Development policy

To achieve its goal of creating a 'world for all people,' Terre des Hommes functions as an advocate for children's rights, grass-roots movement in terms of development policy, and citizens' action groups. Terre des Hommes raises funds to support development projects that enable people to actively shape their own destinies. At the same time, structures here in the North must change. To that end, Terre des Hommes fosters development policy in the North and stands up for "global learning".

The student solidarity campaign
With this campaign, learning is no longer restricted to the classroom. Schools or individual classes can choose from a variety of projects particularly interesting for students, and support this project once or on a regular basis. Terre des Hommes provides media and class material for the individual projects.

Children for the rights of children
Terre des Hommes also stands up for the rights of children. It is understood that children are most welcome to join the work of Terre des Hommes, for example in one of the teams where children fight for other children's rights. Children and adolescents form groups and teams with friends, develop creative campaigns, and are responsible for their realization. Terre des Hommes supports them by providing material and ideas.

Material
Terre des Hommes provides books for children and adolescents of different age groups. These books describe the life of young people in the South. Collections of slides on different topics, countries, and projects can be borrowed. Many of those collections are already available on CD-ROM. Above that, there are various wall newspapers, leaflets, posters, comics, and videos. The Terre des Hommes website contains pages for children and students.

Traditionally, many strong, successful and efficient organizations, networks and initiatives are active in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg. They are the main actors of development work. Therefore, the state development policy is characterized by the participation of the civil society. In February 2013, the state government approved the new Development Policy Guidelines (Entwicklungspolitische Leitlinien), which were developed through a participatory process that was at the time unique throughout Germany. Through the initiative “world:citizens consulted!” (Welt:Bürger gefragt!), more than 1,500 citizens from all over Baden-Württemberg as well as 120 organizations and associations actively helped defining these guidelines.

Even within the adoption of the Development Policy Guidelines the developing political dialogue is still undergoing. Every year citizens of Baden-Württemberg come together to the Annual Development Policy Conference to review the implementation of the Guidelines and work on new policy proposals. Furthermore, the Council for Development Cooperation (Rat für Entwicklungszusammenarbeit), which brings together experts from significant developmentally active networks, advises the government in development issues.

Development policy in Baden-Württemberg is especially challenging for the classic political core areas of the federal states: For example it concerns education policy when trying to incorporate Global Learning and Global Studying into the curricula of schools and universities, research efforts and university strategies for internationalization. It also relates to economic policy in the areas of public procurement, the promotion of foreign trade and Fair Trade, as well as environmental policy focusing on questions of ecological sustainability.

In Baden-Württemberg, development policy is a joint task that is primarily supported by the efficient and professional commitment of its civil society. The government of Baden-Württemberg promotes this commitment but does not wish to replace it. The federal state merely provides a reliable framework for advancing development policy and supporting its participants. The two foundations Development Co-operation Foundation (Stiftung Entwicklungszusammenarbeit) and Baden-Württemberg Foundation (Baden-Württemberg Stiftung) were established by the federal state of Baden-Württemberg to pro-mote, advice and support private and municipal initiatives. The Of-fice for Development Co-operation (Landesstelle für Entwicklungszu-sammenarbeit) in the State Ministry (Staatsministerium) is available to all citizens, civil society organizations, ministries, municipalities and to the Parliament of Baden-Württemberg (Landtag) as direct and competent governmental partner. The federal state supports civic initiatives in the field of development policy by providing funds.

Since 2013, together with the Federal Government, Baden-Württemberg promotes the One-World-Promoters program (Eine-Welt-Promotoren-Programm). Eleven full-time positions within host organizations of the civil society have already been created in order to support the valuable work of organizations, networks and initiatives in Baden-Württemberg. After the expiration of its pilot phase in 2015, Baden-Württemberg will continue to finance the program in 2017.

Every year, the “Fair Trade” exhibition (Messe FAIR HANDELN) provides a platform for the exchange of ideas, networking and joint initiatives to all active actors in Baden-Württemberg. With over 150 exhibitors, the fair has become a flagship project of the Fair Trade movement with impact far beyond Baden-Württemberg.

For over 30 years, INKOTA has been an ecumenical network of development-oriented grassroots organizations, parishes, fair-trade stores, and individuals.
We align ourselves with the worldwide movement of the critics of globalization and therefore, work for a world in which the human needs and interests of all people count more than the economic interests of a privileged group. Hereby we link our support for our partner groups in the South with public awareness building vis-a-vis development issues in Germany.

The Karl Kübel Foundation is a foundation that carries out activities in Germany as well as activities in the fields of development cooperation and development education.