Suriname

SGP Suriname participates in the Made in Suriname Fair 2013

The Small Grants Programme Suriname is present at this years Made In Suriname Fair at KKF. Three CBOs are participating under SGP's banner: Stichting Moederhart, Stichingting U Sa Du, and Stichting Agrarische Vrouwen. These organizations are from Nickerie, Pamboko, and Commewijne respectively. Each have a seperate table in the SGP booth, displaying and selling their products. The fair is from April 26 - April 30 and includes participants from the Information Technology, agriculture, financial, service, and industrial sectors.

  

Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme supports 3rd International Congress on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield 

The 3rd International Congress on Biodiversity of the Guiana Shield will be held in August 2013 in Paramaribo, Suriname. This congress is a direct result of the Guiana Shield Priority Setting Workshop held in 2006.

The organization of this 3rd congress is in the hands of the Institute for Graduate Studies and Research (IGSR), the National Zoological Collection (NZCS), and the Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS).

The purpose of this congress is to share information with academics and other stakeholders in order to develop initiatives which will result in the protection of biodiversity in the following countries: Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana, Venezuela, Brazil, and Colombia. As part of this congress, a symposium will be held with the following theme: Applying traditional knowledge in achieving green development.

 

Global Environmental Facility Small Grants Programme funded Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (VCA) at Johanna Margaretha completed.

On Tuesday the 9th of April, the results of a Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment were presented to the community of Johanna Margaretha. The primary goal of the assessment was to gauge the community’s vulnerability to climate change. The VCA was conducted by The Red Cross, mandated by the Global Environmental Facility – Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).

Several interesting results from the assessment are that 69% of the interviewees indicated that they are prepared for the eventual effects as a result of climate change, while 35% responded that there is nothing that can be done to climate change. In total 52 people were interviewed. Johanna Margaretha is a small community which is particularly vulnerable due to the fact that it lies in between the ocean and the river, and that their primary form of income is fishery.

 

In collaboration with the  General Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the UNDP Country Office Suriname organized a two day DevInfo 7.0 training exercise, on Monday the 25th and Tuesday the 26th of March, 2013.
 
Faciltated by an International consultant, Mr. Akbar  Abdurakhmanov, with support from DevInfo Support Team, the traning was meant to give the participants insight of the possibilities offered by the new web-based version of DevInfo.

Participants from various technical ministries, the General Bureau of Statistics and UN agencies were engaged in a learning journey which included presentations and  hands-on exercises.

During his opening speech the Country Director, Mr. Thomas Gittens, explained that the initiative originated from  UNDP’s recognition of the need for improvement in the quality and availability of data in Suriname.

UNDP’s commitment to support the Bureau of Statistics and the Government of Suriname is exemplified by earlier initiatives including mapping of users and producers of data conducted in 2010; the Conference on Poverty Measurement; and the Seminar Series for senior decision-makers, all of which were undertaken in 2010.  

Also a project proposal for building capacity for data management and social sector analysis was developed.

The training initiative was also based on the recognition for and committment to continued creation of awareness on the importance of an accurate and solid national database system where data of high quality are stored and may be used to make informed policy decisions.

Director of the General Bureau of  Statistics
Colleagues from  various  Ministeries and partneragencies
Colleagues from UN Sister agencies  and UNDP
Mr. Akbar Abdurakhmanov, our Facilitator
Ladies and Gentlemen

It is my pleasure to welcome and address you this  morning at the start of this  DevInfo 7.0  training session.
First of all, let me extend our appreciation to the colleagues from our counterpart ministeries and  partneragencies, for being here today and for your participation in this training session.
I would  also wish to extend our appreciation to the colleagues from the Devinfo Support Team and the Bureau of Statistics, for partnering with us on this training exercise.

Colleagues, this initiative originates from  UNDP’s recognition of the need for improvement in the quality and availability of data in Suriname. Our commitment to support the Bureau of Statistics and the Government of Suriname is exemplified by earlier initiatives including mapping of users and producers of data conducted in 2010; the Conference on Poverty Measurement; and the Seminar Series for senior decision-makers, all of which were undertaken in 2010.   We also prepared a project proposal for building capacity for data management and social sector analysis which we are still keen to implement as funding becomes available.

