INGO Forum: Internal Document
Meeting
Date
Document
Chairperson
INGO Forum
21st July 2014
Summary Meeting Minutes for External Stakeholders
Ben Mascall, INGO Forum Coordinator
Agenda Points
Umbrella Discussion
1. Action points from
previous INGO Forum
meeting
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The INGO Forum has developed its own definition of what an INGO is for the
INGO Forum Myanmar. This can be found under agenda point 6
2. ‘Contingency Planning
Working Group’ Update
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In 2008 Contingency Plan Working Group formed, this was led by the UN
This became a Network of 80 LNGOs called the ‘Myanmar NGO
Contingency Plan’.
In a recent change the ‘Myanmar NGO Contingency Plan’ changed its name
to the ‘Myanmar NGO Consortium for Preparedness and Response’ In
addition to contingency planning they are now focussing on DRR. This
network has the same membership as before.
They are currently discussing how to collaborate and not to overlap with the
Myanmar consortium on DRR which also is made up of LNGOs
There are currently six groups working on DRR in Myanmar.
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3. EC presentation of their
work on civil society road
map and INGO involvement
(Annabelle Regal, EC
programme Manager – Civil
Society)
Annabelle Regal, EC programme Manager – Civil Society gave short presentation
on the EU Civil Society Roadmap. The purpose of the Roadmap to develop a
common strategic framework for the engagement of the EU Delegation and
Member States with civil society at country level, with a view to improving the
impact, predictability and visibility of EU actions. Consultations with local CSOs
should be held mid-September and the EU is keen on engaging with INGOs for
this exercise. The three priorities for EU support are:
1. To enhance efforts to promote a conducive environment for CSOs in
partner countries;
2. To promote a meaningful and structures participation of CSOs in domestic
policies of partner countries, in the EU programming cycle and in
international processes; and
3. To increase local CSOs' capacity to perform their roles as independent
development actors more effectively.
Consultations with local CSOs should be held mid-September. The EC expects to
have over 150 participants for the Yangon consultation meeting.
The final document may not be published depends on what the findings are,
instead a summary could be shared. The document has to be approved by all the
ambassadors. Discussion points and action points will be shared with participants
from consultation meetings.

Q: How does the EU define Civil Society Organisation’s. Many organisation
don’t have formal recognition but have full legitimacy at the community level
A: This exercise is very broad and includes for example Trade Unions
INGO Forum: Internal Document
4. Should the forum develop
guidance regarding the
provision of flexible support
costs for partners?
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Q: How do you want us (INGOs) to support this process
A: This is the intention of this presentation, i would like to know from you.
The process is more for LNGOs and local civil society
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Q: There are groups at the state level how will you work with them. IRC was
working with Women’s groups and invited them to come to Yangon. This
gave them to opportunity to meet each other.
A: The EC is planning to start in Yangon but will maybe also work in
Mandalay, really we want to know where we should be focussing our effort

Q: Why now and what are you criteria for selecting Mandalay
A: The project is very much linked to the ECs other programmes. Mandalay
is not yet confirmed it’s just an idea
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Q: There is a concern that some organisations are excluded as they are not
registered
A: Financing unregistered organisation is very difficult and we need
approval from Brussels. We need to look at way to support groups even if
we cant fund them
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Comment: There are many marginalised groups who don’t have their voices
heard you should find ways to support them

Q: How do you see capacity building being done?
A: We don’t have any preconceived ideas and will ask them

