E-motive is a collaborative program of Oxfam Novib in which organizations involved in social innovation have the opportunity to work together, exchange knowledge and experiment with instruments that have been developed elsewhere.
The cooperation within E-motive originated because Netwerk Democratie was invited to set up a project with the Ugandan organization CEW-IT. This resulted in the ‘Wie bepaalt de agenda?‘ a collaboration of a Dutch team consisting of Pieter Rozema (KNHM), Pat van der Jagt (Alterra), Sandra Bos (HvA), Joachim Meerkerk (Pakhuis de Zwijger), Wim Hiemstra (ETC), and Mellouki Cadat (Movisie) based on the Ugandan ‘Citizen’s Manifestos’ method.
Over the past year, Netwerk Democratie collaborated in actualizing of the ‘Deepening Democracy’. This project comes from an alliance of six organizations from four different countries with the aim of promoting participative and deliberative democracy, as well as, strengthening the direct influence of citizens on political decision-making. In our work we emphasize three areas:
- [Influencing political agendas] Mobilizing fellow citizens and social movements, developing consensus-focused citizens agendas, and encouraging political support.
- [Influencing policy and politics] Ensuring that citizens understand how policies and laws come about, how they can influence decision-making and how they can amend and/or propose laws themselves.
- [Infleuncing the distribution of public funds] Ensuring that citizens are informed about how the government distributes and spends public money, and how they can influence this process.
Within the framework of this collaboration, Netwerk Democratie is a partner in two pilot projects that have been set up in the context of the ‘Deepening Democracy’ program. These projects are: ‘Youth influencing the agenda‘ and ‘Follow The Law‘.
The aim of this cooperation is to set up a four-year program in which the cooperation between the organizations will take further shape.
Deepening Democracy is a cooperation between:
OXFAM NOVIB
World-wide development organisation that mobilizes the power of people against poverty. Around the globe, we work to find practical, innovative ways for people to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive.
NETWERK DEMOCRATIE
Network Democracy is a Dutch organization involved in democratic renewal. Network Democracy has been advocating for actual influence for citizens on political decision-making. Developing IT-platforms that increase political participation, but also transparency and accountability in the political decision-making process.
CEWIT-Citizens Watch-IT
Is a consortium of 6 NGOs in Uganda which have been involved in Democratic processes, Social Accountability, Human Rights, Good governance and Livelihoods. In 2013 CEWIT joined the E-Motive family and has been active since then.
INESC
The Institute for Socioeconomic Studies – Inesc is a non-profit organization that has the purpose to contribute towards improving democracy with the aim of ensuring human rights. Created in 1979, Inesc has been working in national and international approaches based in four main action lines: Budget, Rights and Inequalities; Globalization: Development and Sustainability; Parliament, Democracy and Society; and Institutional Strengthening.
Movisie
Movisie is the Dutch centre for social development. Their mission is to promote the participation and independence of citizens by supporting and advising professional organizations, volunteer organizations and government institutions. Five themes are central to Movisie’s work: effectiveness; professionalisation; participation; combating and preventing domestic and sexual violence; social care. Movisie is a member of several international networks in the field of social development a.o. the International Council on Social Welfare.
SERITI
The Seriti Institute strengthens community organizations for social health and local economic development. It uses large scale participatory methods, and in its systemic interventions forges partnerships involving communities, government departments, non-governmental organizations, civil society and business.
