Finland provides financial support for a number of Israeli and Palestinian political advocacy NGOs via the Fund for Local Co-operation (FLC). The Finnish Embassy administers funding for Israeli NGOs; the Representative Office in Ramallah for Palestinian groups. The websites lack transparency and do not provide details on funding or evaluation of NGO projects.

In correspondences with NGO Monitor (August 26, 2011 and August 29, 2011), officials from the Embassy and Representative Office provided some additional funding information regarding NGO projects funded by Finland (see table below). In contrast, the Representative Office in Ramallah only provided the name of the NGO grantee and the title of the project, but not the funding amounts. Neither office released evaluations of these and other projects by highly politicized and controversial organizations.

NGO Monitor’s analysis demonstrates that in 2010, Finnish-funded NGOs that use highly inflammatory rhetoric, in contrast to their human rights mandates, included the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR), the International Center of Bethlehem (ICB), and HaMoked.

List of NGOs funded, provided by Finnish Embassy and Representative Office

  Name of Organization  Project Name  Amount 2010
Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) Supporting Democratic Freedoms and Human Rights Education in the Gaza Strip Amount not disclosed
International Center of Bethlehem (ICB) Supporting Cultural Activities at Addar Cultural and Conference Center Amount not disclosed
HaMoked Promoting Access: Safeguarding the right to freedom of movement €25,000
Israel Palestine Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) Afternoons with IPCRI Amount not disclosed
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) ELCJHL Women’s Activities project: Women’s rights, women’s empowerment, gender equality and equity Amount not disclosed
AIX Group/DATA- Applied Studies and Research Institution Society Research and position papers on 1) Elaborated Analysis of solution for Palestinian Refugees, and 2) Territorial Link between West Bank and Gaza Strip Amount not disclosed
The Peres Center for Peace The Economic Dimensions of a two state solution €50,000
The Elderly Supportive Community Services Society (ESCS) Providing legal, social and health services to disabled elderly in the Old City of Jerusalem Amount not disclosed

 

     Finland Essentials: