NGOs often feel the need for more intensive exchange and cooperation with other NGOs. Currently many NGOs form part of various national social movements and cooperate in formally established platforms, alliances or federations:

ANPED is a democratic network of 96 local and national action oriented NGOs, national NGO networks, environmental groups, development groups, and consumer groups who are aiming to change the industrialized countries of this planet into sustainable societies, contributing to a just world for those that live today and those that will live tomorrow.

Within the Alliance, members share their experience, support each other in their work, learn from each other, and where possible act jointly to achieve their goals. On the global level ANPED participates in the work of the United Nations system, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the European Union. ANPED’s members participate on the national level, directed at governments that can put in place the resources, rules and policies. At the local level they co-operate with local communities.

ANPED is organized in working groups, which are formed within the programme-areas of sustainable production and consumption, local action for sustainable development, and environmental justice and rights. ANPED’s membership is open to NGOs from North America, West-, Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Japan.

The Netherlands Forum on Agricultural Research for Development (NL Forum on ARD) is a multi-stakeholder initiative positioned in the framework of the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and the European Forum on Agricultural Research for Development (EFARD). The mission of the NL Forum on ARD is to strengthen the response of Dutch agricultural organisations to the following global development issues: poverty reduction, food security and food safety, and sustainable management of natural resources.

The strategy of the Forum is to enhance dialogue and collaboration between key players in agricultural research (Ministries, research- and development organisations, farmers organisations, and NGOs) in the Netherlands in order to achieve its mission. The forum provides a platform for exchange of knowledge and experience between various ARD-professionals (policy makers, scientists, consultants, extension- and education specialists, etc.).

The DWA is a platform of 47 national (women’s) organisations. The aim is to promote economic independence for everybody in a democratically pluriform society that is based on equal gender relations and respect for cultural diversity. The Alliance primarily seeks to influence policies on behalf of the member organisations. Advocacy and lobby on political issues, networking, providing information, organising conferences, seminars, workshops, training sessions and debates also belong to the core tasks. In addition studies, policy recommendations and a regular magazine are published.

The DWA is an affiliate member of the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), in which more than 2700 European women’s organisations are united. EWL’s work focuses on influencing European policy according to the framework on the improvement of the position of women in Europe. The Alliance has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since July 1999.

Euforic is the focal point on the Internet and beyond for communities involved with Europe's international development cooperation. The organisation is a platform for debate and information on Europe's international cooperation. It is a powerful answer to the need for more transparency on Europe's international cooperation, as Euforic improves the access to scattered information on the Internet, and brings people together.

The web site contains a wealth of information of various kinds and in different languages. The main audiences are experts and students in development issues from all over the world. Several thousands of documents are presented in full text. Other types of information - such as a calendar of activities, directories, country specific information and discussions - are available too.

A cooperative network, Euforic is an independent non-profit cooperative, owned by the members who influence its development and orientation. Membership is open to any organisation that is committed to sharing information, and has shown itself to be contributing to the aims of international cooperation.

The Dutch Habitat Platform promotes and contributes to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda, drawn up in 1996 by the United Nations. The Platform is active in the Netherlands and in the framework of international cooperation. The Platform’s activities and the instruments it develops contribute to achieving the objectives of the Habitat Agenda – adequate housing for all and a sustainable living environment. The main media the Platform uses to provide information are its website and the quarterly newsletter ‘Habitat Berichten’.

In addition to raising awareness on Habitat issues in the Netherlands and elsewhere, the Platform also focuses on disseminating knowledge about innovative instruments such as the Toolkit on Citizen Participation (http://www.toolkitparticipation.com, in English, French and Spanish), the Urban Renewal Toolkit (http://www.instrumentenwijzer.nl, in Dutch), and the Reference Guide to Urban Poverty Alleviation. In collaboration with a number of partner organisations, the Platform hosts several regional Habitat Platforms: the Habitat Platform South-Africa (http://www.zuid-afrika.habitatplatform.nl), the Habitat Platforms in Central and Eastern Europe, and in Suriname. These regional platforms stimulate the exchange of knowledge and information between organisations within the Netherlands that are active in the respective countries and regions.

The Dutch Jubilee 2000 campaign was a coalition of Dutch organisations, which formed part of the worldwide Jubilee 2000 campaign, which aimed at "cancelling the unpayable debts of the poorest countries by the year 2000 under a fair and transparent process". The campaign had its positive results but the ultimate goal, a debt-free start in the year 2000, was not achieved. For that reason, in 2001, the Dutch Jubilee 2000 campaign was renamed Jubilee Netherlands in 2001. This is a platform of 41 Dutch (development) organisations.

Jubilee Netherlands wants to raise awareness about the position of the poorest indebted countries and to inform the public and decision makers about the views of civil society organisations in those countries on debt issues. Jubilee Netherlands tries to achieve this through political lobby and public information and campaigns. There are six priority themes: 1) the necessity of far-reaching debt decrease; 2) debt decrease as a condition for poverty reduction; 3) the problem of export credit debt; 4) acknowledgement of scandalous debt; 5) pleading for fair judgement; and 6) the Dutch policy on debt.

De Landschappen is a union of 12 NGOs for nature and landscape management - one for every Dutch province - which was founded in 1989 to represent its members on a national level. Its main objectives are: (1) realisation of the Ecologische Hoofd Structuur; a comprehensive Ecological Network in the Netherlands, (2) preservation of historical landscape structures and patterns, (3) management of the sites: sustainable conservation, restoration and development of ecological and landscape values, (4) providing education and information to the public.

