News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Target group: Young changemaker aged 18-30 from the Western Balkans Countries: Western Balkans Short description: The Youth Forum it is a platform that empowers young minds like yours to actively participate in shaping the future of the Western Balkans region through meaningful engagement in the EU integration process. By bridging the gap between young people and decision
Read more →Target group: Media editors/ journalists from Western Balkans Countries: Western Balkans Short description: The One-Month Regional Exchange Programme is a capacity-building opportunity for media, editors, and journalists from the Western Balkans. The aim is to facilitate a quality news and investigative production environment, by enabling both parties to engage in knowledge exchange, comprehensive mentoring, and cross-border approaches. Link
Read more →BCSDN is glad to announce its newly re-elected Board members, made up of esteemed member representatives: Aida Daguda, Director, CPCD, Klotilda Kosta, Director of Programs, Partners Albania, Rana Kotan, Secretary General, TUSEV, Taulant Hoxha, Executive Director, KCSF, Tina Divljak, Head of Advocacy, CNVOS. Along with, Maja Stojanovic, Director of Civic Initiatives, and Snezhana Kamilovska Trpovska,
Read more →We are thrilled to announce the continuation of BCSDN’s partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) through a newly granted 4-year project. In the forthcoming period, the Hub will enhance the cooperation and resilience of CSOs in the Western Balkans with the aim to facilitate CSO and multi-stakeholder collaboration and contribute to promoting
Read more →Daphne Foundation produced a new report for CASE showing the urgent need for strong anti-SLAPP legislation across Europe, including Daphne’s Law, the directive proposed by the European Commission which the Council of the EU is threatening to undermine. The 2023 report provides the most recent overview of the data collected for CASE on a rolling
Read more →Despite ongoing efforts by civil society, activists, and academia, the anti-defamation law was passed in Republika Srpska on 20 July, sparking international criticism. This is not the sole threat to Bosnia and Herzegovina democratic freedoms. Republika Srpska’s proposed “foreign agents” law, utilized to stifle critical voices is another risk. Criminalizing defamation and introducing the “foreign
Read more →European Policy Centre has published the PAR monitor for 2021/2022 highlighting that strong and resilient institutions matter, along with sound and inclusive policies and processes, skilled administrative capacities, and technological enablers that are crucial to delivering better lives and livelihoods. The PAR Monitor 2021/2022 is the result of monitoring work performed during 2022 by the
Read more →On 15 August, a large-scale graffiti featuring Sofija Todorovic’s full name, Programme Director of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights (YIHR), materialized on the facade of a building in the small Borca neighborhood of Belgrade in which she lives. The graffiti displays her name and surname alongside derogatory and sexist language in an alarming attempt
Read more →With regard to the total revenues of CSOs in North Macedonia, state funding, i.e. central budget money, is 4%. In comparison to the preceding year, the proportion of central state funding remains unchanged. Amidst the stagnation in the reform process for state funding allocated to CSOs and the persistent boycott of the Council for Cooperation
Read more →Watchdog organizations have brought attention to a noticeable “surge in censorship” within Turkey following the May elections. The government has employed the judicial system as a means of retaliating against journalists and media outlets that expressed opposition to Turkish President Erdogan and the ruling party. Data from the Mapping Media Freedom of the European Centre
Read more →On 21 August, approximately 50 women joined together in a protest outside the Ministry of Justice in Zagreb. On behalf of nearly 40 women’s organizations and initiatives, they called on the Ministry to improve women’s safety across Croatia and establish a working group on formulating legal solutions to address femicide as well as femicide to
Read more →CSOs practitioners worldwide are invited to the ‘Co-Design and Collaboration’ workshop on 7 September, organized by the Dynamic Accountability Community of Practice (DACoP) coordination team, in which an active part takes BCSDN. This workshop aims to foster the sharing of diverse co-design approaches employed by organizations, collaboratively pinpoint challenges, and explore avenues to enhance co-design
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