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1. Reasons for encouraging partnership
2. Some limitations for developing partnership
3. NPA Policy for cooperating with Local Partners

The partnership approach is implicit in the main plans and policy documents of NPA. NPA adopts the concept of �assistance to self-reliance as the ideological foundation for NPA: �Everyone needs assistance, but the best is to be enabled to assist oneself. That can best be achieved through concerted cooperation, through which we, with joint efforts, seek to realise common dreams, hopes and objectives. (NPA Action Plan 1995-1999)
In the complex scenario of the world today, NPA assumes the challenge of keeping political commitment as a distinctive approach in its cooperation relationships. This dimension comes from NPAs history and roots, as the humanitarian organisation of the labour movement. Respecting the priorities defined by local actors, NPA does not aspire to be neutral, but rather to take sides, supporting partners �that stand for the same fundamental values and development objectives as ourselves (Solidarity Across Borders).

NPA recognises that there are different limitations for developing partnerships. One of them is the imbalance of power existing between northern and southern parties in the structural context of an inequitable economic order: decision making power, visibility and value of the resources both parties incorporate, ability to choose partners, demands for others accountability, have not been equal. NPAs policy for cooperation with local partners, aims to help reduce this imbalance.

Other limitations are restricted autonomy of both parties due to the economic dependence, and weak civil societies in some countries and regions. Attitudes, prejudices and work styles typical of donor-recipient relationships, present both in NPA and in the local partners, should also be surmounted in the process of advancing into partnerships.

In its international work, NPA aims to develop cooperation relationships seen as a sharing of complementary resources with local partners to reach common goals, strengthening each other mutually. NPA prefers to make its contribution to development by working with and through local partners. In cases where NPA keeps operational responsibilities, and where possible, NPA will gradually transfer this role to local partners.

The purpose of NPAs policy for cooperation with local partners is valid for all NPAs international work, including operational/emergency programs. The strengthening of local organisations is a general priority for NPA.
Funds have been the most visible resource and often the only one valued in cooperation relationships. NPA has the responsibility to assure that inputs contributed by local partners are more visible and valued.

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The way relationships between NPA and local partners are developed depends principally on the local conditions of the country or region: culture, values, development of civil society. However, NPA will seek in all the cases to build relationships with its partners based on mutual trust, commitment, openness and respect.

Local conditions and particularities will be central in determining NPAs strategies and priorities in cooperation relationships.
Mutual trust is a process built over time. Mutual commitment is needed, not only in relation to each other but also to the beneficiaries and to the agreed objectives; it also means support in time of problems.

Permanent dialogue about the strengths and weaknesses in the relationships and about the internal processes of each partner is a necessity.

NPA will give special attention to the process of identifying and choosing local partners. Understanding of their values, vision and main goals and of their compatibility with those of NPA is a pre-condition for initiating cooperation.
When starting a relationship with a potential new local partner, NPA has to focus on the social process in which the local partner is acting. Potential partners must have their own agenda and show a previously established relationship with the target group.
Identification of compatible values is often a controversial issue this is why NPA seeks cooperation with partners who, in their context, stand for values compatible to those NPA stands for. NPA aspires to identify compatible and not necessarily common goals with its partners.

NPA aims to have its main role in relation to local partners as one of accompaniment, a supportive and not protagonist or leading role. NPA will encourage the ownership of projects by local partners and act as a facilitator for networking.

NPA has to focus on whom we support, not only on what we support. NPA aims to see itself as partner making a contribution to the local partners priorities, rather than a donor contracting them to implement a strategy or a project.

Adequate planning, monitoring and evaluation procedures should be agreed upon between NPA and local partners. NPA will encourage joint planning and joint evaluations with NPA and local partners.

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NPA stands for cooperation relationships which go beyond money: a good relationship can exist before funding starts and after funding ends. NPA develops partnerships with local partners, without funding for projects, based on sharing information and facilitating networking and advocacy work.

It is important for NPA to work jointly with local partners in advocacy and lobbying after direct financial cooperation has been ended and to encourage linkages between these partners and other partners in the region, transferring skills and experience.

