Community organizations and institutions can
create demand for Development Issues, CICs services.
Schools, health centers, agricultural extension
agents and input suppliers, community leaders,
and cooperatives should be partners with CICs
in identifying what communities need in order
to be able to develop appropriate information
services. Our CIC managers are working hard
towards reaching out to community groups and
demonstrate how CIC resources apply to business,
government and development activities. Agricultural
extension, community health workers, schoolteachers
and government officials need to re-examine
how information technology can contribute to
their efforts.
Our work with development agencies is just
one link in a continuous chain of co-operation
and partnership that forms an essential part
of Open Forum’s progressive approach.
Partnering with development agencies is one
way to ensure that our work has the most impact
on at-risk communities, and is enhanced by information
gathering activities undertaken by Open Forum’s
community liaison teams. These teams work closely
with regional government and local communities
so that tasks selected for clearance are appropriate
to the community needs and have an impact that
reaches beyond just clearance. These priorities
are then dovetailed with national objectives,
national and international NGOs, national and
regional governments and United Nations agencies.
Our partners also benefit from knowing which
areas will be cleared and when this will occur.
By working in partnership with development organisations,
the benefits of cleared land are evenly distributed
amongst the most at-risk communities. Each country
and situation represents complex challenges
that underline the need to link Open Forum’s
operations with other activities. The synergy
results in a better use of resources and a more
holistic approach, maximises the humanitarian
benefit of Open Forum’s work and has already
led to the development of innovative new methodologies
that add further value to partnership achievements.
Regional Network Partners
Open Forum operates through a network of regional
partners placed in different parts of the Nation.
These partners implement Open Forum programs
and activities at a regional level. There are
eleven regional partners, most of which are
located in developing regions. Each network
partner links numerous research institutes in
its region and facilitates their contact with
policymakers
Partner institutes
A number of global institutions have forged
partnerships with Open Forum to collaborate
on specific projects. These projects aim to
meet Open Forum's goal of research capacity
building, networking and knowledge dissemination.
Partners are located in both developed and developing
countries, but the emphasis of the work is on
developing and transition countries.
