Contribution to international development report: 2018-2019

Chapter Twelve: Civil Society and Other Strategic Partnerships

12.1 Introduction

As a small country, Scotland is able to take advantage of informal networks and opportunities for collaboration with civil society. This enables collective action and a partnership approach through the network of connections that Scotland has built up with Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda, and Pakistan. This partnership approach has resulted in Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation status through the work of the SFTF and local activists, and the Scottish Government’s support for the Alliance and the SMP. The Scottish Government also collaborates with other donors, forming partnerships in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda and currently works with Comic Relief on our joint Levelling the Field programme. End of year reports for 2018/19 for each of our core funded bodies can be found in Annex A. Details of the projects funded under our leveling the field partnership with Comic Relief can be found in Annex F.

12.2 Scottish Fair Trade Forum

12 Responsible Consumption and Production

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.2.1. Background

The Scottish Government has provided core funding to the SFTF since 2010 to promote Fair Trade in Scotland, with the aim of achieving and then maintaining Fair Trade Nation status.

Scotland successfully achieved Fair Trade Nation status in 2013 after meeting a range of criteria that demonstrated the country’s commitment to reducing poverty and helping people access their rights. Scotland’s Fair Trade Nation status was reassessed and renewed in 2017. The achievement of Fair Trade Nation status indicates to the world that Scotland takes an active leadership role in challenging global poverty and recognises the dignity and rights of producers, through a commitment to fairness in international trading.

12.2.2. Contribution to Development 2018–2019

In 2018/19 the SFTF continued to support Fair Trade businesses and supporters to increase the prominence and commitment to Fair Trade in Scotland. The SFTF’s activities have included:

• Supporting Fair Trade businesses in Scotland on marketing, planning and promotion of their Fair Trade products to develop the Fair Trade market in Scotland and increase sales.
• Publishing case studies of ethical and Fair Trade public sector procurement to encourage the sharing of best practice.
• Leading development of the Fair Trade Nation concept through collaboration and partnership with international partners including co-hosting a seminar with Fair Trade Wales attended by representatives from Sweden, Netherlands, Belgium, Lebanon and the UK.
• Showing international leadership on Fair Trade by hosting the key European event marking the launch of the International Fair Trade Charter at the Scottish Parliament with the Cabinet Secretary, the Chief Executives of the World Fair Trade Organisation and the Fairtrade Foundation.
• Strengthening the capability and sustainability of the Scottish Fair Trade campaign network through regional networking sessions for training, information and best practice sharing and helping to establish a Fair Trade Young People’s Network Scotland.
• Collaborating with partners to host a visit by a representative of a Rwandan coffee co-operative to meet business contacts, potential customers, political representatives, community organisations, supporters and educational institutions.

IDF: Core Funding: SFTF

Case Study 1: Schools Fair Trade Conference in South Ayrshire

The SFTF supported Marr College and the South Ayrshire Fair Trade Group to host a Schools Conference that brought together schools from across South Ayrshire to network and share ideas and gave pupils the chance to engage with elements of Fair Trade that they may not have considered before such as Fairtrade sportsballs and take part in healthy activities such as making Fairtrade fruit smoothies using a ‘Smoothie Bike’.

Case Study 2: Fair Trade community events in Lochaber

The SFTF supported the Emporium of Worldly Goods, a Fair Trade and ethical shop in Fort William to host events at a local hall that included Fair Trade information talks, Q&A sessions on the principles of Fair Trade and how/where to find the many types of Fair Trade goods in Scotland. The events included a Fair Trade fashion show and a film showing, which highlighted the way the fashion industry can exploit the environment and its workers.

Case study 3: East Ayrshire Fair Trade Group – Kilmarnock Community Sports Trust

The East Ayrshire Fair Trade Group received support from the SFTF to purchase Fairtrade footballs for use by the Kilmarnock Community Sports Trust to use during their holiday programme of community activities with children aged 5-12, their parents/carers and young people with learning needs.