NPA wishes to extend a process oriented approach to most of its cooperation relationships. When possible, letters of understanding for periods longer than one year, referring to the relationship itself, will be worked out with local partners. These letters of understanding will be separate from contracts about projects, which must refer to the terms agreed with donors.
NPA promotes quality and not only quantity of output, encouraging a long term perspective.

Letters of understanding - negotiated with local partners - reflects objectives, mutual responsibilities, methodologies, expected results of the relationship and financial conditionalities.

NPA wishes to increase its accountability and transparency to local partners on both political and financial issues. Openness by both partners will be encouraged in regards to the principal policies and strategies, information requirements, lobbying activities, financial situation, fundraising, budget allocation and relationships with donors.

Criteria for phasing out from a particular relationship or from a country have to be openly discussed with local partners from the outset.

NPA should present its principal criteria for cooperation to the partners, and discuss these with them. Both parties should clarify and verify their accountability to each other and to other relevant actors, such as organisation members, beneficiaries, governments and donors.

On financial issues, full transparency by both parties is encouraged: overall project budgets, allocations at different levels, clear presentation-of donor conditionalities. Both parties shall openly explain when there are problems regarding funds.

Phasing out should be considered in connection with the sustainability of the processes supported. The main concern for NPA will be that these processes continue after funding ends. Appropriate indicators for phasing out must be agreed upon with local partners and joint evaluations of that process must be made along the way. In ongoing dialogue with the local partners, NPA must include its future phasing out and its desire to avoid dependency.

Phasing out from a country must be gradual. NPA should also, at that stage, systematise the cooperation experience in the country and what has been learned, with the participation of local partners and beneficiaries.

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To improve the sharing of decision making and the power balance, NPA will create conditions for local partners to influence its own policies and strategies, and for NPA to consider their opinion on strategic options.

NPA will incorporate local partners and other local organisations in the process of preparing or adjusting its own country strategies. The priorities on topics or sectors for NPA cooperation in each country should also be clearly presented to local actors.

Local partner�s having particular experiences will be consulted in the process of preparing or adjusting NPA�s thematic strategies and in defining NPA�s criteria for selecting partners. The expertise of local partners may be used to assist NPA in different topics, like methodologies for monitoring and evaluation, gender and environmental awareness.

Information flows between NPA and local partners should function both ways. NPA shall inform local partners of the situation and policies in Norway and Europe and on NPA�s internal processes, while local partners shall inform NPA of their context and their internal processes. Information will also be used to strengthen links between the national and international work of NPA.

Information has flowed more from South to North than the other way. NPA will seek to compensate this imbalance. NPA shall actively explain to local partners why it asks for information and give feed back on the use of the information obtained. NPA will produce information materials in local languages. Selection of relevant information is a permanent challenge in order to avoid overwhelming both partners with useless data.

NPA sees itself and its local partners as contributing to the empowerment of civil society for thoroughgoing social changes. Wide-ranging social impact requires that both parties being able to press both Governments and the respective members of civil society for political and social transformation. NPA will allocate resources for advocacy and lobbying in Norway and Europe and will encourage local partners to mobilise local resources to those ends in their context. NPA will incorporate advocacy and lobbying activities in the dialogue with local partners when defining the content of cooperation.

Developing advocacy work requires developing capacities both in NPA and the local partners. Sharing of accurate information, improved communications between Southern organisations, and an understanding of policy-making processes and the roles of policy makers are important factors for successful advocacy and lobbying.

The media have an important role in advocacy work: southern organisations may use available media or encourage new ones. NPA can assist this work by providing information and encouraging networking with partners who have developed specific skills using the media.

Advocacy work may cover specific topics related to the agenda of NPA and the local partners along with general topics.
NPA should use its access to international events to invite local partners to attend. NPA will also work more actively on publicising alternative information and on lobbying.

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NPA aims to contribute to sustainable processes and to self-reliant local actors. Cooperation for organisational development, skills upgrading of the personnel of local partners, and strategies for the organisational and economic sustainability of local partners has high priority in NPA cooperation. As part of a mutual process, the requirements of NPA for capacity and competence can also be supported by local partners.

Capacity building is a way of empowerment. The ways to develop these capacities depend greatly on the local context and political environment, and the emphasis of support usually changes over time.

