Association of German Development and Humanitarian Aid NGOs (VENRO)

VENRO – the Association of German Development and Humanitarian Aid NGOs (Verband Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationen e. V.) – is the umbrella organisation of development and humanitarian non-governmental organisations in Germany. Founded in 1995, it brings together around 150 member organisations whose backgrounds lie in independent and church-related development co-operation, humanitarian aid, and development education, public relations and advocacy. Its central goal is to construct a just globalisation, with a special emphasis on eradicating global inequality and poverty, and it is committed to implementing human rights and conserving natural resources. VENRO represents the interests of development and humanitarian aid NGOs vis-à-vis the government, strengthens the role of NGOs and civil society in development co-operation and humanitarian aid, and sharpens public awareness of development co-operation, humanitarian issues and sustainable development. It is a member of CONCORD, the European confederation of development NGOs. Member organisations must observe VENRO's own codes of conduct, including the code on transparency, organisational governance and control, the code on development-related public relations, and the code on children's rights. VENRO's work is organised through working groups, a board and an office, and it publishes positions, studies and newsletters on topics such as the German federal budget for development co-operation and humanitarian aid, climate policy as security policy, UN tax negotiations, and the shrinking space for civil society. Its strategy for 2023 to 2028 was adopted at the members' assembly on 6 December 2022, and a strategic focus for 2026–2028 has been developed in response to more challenging framework conditions for international co-operation. From 2005 to 2015 VENRO, together with the artist Herbert Grönemeyer, ran the campaign "Deine Stimme gegen Armut" (Your Voice Against Poverty), which publicly pushed for the timely implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. As a registered association (e. V.), VENRO is a non-profit civil-society actor rather than a commercial company. It is funded through membership contributions and project funding, and it acts as a political advocacy and networking platform for German development and humanitarian NGOs. Its current leadership includes executive director Åsa Månsson and, since December 2023, board chairs Michael Herbst (Christoffel Blindenmission/CBM) and Gudrun Schattschneider (World Vision Deutschland).

VENRO was founded in 1995 as the Verband Entwicklungspolitik deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationen (Association of German Development NGOs). It was established as the umbrella organisation of development non-governmental organisations in Germany, bringing together organisations from private and church-related development co-operation, humanitarian aid, and development education, public relations and lobbying work. At its founding and in the years that followed, the association's central purpose was defined as shaping globalisation fairly, above all overcoming worldwide poverty, realising human rights and preserving the natural foundations of life. Over the decades, VENRO grew into a network of around 140 to 150 member organisations. By September 2021 it had around 140 member organisations; by October 2025 it listed 146 members, of which 9 were guest members. The association is a member of CONCORD, the European confederation of development NGOs, and thus participates in European-level advocacy. A significant chapter in VENRO's public history was the campaign "Deine Stimme gegen Armut" (Your Voice Against Poverty), which the association ran together with the artist Herbert Grönemeyer from 2005. The campaign publicly pushed for the timely implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. After the deadline expired and new Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, the campaign was discontinued at the end of 2015 after ten years. VENRO has also developed common rules for its members. Member organisations must observe the association's own code of conduct "Transparency – Organisational Governance – Control", the VENRO code "Development-related Public Relations" and the association's code "Children's Rights". These codes are part of VENRO's effort to strengthen the accountability and public legitimacy of its members. In December 2022, the members' assembly adopted the VENRO Strategy 2023 to 2028, which builds on the VENRO statutes and defines the mandate and goals of the association's work. The strategy states that the member organisations have joined together to strengthen their contribution to more justice in the One World, with the common mission of optimally serving poverty reduction, the realisation of human rights and the conservation of natural resources. In response to significantly more challenging framework conditions for international co-operation, VENRO later developed a Strategic Focus 2026–2028 to enable the association to act even more effectively. Leadership has also evolved. Since December 2023, Michael Herbst of the Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM) and Gudrun Schattschneider of World Vision Deutschland have served as the new board chairs of VENRO. Åsa Månsson is the association's executive director. In its current work, VENRO addresses issues such as cuts in the German federal budget for development co-operation and humanitarian aid, the rise of far-right forces and the defence of democracy and an open Germany, climate policy as security policy, UN tax negotiations for a fairer international tax system, and the multiple crises facing humanitarian aid.

• 2025

  146 member organisations, of which 9 are guest members (as of October 2025).

• 2023

  Michael Herbst (CBM) and Gudrun Schattschneider (World Vision Deutschland) become board chairs in December 2023.

• 2022

  VENRO Strategy 2023–2028 adopted at the members' assembly on 6 December 2022.

• 2021

  Around 140 member organisations (as of September 2021).

• 2015

  Campaign 'Deine Stimme gegen Armut' discontinued after ten years.

• 2005

  Start of the campaign 'Deine Stimme gegen Armut' together with Herbert Grönemeyer.

• 1995

  VENRO founded as Verband Entwicklungspolitik deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationen.

Umbrella association and advocacy platform for German development and humanitarian NGOs, promoting a just globalisation, human rights and poverty reduction.

• VENRO Strategy 2023–2028

• VENRO Strategic Focus 2026–2028

• VENRO Code of Conduct 'Transparency – Organisational Governance – Control'

• VENRO Code 'Development-related Public Relations'

• VENRO Code 'Children's Rights'

• Deine Stimme gegen Armut (Your Voice Against Poverty)

  Campaign run together with the artist Herbert Grönemeyer to publicly push for the timely implementation of the Millennium Development Goals. Discontinued at the end of 2015 after ten years.

1. 1VENRO – Verband Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe: Startvenro.org
2. 2VENRO – Verband Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe: Who we arevenro.org
3. 3Wikidata: Verband Entwicklungspolitik deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationenwikidata.org
4. 4Wikipedia (de): Verband Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe deutscher Nichtregierungsorganisationende.wikipedia.org