Case Study 4: East Dunbartonshire Fair Trade Group – Fair Games

The East Dunbartonshire Fair Trade Group received support from the SFTF to host a Fair Games event involving dozens of nursery children from all over East Dunbartonshire. The children got to take part in a range of activities – including playing with a giant Fairtrade football, an agility course, throwing bean bags (filled with Fair Trade rice), ‘bricklaying’, colouring-in, storytelling and more. There were also Fairtrade snacks and refreshments to enjoy. The event was organised to celebrate the ongoing success of the Fair Trade Nurseries programme in East Dunbartonshire

Case Study 5: Dundee Fair Trade Forum, One World Shop and Fair Trade Scotland – Christmas Ethical Fair

The SFTF’s support allowed the Dundee Fair Trade Forum, Fair Trade Scotland and the One World Shop to have a stall at the Dundee Ethical Christmas Fair organised by Hand Up Events. The Fair was held in the centre of Dundee and was visited by thousands of people. The SFTF’s support enabled the local Fair Trade group and two Fair Trade businesses to showcase and sell a wide range of Fair Trade products.

12.3 Scotland’s International Development Alliance

12.3.1. Background

The Alliance is the membership body in Scotland for everyone committed to creating a fairer world, free from poverty, injustice and environmental threats. Its mission is to:

• engage people and organisations in Scotland about international development and to facilitate their informed support;
• support people and organisations in Scotland contributing to effective international development to strengthen their support base and to improve their impact; and
• represent its members and the people and communities they serve, to local, national and international decision-makers.

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.3.2. Contribution to Development 2018-19

The Alliance has a uniquely global reach with members working in over 100 countries worldwide. In 2018/19, the Alliance carried out an extensive mapping exercise of its members’ work towards achieving the SDGs in their partner countries. The findings will be drawn together into a Report to be published soon.

The Alliance facilitates collaboration among its 155 members from organisations engaged in international development, represents their interests and provides services to help them work more effectively. The Scottish Government has committed to funding the Alliance with a core grant of £644,440 over the three year period from 2017 to 2020, supplemented by a project grant of £20,000 in 2018/2019 to support the Alliance’s extra work for the sector in Scotland on best practice in safeguarding.

Above: Alliance workshop session in Edinburgh on developing safeguarding policies.

IDF: Core Funding: the Alliance

Case Study 1: Perthshire-based Just Wheels

Emma Burtles, founder of Just Wheels writes: “Just Wheels is a new Scottish charity working to improve the supply of good quality wheelchairs and supporting individuals with mobility issues, in Tabora region in Tanzania.

The Alliance has provided us with enormous support over the past year, helping Just Wheels to become a strong, robust organisation. This includes various training opportunities, mentor support, travel support so we can access specialist training and guidance which helped us secure a Scottish Government capacity building grant.

Furthermore, we are now working with other small organisations, working in Tanzania, who we have met through Alliance events. All of this has taken the organisation forward considerably in a short space of time.”

Just Wheels always aims to work with local wheelchair workshops, to make, and maintain the equipment. This keeps business local and maintenance and support easier. We will provide training to improve standards to World Health Organization levels where necessary.

IDF: Core Funding: the Alliance

Case Study 2: Bethesda-Khankho – Safeguarding Support

Helen Hughes, a trustee of Bethesda-Khankho writes:

“The Bethesda-Khankho Foundation which Bethesda Khankho International supports is founded on the principle of sacrificial love, in keeping with the local cultural tradition of Khankho. It recognises the potential of the poor and marginalized to transform their lives and the world, hence the motto ‘Be transformed to transform.’

Ensuring that everyone, especially children and vulnerable adults, receiving or delivering assistance, are protected from any harm is taken extremely seriously and we have valued the technical assistance provided by the Alliance to work on our Safeguarding policies, ensuring that they incorporate the up-to-date standards of best practice.”

12.4 Scotland Malawi Partnership

12.4.1. Background

SMP is the national civil society network in Scotland for co-ordinating, supporting and representing the people-to-people links between Scotland and Malawi.

The Scottish Government have supported the SMP for over a decade. The SMP’s membership has grown to more than 1,100 organisations and individuals across Scotland and includes; local authorities, universities, colleges, schools, churches, hospitals, businesses, charities, NGOs, and community-based organisations. Their sister network, the Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP) is similarly developing strongly, with Scottish Government support. The common thread that unites both SMP and MaSP members is their belief in partnership, friendship and solidarity.