Different abilities are included in the capacity building processes of local partners: building of analysis and negotiation skills; strengthening and furthering leadership; acquiring expertise and technical skills; increasing competence and capacity of governing bodies; developing the capacity to put forward propositions; improving methods of working with and in communities; lobbying and coalition building; systematising experiences and learning from them; publication of these reflections.

For NPA, supporting capacity building implies providing financial support for activities designed to strengthen organisations -such as organisational evaluations, consultancy support, staff training, reflection exercises and staff exchanges among organisations- in order to endorse South-South partnership and to engage in joint lobbying and advocacy campaigns with southern partners.

Capacity building should be encouraged both within the partner organisation and among the beneficiaries, and at both the individual and institutional levels.

NPA assigns special importance to helping local partners make linkages and exchange experiences among themselves and with other similar organisations, at both country and international levels. Networking has proved useful for lobbying, advocacy work, organisational development, and strengthening of the NGO�s movement. NPA will support and participate in networking initiatives, in and between the South and the North.

NPA is interested in cooperating with sectoral networking related to cooperation issues such as education, community health, youth care and credit schemes; and on cross-cutting issues, such as poverty alleviation, sustainable development and gender awareness.
Cooperation agreements with local partners may include a networking budget at the time of their planning. Temporary exchanges of human resources for transferring specific skills between southern NGOs, and exchange visits to the field by partner staff and beneficiaries shall be promoted.

Cooperation with universities and research centres can be useful for strengthening national and regional networking. NPA will encourage broad networking and exchanges, promoted and directed, by local partners and including other local organisations, rather than �NPA-led� initiatives.

NPA will encourage local integrated projects, implemented by several partners working in different issues or sectors within the same territory. NPA will also seek for coordination with other external actors supporting the local partners, avoiding duplications and conciliating methodologies.

 

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NPA wishes to see itself as a learning organisation and will improve its own conditions for developing partnership. Time and resources will be allocated for internal reflection and debate at the policy level, strengthening institutional thinking and identity.
NPA�s staff will improve its competence, particularly regarding knowledge of the country and region of work, strategic planning, organisational development, networking, and intercultural understanding. NPA will also encourage attitudes of respect and humility, along with a willingness to listen and learn among its staff.

NPA will foster institutional debate on the current situation and the principal trends at the global and regional levels. Internal procedures, particularly administrative routines, must also be revised periodically, creating space for dialogue on substantive issues.

NPA shall encourage institutionalisation of relationships, avoiding that they become too personalised, at the same time as assuring flexibility and the personal commitment of its staff.
When recruiting personnel, NPA has to assure itself that they have competence and attitudes compatible with this policy.

 

4- NPA Partners

• Abu Jihad Al-Wazir Institute for the Disabled

• Al Karameh Association for Disabled

• Aidoun Group

• Arab NGOs Network for Development (ANND)

• Arab Organization for Disabled People (AODP)

• Assalam Social and Charity School (Salam)

• Association Najdeh

• Coordination Forum of NGOs Working Among Palestinian Community in Lebanon

• Development Action without Borders (NABAA)

• General Union of Palestinian Women (GUPW)

• Ghassan Kanafani Cultural Foundation (GKCF)

• Health Care Society (HCS)

• Human Development Center

• Inclusion International (II)

• Lana al-Mostakbal Association

• Lebanese Occupational Therapy Association (LOTA)

• Lebanese Physically Handicapped Union (LPHU)

• Lebanese Universitees League for the Blind (LULB)

• Nabil Badran Special School for Disabled Children

• National Association for Medical Social Care and Vocational Training (NAMSCVT)

• National Association for the Rights of Disabled People (NARD)

• National Association for Vocational Training and Social Services (NAVTSS)

• National Institution of Social Care and Vocational Training (NISCVT)

• National Rehabilitation and Development Center (NRDC)

• Popular Aid for Relief and Development (PARD)

• Palestine Solidarity Association in Sweden

• Palestinian Student Fund (PSF)

• Society for the Care of the Disabled

• The Disabled Revival Society

• UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA)

• Women Humanitarian Organization

• Welfare Association for the Disabled

• Rehabilitation International (RI)
   

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