Information / Research Activities for Civil Society: 2003

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Prepared for Union of International Associations
See also searchable PDF version (original titles and typography); also reports 1959-2006
Document also in segmented format in the Kairos indexed database

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I. Publications et services d’information 1. Yearbook of International Organizations Book: Since the Council meeting in October 2002, Volume 5 (Statistics) of the 2001-2002 edition was produced in November 2002, not without considerable difficulties (printing problems of graphics images) and delays (due to accident). Scheduled completion of production was October 2002. This delay has added to the issues with regard to the future viability of this volume in the light of funds generated. These issues are being successfully discussed with SAUR, notably in relation to the progressive diminution of involvement of its editor Nadia McLaren. It has been agreed with SAUR to discontinue the CD-ROM provided as part of Volume 5 (in the back cover). This CD-ROM contained higher quality images than those in the volume – these will now be made available online. This was done in order to improve the economic viability of the volume and justify improved support of it by SAUR.

Editorial work on Volume 1 on the 2002-2003, 39th edition) was completed on schedule for end of March 2003. Work is starting on Volume 2 (Geographical) and 3 (Subjects).

As usual the number of organizations continues to increase. As reported to the UIA Council, the organization of editorial resources to produce appropriate profiles remains a continuing challenge, especially with the further reduction in the involvement of the Chief Editor Jaqueline Nebel. Joel Fischer and Nancy Carfrae are now taking on ever increasing responsibility with respect to the editorial and production cycles.

CD-ROM: This version (8th edition) was successfully completed with the new software interface in October 2002. It also included the new edition of the Who’s Who in International Organizations.

Online: The access facilities to this version continue to be improved in response to feedback via SAUR. UN agencies continue to form a significant part of the subscribers. Access to the Who’s Who in International Organizations is part of the subscription. SAUR recognizes the online format to be of growing importance in comparison with the book version. It has also been agreed with SAUR to incorporate the UIA’s World Guide to Logotypes (1997) into the online service. This has now been done.

2. International Congress Calendar 1 Book: The first two quarterly editions of the 43rd edition have been published in 2003. Concerns remain about the coverage of this publication and the ability to process the available information (especially from the web) with the editorial resources available.

Online: As previously indicated, the online version has not been activated under subscription because of a combination of technical problems (notably integration with the Yearbook data) and the unsatisfactory nature of the business model to ensure its viability.

There is an active demand for this facility.

3. Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential Book: No current plans in relation to this publication, last produced in 1994-5. SAUR would be prepared to publish it as hardcopy but would then require cessation of the free distribution over the web that plays such an important marketing role in relation to the Yearbook.

Online: The related databases (problems, strategies, values, human development, etc) are very actively used as a free complement to subscriber access to the data on international organizations. Given that they share a common layout format with the Yearbook, they continue to be used to test improvements to the organizations online facility.

They are recognized by SAUR as being of value to marketing the organization information.

4. Who’s Who in International Organizations Book: Editorial work on the 4th edition was successfully completed by Nancy Carfrae in November 2002 and the volume was published in January 2003.

CD-ROM: The available updated information was incorporated into the Yearbook CD-ROM (8th edition).

Online: The updated information forms part of the standard subscription to Yearbook Online.

5. Republication of UIA historical publications Further progress has been made on the (partially outsourced) work in processing historical publications – to recover deteriorating archives, make them available, and in preparation for the centennial celebrations of the UIA. . All versions of the UIA periodical (La Vie Internationale 1912-21; Bulletin des associations internationals, 1943-44; Bulletin mensuel, 1951-53; International Associations, 1954-76; Transnational Associations, 1977-2001) have now been scanned – totalling some 35,000 pages. They are in process of being converted into searchable text in PDF format (25 years partially completed). Completed test 2 versions are being used to refine the access process with a view to permitting access online under subscription in addition to any possible CD-ROM version. These tests will also make it possible for more concrete discussion of options with regard to the future of any online version of the current issues of Transnational Associations which could be integrated into the same format. Discussions are in progress with Jacques de Mévius (a Full Member of the UIA) with regard to financial facilities in support of this work.

Links to individual articles in past issues of Transnational Associations will be provided from the online bibliography of research papers that forms part of Volume 4 of the Yearbook. Subsequently efforts will be made to design an access procedure via subject groups independently of that provided via the online databases.

