Civic Engagement Alliance

Partnership for equality and justice

We believe that civil society organizations are paramount for an equal and just society. The Civic Engagement Alliance is a joint collaboration between Dutch and Southern civil society organizations to contribute to inclusive development, reaching the most vulnerable members of society. The name of its programme is “Strategic Partnership for Dialogue and Dissent”.

The alliance is made up of trade unions, education and development organizations that have a link to (Christian) organizations and constituencies in the Netherlands and other similar international networks.

The alliance’s members contribute their expertise in the fields of inclusive development, capacity development, labour rights, strengthening small-scale farmers, vocational training and working with the private sector, with a focus on the agri-food sector.

This video gives an impression of the impact of this strategic partnership that runs from 2016 - 2020

Strengthening local voices

Local organizations enable voices to be heard, especially those of women, youth, small-scale farmers and workers, people living with disabilities, indigenous and other groups that are often excluded.

Globally, however, local organizations are losing space and the opportunity to express themselves. The alliance seeks to strengthen them so that they can influence government policy and follow its implementation with a critical eye.

The magazine "Voices to be heard" shares the impact of the programme that has runned from 2016 to 2020.

Projects - West-Africa - Benin
Improving labour rights for shea and cashew workers

In Benin trade union COSI, partnerorganisation of CNV Internationaal, initiated a social dialogue process and convinced FLUDOR S.A., the largest shea and cashew processing company in Benin, to sign a MoU to improve the living and working conditions of 1,000 factory workers and 3,000 shea and cashew growers.

The company was initially hesitant about this, but after constructive social dialogue the company is now convinced of the win-win situation: better trained and motivated employees and the possible establishment of an employee representation.

Trade union COSI is also working with the government to ratify the ILO Convention 129 on labor inspection in the agricultural sector. This video shows the progress:

Projects - Asia - Indonesia

Better working conditions for plantation workers

Case studies in Indonesia revealed serious labour rights violations in palm oil sector. However they were also the start of step by step improvements.

In Indonesia in the framework of the Civic Engagement Alliance CNV Internationaal together with its partnerorganizations, palm oil trade union federation HUKATAN, and the Indonesian trade union confederation KSBSI strives to improve the working conditions of labourers on palm-oil plantations and

The activities are devoted to raising companies’ awareness about working conditions and improving the government’s labour policy.

Child friendly villages - Improving work and life on palm oil plantations Indonesia

Bahasa Indonesian version:

Palming off responsiblity - Report on labour rights violations in Indonesian Palm Oil Sector

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