News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Commission has adopted a revised Action Plan for the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), ushering in a new phase of regional cooperation and sustainable development. The updated framework builds on a decade of progress across four core pillars: Blue Sustainable Economy, Connecting the Region (Transport and Energy), Environmental Quality,
Read more →A new report by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation sheds light on how international aid is (not) reaching Women Civil Society Organisations (WCSOs) in Ukraine, two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion. Based on survey responses and interviews with over 100 WCSOs, the study provides rare insights into funding flows and
Read more →A global coalition of civil society leaders and organisations is calling out recent international aid cuts, including from the US, as part of a deeper crisis in the aid system. In a joint statement, they argue that the current model marginalises local leadership, prioritises donor agendas, and fails to meet community needs. The impact is
Read more →In some of the world’s most repressive and fragile environments, modest funding is making a powerful impact. According to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), 88 percent of its 2024 direct grants were under $150,000, yet these small investments have helped frontline activists achieve significant breakthroughs in the fight for freedom. With these resources, NED-supported
Read more →The study “Civic Engagement 2024” by BCSDN’s member Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation (MCIC) reveals important findings about citizens’ participation in various forms of association, non-partisan political activities, and volunteering, as well as the reasons for (non)involvement and motivation for civic engagement in North Macedonia. Nearly half of the citizens do not know which forms
Read more →A new report by the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) reveals alarming trends in surveillance and censorship across the Western Balkans. Covering developments through the end of 2024 and early 2025, the study highlights how digital technologies are increasingly used to monitor citizens, suppress dissent, and restrict media freedom despite formal legal alignment with EU
Read more →Women journalists across Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia are facing an escalating wave of gender-based violence and intimidation. From relentless online abuse to targeted smear campaigns, the attacks are growing in frequency and ferocity—especially on social media. Investigative reporters, in particular, are bearing the brunt of this aggression, often enduring daily sexist insults,
Read more →A new study by Metamorphosis examines how the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) could impact civil society organizations and investigative journalists in North Macedonia. As the country continues aligning with European standards, the DSA introduces stricter rules for content moderation, algorithm transparency, and the accountability of digital platforms. The research explores how civil society actors
Read more →A new report examines the state of civic education across 35 European countries, highlighting its crucial role in promoting active citizenship and democratic stability. Building on a 2023 study, the report includes 13 additional countries and underscores ongoing challenges faced by civic actors, such as funding shortages, lack of recognition, and the need to adapt
Read more →Civic space in the Western Balkans and Türkiye is under threat. Governments are enacting restrictive laws, silencing media, and using financial and legal pressure to marginalize civil society. Protest rights are curtailed, defamation is criminalized, and SLAPP lawsuits target activists and journalists. With public funding scarce and politically controlled, independent CSOs struggle to operate, leaving
Read more →As civic space across Europe faces increasing pressure, understanding how EU law can be used to defend fundamental rights and civil society’s operating environment has become more crucial than ever. EU law provides important tools to protect fundamental rights and safeguard space for civil society, rooted in the EU’s founding values—human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality,
Read more →Hungary has become the first EU member state to ban and criminalize a Pride march, marking a significant escalation in its clampdown on civil liberties. Authorities not only prohibited the peaceful demonstration, but also launched investigations into organizers and deployed facial recognition technology to track and fine attendees—raising serious concerns about fundamental rights violations. The
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