- What does the abbreviation CIDSE stand for?
- Does CIDSE fund projects in the South?
- How does CIDSE get funded and what does it use its budget for?
- When was CIDSE created?
- Who are CIDSE’s members?
- In which countries does CIDSE have partners and/or projects?
- Which are the CIDSE decision-making structures?
- What is CIDSE’s relationship with the official structures of the Catholic Church?
- What is CIDSE’s relationship to other organisations and networks?
- How does CIDSE differ from the Caritas network?
- Is CIDSE a campaigning organization?
- What is the official working language of CIDSE?
- How can I work or intern for CIDSE?
- How can I work/volunteer for a CIDSE Member Organisation-funded project in the South?
- I would like to keep in touch with CIDSE, how can I do that?
What does the abbreviation CIDSE stand for?
The abbreviation CIDSE stands for the organization’s French full name “Coopération Internationale pour le Développement et la Solidarité” which can be translated as International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity.
Does CIDSE fund projects in the South?
As a network, CIDSE is not an organization that grants financial or technical support for development. The responsibility for project funding lies within the competencies of its member organizations. With regards to partner engagement in the South CIDSE’s responsibilities include measuring impact, improving the coordination of CIDSE’s programme work and engaging in a mutual strengthening of advocacy work.
How does CIDSE get funded and what does it use its budget for?
CIDSE is funded by membership fees; CIDSE does not receive any project funding from other sources. CIDSE finances are revised by an external auditor annually.
Core expenditures 2008: €1,020,700
Personnel: € 715,100
Secretariat running: € 90,200
Activities: € 204,000
Miscellaneous: € 11,400
When was CIDSE created?
CIDSE was officially registered as a non-profit organisation under Belgian law in 1967. However, Catholic charities had already been meeting since 1964 with the intention of creating an ‘international working group for socio-economic development’. CIDSE was founded to coordinate tasks identified by the Second Vatican Council as important tasks for the Catholic Church, namely, to care for the poor and the oppressed and to work for more justice on a global level.
Who are CIDSE’s members?
Broederlijk Delen, Belgium (www.broederlijkdelen.be)
CAFOD, England and Wales (www.cafod.org.uk)
CCFD-Terre Solidaire, France (www.ccfd-terresolidaire.org)
Center of Concern, USA (www.coc.org)
Cordaid, Netherlands (www.cordaid.nl)
Development and Peace, Canada (www.devp.org)
Entraide et Fraternité, Belgium (www.entraide.be)
eRko, Slovakia (www.erko.sk)
Fastenopfer, Switzerland (www.fastenopfer.ch)
Fondation Bridderlech Deelen, Luxembourg (www.cathol.lu)
FOCSIV, Italy (www.focsiv.it)
Fundação Fé e Cooperação, Portugal (www.fecongd.net)
Koordinierungsstelle, Austria (www.koo.at)
Manos Unidas, Spain (www.manosunidas.org)
Misereor, Germany (www.misereor.de)
SCIAF, Scotland (www.sciaf.org.uk)
Trócaire, Ireland (www.trocaire.org)
In which countries does CIDSE have partners and/or projects?
CIDSE members work in over 118 countries and territories worldwide. Learn more
Which are the CIDSE decision-making structures?
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is composed of the Directors of the 16 Member Organisations. The Board meets once a year and is responsible for the general running of CIDSE, in particular reviewing current activities and formulating policies for the future.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is the implementing and supervising arm of the Board of Directors. The Secretary General, Ecclesiastical Assistant and Treasurer are non-voting members.
Chris Bain (CAFOD): President
Myriam García Abrisqueta (Manos Unidas)
Antonio Hautle (Fastenopfer)
Angelo Simonazzi (Entraide et Fraternité)
Bernd Nilles (CIDSE): Secretary General
Mgr. Stanislas Lalanne: Ecclesiastical Assistant (Bishop of Coutances - Avranches, France)
Hilde Demoor (Broederlijk Delen): Treasurer
Working groups
CIDSE member agencies work together in working groups, platforms and fora on the issues defined in the strategic plan. Each working group elects a convenor or president from one of their members. The CIDSE Secretariat facilitates the working groups and ensures communication between the member agencies and the overall coherence of CIDSE’s work.
The Secretariat
The CIDSE Secretariat facilitates and coordinates the common efforts of the member organizations.
What is CIDSE’s relationship with the official structures of the Catholic Church?
Though a network of development agencies with a strongly lay character, CIDSE’s statutes are recognized by the Holy See. CIDSE agencies are acknowledged by their national bishops’ conferences, connected to a myriad of bishops’ conferences, dioceses, parishes and Catholic agencies. CIDSE engages with the Catholic Church in several ways: it collaborates and supports its work and vision in areas of convergence, provides expertise and experience as well as challenges its constituency when necessary.
What is CIDSE’s relationship to other organisations and networks?
CIDSE engages with both, other faith-based as well as secular organisations and networks. On many issues we work closely together with our sister organisation Caritas. Beyond our Catholic alliances we seek ecumenical cooperation with strategic Protestant partners and enjoy the longstanding cooperation with our sister network APRODEV. Secular allies include for instance Eurodad (European Network on Debt and Development in Brussels) CAN-Europe and CONCORD.
How does CIDSE differ from the Caritas network?
Caritas and CIDSE are key strategic partners for development and humanitarian issues. Having different areas of focus and expertise, we intend to build up on each other’s strengths. While Caritas is stronger on humanitarian aid questions, CIDSE’s emphasis lies on broader development concerns.
Is CIDSE a campaigning organisation?
Public campaigning continues to be a valuable advocacy tool for the network. However, it is mainly implemented at the national level. Furthermore, CIDSE joins other global campaigns run by broader alliances of like-minded organisations to maximise political impact.
What is the official working language of CIDSE?
For practical reasons, most work at the CIDSE network level is carried out in English. However, many publications get translated into other languages. At the level of individual member organizations, the main working language remains their national language.
How can I work or intern for CIDSE
Have a look at our vacancies page.
How can I work/volunteer for a CIDSE Member Organisation-funded project in the South?
Please contact our member organisations directly.
I would like to keep in touch with CIDSE, how can I do that?
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