Mission, Guiding Principles, Affiliations


The Mission of the SD Network

The mission of the SDIA is to relieve human suffering and promote just and sustainable development through:

  • Partnerships and support for grassroots, participatory development and humanitarian initiatives;
  • Empowering individuals and communities to engage in positive human, social and economic change;
  • Raising awareness of global issues and inter-dependenc.

The Role of the Susila Dharma International Association Office

The Susila Dharma International Office coordinates the international SD Network and assists its members in achieving their goals. The SDIA Office facilitates, strengthens and promotes the work of its members in their efforts to contribute towards just and sustainable development.


Guiding Principles of the SD Network

Members of the Susila Dharma International Association embrace the following guiding principles:

A Vision of Development

  •  We give priority to the needs, aspirations and participation of the individuals and communities on whose behalf we are working.
  • We recognise the importance of fundamental human rights, and environmental sustainability
  • We work to advance the UN Millennium Development Goals.
  • We understand development as a positive process of human, social, cultural, environmental, economic and political transformation.

Community Participation and Knowledge Sharing

  • We are committed to participatory and inclusive approaches to development.
  • As a network we freely share our information and knowledge, continuously learning from each other and from the communities we are trying to assist.
  • We base our decisions on mutual understanding and respect.
    We aim to learn from our mistakes and value our success, no matter how small.
  • We are committed to monitoring and evaluating our activities in order to continually improve our development practices.

Partnerships

  • Partnerships form the basis for trust and sound development practice.
  • Our partnerships respect one another's autonomy and constraints and are built on honesty, accountability and transparency.
  • All partners strive for better understanding and appreciation of one another.
  • We reach out to and work in collaboration with institutions that share our aims and objectives.

Transparent and Accountable Management and Reporting

  •  We are committed to transparent and accountable reporting,both between members of the network, and towards beneficiaries, donors and the general public.
  • We seek to identify the appropriate scale and terms of financial support on a case by case basis.

Personal Responsibility

In addition to being well-informed and learning from others, we strive to trust our own perceptions and follow our inner feelings as development practitioners.

Approved at 2007 AGM, Ascot UK


 Affiliations

World Subud Association
Susila Dharma International Assocation (SDIA) is an affiliate organization of the World Subud Association. Subud is an association whose members world wide belong to all cultures and religions and who are united through a direct, personal experience called the latihan that acknowledges a higher power.

United Nations
Since 1989, SDIA holds special consultative status with the United National Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) www.un.org and  www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo and the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). Since 2000, SDIA has been affiliated with the UN Department of Public Information, NGO Section www.un.org.

Working with the UN through volunteers, SDIA participates as an international non-governmental organization, contributing from civil society to the discourse on global issues.

The Meaning of "Susila" and "Dharma"

"Susila means to act humanely. It describes...someone who helps others, who cares for others, who works to put right a bad situation, who helps those who have less than they do; someone who loves other human beings and who does not discriminate between one person and another”.

Bapak Mhd. Sumohadiwijojo, Vol 16 P 167,
Johannesburg, March 1967

"Dharma is a form of surrender or giving which comes from a feeling of gratitude, and can be sharing one's expertise, joy, money - whatever one feels one has enough of."

Ibu Rahayu, Bali, July 2002