From 2017 to 2020 the Scottish Government will provide the SMP with core funding of £730,528.

David Hope-Jones, SMP Chief Executive, said: “Successive Scottish Governments are to be applauded for their far-sighted commitment to supporting Scotland’s wider civic involvement in international development through the core funding of key networks. This people-led approach has allowed Scotland to make a genuinely remarkable contribution. Put simply, the SMP could not do what it does without the kind and continued support of the Scottish Government.”

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.4.2. Contribution to Development 2018–2019

In 2018-19 the SMP:

• Hosted 37 events attended by 2,252 people, and co-hosted or supported a further 43 engagements attended by 4,595.
• Supported extensive media engagement, with 262 features on Malawi in the Scottish media, of which more than 92% were positive in tone, with over 48 million opportunities to view.
• Had over 1.1 million impressions on social media, raising awareness of the positive impact of Scotland’s friendship with Malawi.
• Supported the Presidential visit, hosting an event celebrating civic and youth links, and publishing a book for the President profiling 60 civic links.
• Co-hosted a national conference in Lilongwe bringing together 350 key stakeholders to discuss the next chapter of bilateral cooperation.
• Helped support a fast, co-ordinated and effective response to Cyclone Idai.
• Hosted the Scottish Premiere of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, using this to raise funds and promote Scottish renewable energy partnerships with Malawi.
• Hosted member-led forums in: health, renewable energy, governance, primary and secondary education, further and higher education, business and trade, and agriculture and food security.
• Published a weekly news bulletin, disseminated across Scotland.
• Took over McEwan Hall for a National Youth Congress, celebrating youth-led links.
• Ran language and cultural training and workshops.
• Published a new book, Friendship with a Purpose, celebrating civic links.
• Supported 250 schools links; established a Youth Committee; ran School Forums; and supported a Scotland-Malawi choir to perform every night of the Edinburgh Tattoo.
• Produced 31 videos celebrating Scotland-Malawi links.
• Hosted roundtable meetings for members to engage visiting Malawian Government Ministers, officials and civic leaders.
• Hosted a lively and engaging AGM, and Member Awards programme, supporting hundreds of members.
• Supported ethical business, trade, investment and tourism: publishing a new Malawi Tourism Brochure, supporting Dame Kelly Holmes’ Orbis Challenge, BrewGooder craft lager and the Lake of Stars Festival, and producing Scotland Street Malawian coffee with Alexander McCall Smith.
• Supported a Malawi Cross Party Group in Holyrood and All-Party Group in Westminster.
• Ran a Faith Links Conference and subsequent Faith Links Regional Road-Trip.
• Received 222 items of published positive feedback, outlining the impact of the support given by the SMP to Scotland’s wider civic links.
• Through the website, supported cultural links; diaspora leadership; environment and renewable energy; faith links; further and higher education; gender; governance; health links; local authorities; primary and secondary education; sport; sustainable economic development; tourism; trade and agriculture; water; and youth links.

IDF: Core Funding: SMP

Case Study: Biggar High School

Biggar High School is one of 250 Scottish schools supported by the SMP. It has a two-way educational partnership with Thondwe Primary School and St Anthony’s High School in Malawi. In 2018-19, the SMP supported Biggar HS to develop their partnership through: an in-service training day for teachers; workshops with pupils on partnership working; advice and support across a number of meetings regarding a possible upcoming trip for pupils and staff to Malawi; and through showcasing and encouraging cross-curricular activities. The staff and pupils at Biggar High School received practical and financial support to take part in the SMP’s National Youth Congress.

The SMP has supported Biggar HS as part of the wider Innerleithen, Walkerburn and Traquair International Rotary partnership with Thondwe in Malawi, bringing together local schools, churches, and communities as part of a regional connection with Malawi. Biggar HS has also been working with the Peebles chapter of the Days for Girls movement.

