CIVIC EDUCATION " the skill we need to live well in a family and community" Angiolo Boncompagni DG DEVCO – B1 European Commission.

CIVIC EDUCATION

"the skill we need to live well in a family and community"

Angiolo Boncompagni

DG DEVCO – B1 European Commission

1. What is CE

1. What is CE (a)

Policies and Actions which aim to empower citizens in:

1. exercise/defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society

2. value diversity

3. play an active part in democratic life with a view to the promotion/protection of Democracy and the Rule of Law.

1. What is CE (b)

•Lifelong learning process that concerns all ages, all parts of society at all levels, including preschool, primary, secondary and higher education, in all forms, in a public or private, formal, informal or non-formal setting

•It also includes vocational training, the training of trainers, teachers and State officials, continuing education, popular education, public information and awareness activities and makes use of media and new technologies

•Essential element to the HR to Education, particularly of young people

•Cross-cutting issue of MDGs

•Close interrelations and mutually supportive with the broader Human Rights Education (HRE), whose specific focus is on universal human rights and fundamental freedoms.

2. What is CE (c)• a. civil and political rights in democratic life of a Country; in particular, the empowering

freedoms – freedom of expression, association and assembly – which underpin democracy and enable effective advocacy for all rights (including social, economic and cultural) and allow citizens to claim those rights.

• b. responsibilities (such as moral, social, economic) deriving from the status of belonging to a society.

• c. development of pluralist political processes and respect for social diversity, namely of people belonging to minority groups (ethnics, religious, linguistic, sexual) and comprehension of different viewpoints and perspectives.

• d. free and active participation of all citizens to the working of public institutions, such as national parliaments, local assemblies and political parties, with a special focus on the role of elected representatives to hold the state accountable.

• e. the full electoral cycle, including voter education as a part of electoral assistance, and the knowledge of the electoral system.

• f. constitution and fundamental laws, including their impact on traditional practices and traditional law, and the delivery of the good PA.

• g. an independent and well-functioning justice system and the principles of criminal law and proceedings, access to justice, impunity and anti-corruption.

2. Who is involved

2. Who is involved2. Who is involved

- States have the primary responsibility to promote CE: the varying local political context must be taken into account (e.g. consolidated or transitional democracy, post-conflict situation, authoritarian government).

- Adequate strategic policies and actions must involve all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, CSOs, HRDs and other International Organisations already engaged in this the field (OECD, UNESCO, OSCE, CoE, etc.). Their concrete role depends on the local circumstances and on the specific attitude of the government.

3. Approaches3. Approaches•

3. Approaches3. Approaches

- CE is a top-down (policies) and a bottom-up process (activities), a combination of teaching and learning, through “experience” or doing.

- CE involves a broad range of practices and activities: education, training, dissemination, information, awareness-raising, but also direct participation in local political processes and elections.

- For the EU is a tool to encourage in partner countries a culture of democratisation.

- Strategic support to policy-makers includes forming, implementing, reviewing and sustaining policies aiming to establish sustainable forms of democracy in society and contributing, in this way, to prevent violence, racism, extremism, discrimination and making a major social cohesion and justice.

3. Approaches3. Approaches- Through policy dialogue, the EU encourages States to engage in CE and Voter Education activities, as well as to introduce CE in the national curricula.

- The EU also supports local actors and domestically owned processes of democratisation that complement political dialogue and institutional capacity building, mostly through EU’s geographical instruments

- The EU works with CSOs to promote greater participation of people in decision-making at all levels, including an equal participation of men and women and different identity groups.

- The EU invests in democracy education through the EIDHR funded Regional Master’s programmes in Human Rights and Democratisation (network of 81 universities around the world with an average of 250 students trained every year).

EIDHR Case studies•

Case study (a): DR Congo

1. Consolidation de la démocratie et de la gouvernance participatives au sein des entités locales de la ville de Kinshasa

- EUR 65.000, Consolidaiton of weak communities- Target: 1000 qualified people (elected and officers) of which 30% women, 40% young, 30% adults- Beneficiaries: 1800 qualified voters of which 500 men, 600 women, 700 young people

2. Education à la culture électorale et à la citoyenneté responsable dans les villes et territoires de la Province du Kasai Oriental

- 01/2011 – 03/2012, EUR 10.000- Awareness raising of Local NGOs, HRDs, press: 360 trainers + 60 journalists- Workshops, 4000 booklets and 20000 flyers, media campaign, monthly “Facilitateur”- Lesson learned: effectiveness of the “approche de proximité”

Case study (b): Indonesia1. Enhancing Representation Function of DPRD Members through Civic Education for Youth Political Party Cadres and Building Relation between DPRD Members and their Constituents

- EUR 100.000, 15 months, 7 political parties in 42 districts- Improving public participation and representation capacity of local MPs through:a. Sustainable institutional education ( “basic” CE) 60 “under-40” MPs, 30% women for a new projectb. Effective constituency outreach (“advanced” CE) 40 “under-40” MPs, 30% women to follow-up a previous one- good lobby needed, useful to support 2014 elections

2. Minimizing the apathy of Marginal Elderly and the Disabled through Civic Education and Electoral Dissemination for 2014 Elections

- EUR 300.000, Information and education on electoral processes and voter education- Recruitment and capacity building of volunteers through door to door visits, community based art performance, religious performance.

Case study (c): Serbia1.E-learning school of Democracy and HRs for future decision makers

- Partners for Democratic Change Serbia, EUR 50.000- Development of a website: 3 months online course for a pilot group of 100 students- Topics: HRs in general and in Serbia; Rule of Law and Fair trial; Good Governance and Anti Corruption; International instruments; Anti Discrimination; Ecosoc; LGBT, women and children; Conflict prevention and resolution; Transitional justice.- Risks: a. low interest: adequate selection processb. lack of IT knowledge: user friendly software

2. Regional Academy for Democracy. Shaping the European future of the Balkans

- 7 Countries, 150 political leaders involveda. creation of a regional network of CSOs - b. Education of young leaders - c. Improving of political awareness- 12 capacity-building seminars (4 x 3 years) on Justice and Security Cooperation, Human and Minority Rights, Building Democratic Institutions