Tehdyt toimenpiteet
KEPA in the South
Finnish organisations, many of them affiliated with KEPA, have projects in a total of 60 countries. The purpose of our own work in the field is to create links to civic organisations and popular movements in the South and to mediate information to and establish links with Finland.
Thus we are contributing to strengthening a local civil society and creating direct links between it and Finland. Knowledge and experience are added to also in our own country. That is how we bring about cooperation - the only thing that can lead to genuine solidarity!
We support local projects that promote sustainable development and cultural and biological diversity in the countries where we have offices. Support is provided either in the form of project advice or financial support, or both. We have field operations in:
- Southern Africa: Mozambique and Tanzania;
- Central America: Nicaragua;
- South-East Asia: Mekong-area
The Environment
A global ecological crisis is a fact. Preserving the environment and the diversity of all life requires cooperation between the peoples of North and South. KEPA has several environment-related projects.
Women
The women of the world are not able to exercise influence on a level commensurate with the responsibility they bear. They own only 7% of the world's wealth, although they produce 60% of the total food supply and do 67% of all the work. KEPA is helping the women of the South in their efforts to become influential actors in their societies.
In Mozambique support is going to a national women's forum Forulm Mulher to various programmes defending women's rights.
Human Rights
Human rights are indivisible and something to which all of the world's people are equally entitled. In addition to political rights and democracy, they mean also that basic economic and social rights must be safeguarded. Many popular movements in Third World countries experience great difficulties when they defend basic human rights and demand that injustices be rectified.
In Mozambique KEPA is working with local organisations to promote equal opportunities and human rights for the handicapped, and in Finland we are participating in the activities arranged to mark the jubilee year of the UN Declaration of Human Rights.
Culture
Culture is the foundation for all existence, deeds and thinking. KEPA's goal is genuinely reciprocal cultural exchange, in which solutions are not based on ready models or a perceived "superiority" of Western culture, but rather on parity of esteem. We are engaged in and supporting cooperation based on respect for local cultures.
Volunteer programme ETVO
ETVO is a KEPA volunteer programme that channels volunteers to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the South. These NGOs must already have an existing cooperation relationship with a Finnish NGO, that is a member of KEPA.
The programme aims at bringing benefits to the relationship and the work of both the receiving organisations in the South, as well as Finnish civil society.
The purpose of the programme is to enhance the dialogue between the South and the North and to strengthen the partnership between the two. Involvement of the Finnish NGOs helps the volunteers to become active members of the civil society when they return to Finland.
Read more in Etvo's own internet pages.
Finnish Development Cooperation
KEPA supports the goals that Finnish development cooperation is intended to achieve. These are:
- to reduce the widespread poverty prevailing in developing
countries,
- to counter global threats to the environment by helping developing
countries solve their environmental problems, and
- to promote social equality, democracy and human rights in developing countries.
KEPA takes the view that Finland should raise the level of its development cooperation funding to the 0.7% of GNP recommended by the UN. The Government of Finland must keep to its promise to increase appropriations.
The engagement of nongovernmental organisations in development cooperation increases the Finns' understanding of life in developing countries. KEPA advocates increasing the amounts of support that these organisations receive out of development cooperation funds.