Q: How open will you be to the voices of those who don’t fit into your
priorities? Organisations are waiting for funding. You might find that the
results of your consultation don’t fit with your priorities
A: If there is a list priorities that can’t be addressed now, perhaps they can
be addressed in the future.
The intent of Indirect Cost Recovery is often to recover real costs that are not
easily directly attributed to any other source. Often the partners are trying to
cover real costs that they are incurring. Organisations been having an internal
conversation about requests from their partners to receive IRC (Indirect Cost
Recovery). What one organisation is doing has impact of other organisations.
Some organisations have a policy of supporting direct costs of lead offices / HQ
costs. Some organizations would like to establish policies on funding LNGOs that
covers: Direct Costing, with established allocation methods for lead office/HQ
shared costs and HR/Organizational Development Budget. Meeting participants
made the following comments:
 When we have contributed to fund for a local partner to do advocacy for
example, it is very hard to see what the impact is. What is realistic
reporting?
 We have had audits that recommend not to provide ICR to local partners
 Donor requirements may mean that it is not possible to provide any
unrestricted funds.
 Sometimes you can just ask what recent activities have you funded in
INGO Forum: Internal Document
your capacity development budget.
 Transparency in reporting is an important issue.
Based on interest by CD participants in the meeting the INGO Forum will initiate a
WG to discuss the feasibility of developing INGO forum guidance on this. It’s
possible that this could be used for advocacy with donors.
5. Criteria for membership of
the INGO Forum – Steering
Committee Recommends
There are an increasing number of organisations who would like to join the INGO
Forum, however some are not registered as INGOs in their home countries, for
example, some are registered as corporations that follow a not-for-profit ethos.
There is no standard global definition of what an INGO is; therefore the INGO
Forum has had to develop its own definition. This will be used in the statutes, on
the website and in the membership form. The definition is as follows:
What is an INGO and what is the INGO Forum?
An INGO is an International Non-Governmental Organisation with legal
personality in its home country that is seeking to operate and conduct activities
within another country. For the Myanmar INGO Forum they may assume various
organizational forms, depending on the legal framework in its home country, for
example, they may be organised as an association, foundation, not-for-profit
company, trust, society, charity. The common link is the not-for-profit principle;
that is, the idea, that the organization, however formed, is pursuing a non-profit
mission and prohibited from distributing profit. Members of the Myanmar INGO
Forum also share common values and principles based on common interest and
commitment to promoting social equity, economic progress and a better standard
of living for the people in Myanmar. This commitment is based on agencies’
appreciation of their own ethical obligations and reflects the rights and duties
enshrined in international law. The INGO forums specific values and principles
are as follows:
 Forum Members promote and advocate for the right to life with dignity and
security and undertake all possible steps to prevent or alleviate human
suffering.
 Forum members subscribe to principles of Humanity, Impartiality,
Independence, Neutrally and Non-Proselytising.
 Forum Members provide assistance to people regardless of their ethnic
backgrounds, political affiliations, religious beliefs, and gender difference or
preference on the basis of need alone.
 Forum Members attempt to build and strengthen local capacities, work
through/with local organisations/civil society and hold themselves
accountable.
 Forum Members mutually respect each other’s independence while
recognising the necessity of discussion and dialogue and the benefits to be
gained from close interaction and coordination.
In July 2014, 76 INGOs working in Myanmar are members of the INGO Forum.
The INGO Forum is a body of INGOs that exists to deepen the understanding of
causes and effects of humanitarian and developmental problems through
coordinated information sharing and by exploring opportunities to strengthen
policies and best practices through constructive engagement with national and
international decision-makers.
INGO Forum: Internal Document
6. Health Cluster Update
A short update on the strengthening of the Health Cluster.
There was a meeting hosted by WHO, and attended by USAID and ECHO, INGO
forum reps, UNICEF and OCHA to discuss the health cluster leadership
arrangements including a possible co-lead arrangement.
INGO working in humanitarian health programming prepared a note for the HCT
and the Health Cluster that outline concerns and made recommendations for the
strengthening of the health cluster and that highlighted the steps that could be
taken if the cluster requires additional support from the HCT to fulfil its mandate.
7. INGO Communication
messages and website
updates
The Steering Committee have agreed that the INGO forum strategy should be
shared with the Government. It will be shared with the Foreign Economic
Relations Department of the Ministry of Planning as this is the department that
acts as a Secretariat for the Development Partners Working Committee