Title of the project: Development and implementation of the program “Advocacy and Lobbying without Corruption – from Knowledge to Skills and Practice”

Funding organisation: U.S. Embassy, Riga, Anti-Corruption Grants Program 

Implementation period: 1. 10. 2009 – 30.09. 2009 

Project summary: The project implemented the program “How to protect your interests without corruption – from knowledge to

skills and practice” entailing a practical “step by step” training and coaching. Participants – NGO representatives - learned the basic concepts (advocacy, lobbying, corruption), policy development system in Latvia at the Cabinet of Ministers’ level (State Secretary meeting, consultations, Meeting of Committee of the Cabinet, Meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers), participation tools available for society groups (e-portfolio, public information, rights to submit opinions and defend them, rights to participate at the Meetings). The next step was acquiring of practical skills – finding the relevant documents, writing an opinion, cooperation with other institutions in defending the opinion etc.). The third step involved individual work – each participant will follow the track of a policy document or draft Law of particular interest to him or her, from the moment the draft Law leaves the relevant Ministry till its approval at the Cabinet of Ministers. The written Program with methodology descriptions and support materials was developed and published on CDs and in the Internet. 

The Program involves 4 seminars, 2 on-site visits and individual coaching for each participant throughout the process of decision making about a particular document of interest. 

During the project the following draft regulations were commented by the participants: 

• „Grozījumi Bāriņtiesu likumā” Amendments to Orphanige Law
• „Ģimenes valsts politikas pamatnostādnes 2011.-2017.gadam” Basic Principles id Family policy 2011 - 2017
• „Valsts un pašvaldību institūciju amatu katalogs” Ocupation catalogue for Government and Local Government institutions
• "Grozījumi Ministru kabineta 2003.gada 25.novembra noteikumos Nr.666 "Latvijas Tūrisma konsultatīvās padomes nolikums"" Amendments to Statutes of Latvian Tourism Board
• "Noteikumi par valsts pārbaudes darbu norises laiku 2010./2011.mācību gadā" Regulations on State exams of       2010/2011
• Elektronisko prasmju attīstības plāna projekts 2010.–2013.gadam Draft Plan on Development of Electronic Skills 

In most instances the responsible ministries were receptive and involved organizations in conciliation process in accordance with the regulations. Most of proposals were taken into account. In some instances organizations wrote supportive opinions with no objections. That led the way to inclusion them in commenting other documents proactively sent to those organizations from ministries and in one case - involvement of the NGO in a working group. In one case arguments of the NGO were not listened at – based on argument that they were outside the scope of regulation of the particular draft law. One organization continues follow the tracking of laws at the Cabinet of Ministers on regular basis (The Association of Creative Unions). 

At the end of the program all the participants gained understanding of the policy process at the Cabinet of Ministers, were able to use the available electronic tools in order to monitor the developments in his/her field of interests, to write an opinion and to defend it at inter-ministerial meeting or at the Cabinet of Ministers Committee meeting. Thus 15 organizations involved in advocacy work are able to both avoid corruption influencing policy decisions as well as help others to participate in the policy process in a legal manner.