Together, the 12 organisations own and manage over 90,000 hectares of nature in more than 600 reserves, the majority of which is open to the public. Also objects of historical value, such as estates or historical farms are cared for. More than 265.000 families support the work of the 12 organisations. On the European level, De Landschappen is a member of Eurosite.

The MVO Platform is a network of Dutch organisations active in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). A large number of Dutch civil society organisations have already been working together in the field of CSR for several years. In 2002 the establishment of the Platform further consolidated this cooperation. The Platform has developed a frame of reference that is a stocktaking of standards, arrangements and operational aspects which are of importance in the field of corporate responsibility.

The NCDO is an independent, neutral organisation embedded and positioned in Dutch society. The NCDO’s core goal is to strengthen and highlight public support for international cooperation and sustainable development and achievement of the Millennium Goals. Sustainable development is regarded as a process with economic, ecological and social dimensions.

The NCDO is working to increase public support for international cooperation and sustainable development from its own recognisable profile. The NCDO involves many organisations and individuals in policy (areas) and the implementation thereof. The NCDO does not receive any financial grass-root support for its activities and does not mobilise funds through membership contributions or donations. The NCDO collaborates with organisations in the Netherlands and Europe that contribute to public support-enhancing activities.

The NCDO’s task is to involve the public in the general debate as much as possible in order to increase public support. To this end, the organisation operates in five capacities, focusing its policy on the bringing together, strengthening and rendering visible of social initiatives. Where necessary, it launches its own initiatives to draw attention to these problems. NCDO operates: 1) as intermediary between governments and social midfield; 2) as platform for the forming of opinion; 3) as co-developer (in the incentives policy) of activities; 4) as co-financier of activities of other organisations and groups of individuals in the community (The NCDO administers the Programme for Small-Scale Local Activities [KPA] see chapter 5); and 5) as advisor and knowledge manager of methods and techniques in the area of operation.

As a policy framework, the NCDO has selected the following comprehensive themes for the period 2003-2006: 1) reinforcement of the international legal order; 2) striving towards fair, international, economic, financial and ecological relations; and 3) coherence between Millennium Goals and global sustainable development.

The NCDO lays stress on the reinforcement of the input of the ‘Voice of the South’ in the Netherlands. The selection of those regions who’s ‘Voice’ is to be amplified is to be based on existing historic ties with Dutch society. Consequently, the emphasis will be on Indonesia, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and the developing countries in the Mediterranean Area.

The Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) is an independent body set up jointly by the Dutch private and public sector to act as a national coordination and information point in relation to water activities overseas.

The main aims of the NWP are to harmonize the activities and initiatives of the Dutch water sector overseas and to undertake worldwide promotion of Dutch expertise related to water. The organization will become a focal point for the exchange of information related to activities and services of government bodies, knowledge and research institutes and businesses involved in the water sector.

The NWP is an independent non-profit organization. Its board includes representatives from the public sector (central, provincial and municipal governments; knowledge and research institutes; water boards and NGOs); and the private sector, including water supply companies, consultancy firms, contractors, manufacturing industry and the banking sector.

Partos is the umbrella association for Dutch Non-Governmental Organisations in the international development cooperation sector. This field includes poverty alleviation, humanitarian intervention, human rights and sustainable development. Many member organisations work directly in developing countries, often in cooperation with partner organisations. Other members focus instead, or additionally, on the Netherlands. In this case, the objectives include influencing policy, gaining and distributing information and knowledge, and consolidating a broad range of support among the Dutch public arena.

Partos supports these organisations in reaching their goals by working to increase professionalism throughout the sector and helping it to position itself clearly in the public eye.

Prisma is an association with a great diversity of members, who all have the eradication of poverty as their main goal. This internal variety together with the communal focus is the core of the organisation. All Prisma members work from a Christian conviction and regard their work as an answer on the divine assignment for justice and compassion towards our neighbours. This shared conviction provides a mutual solidarity.

Prisma is active in a great number of areas:

• Co-ordination in co-operation, dialogue and reflection;
• Convening meetings which are of importance for the position of Prisma and for the po-sition of her members;
• Co-operative representation in forums in relation to welfare and development aid;
• Establishing sub-committees around common issues which are of importance for the members in the execution of their mandate;
• Mediating between institutional donors and (some of) the members in relation to fund-ing and spending of funds;
• Appointment of professional apparatus if necessary.

The South-North Federation was established in 1991 with the goal of bringing more coherence to the information and lobbying activities of its members. It now embraces fourteen like-minded Dutch NGOs, which cooperate on South-North issues such as development cooperation, fair trade and international environmental policies.

The South-North Federation stands for the empowerment of the position of the people in the South by advocating their vision to the Dutch public, the business community and politicians. ZNF builds upon the knowledge and experience of the federation's members in the field of poverty alleviation, sustainable development, fair trade, health care and human rights.

ZNF focuses on developing rules and preconditions for international trade and investment so as to strengthen the position of people in the South and public campaigning to promote corporate social responsibility. The exchange of information, knowledge and experience between the member-organisations and partners in the South are essential for the lobby, advocacy and public support for a sustainable foreign development and international environmental policy.

In order to closely monitor the water quality in the Netherlands, four Dutch organisations for nature preservation decided to work together. These organisations - Waddenvereniging (Wadden Society), Stichting De Noordzee (North Sea Foundation), Stichting Reinwater (Clean Water Foundation) and Vereniging tot Behoud van het IJsselmeer (Society for the Conservation of the IJsselmeer) - have united as Stichting Waterpakt (Waterpakt Foundation) with the aim of improving the natural values of the aquatic environment. Waterpakt monitors water quality and advises authorities, policy makers and water managers on all matters concerning clean water.

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