NORTHNET MEMBERS

NorthNet involves the participation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local civil society organizations, agencies/individuals providing trainings, consultation services in the Northern mountainous provinces of Vietnam for the development of ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups.

Currently, Northnet includes 11 members working in Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, and Dien Bien provinces.

STRATEGY AND OPERATION

1.  Principal goal, vision, mission

- Principal goal: for the sustainable development and better life of the community, marginalized groups, especially Northern mountainous ethnic people in the course of hunger eradication and poverty reduction as well as promoting their equality and rights.

- Vision: To 2020, living quality of the EM in Northern mountainous areas is improved; policies and policy practice related to EM fully reflect their participation and their basic rights. Contribution of network is recognized by local authority and its people.

- Mission: Bringing a better life, improving status, rights and voice of the EM through running the network effectively

2.  Operating method

• Stand side by side with the community and marginalized people, especially ethnic minorities: Promote community development based on internal force by upholding their success and potential. NorthNet believes that it is the community and the marginalized group who play the central role in making changes, ensuring their basic rights.
• Cooperative relationship: NorthNet operates based on the cooperative relationship with community, marginalized groups, civil society organizations, networks and governmental agencies at all levels
• Participation: Strengthening actual participation of the community and marginalized people is the foundation of the development of the program/projects and the cooperative relationship of NorthNet.
• Capacity building: NorthNet pays attention to and promotes experience sharing and mutual learning among members. Capacity building for the whole network is always the first priority.

3.   Target groups

• Poor ethnic minorities, especially those in high, remote area.
• Groups of marginalized women and children (both in rural or urban areas).
• Staff of the network’s member organizations.
• Partners of the network’s member organizations.

4.   Fields of work

• Develop and implement preferred projects in five strategic fields:
  i) Ensuring accountability of government authorities and meaningful participation of the people; ii) Minimizing negative impacts caused by natural disasters and climate change; iii) Human rights of access to water and sanitation; iv) Benefits from forests and forest lands contributing to the improvement of people's livelihood; v) Gender inequity
• Mutually study, share information and experience among the members on various approaches and techniques, e.g. rights based approach, assets based community development, accountabilities and others.
• Build capacity based on the needs of the members.
• Promote the implementation of national target programs
• Conduct advocacy activities

5.  Operation principles

• Volunteerism
• Equality.
• Democracy, respect for the members’ self-determination.
• Openness, transparency.
• Cooperation and linkage.
• Compliance with Government laws and donors’ regulations.

6.  Operation mechanism

• Annual conference (with the participation of all registered members) to summarize/review activities during the year as planned and formulate next year plan.
• Management board meeting in July every year to review the progress of first six (6) month operation and adjust the plan accordingly, for the next six (6) months of the year.
• Members are responsible for implementing tasks assigned according to the plan approved by the Management Board.

INFORMATION ABOUT NORTHNET’S MEMBERS