Recent discussions with SAUR indicate interest in marketing this facility, possibly in conjunction with online access to the Yearbook.

The possibility of marketing a CD-ROM of back issues of Transnational Associations is also under consideration.

SAUR is now advertising an online version of the UIA’s historical Annuaire de la Vie Internationale (1905-1911; 5,000 pages). These may be placed on CD-ROM in the future.

6. La Revue de l’UAI Transnational Associations Conformément à la décision du Conseil de l'UAI en octobre 2001, la revue est désormais trimestrielle.

La première parution 2003 est un numéro double (1-2) consacré à l’oeuvre de Paul Otlet. Les prochains numéros (3, 4 et 2004) se pencheront sur les thèmes suivants : - La participation des ONG à la “nouvelle diplomatie” (OMC, Convention d’Ottawa, etc.); - La notion de “capital social”; - La notion de “médiation sociale”; - La société civile et l’usage des langues La revue est désormais ouverte aux textes de langue espagnole, afin d'assurer une plus grande diversité culturelle des contributions et d'accroître l'internationalisation de son lectorat. Les pages web de la revue sont rédigées en trois langues : anglais, français et espagnol.

Des contacts ont été repris avec divers éditeurs dans la perspective d'une éventuelle publication de la revue par l’un d’eux en vue d’assurer la promotion et la distribution de la Revue selon des critères de rentabilité.

Un "Comité scientifique", dont la création a été décidée par le Conseil en octobre 2001, a été constitué, tout en restant ouvert à de nouvelles candidatures. Une vingtaine de personnalités ont été sollicitées, dont une dizaine ont accepté d’en faire partie.

3 Le contenu de la revue est partiellement disponible sur la Toile (sommaire, certains articles). Diverses modalités de l’abonnement sont à l’étude, combinant l’édition papier, l’édition électronique (complète ou partielle) des numéros récents et anciens.

7. Multimedia products As indicated previously, following the production for demonstration purposes of poster-size maps (of networks of organizations, problems, strategies, etc) generated from the online facility, further work on these products is now envisaged in relation to a new marketing approach.

The main focus of such work over the past year has been with respect to Volume 5.

It is probable that these facilities will play a key part in the UIA’s participation in some future international meetings.

8. Statistics projects At present the UIA has three annual statistical projects: the principal section of Volume 5 of the Yearbook (as indicated above), the production of International Meeting Statistics for Associate Members, and the contract with the Centre for Civil Society of the London School of Economics for production of selected tables on NGOs in their Global Civil Society Yearbook.

The contents of these three projects overlap but have raised issues about UIA’s ability to produce them annually with the reduction in involvement of Nadia McLaren who has rationalioned their production during 2001 and 2002.

At this point a transition process, under the guidance of Nadia McLaren, is being undertaken for 2003 by outsourcing much of the work to the Slovakian company (Delphi) that is also assisting with the scanning work on historical publications.

9. Website and database access Considerable work continues to be done to improve the look, feel, organization, security and integration of the UIA’s static and dynamic websites – notably in relation to the needs of online subscribers, currency and the new facilities (historical publications, logos, etc).

A new approach to the time consuming process of user management has been developed in consultation with SAUR. Regular update procedures have now been standardized.

10. Requests for information and support 4 The Secretariat continues to receive numerous e-mail demands for information. Some of these take the form of requests from Associate Members for which the extraction can be charged. Others involve much time by various staff members that is justified under the heading of public relations services. More problematic are those requests from universities and other bodies in process of setting up their own databases.

Requests are also received for technical assistance in the use of the CD-ROM and online systems.

II. UIA partnerships and cooperation 1. UN: No current developments relating to the UIA’s consultative relationship or CONGO. The Secretariat noted the report of the UN Joint Inspection Unit on UN-NGO relations. The Secretariat has been informed concerning the new high-level UN panel that is reviewing the relationships between the UN and Civil Society. This focuses solely on the long-standing quantitative embarrassments on the UN side regarding the desires of increasingly numerous NGOs to have physical access to UN meetings. The UN Secretariat does not make any mention of the web-based solutions to these issues of access (or the more vital undiscussed issues of substance). The latter were the subject of reports by the UIA in 1999.

The specialized agencies and units of the UN which had subscribed to the UIA online service in 2002 (as a result of the initiative of SAUR) have renewed their subscription for 2003 resulting in a total of 26 such agency users.