Mike Durrington at Biggar High School, said:

“Students and staff have benefited from the SMP from day one. They have inspired and challenged us to think globally and act sustainably; so much so that students have regained their voice and are developing transferable skills which they can use beyond school. Our partnership has begun to flourish and develop, reaching into our local communities and neighbouring authorities. We are now collaborating in a cluster of schools, each with our own individual partnerships. This work is structured around key themes of equity and equality of access to education for all students and staff, both here and in Malawi. The continued support from the SMP has been second to none.”

12.5 Malawi Scotland Partnership

12.5.1. Background

MaSP is the sister organisation to the SMP. It is a Malawian-owned and Malawian-led network, which exists to support and develop Malawi’s many civil society links with Scotland and to enhance the cooperation between the Malawi and Scottish Government. From 2017 to 2020 the Scottish Government will provide the Malawi Scotland Partnership with core funding of £355,554.

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.5.2. Contribution to Development 2018-19

MaSP works to advance the development of vulnerable, isolated and impoverished communities in Malawi through:

• Enhanced collaboration with strategic partnerships, such as the Scottish Government
• Providing expertise in the health, education, economic development and civic governance sectors to the Government of Malawi.

IDF: Core Funding: MaSP

Association of People with Albinism and Amnesty International Scotland

Malawi has seen an increase of the abduction and subsequent killings of persons with albinism. The ones who have since been murdered sadly include women and very young children.

The Association of People with Albinism (APAM) however is underfunded and its members are currently in despair and most of the people involved in the abductions are usually close relations, and trusted members of the society which include the police and hospital personnel whose job it is to protect such persons.

Impact of MaSP:

MaSP has been providing support to the association by providing a meeting space at its secretariat for the association to hold its meetings for free, also publishing their news in the bulletin as well as advocating for their activities on the social media handles.

IDF: Core Funding: MaSP

Nkhoma Mission Hospital in partnership with university of Edinburgh

The first project aimed of developing a sustainable programme of cervical screening using VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) and HPV (human papillomavirus) testing in rural Malawi which ran from 2013-2016. The project engaged the Government of Malawi through regular meetings with the Reproductive Health Directorate and Safe Motherhood Committee at the Ministry of Health, and at the district level through regular liaison with the District Health Officers in the DHO Lilongwe and DHO Dedza.

Impact of MaSP:

MaSP has assisted the project to disseminate the project results at its forums. MaSP’s forums involve government officials both at the local and national levels, key stakeholders in the health sector, as well as other civil society organisation running various Scottish Government funded projects in Malawi.

MaSP has also managed to link the institution to various organisations both in Malawi and externally who are willing to learn more on the project-based on its previous success.

The networking base of Nkhoma hospital both as an institution and in particular for the project team has been strengthened with both local partners and the partners in Scotland through MaSP. The project has attracted interests from people in Uganda, DRC, Zambia and Gambia who have been coming to Nkhoma to learn more about how this project is being implemented.

This transfer of skills had been provided for free until MaSP advised that this could be turned into a viable social enterprising model which may go a long way in sustaining the project in the event that funding is no longer there.

IDF: Core Funding: MaSP

Malawi Council for the Handicap (MACOHA) and The Global Concerns Trust

The Global Concern Trust was recently awarded a £706,407 under the Scottish Government Malawi Development Programme to implement a project in Malawi to contribute to the reduction of poverty, the enhancement of economic sustainability and participation in development processes of disabled men and women in Malawi, while promoting skill development, well-being and engagement in international development of people with disabilities in the UK. This project will contribute to the reduction of poverty, the enhancement of economic sustainability, and improvement in community integration of disabled men and women in Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Mchinji, Kasungu, Salima and Ntcheu districts.

Impact of MaSP:

MaSP supported (MACOHA) and The Global Concerns Trust to deliver a Disability Mainstream Training in Blantyre, Mzuzu and Lilongwe to over 120 participants who are representatives of the different Civil Society Organisations attended the training. The methodology which was used in the delivery of these training provide for wider coverage of the skills across Malawi as participants came from all over the country to attend this training. The training were scheduled to be delivered a day after the regional engagements.

