
FoRS Members respect the diversity of partners´ opinions, attitudes and
experiences and they make decisions on joint project based on consensus.
Indicators:
A. Partner organizations have access to relevant project documentation and further to final reports of
realized projects.
B. FoRS Members enhance the mutual exchange of information and cooperation with other
organizations active in the fields related to joint activities.
C. Main principles of project and program cooperation are mutually agreed in partners agreements.
D. Sharing of experiences and mutual capacity building is a part of partner projects and activities.
E. Partner organizations prove in their activities that they don´t misuse collective information and
know-how to pursue their own benefit at the expense of their partners (key indicator).
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7. 4. Respect to human rights and gender
equality
Respect to human dignity, human rights and the use non-victimizing procedures
are shared values of FoRS Members. FoRS Members strive to better the situation
of socially excluded and other vulnerable groups and to strengthen their role in
society. Special focus is on girls and women empowerment.
Indicators:
A. Selection of target groups of FoRS Members derives from priorities set in a participative and
transparent manner.
B. FoRS Members support an equal access of all representatives of target groups to the benefits of
development projects and programs, whereby gender equality is reaffirmed.
C. FoRS Members reject displaying stereotypes of target groups shown as mere passive beneficiaries of
humanitarian and development interventions.
D. The practices and documents of FoRS Members respect the principles of human dignity and human
rights of target groups and other actors of humanitarian aid and development cooperation (key
indicator).
E. FoRS Members reject displaying and describing extreme suffering for the purpose of obtaining
financial recourses for their activities (key indicator).
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8. 5. Accountability for impacts and their
sustainability
FoRS Members are accountable for positive and negative, planned or not
planned impacts of their development interventions and other activities
influencing the situation of target groups and other development actors. They
assume their part of accountability for sustainability of positive impacts and they
are interested in the changes of lives or attitudes of target groups even after they
had finished their projects. They enhance sustainable development of local
communities by helping to reduce damages to the environment and promoting
preserving of biodiversity.
Indicators:
A. The indicators of impacts on(changes in life of) target groups are included in project documents of
FoRS Members.
B. A participative evaluation of delivered, expected or other possible impacts is a part of internal or
external evaluations.
C. Presentation of the target groups´ opinions on project implementation and outcomes is a part of final
reports.
D. FoRS Member organizations give priority to environmentally friendly solutions.
E. FoRS Members are accountable for the impacts of their activities, use the evaluation results and
solve actively the incidental negative impacts (key indicator).
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9. Enforcement and Evaluation of Effectiveness
Principles of FoRS Member Organizations
• FoRS Members commit to enforcing endorsed principles of development
effectiveness in their activities and to evaluating the compliance with these
principles on bases of above stated indicators.
• The outcomes of these evaluations will be accessible at FoRS General
Assemblies and at FoRS website
• FoRS Members can use peer reviews to receive quality feedback and to
foster further development.
• A serious infringement of key indicators can lead to the exclusion of the
concerned organization from the FoRS platform. In the first phase, an
appointed member of FoRS Board moderates the discussion on such a
potential infringement. In the case that the situation is not resolved
adequately, the FoRS General Assembly decides about the Member
exclusion.
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10. Enforcement and Evaluation of Effectiveness
Principles of FoRS Member Organizations
• The proposed indicators are formed to fulfil the minimal standards that are
acceptable to all organizations.
• All indicators can be evaluated using following categories: ,,no – with
constraints – mostly yes – yes”.
• The answer: ,,is not relevant” is not acceptable for any indicator. Even
organizations implementing their projects without partners have to realize
that they are accountable to partners and have specific obligations towards
other FoRS Members, Secretariat and the FoRS Board.
• An independent control (e.g. if all projects are published on websites) and
feedback (e.g. recommendation to improve Member presentation in case of
unclear or insufficient information) will be enabled.
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11. c) Links
Thank you for your attention!
www.fors.cz
Daniel Svoboda
svoboda@dww.cz
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