‘Breaking the cycle of poverty and disability in Development Cooperation’
A European Commission funded project on including disability in development cooperation policies across the EU
Mapping REPORT - LUXEMBOURG
Name / Research and report done by GILLES CERALLIOrganisation / Handicap International
Country / France
Number of interviews / · Face to face: 0
· By telephone: 0
· By email: 11
Range of institutions approached / · NGOs: 7
· Government: 2
· DPOs: 2
· Others: 0
Period in which interviews were carried out / JUNE-AUGUST 2006
Date / August 31st
1. Background
The main actors involved in development cooperation in Luxembourg are the State and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
GOVERNMENT AID WITH DEVELOPMENT
BI-LATERAL COOPERATION
Luxembourg devotes each year more than 0.7% of its gross national income to the government development. In terms of expenditure per capita of inhabitant, in 2003, Luxembourg has, with 318 dollars, occupied the first world rank in front of Denmark and Norway. The efforts in order to reach the figure of 1% have continued in spite of the revision to the fall of the growth of the Luxembourg economy for a few years (0,831% in 2004).
Regarding the geographical concentration, Luxembourg chose to cooperate with ten country-target. The choice was made on the basis of Human Development Index (HDI). All the country-target are in the second part of this classification, thus among the poorest countries.
The sectoral concentration led Luxembourg to be focused on the social sectors, namely education and training, water and the cleansing, health and the integrated rural development.
As in the past, in 2004 the major part of the assistance was managed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry for Finances managed more than 10% of the GAD. Several other Ministries (Health Ministry for Health, Culture Ministry, State Ministry (Media and Communication…) also contributed.
The Luxembourg Agency for Development Cooperation
Lux-Development is Luxembourg’s development cooperation agency for execution of roughly 90% of the bilateral aid projects financed by the Luxembourg government and for certain emergency interventions.
The majority of Lux-Development’s work is undertaken for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Division of Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs and is regulated via a special convention by which the Agency is mandated by the Luxembourg government to execute its bilateral aid programme. The Agency also implements projects for other Luxembourg ministries as well as other donors (EU).
The steadily increasing budget for development aid in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg over the past few years (0.86% of GNI in 2005) also meant a significant raise in the funds placed at Lux-Development’s disposal.
Lux-Development implements projects throughout about 20 countries in 4 continents. The Agency's main activities focus on 10 target (partner) countries identified by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For each target country, the governments of Luxembourg and the respective partner country have adopted an Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP).
The ICP constitutes a multi-annual programme that defines the main areas of cooperation (sectors, geographic areas, terms and conditions of intervention) and the multi-annual budget set aside for the programme. It translates the long-term commitment that binds the Luxembourg cooperation effort to these countries.
In 2004 the target countries represented 78% of the funds managed by Lux-Development for the purpose of project preparation and implementation.
MULTILATERAL COOPERATION IN 2004
The multilateral co-operation with the agencies of UNO and other international organizations accounts for 25% of the development aid of Luxembourg. The new approach as regards multilateral co-operation was implemented in 2004. It is based on the priorities of the beneficiary countries and the Luxembourg co-operation, and on international reference marks, such in particular Objectives of the Millenium and objectives of the international conferences of Cairo (1994, population and reproductive health), Beijing (1995, equality of gender), Monterrey (2002, financing of the development) or Johannesburg (2002, durable development).
The priority of the multilateral co-operation is to give a support for poorest and most vulnerable.
The final objective is the reinforcement of the capacities of the individuals and the beneficiary countries in order to in particular ensure a complementarity and a durability of the Luxembourg interventions and the appropriation by the recipients of their development in a durable way.
The principal fields of action are education, health and water and the cleansing. The durable development, the good governorship and the approach “gender” are essential transverse topics.
OTHER LUXEMBOURG’S ACTORS INVOLVED IN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION
NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS (NGO’s)
There are less than 100 NGO’s in Luxembourg.
The «Cercle de cooperation des ONG» gathers 70 NGO’s member.
Apart from Handicap International and Raoul Follereau, none of them works in the specific sector of disability.
79 ONG approved could benefit from a support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by the means of the Funds of Co-operation, accounting for 11,64% of the Government Aid to Development, especially reserved to this end.
In order to answer specificities of NGO’s as well as possible, the Ministry places at their disposal two types of financial instruments, who allow them to carry out their activities under conditions adapted to their needs: co financing and Framework Agreement.
Thanks to co financing, NGO’s obtain a support from the Ministry for their individual projects.
Another approach is that aimed by the Framework Agreement. It is a programming and multiannuals approach which profits from a rate of higher public financing (80% of their global budget). The action plan developed by NGO’s must be established within the framework of a strategy.
In 2004, 15 ONG could profit from this financial instrument and two new Framework Agreement (from which Handicap International) came to be added to the 15 existing outline agreements.
The relations of co-operation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NGO’s are guided by the principle of the autonomy of NGO’s and that in spite of the consequent financial support of the Government. Thus, the Ministry does not interfere in the strategic choices operated by ONG.
DISABLED PEOPLE ORGANIZATIONS (DPO’s)
There are about 50 DPO’s in Luxembourg, united under a “coalition” named Info-handicap - National Council of Persons with Disability, which is a non-profit-making association, founded in 1993 by organizations of/for disabled people. This Council:
- supports the dialogue of the organizations of/for PwD,
- represents the Grand Duchy with the European Disability Forum whose priority object consists in influencing the European policies as regards disability,
- sensitize the society with the equal opportunity and the right to the full participation of the handicapped people,
- identify deficits in the field of the handicap, in order to work out valid solutions in co-operation with the proper authorities,
- encourage the establishment of a permanent resource place for exchange and meetings for disabled people
Info-handicap functions like a federation. Some of its members are managers of services and institutions, while others are groups of mutual aid or support.
