CGSLB partner organizations from Africa using the TUDEP

In the frame of our new 3 year Belgium development cooperation program 2012-2014 the Liberal Trade Union of Belgium (CGSLB) and her partner organizations committed to use the TUDEP tool in building out the quality of our partnership.

During a 5 day partner visit to the CGSLB in Brussels five of our African Trade Union partner organizations, COSATU and SACCAWU from South Africa, COSYBU/FNTT-SI from Burundi, CSB from Burkina Faso and CNTS from Senegal, took part in a working session on the 26th of March on utilizing the TUDEP to strengthen our partnership.

This session was as a follow-up on the pilot working session that we organized in September 2011, both with the input and assistance from Paula Simonetti (ITUC/TUDCN) and Huib Huyse from HIVA. During the session in 2011 a first introduction was given of the TUDEP tool and a “baseline” was created for each partner organization through completing the questionnaire. The baseline establish a concrete view of each partner on the current partnership.

Following this baseline and with the new element added of the detailed charts (linking the individual statements with the 8 principals) we could reflex on those specific issues where the working practices in our partnerships can be deepen out or improved. We also look into how we can use this tool in facilitating the monitoring/evaluation of our partnership process in using the principals and guidelines on Trade Union development effectiveness.

The session concluded that the 5 partner organizations will pay special attention to help promote the TUDEP within the African context and will try to use this tool with their excising partnerships and with their member affiliates. The CGSLB and her partner organisations place high priority on mutual exchange and learning and have therefore given a specific focus on the dimension of south-south and triangular cooperation within our solidarity programs.

For the coming 3 years the CGSLB planned specific meetings to further reflex on the TUDEP with our partner organisations and strengthening our partnership to become more effective development actors.

Article by CGSLB