2. UNESCO: Discussions with the Secretariat, in association with the 6- year review of the UIA’s consultative relationships, had opened the possibility of a more fruitful interaction. In an increasingly difficult international context, this has not yet materialized As yet the possibility of concrete collaboration has not become evident.

3. European Commission: No further steps have been taken with respect to the EU’s Sixth Framework because of previously explained uncertainties with regard to: the budgetary commitment to proposal preparation, the lengthy time cycle before any response is forthcoming, the administrative work if successful, and the strong possibility of having to act as banker in anticipation of receipt of funds. This cycle involves a degree of long-term commitment which it is difficult to guarantee at this time.

4. London School of Economics (LSE): This collaboration has so far resulted in production of tables in the 2001 and 2002 editions of the 5 LSE’s Global Civil Society Yearbook. The timing of the work required is however extremely inconvenient in that the deadline is very close to that of final editorial work on Volume 1 of the Yearbook. This makes it very difficult to manage the data selections for LSE whilst the latter is being finalized. Various awkward compromises have been explored for the work currently underway for 2003. This income remains financially important for the viability of the statistics initiative as a whole.

The situation has been further complicated by the move of the director of the LSE project to a California-based university, with the requirement that contractual relationships be made with a US-based entity under conditions where the UIA would be at a severe disadvantage in case of contractual disagreements. Arrangements have been made for the contract to continue to be made via LSE.

5. Council of Europe Une commission formée au Conseil de l'Europe à Strasbourg a mis au point un texte relatif aux "principes fondamentaux sur le statut des organisations non-gouvernementales en Europe".

L'avant-projet a été préparé par un expert scientifique, puis discuté et modifié lors de trois réunions qui ont eu lieu à Strasbourg du 19 au 20 novembre 2001, du 20 au 22 mars 2002 et le 5 juillet 2002. Ce texte vise à recommander un certain nombre de principes qui devraient guider les législations sur les ONG.

L'UAI a été informée de ce projet. F. Hondius a pu formuler quelques critiques, et l'UAI à envoyé une note. Des réflexions ont été ajoutées par A. De Schutter lors de la réunion de juillet.

Il sera intéressant de suivre l'évolution de ce projet (texte plus détaillé dans FAIB-News, n° 50, p. 8) 6. Strategy with respect to IGOs Malheureusement, le Conseil n'a pas été à même, lors de sa dernière session, d'aborder ce sujet et tous les corollaires qui en découlent sur le plan des ressources financières et humaines.

Ce point devrait être considéré comme prioritaire lors du prochain Conseil. Aussi, les Membres sont, dès maintenant, invités à faire part de leurs commentaires et suggestions.

7. Actualité internationale Dans le débat relatif à l'Irak, le Secrétaire général, en accord avec la Présidente du Conseil, a publié un éditorial, en termes mesurés, pour le premier numéro 2003 de la Revue des Associations Transnationales 6 consacré à Paul Otlet.

8. “Competition” Many initiatives continue to be taken that could be perceived as increasing the vulnerability of UIA’s ability to fund its activities through information activities. These include development of database initiatives by intergovernmental agencies, by other international associations, and by multinational commercial bodies, and by national initiatives.

For example, presumably in partial response to security issues relating to charities following 9/11: GUIDESTAR http://www.guidestar.org is being launched in the UK. Guidestar already provides information on 850,000 nonprofits in the US, their operations and finances. In the UK it will be funded by a GBP2.85 million grant from the UK Treasury and it w ill be free for the public and for charities to consult.

It will provide information from the Charity Commission and additional information from the charities themselves.

III. International conferences 1. Montecatini: Professor Gianni Tibaldi has invited the UIA to participate in a workshop to be organized under the auspices of the UN University as an immediate precursor to the European Conference of Ministers of the Environment (July 2003). The theme is probably to be “climate change” in relation to regional integration. At Professor Tibaldi’s request a presentation was made to the organizing group on 21 March in Montecatini by Anthony Judge, Nadia McLaren and Tomas Fulopp.

It was tentatively agreed that the UIA would make a multimedia presentation in a poster session. However, given the shortage of funds it remains to be seen whether the UIA invests in improvement of the quality of the data on the UNU theme in anticipation of this event or relies only on the data already available.

2. Annual Meeting of UIA Associate Members This meeting is currently scheduled for 6 and 7nd October 2003 in Brussels.

It remains to be seen whether current events in relation to air travel will affect decisions on the organization of the event and in what way.

