How can we establish and maintain relations with the government?

1. Proyecto Miguilim (Belo Horizonte, Brasil)
   One of the most important reasons for the success of this project in preventing children from leaving home is their work with families in the community. After gaining the trust of the child and with his permission, the educators go to the child´s home with him and try to establish rapport with the family. The educators treat each case differently and realize that they need to know the family situation well. Furthermore, the relationship they develop with the families is not a top down one in which they appear to know more but rather their role is that of a catalyst or a facilitator (in line with the theory proposed by Michel Foucault).
   Contact Marcio or Marcos Aníbal Miguilim@pbh.gov.br
   
   
2. INESC (Brasília, Brasil) has achieved success through lobbying in favour of the interests of street children. Because this NGO has recruited a multi-party group of sympathetic parliamentarians, they are able to conduct research, submit proposals and assure that relevant laws are enforced.
   In Perú, Acción por los Niños is the most important NGO involved in similar lobbying efforts. They have succeeded in altering many laws in Perú in favour of street children. Jussara de Goias, INESC, <Jussarag@inesc.org.br>
   Jaime Jesús Pérez, Acción por los Niños, postmaster@accionporlosninos.org.pe
   
   
3. O Movimiento Nacional de Meninos e Meninas de Rua (todo Brasil) involves and organizes street children on a national level. By putting pressure on the government, they have succeeded in getting many new laws in favour of children to be passed. The members of the Movimiento are part of the Consejos Tutelares- local committees composed of ordinary citizens and politicians working together to protect the rights of children.
   Contact Joseleno dos Santos <joseleno@brhs.com.br>
   or Eliena Francisca de Barros <mnmmrdf@mndh.org.br>
   
   
4. ADEJUC (Alianza para el Desarrollo Juvenil Comunitario, Guatemala) trains its peer educators in human rights education and in lobbying. Unfortunately, however, they have not had much success in making sure that the laws are enforced.
   Contact Mádel Rodríguez adejucsc@guate.net
   
   
5. De la Calle a la Vida, a committee of NGOs, is an interesting example of co-operation between civil society and the Mexican government to reform policies in regard to street life in the country. Unfortunately, many committee members feel that the president has not delegated sufficient resources with which to tackle the problems. Contact Martín García Pérez <caracol@supernet.com.mx>
   
   
6. En Uruguay, there is a very strong relation between NGOs working for street children and the government in which NGOs depend on the government and lobby to change public policy. The Uruguayan model is excellent although perhaps difficult to copy in other countries since the Montevidean government is extremely leftist in orientation and socially aware- qualities rarely found elsewhere in big cities.
   Contact Juan Pablo Monteverde, Vida y Educación, <vye@chasque.apc.org>; Paula Baleato, El Abrojo, <infancia@adinet.com.uy>; Jorge Freyre, Gurises Unidos, <gurises@chasque.apc.org>, or Hogar Capitanes de Arena <capitanes@sicoar.com.uy>
   
   
7. Relations between local NGOs and the municipal authorities in Mendoza are also very close.
   Contact Sergio Reynoso, Program director.
   
   
8. One must also become aware of the danger of maintaining strong relations with the government. In Brasil, for example, NGOs receive a great deal of funds from the government, which allows them to expand their services. However, when an NGO receives funding only from the political party who is in power at the time, they risk losing their funds when the party is ousted. This is what happened to those who had received funds from the Partido de los Trabajadores who lost the last election in several cities.
   Contact Carlos Bezzera <excola@alternex.com.br> o ARCA <arcabt@terra.com.br>