News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Target Group: Young people aged 18-29 from the Western Balkans Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia Location: Online Short Description: Launched by the WeBalkans initiative, funded by the European Commission, the Regional Youth Photo Contest invites young people across the Western Balkans to capture the unifying power of sport. Running
Read more →Target Group: Human rights defenders, student leaders, trade union leaders, journalists, academia, artivists, digital activists, and changemakers passionate about transforming protest movements. Location: Global (Online and In-Person) Short Description: The Protest Lab, a new initiative under the CIVICUS Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (FoPA) Workstream, is inviting applications from individuals with experience in peaceful protests and
Read more →Civil Society Europe, with the support of CoQuality members, implemented the survey “Quality Standards and Quality Compliance Frameworks for Civil Society Organisations” to assess the level of knowledge regarding quality management within the European third sector, its integration into the agenda of Systems of Quality Certification (SGC) entities, and the extent of implementation of SGC
Read more →Civil Society Europe, Transparency International EU, and the European Environmental Bureau are urging the Conference of Presidents to reject a proposal to establish a European Parliament inquiry committee into the European Commission’s funding of NGOs. They argue that such committees are for investigating genuine breaches of EU law, and there is no evidence of corruption
Read more →In response to the growing political tensions in Serbia, the European Union has issued a strong call for restraint and constructive dialogue. Concerns were raised regarding the initiation of criminal proceedings against the Rector of the University of Belgrade, as well as the recent blockade of the public broadcaster RTS. Emphasis was placed on the
Read more →CIVICUS has been examining the challenges and strategies for CSOs in response to funding cuts, particularly the sudden USAID funding freeze in 2025. The impact of these cuts on CSOs’ financial stability and operations is highlighted, based on a survey conducted by CIVICUS among its members, networks, and communities. Various mitigation strategies CSOs employ include
Read more →Implemented by the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) and financed by the German Federal Foreign Office, the project seeks to support youth cultural activism and creative solutions for social and political issues in the Western Balkans. Target Group: For young people within the cultural and creative sectors, to enhance regional cultural cooperation. The project also features Peace
Read more →Kosovo’s Constitutional Court has annulled the controversial Law on the Independent Media Commission (IMC), marking a significant victory for media freedom and civil society in the country. The Court found that several provisions of the law undermined the independence of the IMC, including the method of proposing its members, criteria for dismissing the chairperson and
Read more →On 7 January, Meta ended its fact-checking program, introducing the “Community Notes” system that allows users to add context to posts. This has relaxed restrictions on sensitive topics like immigration and gender, which might permit hate speech under the guise of political discourse. An analytical commentary compares these shifts to the surge of hate speech
Read more →Target Group: Local authorities (LAs) and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which may lack the capacity to apply for EU funds directly. Aim: The funding aims to co-finance projects and campaigns related to Global Citizenship Education (GCE), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainable development, gender equality, and awareness-raising. Amount: 6.000 – 10.000
Read more →Target Group: for civil society organizations (CSOs) and local authorities (LAs) in Serbia and Montenegro. Aim: The grants will support local initiatives focused on Global Citizenship Education, youth engagement, and sustainable development. These initiatives aim to fund projects that raise awareness, encourage civic participation, and advance social or environmental justice, particularly among young people. Amount:
Read more →More than 2,000 media outlets globally have begun the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification process led by Reporters without Borders (RSF) to enhance media ethics. The JTI involves a self-assessment against 130 criteria using the JTI-app, publishing a transparency report, and an optional external audit for certification. Ten media outlets successfully completed the JTI self-assessment
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