New opportunities by partnering with international NGO Networks From the local to the global, making a real difference 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

Who we are Maureen Butter, Science Shop Biology Groningen/ Netherlands Margriet Samwel, WECF, Women in Europe for a Common Future Kirsten Kossen, ANPED, the Northern Alliance for Sustainability 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

Science Shops, the problem Marginal groups No political impact beyond the local level Low status Funding problems Living Knowledge Network EU support? Local level = Real life/ problem level 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

Science Shops can provide expert knowledge desperately needed at the international policy level!!! 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

But we need better communication channels from the local to the global level 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

NGOs can help to Get more political support Increase status Make an impact to society at large Fundraising for community-serving research feeding into high-level events Setting the research agenda 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

International NGOs Follow political agenda Time horizon short Funding problems Influence policy agenda Feed from local level Implementation to local level? 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

How to circumvent problems Address persistent problems Concentrate on contingencies and intersections between policy domains Develop close relations with suitable partner NGOs Anticipate to the long-term policy agenda Always feedback to local level 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

Suitable partner NGOs Cover both grassroots and international platform Transparent, democratic Sufficient diversity of issues From local to global and vice versa 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

ANPED Democratic Serves small organisations Broad concept of sustainable development Addresses cross-cutting issues Influential in UN decision-making 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

WECF Democratic Dedicated to making real improvements for real people Involved in implementation Broad concept of sustainable development Addresses cross-cutting issues Influential in UN decision-making 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl

Examples Green technology Gender, health and environment Living Knowledge 3 Research policy agenda Two or three other themes, for instance human rights and public health and environment with relevant policy agenda Skill share scientists AND Skill share civil society actors POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 7/21/2019 M.E.Butter@rug.nl