MaSP also used its social media handles to announce availability of the training sessions, thereby amplifying MACOHA/GCT’s work, and at the same time raising awareness of the project. The social media campaign for this training alone attracted overwhelming interest from the general public on the training.

MaSP members were also trained in this exercise and the skills and knowledge therefrom shall continue to be transferred for a long period to come among the membership in Malawi.

12.6 Comic Relief: Levelling the Field

12.6.1. Background

The Scottish Government aims to collaborate with other funding organisations, including national development agencies, subscription lotteries, philanthropic organisations and individuals, to match-fund initiatives, implement joint programmes, and ensure the scaling up of our funded initiatives by others.

In January 2017 Comic Relief and the Scottish Government formed a partnership to launch Levelling the Field – an initiative using the power of sport to enable and inspire women and girls to reach their full potential. Levelling the Field is targeting Sustainable Development Goal 5 – to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.

This investment of £1.8M represents a joint commitment by Comic Relief and the Scottish Government to tackle the greatest challenges facing women and girls in our world today. Our partnership will continue to maximise our impact, leverage new learning, and share stories of change.

1 No Poverty

5 Gender Equality

8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.6.2. Contribution to Development 2018-19

In 2018, 11 grants were awarded to delivery partners: three in Zambia, five in Rwanda, and three in Malawi. All organisations are working towards a minimum of one of the following outcomes:

• Reduce gender stereotypes that have a negative impact on women and girls
• Increase social inclusion of women and girls
• Increase opportunities for women and girls to access education, employment and training
• Improve the leadership skills of women and girls
• Tackle violence against women and girls; enabling women and girls to live free from harm, and with access to crucial support.

This final approach aligns with ‘Equally Safe’, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls domestically.

In-country start-up workshops were delivered in Kigali, Rwanda, with five delivery partners.

Over this period, key outcomes have been achieved through the first phase of Levelling the Field:

• Rwanda: Shooting Touch are using basketball to engage women and girls in rural Rwanda. Their 6-month report highlighted that 400 men in the community attended family day events, with 96% reporting they support females playing sports.
• Zambia: The attitudes of the women and girls taking part in Karate is shifting through the work of YCare International in Lusaka; with Karate now being viewed as a positive sport, and an increased appreciation of the benefits to the sport (self-esteem, personal safety), particularly for the women and girls who are not attending school.
• Malawi: The Vice President’s wife, Mrs Mary Chilima, in Lilongwe launched the British Council’s ‘Our Shared Goal’ project, alongside key stakeholders and 129 attendees, gaining extensive positive public coverage, here.

Across our three Sub-Saharan Africa partner, all organisations are increasing their capacity around ability to adopt a Sport for Change approach to successfully engage women and girls. Highlights include the organisation Komera, in Rwanda, who is using Yoga to reach out to young mothers for the first time; and in Malawi, United Purpose are upskilling the team on the ground to use a Sport for Change approach with a focus on netball. In Malawi, collaborative has taken root in all funded programmes, with the sharing of physical resources, training and learning.

12.6.3 Partnership Workshop 2018/19

In February 2019, Comic Relief had the pleasure of hosting representatives from the Scottish Government’s International Development Department. Bringing together Gender Justice, Policy and Grant and Funding specialists, it was an invaluable workshop by partners in examining the key lessons from the programme to inform future work, ensure impact, and explore amplifying the success of this partnership.

12.7 Beyond Borders: Women in Conflict

5 Gender Equality

16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

17 Partnerships for the Goals

12.7.1. The Project

In April 2017, The First Minister announced a commitment (through Beyond Borders) to training women from conflict zones in peace-making and peace-building skills until 2021.

The Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship seeks to promote the principles set out in UN Security Council Resolution 1325 concerning women’s participation in peace-making and peace-building initiatives in conflict affected regions.

The project, which takes the form of tri-annual Fellowships, aims to equip female negotiators and leaders with skills in mediation and conflict resolution, national dialogue processes, and peace-building mechanisms including constitution drafting, with a view to encouraging wider civil society participation in peace negotiation processes.

12.7.2. Contribution to Development 2018-19

The 2018–2019 Fellowship trained 49 women from across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia regions in conflict resolution and peacekeeping.