SGP holds farewell dinner

The SGP Suriname Office hosted a farewell dinner for Hiske Schaap and David Keough, our intern and Peace Corps response volunteer, respectively. Hiske worked primarily on public relations and communication aspects, while David was instrumental in assisting various community-based organizations in grant writing. The Green Heritage Fund Suriname (GHFS) was present as well, as David also volunteered for this organization.

They will be surely missed and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

   

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

GEF SGP Strategic Projects

(5th Operational Phase: 2011-2014)

I. Background:

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme (SGP) provides to civil society organizations (including national NGOs, community-based organizations, and indigenous peoples organisations) in 126 countries. Grants are provided in the following GEF focal areas: mitigation of climate change (CC), conservation of biodiversity (BD), protection of international waters (IW), reduced impact of chemicals and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), prevention of land degradation (LD), and promotion sustainable forest management (SFM). SGP also seeks to generate sustainable livelihoods, reduce poverty, and create community empowerment.

SGP Suriname was opened in 1997 and started financing projects in 1999. Since then, SGP Suriname has succeeded in funding and providing support for more than 45 projects.

II. Objectives:

The purpose of the portfolio of OP5 Strategic Projects (SPs) is to enable eligible national stakeholders in Suriname to carry out the following:

• Create greater impact and closer links between local efforts and global environmental benefits (GEBs) by supporting more extensive geographical coverage and/or thematic consolidation for policy improvement in mature SGP country programmes;

• Make effective use of the built up capacity of local NGOs, CBOs and communities for replication of successful technologies and approaches;

• Improve the capacity of the SGP and its partners to leverage larger funds from potential partners and donors;

• Strengthen the sustainability and replicability of SGP projects;

• Accumulate national and global experience in the development and implementation of projects of larger coverage enabling SGP to link more effectively with the MSP and FSP modalities of the GEF, as well as that of other donors and governments;

• Strategically position civil society participation and leadership in new and innovative policies and programmes with non-GEF funding.

 

We now have a fully staffed SGP office, including a Peace Corps volunteer, a new programme assistant and an intern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Friday, 18th January 2013

Mr. Errol Alibux, Advisor to the President,
Mrs. Ellen Naarendorp, Coordinator for Environment, Office of the President,
Distinguished Participants,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am most pleased to deliver remarks at this re-engagement meeting to initiate the process for strengthening capacities of Major Groups to better fulfill their role in achieving the national sustainable development objectives of Suriname’s Development Plan. I use the word re-engagement given the clear desire of the Government of Suriname to invoke the spirit of the Rio World Environment Conference held in 1992.  As is well known, the concept of Major Groups was enshrined in the outcome documents of Rio 1992.  In focusing on capacity building of Major Groups which is the objective of this information sharing workshop, the Government is signaling its desire for a more involved and engaged society that will contribute to achieving the development goals of Suriname. On behalf of UNDP I congratulate the Government of Suriname and in particular the Cabinet of the President on initiating this programme for Major Groups.  I am sure that Mr. Errol Alibux will elaborate on this and Suriname’s sustainable development goals in his presentation.

The actions stemming from the Government’s desire for greater involvement of civil society in the development of Suriname gained momentum in 2012 on the occasion of the Rio+20 Conference. Twenty years after the Rio conference of 1992, the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development catalyzed the national reengagement with major groups. Meetings between government and the nine major groups took place prior to and after the Rio+20 conference. The question may well be asked what is new in this initiative on Major Groups compared to others that have and continue to focus very broadly on civil society? The response to this question is dependent on what you the Major Groups define as the role that you want to play and how you wish to exercise this role in furthering sustainable development of Suriname.  

From February the 5^th to the 6^th 2013, a capacity building workshop was organized by the Stichting Projekta at Overbridge Resort.