Commissions, working groups and areas

Commissions

Working commissions are stable groups for work and debate made up of member organizations that voluntarily decide to take part. In fact, they are the cornerstone of participation and interaction by member organizations.

Currently, four commissions exist: Communication, Transformative Education, Gender and Advocacy.

	Communication The principal objectives of this commission are: a) To share communication initiatives aimed at encouraging networking and internal cohesion, b) To provide technical support to the Governing Board and Technical Team in matters of communication, c) To work together on Lafede.cat’s communication initiatives, to create a common rhetoric and d) To Work together to influence the media. In addition to pursuing these objectives, the commission monitors, guides and helps direct the communication and jounalism european projects. The contact person is Montse Santolino: msantolino@lafede.cat
	Transformative education The “Manifesto on the Right to a Transformative Education” approved by Lafede.cat in June 2013 is the basis of the commission’s work. The Transformative Education Commission promotes knowledge of member organizations’ capacities, projects and activities. Within Lafede.cat, it provides spaces for analysis, debate and awareness on education. The contact person is Georgina Casas: gcasas@lafede.cat
	Gender This is a space for work, reflection, debate and awareness in issues related to gender and the feminist perspective in development cooperation, peace and human rights. The Gender Commission meets regularly and has two principal objectives: the generation of knowledge and social and political advocacy. Since 2016, the commission has been focused on incorporating the ethics of care and a feminist point of view into the organizational culture of Lafede.cat and its member entities, while also making contributions to improve ACCD grants and the Barcelona City Council’s new Management Plan. As a result, Lafede.cat has begun a process led by the Commission called “Sembrant cures per cultivar canvis” (Planting care to grow change), with the goal of creating a guide for self-testing that also includes recommendations. The contact person is Isabelle Torallas: itorallas@lafede.cat
	Advocacy This commission aims to monitor the impact of public policies in favour of global social justice. It works to ensure the coherence of policies by the administration, and in coordination with the Management Board it works to monitor the different consultative and representative bodies in which Lafede.cat participates. In addition, in coordination with the Board it works to encourage internal debate and reflection. The contact person is Dani Gómez-Olivé: dgomezolive@lafede.cat

Commission for Monitoring the Code of Ethics and Conduct

In addition to its working commissions, Lafede.cat has a technical commission: the Commission for Monitoring the Code of Ethics and Conduct. Unlike the rest of our commissions, it is not open. It is made up of a group of experts, with members approved by the Assembly.

The Commission for Monitoring the Code of Ethics and Conduct seeks to:

• Offer judgement on organizations that ask to join Lafede.cat.
• Monitor member organizations on matters related to the Code of Ethics and Conduct.
• Review the Code of Ethics and Conduct and propose improvements to it.
• Promote the Code of Ethics and Conduct among member organizations and citizens.

The Commission is made up of experts in different subjects addressed by the Code of Ethics and Conduct, as well as representatives of Lafede.cat’s Managing Board and Technical Team. Its current members are:

• Mercè Claramunt Bielsa, expert in legal and gender issues and member of Dones Juristes (Women Jurists). Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the School of Law of the University of Barcelona. Also holds a Postgraduate Degree in Legal Evidence from the School of Law of the University of Barcelona.
• Montserrat Minobis, expert in communication and gender. Studied Philosophy and Letters and Communication Sciences. President of the International Network of Female Journalists and Communicators/International Network of Journalists with Gender Perspective. Coordinator in Catalonia of the Mediterranean Network of Women Journalists and Communicators. She is also President of La Independent- Agència de Notícies amb Visió de Gènere (News Agency with Gender Perspective).
• Enric Prats Gil, educational expert. Doctor in Pedagogy. Professor of International Pedagogy at the University of Barcelona. President of the Commission for Monitoring the Code of Ethics and Conduct at the Consell d’Associacions de Barcelona (Barcelona Associations Council).
• Pilar Molina, expert in third-sector organizations. Former member of the Board of the Federation and CONGDE.
• Marcelo Cano, holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and Bioethics from the University of Barcelona (UB). Currently working on his thesis in bioethics. Professor at different universities since 1999.
• Rita Huybens, Vice Secretary of Lafede.cat.
• Pepa Martínez, Director of Lafede.cat.

Working groups

Working groups are spaces created to come up with proposals or temporarily monitor issues addressed by certain working commissions.

Currently, two are active: the Working Group on Migrations and the Working Group on Human Rights and Business.

The contact person is Dani Gómez-Olivé: dgomezolive@lafede.cat

Areas of work

Lafede.cat has three areas of work: peace, human rights and development, which all complement one another. These areas are gathering spaces that allow us to keep the three traditional areas of action of NGOs well within Lafede.cat’s agenda.

Currently, peace is our most active area.