ABOUT APRODEV

Mandate

The Mandate of Aprodev is to:

i) influence decision-making processes in the European Union institutions related to North-South issues in order to promote fairness and justice and the eradication of poverty;
ii) facilitate access to the European Union institutions for Aprodev organisations and the ecumenical family and to share information and experience related to the EU; and
iii) strengthen cooperation and joint work among Aprodev agencies.

Background

Aprodev was founded in 1990 in order to strengthen the cooperation between the European development organisations which work closely together with the World Council of Churches (WCC). At present, 17 development and humanitarian aid organisations cooperate through Aprodev. They are all firmly rooted in their own societies and their constituencies comprise millions of Christians from the Anglican, Protestant and Orthodox communities. Through the WCC, which groups 342 churches in more than 100 countries worldwide, these constituencies are linked up with Christian communities all over the world. Together, the Aprodev members have an annual income of some Euro 720 million. Their counterpart organisations can be found in most countries in the world.

Basic convictions

• Aprodev believes that all human beings are created in the image of God. In their efforts to work alongside the poor, marginalized, oppressed and excluded, the Aprodev organisations seek to underline the equal value of all human beings, irrespective of race, colour, sex, creed, national, ethnic or political affiliation.
• The Aprodev members share the ecumenical understanding of development as a multi-facetted and holistic concept which comprises social, cultural, spiritual, political, environmental and economic aspects.
• Given the unequal distribution of wealth, power and knowledge in the world, the sharing of resources is an important basis for the work for justice, peace and safeguarding God’s creation.
• Aprodev organisations attach great importance to policies which underline the dignity of women and men and which follow a rights-based approach.
• The Millennium Development Goals constitute important benchmarks for all government policies as well as for the Aprodev organisations.
• Lobby and advocacy work is rooted in the experiences of the counterpart organisations of the Aprodev agencies.

Governance

Aprodev is governed by a General Assembly which meets once a year. The General Assembly is composed of the Directors or Deputy Directors of the member organisations. The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) are observers. A Board, composed of four members of the General Assembly, with the WCC as an observer, governs the daily activities of Aprodev.

Board

Antti Pentikainen, FinnChurchAid – Chair
Claudia Warning, EED – Vice Chair
Ueli Locher, HEKS – Treasurer
Margareta Grape, Church of Sweden – Member
William Temu, World Council of Churches – Observer

Aprodev working groups

The Policy and Advocacy Group, which is composed of senior policy staff of the member organisations, advises Aprodev on the formulation and implementation of the Strategic Plan and the annual work programmes.

The Gender Reference Group, the Central America Working Group, the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Working Group and the Middle East Working Group advise Aprodev on issues related to their areas of work.

There are also Working Groups on:-
Trade, Food Security and Gender,
EC and International Funding for Development and Relief,
Climate Change and Development.

Various more informal groups composed of specialized staff of Aprodev members engage in joint work on different issues, themes and geographical regions, such as Africa, the Great Lakes region, communication, and rights and development. The paper drafted by this group was approved by the 2008 General Assembly as Aprodev's position on a Rights-based Approach to Development (also available in French and Spanish).

Planning and Reporting

Aprodev's annual work programme is based on a Strategic Plan prepared in consultation with the Board, Policy and Advocacy Group, Gender Reference Group and Working Groups and approved by the General Assembly. The Strategic Plan for 2009-2012 was approved at the 2008 General Assembly.

Each year an Annual Report summarises the activities undertaken during the past year. The Annual Report for 2008 and the report for 2007 are available here.