29 Jul Network Strengthening project in northern states wraps up
Monterrey, Nuevo León. July 29th 2020. The first generation of the Network Strengthening Project concluded its work with Comunalia. Through it, collectives and civil organizations from northern Mexico participated in a series of workshops and activities in order to strengthen their actions and develop a greater capacity for citizen influence in public policy decisions.
This initiative, a collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, and UnidOSC, worked with the Red Impulso OSC de Chihuahua, the Red Comunitaria Sonora of Sonora, and the ASER Network and the Coalition for Human Rights, from Baja California.
Despite the fact that the project faced the challenges of adapting in-person activities to fully virtual meetings due to the timing of health contingency, the Network Strengthening Project completed its objective of consolidating a efforts to promote plural action and sustainable articulation under the focus of human rights.
“In Comunalia, we are convinced of the power of collaboration and the value of working as a network and alliance to bring social transformations to reality. Thank you to the four participating networks: the ASER Network, the Coalition for Human Rights, the Red Impulso OSC, and the Sonora Community Network, and the 132 people from 93 organizations for having been part of this process, «said Agustín Landa, president from Comunalia.
After mapping the conditions and needs of each network, the project focused the perspective of its processes advocacy and sustainability, so that in the end, the participating organizations could make the learning resources that lead them to develop and execute their strengthening plans their own, and replicate them in the future as needed.
“I realize how useful and enriching their participation has been in generating the proposals to strengthen networks and groups; one which we hope can be replicated in other regions and states of the country, and fortifies the processes that civil society needs to be in good standing, particularly given the extraordinary context we are living in”, said Miguel de la Vega from UnidOSC, who participated as a facilitator throughout the process.
During the closing virtual session, representatives and leaders of the four networks took the floor to discuss their experiences and challenges of networks in achieving a greater influence on public policy decisions.
The organizations that participated in the first generation of the Network Strengthening Project were convened by the Fundación Internaciona de la Comunidad (FIC), in Baja California; the Fundación del Empresariado Sonorense (FESAC), in Sonora; and the Fundación del Empresariado Chihuahuanse (FECHAC), in Chihuahua, all partner community foundations of Comunalia.
Through this initiative, Comunalia confirms its commitment to create opportunities for engagement and alliances, to create new opportunities, and to promote the strengthening of each of our members and allies in order to promote better development conditions for organized civil society in Mexico.
Photo credit: Comunalia