Info-Handicapalso runs the National Disability Information and meeting Centre whose mission is to :
- systematize and of centralize the data collection in connection with disability,
- provides information about allowances, addresses, specific assistances for disabled people,
- publish booklets of information concerning the offer and the services for disabled people in Luxembourg,
- organize specific trainings,
- collaborate in European programs in the fields which are of topicality for the Luxembourg sector of disability.
No DPO is member of the “Cercle des ONG”. None of them has international or development cooperation activities. Therefore, the level of understanding of the questionnaire by the DPO’s was very limited.
2. Recognition of the relevance of disability
Detailed overview of the level of attention to disability policy at different levels
Organisational Level
How disability is recognised in the overall goals and work of the institutions/organizations.
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totaldisability is relevant - organizational level / 5 / 2 / 71.43 / 7
Disability is relevant for the majority of the NGO’s contacted.
Three of them work specifically on that sector and their mission is strictly oriented to persons with disability (PwD) or persons in disabling situation.
Two NGO’s target vulnerable persons in general and provide support to PwD through activities which do not discriminate valid and disabled.
Two NGO’s do not consider PwD as a target group and didn’t have the opportunity to work for them in their project, but one of these NGO’s considers that a link with disability should be tied, or even that disability should be mentioned in the status of their association.
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totaldisability is relevant - organizational level / 1 / 1 / 50.00 / 2
Personal Level
To what extent is disability recognised in the personal work of the persons interviewed?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totaldisability is relevant - personal working level / 5 / 0 / 71.43 / 7
A majority of interviewees (especially those working in an NGO providing services or support to PwD) recognize disability as an important social issue and feel personally concerned by disability. Some are involved, through their NGO work, in activities in favour of PwD either in Luxembourg or in developing countries.
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totaldisability is relevant - personal working level / 1 / 0 / 50.00 / 2
3. Perception of disability
The overall understanding of disability
How do interviewees define disability?
Disability is defined as:
NGOs
- an unspecified deficiency at the physical or mental level, which is, starting from a certain level, perceived as a handicap by the person or her entourage,
- differences with the “standards” from a mental point of view, physics or/and social,
- a physical or mental deficiency with various degrees: light, deep or severe,
- something affecting men and women not having all their capacities for physical, mental and social activities,
- or something normal… in a society which is not normal.
Government level:
- the limitation of the possibilities of interaction of an individual who causes a permanent disability or supposed definitive disability which leads to a social or physical handicap.
DPOs
- the disadvantage of social and relational autonomy in connection with a deficit or chronic dysfunction, mental or physical,
- the reduction of a psychic or physical function.
How does their view of disability influence their work?
NGOs:
One NGO representative was personally involved, within the Education Department he was working in, in advocacy activities to create a local specialized school, allowing children to be schooled near their family.
Government level:
The only answer is about finding solutions in terms of physical accessibility.
4. Discrimination Mechanisms
What is the general knowledge about discrimination mechanisms?
Do interviewees know and understand the mechanisms of discrimination against disabled persons? What type of mechanisms do they mention?
Do interviewees know how to address them? If so, what suggestions do they have?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow mechanisms of discrimination against disability / 3 / 2 / 42.86 / 7
About half of the interviewees pretend to know the mechanism of discrimination, but no one has mentioned examples. One of them mentions the general sociological context leading to discrimination, without giving precise mechanism.
In term of solutions to address discrimination, two of them mention positive discrimination.
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow mechanisms of discrimination against disability / 0 / 2 / 0.00 / 2
Do interviewees know what “double discrimination” is?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow what is "double discrimination" / 3 / 2 / 42.86 / 7
One of the interviewees mentions “triple discrimination” targeting, in certain countries, disabled women of foreign origins (example: disabled African women victims of racism).
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow what is "double discrimination" / 0 / 2 / 0.00 / 2
5. disability-specific initiatives
Do interviewees know of any policies/projects targeting disabled people in development cooperation
That their organisation is supporting/developing/has developed?
Outside their own organization?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow specific initiatives of their organization / 4 / 3 / 57.14 / 7
know specific initiatives outside their organization / 6 / 1 / 85.71 / 7
NGO’s working in the field of disability know:
- specific initiatives of their organisations (for ex. “Leper projects” for Raoul Follereau),
- or projects of other NGO’s specialized in disability in specific countries,
- or general projects including a disability component in their projects.
Most of NGO’s mention Handicap International projects.
However, except specialized NGO’s, which are aware of international strategies in the health or disability sector ( as OMS vis a vis invalidating diseases) no one mention “policies”. Their knowledge is mostly limited to the beneficiary target groups and the activities of the projects they know.
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow specific initiatives of their organization / 0 / 2 / 00.00 / 2
know specific initiatives outside their organization / 1 / 1 / 50.00 / 2
Do these initiatives pay special attention to women or girls with disabilities?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalfocus on gender in the initiatives / 3 / 4 / 42.86 / 7
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalfocus on gender in the initiatives / 0 / 0 / 0.00 / 2
6. Resources
Do interviewees know of any resources that can help their organisation to address disability in development cooperation?
NGOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow any resources available / 3 / 4 / 42.86 / 7
Government level:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow any resources available / 1 / 1 / 50.00 / 2
DPOs:
Question / yes / no / % yes / Interviews totalknow any resources available / 2 / 0 / 100.00 / 2
Although half of interviewees answer yes to the question, they don’t point out any resource that can help their organization to address disability, except training sessions.