What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

BCSDN Urges OGP to Combat Covert Attacks on Democracy in the Western Balkans

Balkan Civil Society Development Network Executive Director Biljana Spasovska, speaking at the OGP Global Summit in Vitoria-Gasteiz during the “Participation and Inclusion” Global Dialogue, highlighted the escalating crisis facing CSOs in the Western Balkans. The threat now includes new, problematic legislation alongside tactics like smear campaigns and arbitrary inspections, which effectively silence independent voices. Spasovska

Read more →

OGP Summit Adopts Vitoria-Gasteiz Declaration

The Vitoria-Gasteiz Declaration was officially adopted at the 2025 OGP Global Summit, securing almost 160 new endorsements. This major commitment unites governments, civil society, and partners in a shared global effort to strengthen democracy and protect civic space. The Declaration reaffirms the open government community’s core commitment to transparency, participation, and accountability as tools to

Read more →

Guidelines on the Right to Peaceful Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience

The “Guidelines on the Right to Peaceful Environmental Protest and Civil Disobedience” have been released, drawing on both the Aarhus Convention and international human rights treaties and standards. These Guidelines provide both guiding and operational principles to assist Aarhus Parties and other UN Member States in protecting environmental defenders who engage in peaceful protest, including

Read more →

Research Reveals Keys to CSO Resilience in Hostile Climates

A new study, based on CSOs in Czechia, Hungary, and Bulgaria, reveals that a CSO’s ability to withstand political hostility and funding withdrawal is determined primarily by its internal attributes, not just the external environment. Analyzing CSOs that faced pressure between 2010 and 2019, the research highlights that while many organizations reduced staff or replaced

Read more →

Report Exposes $1.2 Billion War Against European Freedoms

A new report, “Next Wave: How Religious Extremism Regains Power,” reveals that European anti-gender movements spent $1.2 billion between 2019 and 2023 to target women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQI+ rights, and secular education. CSOs must be aware that this funding, sourced from the US, Russia, Hungary, and other European sources, supports the professionalization of these movements.

Read more →

Citizens’ Nightmare: A Manual for Understanding Spyware

Spyware has emerged as a major threat to human rights and a tool for societal control, undermining privacy under the guise of national security. The book A Privacy Nightmare: Understanding Spyware explores the technical evolution of spyware to sophisticated systems like Pegasus and NoviSpy, its unregulated legal status, and its impact on democracy. Experts argue

Read more →

CASE Coalition Flags New SLAPP Against Academic

The CASE Coalition has designated the legal actions launched by Stella O’Malley and Genspect against psychotherapist Leonie O’Dowd as a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). Despite O’Dowd complying with requests to delete parts of her article, O’Malley and Genspect have threatened further legal action, demanding apologies and retractions. The Coalition condemned the abusive litigation,

Read more →

Policy Memo Maps Western Balkan Research and Innovation Challenges

SCiDEV has released a new policy memo, “On the Edge of Convergence,” as part of the “Ignita 2025: On the Edge” Forum. The memo notes positive developments, including Horizon Europe association and Growth Plan financing. However, it highlights persistent structural challenges such as underinvestment in R&D, brain drain, weak governance, and limited EU research participation.

Read more →

Report Flags Systemic Digital Violence Against Women Journalists

A new regional overview by the SafeJournalists Network highlights that women journalists across the Western Balkans face disproportionate digital violence that is often systemic and organized. This targeted violence aims to limit their participation in both public and online spaces. While North Macedonia and Croatia have positive legal frameworks, the primary challenge for CSOs seeking

Read more →

Dynamic Accountability Rebuilds Trust with Citizens

CSOs are urged to adopt Dynamic Accountability practices to rebuild legitimacy and secure survival amid shrinking freedoms and smear campaigns. Speaking at the Global Accountability Month online session, BCSDN Executive Director Biljana Spasovska noted that accountability now defines not just credibility but survival. Dynamic accountability moves beyond compliance, focusing on reconnecting CSOs with citizens and

Read more →

Safeguarding Democracy Report Focuses on AI and Elections in Development

The recent Safeguarding Democracy Report examines the global threats that polluted information environments, including AI, pose to democracy and elections, particularly in developing contexts. It analyses information pollution mechanisms and countermeasures. The report calls on development practitioners to strengthen information integrity by setting clearer rules for online political communication, supporting oversight institutions, and promoting ethical

Read more →