We have at this date a total of 82 associate members.

Three new members have joined since our last meeting of October 2002 : 7 - Bird and Bird (Belgium) - Montreal International (Canada) - Cairns Convention Centre (Australia) Unfortunately, due to financial restructurations, we have lost 9 members.

3. Working Group on NGOs on Hazardous Missions No further activity has been undertaken on this theme since the last report. Dr Yves Beigbeder has suggested that the group should be terminated.

4. World Summit on the Information Society This event is to be held in Geneva (10-12 December 2003) and in Tunis (2005). Currently the Secretariat recommends that UIA participation take the same form as that for the World Summit on Social Development (Geneva, 2000) with presentation of multimedia displays of its data. It should be remembered that many UN agencies are already accessing UIA data online and this usage can be usefully reinforced.

IV. Budget and administration 1.- Résultats financiers Commentaires sur le compte de gestion 2002: Le compte de gestion au 31 décembre 2002 présente un montant de recettes de 875.405 euros pour 874.877 euros de dépenses. Il y a donc un excédent de recettes de 527 euros. Par rapport aux prévisions adoptées par l'Assemblée 2001 - 29.000.000 BEF (soit 718.891 euros) - le résultat 2002 présente un excédent de 155.978 euros. Cette différence s'explique en ordre principal par le contrat Verisign (+ 102.204 euros), les services Calendar (+ 13.793 euros), la reprise au bilan de la "provision statistiques" (+ 40.036 euros), soit au total 156.033 euros (6.294.535 BEF) d'excédent par rapport aux prévisions. Les recettes de la base de données restent constantes - et même en progrès - malgré les difficultés économiques du moment : en 2002 : 591.940 euros (23.878.800 BEF) en 2001 : 587.523 euros (23.700.626 BEF) en 2000 : 555.411 euros (22.405.242 BEF) Les dépenses liées à la base de données sont également en croissance : en 2002 : 574.022 euros (23.156.003 BEF) en 2001 : 541.142 euros (21.829.651 BEF) en 2000 : 461.865 euros (18.631.611 BEF) 8 La marge bénéficiaire de la base de données diminue donc. On peut craindre un déficit en 2003. Il faut cependant considérer que la base de données de l’UAI est à la source d'autres recettes que celles de son activité directe ("Yearbook" et "Calendar"). Les contrats "Info 2000", Verisign, London School of Economics auraient été irréalisables sans la base de données.

Note : le compte de gestion 2001 a été présenté en francs belges (BEF); le compte de gestion 2002 est établi en euros.

Bilan 2002: Le bilan présente à peu près les mêmes caractéristiques que les années précédentes.

A l'actif : le disponible passe à 2.380.094 BEF (soit + 832.454 BEF); le compte d'épargne à 5.305.503 BEF (soit + 556.518 BEF); les débiteurs à 3.537.122 BEF(soit + 61.976 BEF).

Au passif : Les provisions ont été diminuées de 40.000 euros qui avaient été affectés à un projet statistiques qui n'a été réalisé que partiellement; par contre, d'importants travaux statistiques ont été effectués pour le contrat LSE, la réunion des membres associés et le volume 5 du Yearbook, justifiant donc la dépense globale de 50.000 euros.

2.- Politique des salaires Lors du dernier Conseil (24-25 oct. 2002), le Secrétariat avait annoncé l'organisation d'une étude sur le rapport qualifications/salaire du personnel. Cette étude a été entreprise fin 2002 - début 2003, avec le recours aux services d'un expert belge des grilles de salaire. Elle a révélé que la politique salariale de l'UAI était en conformité avec la législation belge en la matière : - que les salaires étaient supérieurs aux minima requis mais se situaient en- dessous de la moyenne pratiquée dans les organisations comparables, - que le budget UAI n'était pas à même d'absorber un ajustement linéaire de l'ensemble des salaires.

Aussi, un plan d'ajustement au cas par cas a été réalisé. Il est d'application depuis le 1er mars 2003.

Dans une organisation qui a toujours pratiqué une certaine austérité, cet effort financier a été rendu possible grâce à la réalisation à la baisse de certains programmes (suppression en 2003 du prix de thèse, réexamen des modalités de production de la revue, réexamen du plan d'investissement du matériel informatique).

