Delegation from Public Policy Institutes Visits CSW

As part of the “Alliance Building and Best Practices in Resource Mobilization, Research and Advocacy: A Project for Nicaragua,” a delegation of women from three key policy research institutes visited CSW on February 8, 2012. The policy research institutes were Center for Communications Research (Centro de Investigación de la Comunicación – CINCO), Institute for Public Policy and Strategic Studies (Instituto de Estudios Estratégicos y Políticas Públicas – IEEPP), and Center for Constitutional Rights(Centro de Derechos Constitucionales – CDC). The visitors were Elvira Cuadra, Research Coordinator, CINCO; Claudia Garcia Rocha, Research Coordinator, IEEPP; Ninoska Peréz,Executive Director’s Assistant, CINCO; Claudia Pineda Gadea,Executive Director, IEEPP; Amelia Silva Cabrera, member of General Assembly, CDC; and Ada Esperanza Silva Perez, Founder, President and Executive Director of the General Assembly, CDC. They met with Julie Childers, CSW Assistant Director, and Brenda Johnson-Grau, CSW Managing Editor.

The discussion focused on ways the groups could share information and expertise in their mission areas. It was a fruitful discussion and the participants will be in touch about partnership efforts.

Center for Communications Research
The Centro de Investigación de la Comunicación (CINCO) is a civil society organization that specializes in the study of communication, culture, democracy and public opinion, with a special emphasis on the;study of communications media and their social and political role in building democracy. CINCO was founded in 1990, and has operated as a non-profit association since 1995.The focus of CINCO’s research is the role of the media as a key political actor, intermediating between citizens, civil society, and the state. The staff is composed of professionals in communications and the social sciences, television and newspaper journalists, media directors and publicists, brought together in their commitment to social research and developing new communication strategies. CINCO is recognized nationally for its work providing political and social actors with new tools for analysis of the national context and promoting effective citizen participation in defense of freedom of expression and social justice.

Center for Constitutional Rights
Founded in 1990, the Centro de Derechos Constitucionales (CDC) is a civil society organization that promotes the respect of constitutional rights. The mission of CDC is to promote the rule of law and respect for the constitutional rights of the Nicaraguan people. As such, CDC is active in promoting a suitable legal framework for democratic governance and in developing the capacities of citizen and NGO partners to defend, demand, and exercise their constitutional rights. The CDC specializes in promoting women, adolescent and children’s rights, and civic participation through advocating legislation in those areas. The objectives of CDC are to disseminate knowledge of how to effectively exercise citizen and civil society rights, to strengthen the capacity of the organization and leadership of Nicaraguan civil society, and to contribute to the creation, development and defense of democracy in Nicaragua.

Institute for Public Policy and Strategic Studies
Established in 2004, the Instituto de Estudios Estratégicos y Políticas Públicas (IEEPP) is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank dedicated to improving citizen participation in public affairs and providing support for public policies that promote good governance, efficiency and transparency. IEEPP’s primary focus has been upon analysis and monitoring of public policies in security and defense, prevention and control of organized crime, and public administration of social policies. Since 2006, IEEPP has further dedicated its work to the analysis of public sector transparency, strategies for poverty reduction, and responsible management of public budgets. Today, IEEPP is recognized as the leading independent research center in the country, devoted to public policy and budgetary research and analysis. IEEPP participates in important international coalitions for research and analysis at the regional and global level of these phenomena.