Solsoc

Solsoc, historically known as Solidarité Socialiste, is a Belgian non-governmental organisation for international cooperation headquartered in Brussels. It is recognised and co-financed by the Belgian development cooperation (DGD) and describes itself as the international solidarity organisation of the Action commune socialiste, which forms its historical and social anchoring. Its stated mission is to fight poverty and exclusion in the countries of the South through a perspective of social change and solidarity, strengthening civil-society organisations and advocating for democracy, human rights and socio-economic rights. Solsoc traces its origins to 1936, when it was created as the Entraide socialiste, a solidarity movement supporting Spanish Republican fighters and their families during the Spanish Civil War. It later assisted refugees from Eastern Europe and, after Congolese independence, developed development-cooperation activities. In 1978 it was restructured and renamed Solidarité Socialiste. In 1986 its Dutch-speaking counterpart, Socialistische Solidariteit – FOS, became a separate organisation. From 1989 to 1997 the organisation repositioned itself toward more technical cooperation and development education, and in 1997–1998 it launched the FADOC programme to strengthen and network grassroots community organisations. Today Solsoc works with partner organisations in eight countries across Latin America, Africa and the Near East — including Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Colombia, Morocco, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Senegal — and also carries out advocacy and public mobilisation in Belgium and Europe. Its main thematic areas are decent work and social protection, food security and sovereignty, health (notably through community mutual health organisations), and the promotion of the social and solidarity economy, human rights and democracy. According to its own figures, it works with 24 partner organisations in 8 countries, supports 360 local organisations, and provided 17 million euros of support to its Southern partners under its 2017–2021 programme. Solsoc is signatory to the Integrity Charter for NGOs, committing to rigorous and responsible financial management and truthful, verifiable, non-violent communication. Its governance includes a Bureau, a Board of Directors and a General Assembly, and its team operates across seven services: management, administrative and financial service, Southern partnership, mobilisation, advocacy, communication, and fundraising.

Solsoc's history begins in 1936, when it was founded as the Entraide socialiste on the occasion of the Spanish Civil War, within a broad movement of solidarity with Spanish Republican fighters and their families. Its initial objective was to ensure that families were received in Belgium under the best possible conditions. It carried out similar work for Italians fleeing Mussolini's regime. After the defeat of the Republicans, the Entraide socialiste continued its informal work of receiving Spaniards and their families. In December 1947 the Entraide socialiste was officially founded with four objectives. The first two had an international dimension: solidarity with other socialist parties of Western Europe and assistance to social-democratic activists in Eastern Europe. The other two were oriented toward the Belgian public: aid to members of socialist organisations and a service for youth. Until the very beginning of the Golden Sixties, the Entraide socialiste facilitated the reception of thousands of people coming from the East fleeing Stalinist regimes, notably Hungarians leaving their country after the failure of the 1956 uprising. A network of reception centres was set up with the help of subsidies from the Belgian state and international organisations, first and foremost the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The accelerated independence of Congo led to the creation, in 1963, within the Entraide socialiste, of two organisations: the Entraide aux boursiers d'Afrique and the Fonds national de coopération au développement (FNCD). The FNCD joined the Belgian Committee for the Fight against Hunger in 1964. It was also among the organisations that created the CNCD in April 1966 and the Operation 11.11.11. At that time, the FNCD's development-cooperation activities consisted of providing cooperants, technologies and financial means to so-called developing countries. In 1978 the association underwent a profound restructuring, to be reborn under the name Solidarité Socialiste. In 1986, Solidarité socialiste and its Dutch-speaking counterpart Socialistische Solidariteit – FOS separated. From 1989 to 1997, Solidarité Socialiste went through a period of repositioning during which it confined itself to a more technical practice of cooperation and recognised the importance of the role of development education. In 1997–1998 Solidarité Socialiste launched the FADOC programme, the Programme for Training and Support for the Dynamisation of Grassroots Community Organisations. This consists of strengthening and networking civil-society associations, with a more marked and better-defined vision of development, regarding the defence of democracy (participatory and representative), human rights, public services, and partnership with grassroots populations, through organisations that are actors of social change, with a strong social anchoring. In the 2000s and 2010s the organisation continued to operate through programmes co-financed by the Belgian development cooperation (DGD). After a 1998–2002 programme entitled 'Development, technology and society' and a 2003–2007 programme named 'From development aid to international solidarity', the next programme ran for three years, from 2008 to 2012, under the name 'Strengthening Southern and Northern social actors engaged in networks for the promotion of democracy and economic and social rights'. A later five-year programme was implemented in partnership with FOS, aiming to improve working conditions, access to social protection and better living conditions for workers, producers, young people and women. Under its 2017–2021 programme, Solsoc reported 24 partner organisations in 8 countries, 360 local organisations supported, and 17 million euros of support to its Southern partners.

• 2017

  Five-year programme (2017–2021) with 24 partner organisations in 8 countries, 360 local organisations supported and 17 million euros of support to Southern partners.

• 2008

  Programme 'Strengthening Southern and Northern social actors engaged in networks for the promotion of democracy and economic and social rights' (2008–2012).

• 2003

  Programme 'From development aid to international solidarity' (2003–2007).

• 1998

  Programme 'Development, technology and society' co-financed by the Belgian development cooperation (1998–2002).

• 1997

  Launch of the FADOC programme (1997–1998) to strengthen and network grassroots community organisations.

• 1989

  Start of a repositioning period (until 1997) toward more technical cooperation and recognition of development education.

• 1986

  Solidarité socialiste and its Dutch-speaking counterpart Socialistische Solidariteit – FOS separated.

• 1978

  Profound restructuring; the association was reborn under the name Solidarité Socialiste.

• 1966

  FNCD was among the organisations that created the CNCD in April and the Operation 11.11.11.

• 1964

  FNCD joined the Belgian Committee for the Fight against Hunger.

• 1963

  Creation within Entraide socialiste of Entraide aux boursiers d'Afrique and the Fonds national de coopération au développement (FNCD).

• 1956

  Facilitated reception of thousands of people fleeing Stalinist regimes, notably Hungarians after the failed 1956 uprising.

• 1947

  Entraide socialiste officially founded in December with four objectives, two international and two aimed at the Belgian public.

• 1936

  Founded as Entraide socialiste during the Spanish Civil War, as a solidarity movement with Spanish Republican fighters and their families.

Belgian international cooperation NGO recognised by the Belgian development cooperation (DGD), anchored in the socialist movement, working through partnerships with social-change actors in the South and advocacy in Belgium and Europe.

1. 1Solsoc official websitesolsoc.be
2. 2Solsoc – À propossolsoc.be
3. 3Wikidata – Solsocwikidata.org
4. 4Wikipédia – Solidarité socialistefr.wikipedia.org