Le malaise décelé en 2002 au sein du secrétariat, et qui s'était exprimé avec force en décembre 2002, paraît aujourd'hui dissipé.

9 The Council requested a report on personnel in relation to activity. A draft is under discussion.

3.- Computer-related infrastructure issues As indicated in previous reports, the UIA’s central computer equipment and software has aged beyond the point of reasonable maintenance and is now vulnerable to breakdowns – of which several have been navigated successfully, thanks to efforts of Joel Fischer. At the time of writing the most severe breakdown – successfully overcome -- has been directly associated with the very high level of dust resulting from work on the building housing the UIA offices. New hardware and software is now on order to provide a more robust system and to increase levels of security (and backup) in a virus and hacker prone environment. An important objective has been to open access to more editors working at a distance and to eliminate the current weekly costs of file transfer go and from them. This should increase flexibility in relation to personnel options.

SAUR has agreed to participate extensively in the financing of this acquisition.

Separately software has been purchased to improve the user interface for editors, notably those working at a distance, and especially in order to reduce their learning/training time.

With the advance in computer telecommunications, the UIA has just completed switching its internet access from its original (more expensive) leased computer line to a faster and cheaper SDSL line.

The above developments open the possibility of both increasing the security levels for the dynamic web server (housed in-house) and relocating the static web server (housed outside Brussels) back to the UIA offices. Although the latter move would reduce costs, it would also reduce physical security and therefore is currently not envisaged.

4.- Prix de these Une dizaine de candidatures recevables ont été enregistrées pour l'octroi du prix de thèse 2003. Celui-ci ayant été reporté à une date indéterminée, les candidats ont été retenus pour une prochaine sélection.

5.- Challenge of the Internet The Council requested a report on this topic. A summary report on the UIA Web Strategy is provided. Any comments will help to refine the report for discussion at the next Council meeting 6.- Subvention de la Belgique La Belgique était restée le dernier Etat à fournir encore à l'UAI une subvention annuelle. Il y avait eu auparavant, quelques contributions 10 épisodiques émanant de pays européens, mais cette ressource financière s'était tarie durant la dernière décennie du siècle précédent.

Le Ministre belge des Affaires Etrangères vient de nous signifier la suppression de la subvention belge (100.000 frs belges annuels) qui était prévue pour 2002. Une intervention de notre part en vue de réinstaurer la subvention pour 2003 s'est heurtée à une fin de non-recevoir.

V. La Maison des Associations Internationales (MAI) La MAI, propriété de l'Etat belge (Régie des Bâtiments) est administrée par une Fondation d'intérêt public qui gère l'occupation des bureaux, des salles de réunions, du bar, etc..

Des travaux importants sont effectués en ce moment par la Régie des Bâtiments, dans les locaux affectés aux bureaux des associations internationales.

Il s'agit du renouvellement complet de la colonne des toilettes qui monte jusqu'au 4ème étage. Les travaux ont débuté le 27 janvier et se termineraient, en principe, ce 30 avril. Des inconvénients majeurs pour le travail quotidien ensont résultés pour le personnel de l'UAI : poussière et bruit. Une panne d'ascenseur a été provoquée par la détérioration d'une pièce électrique due à la poussière. De même pour l'encrassement anormal des 2 photocopieuses/fax. A cause de cette même poussière, le serveur UAI, qui était en voie de remplacement, a subi une panne majeure. Pendant plusieurs jours le travail a été complètement arrêté à l'UAI, le serveur étant une clé essentielle de tout le réseau informatique.

La remise en route a nécessité l'intervention d'experts. La facture de leur travail sera présentée à la MAI. Le coût du nouveau serveur et de son installation est évalué à quelque 30.000 euros. Des contacts que M. Judge a eu tout récemment avec l'éditeur Saur, il semble que celui-ci serait disposé à aider l'UAI à faire face à cette importante dépense.

Dans un avenir plus ou moins proche, la Régie des Bâtiments entreprendra des travaux plus importants encore dans la partie bureaux occupée par les associations internationales : électricité, chauffage, châssis.

Dans cette perspective, l'autorité propriétaire propose de travailler par blocs verticaux, déménageant à tour de rôle les occupants, personnel, mobilier, etc.. Il n'y a pas encore de date envisagée pour ces travaux : très probablement ni en 2003 ni en 2004. La Régie devra avoir l'accord de la MAI qui consultera les locataires.

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