VENRO Working Groups
The Working Groups (WGs) are composed of Association members and form a central component of VENRO. They critically review development policy processes and organise specialist conferences. Jointly prepared positions are published and form the basis of the Association’s political lobbying activities. VENRO currently has 14 Working Groups.
Disablement and Development
The Working Group aims to involve people with disability in the development process in developing countries and improve their living conditions. The WG monitors important international processes, such as the implementation of the “UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” adopted in 2006.
More on the WG Disability and Development (in German)
Education local-global
The Working Group on Education local-global was formed when the subject field education and the subject field local-global were merged in 2005. The focus is on topics surrounding Global Learning. In 2008 and 2009, the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development was at the centre of activities.
More on the WG Education local-global in (German)
Gender
The Working Group on Gender provides a forum to discuss strategies for implementing gender justice. The aim is to contribute to overcoming poverty among women and to implementing gender justice by developing solution concepts together.
More on the WG Gender (in German)
Health
The Working Group on Health pools the expertise on development-related health topics with the aim of boosting lobbying activities vis-à-vis the political decision-makers. Both the MDG-relevant health goals and the strengthening of the health systems, development financing and cross-sectoral topics such as education play a role.
More on the WG Health (in German)
Global Structural Policy
Influencing global structural issues is crucial for successful sustainable development. The Working Group on Global Structural Policy aims to monitor international processes, pool resources and serve the function of a watchdog for processes at the international level that are relevant to development.
More on the WG Global Structural Policy (in German)
Humanitarian Aid
The Working Group advocates for the independence of humanitarian aid. It addresses co-operation with the German government and the EU commission. It also discusses current developments in the policy field of humanitarian aid.
More on the WG Humanitarian Aid
More on the WG Humanitarian Aid (in German)
Children’s Rights and Development Co-operation
The code of conduct for protecting children’s rights that was prepared by the Working Group was adopted in 2009. The WG accompanies the development of concrete protection mechanisms in all VENRO member organisations. It exerts pressure on governmental co-operation to strengthen the rights of children and their involvement in governmental programmes.
More on the WG Children’s Rights and Development Co-operation (in German)
Climate Change and Development
Climate change has been given too little attention from a development perspective. The Working Group wants to increasingly bring development aspects of climate change into the debate. One of the priorities in 2013 is the design of the new Green Climate Fund.
More on the WG Climate Change and Development (in German)
Co-financing
The Working Group on Co-financing deals with issues of co-operation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the EU Commission as funding bodies. The WG conducts an intensive political dialogue with the division responsible for private organisations at the BMZ and discusses the impacts of changes in the guidelines for the recipients of funding. More on the WG Co-financing.
More on the WG Co-financing (in German)
Social Security
80 per cent of all people live without sufficient Social Security, despite the fact that social security systems are particularly important for poor people and vulnerable groups. The VENRO Working Group on Social Security was founded in 2013. It serves a networking function for civil society and aims to formulate policy demands.
More on the WG Social Security (in German)
Transparency
The Working Group focuses on the VENRO Code of Conduct on Transparency, Organisational Management and Monitoring that was adopted by the Association members in 2008. In the coming years, the code will be tested in its practical implementation, and the members will take stock.
Impact Monitoring
The Working Group wants to promote the discussion on impact monitoring at the political level. It aims to compile examples of best practice and support the members in implementing an impact-oriented approach.