Union to Union 2023-2025 (CSO-strategy)

Union to Union's application with the title "Trade Union rights are human rights" (hereafter referred to as the CSO program) for grants for a total of SEK 449,600,000 for the operating period 2023-2027 was received on September 1, 2022. The goal of the requested contribution is to create more favorable conditions for human rights in working life in the partner countries. Union to Union strengthens a breadth of rights-based activities linked to organized and unorganized workers in trade unions in formal and informal labor markets. Through capacity-building work such as social dialogue and collective agreements, improved working conditions for people in poverty are achieved. The program's activities include, for example, training trade union representatives about workers' rights and increasing their organizational and negotiating capacity, making trade unions more inclusive and increasing their attractiveness to young workers, women and LGBTQI people. The training also promotes internal democratic processes, recruitment, transparency and administrative capacity. The activities also include leading advocacy and information campaigns, communication work, creating extensive networks in society to mobilize support for trade union positions, fighting for the voice of local trade unions and workers in international arenas, strengthening dialogue with companies and governments, as well as developing capacity in thematic areas such as for example, green transition and gender equality. Sida's completed review show that Union to Union has acceptable internal control systems at the office to manage and forward Sida's contributions to Swedish trade unions and Global Union Federations (GUF). These global membership-based structures play a key role in strengthening local affiliates' positions vis-à-vis employers and governments, and in gaining impact in advocacy at local, national, and international levels. However, follow-up needs to be strengthened in subsequent stages at regional and local trade union levels based on ISK recommendations, risk management and anti-corruption, which is work that has already begun. Sida also assesses that Union to Union is making a solid transition to a learning organization, which includes new methods for learning and collecting results, which contributes to producing sustainable results. Sida assesses that Union to Union has the capacity to carry out the activity and that the requested amount is reasonable. Furthermore, Sida assesses that Union to Union's organization, methods, capacity and resources are sufficient to implement the program in a satisfactory manner. Furthermore, Union to Union is judged to be doing solid and relevant work in terms of increasing and strengthening the capacity for follow-up and forwarding at both Swedish unions and GUFs strategically, by anchoring changed working methods and by getting systems in place at subsequent stages. Sida assesses that the overall risk on an overall level is slightly above average. The identified risks, if they are realised, can contribute to the contribution's objectives not being achieved. However, Sida assesses that Union to Union generally has the capacity to manage the risks. Sida has identified three risks linked to limited local ownership, Union to Union's capacity to ensure internal governance and control throughout the contract chain, and Union to Union's anti-corruption procedures. Sida will follow up local ownership through specific dialogue and mid-term review in 2025. Anti-corruption will be followed up through an action plan to be submitted no later than May 31, 2023, which is a specific contractual condition. Sida assesses that Union to Union is doing a solid and relevant job in terms of increasing and strengthening the capacity for follow-up and forwarding at both Swedish unions and GUFs. This is reflected in extensive work with risk and control in the contract chain during 2022.