Portugal: Graça Almeida Rodrigues, director of Cidesc

Name: Graça Almeida Rodrigues

Job title: Executive Director of CIDESC ? The International Centre on Economic Social and Cultural Rights in Lisbon (www.esc-rights.org)

What are, in your opinion, some of the challenges that the Portuguese third sector faces today?
In Portugal, as in other Catholic countries of Southern Europe, the Catholic Church has been the main stakeholder in social affairs, in particular through Works of Mercy (Misericórdias) with their focus on social assistance. I believe it is now time for Portuguese civil society to be also on board. To Make Poverty History is another enormous challenge. A documentary recently showed how at night when supermarkets close, immigrants, old people and children go to the rubbish bins to get what is thrown away to feed themselves and their families. We have to recognize that this is unacceptable and this is a challenge in which civil society can be engaged.

What, in your opinion, is the potential for partnerships to be established between the non profit sector and the government?
I think that the government could take a pro-active action in building partnerships. It is essential, however, that these partnerships respect the independence of the organizations and that Government does not interfere in the appointments of executives.

What are your views on Gordon Brown's 3rd of September speech?
I share Prime Minister Gordon Brown's view that to be successful in the challenges we face today we have to involve ordinary citizens and their communities in building the wellbeing of the country. His message also encourages me to ask the Portughese government for changes.

What changes?
For starters, a revision of the law that regulates private associations that was drawn before the Democratic Revolution of 1974. It is inadequate to deal with civil society organisations in a democracy. I would also ask the government to support civil society by offering greater training opportunities as a means of fighting unemployment in our country. The funds for this are available but involve so much bureaucracy that organisations rarely take advantage of them. The gap between the third sector and government is huge, also because civil servants do not have the needed expertise to deal with the third sector and civil society organizations generally.

Why did you join Euclid, the European network of third sector leaders?
I first joined Acevo and later Euclid because of my interest in engaging and promoting civil society in Portugal.

Will you be attending Euclid's International summit in Lisbon in September?
Yes.

What do you expect from it and what do you think you can bring to the summit?
I hope that Euclid Summit will allow CIDESC and other Portuguese non-profit and private organizations to share the experience of other countries and learn from their know-how and vision. I can bring to the summit CIDESC's experience of starting a Centre, a ?Think Thank in Action? in Lisbon. It is a private non-profit organization created by a few university professors (mainly women) who work on human rights.

More info:

• Find out about Euclid's International Summit
• Read Gordon Brown's 3rd of September speech