In 2015, BCSDN and its members for the first time collected and studied the data on non-profit sector in seven countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. This is the first study ever that gives an overview of the current situation with the non–profit sector-related data collection, analysis and presentation in the countries above. It provides information on the quality and reliability of data on the economic impact of the sectors in those countries, including also challenges that CSOs face to obtain relevant data. Furthermore, this in-depth research maps and illustrates the financial capacities, size, outputs…
Author: anja
The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals is to support the involvement of the civil society in policy creation and implementation of priority sector reforms related to the EU integration. The proposed actions must address at least one of the two priorities: 1) Enhanced involvement of civil society in policy creation and participation in the decision making mechanisms at local and national level, including the EU accession process; 2) Improved efficiency in civil society responses to the priority sector reform processes as well as improved political participatory process of high importance for fundamental rights, democracy and rule of law…
Тhe spike in regional and local conflicts around the globe has boosted the need for professionals skilled in waging peace. The fully funded Rotary Peace Fellowship, which covers tuition and living expenses, increases the capacity of current and emerging peace leaders to prevent and resolve conflict through academic training, field experience, and professional networking. Up to 100 fellows are selected every year in a globally competitive process based on personal, academic, and professional achievements. Fellows earn either a master’s degree or a professional development certificate in peace and conflict studies at one of the Rotary Peace Centers, located within seven…
From 5-6 of April 2017, Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia (PDCS) is organizing an international conference on Value Based Conflicts and Violence. The aim is to bring together civic actors mainly from the Central and Eastern European region (CEE) and speakers from other countries such as the United States, Germany or Jordan, who themselves have various experience with violence or expertise on violence and value based conflicts. The dialogue aims to strengthen the ability of the civil society in the CEE region to prevent the occurrence and spread of violence. As part of the program, we diverse set of workshops…
The TACSO Regional Office in cooperation with Transparency International Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) are jointly organising a Regional Conference, Dialogue and Cooperation with Civil Society for Better Public Administration Results from 13-14 March, 2017 in Sarajevo, BiH. The overall objective of the Regional Conference is to present and promote existing efforts of civil society in public administration reform (PAR) processes throughout the Western Balkans and Turkey (WBT), as well as to facilitate the exchange of experience and knowledge between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and representatives of institutions on the crucial role CSOs have in the design, implementation and monitoring of public administration reform. CSOs can…
Serious violations of civic space don’t just happen in authoritarian countries: they are now happening in established democracies. CIVICUS, is tracking this kind of abuse all over the world. In a huge number of countries – including in many Open Government Partnership (OGP) countries – ordinary people, whose only aim is to fight against injustice and create fairer, more tolerant societies, are being treated like common criminals or terrorists. In fact, right now there are serious civic space problems in over a third of OGP countries. This analysis tells us that there is a combination of political and economic driving forces behind the increased…
Threats against Macedonian CSOs have intensified over the past two months after the announced de-Sorosoization of Macedonia civil society by the ex-Prime Minister of Macedonia On January 18, 2017, a new initiative called Stop Operation Soros (SOS) has been launched with the aim to counter the influence of George Soros in Macedonia. The initiative also called upon all “free minded citizens” to join SOS in the “fight against one-mindedness in the civil sector, which is devised and led by George Soros” and announced that their first activities will focus on exposing the subversive activities of Macedonian CSOs funded by George…
The Center for Development of NGOs (CRNVO) issued a statement on the occasion of Montenegrin Ministry of Finance’ announcement that a new Law on Games of Chance will be drafted, demanding that it ensures engagement of CSOs in the working group. According to the announcement as of February 7, 2017, the Ministry of Finance plans to hire a consultant who will create the Draft Law, and only after will it be open for public debate and comments to CSOs and the wider public. Recalling the Regulation on the Procedure for Exercising Cooperation between State Administration and NGOs (“Official Gazette”, No.…
By nearly any standard and in virtually every corner of the globe, 2016 was one of the most tumultuous years the world has seen since the end of the Cold War. The pace and magnitude of the change and adversity was, at times – to use Merriam-Webster’s 2016 word of the year – “surreal.” The long-lamented phenomenon of “closing space” for civic engagement is certainly real, and it spread dramatically in 2016. A recent report from CIVICUS found that roughly 85% of the world’s population lives in countries where the rights to expression, assembly or association have faced serious challenges. There is…
The European Commission is conducting public consultations about its external financial instruments and invites all stakeholders in beneficiary and EU countries to give its contribution in the period from 7 February 2017 to 3 May 2017. The Commission should present a midterm review of the instruments of the European Parliament and the Council by the end of 2017, for which it has commissioned independent evaluations for each instrument. The aim of the public consultation is to gather feedback on the conclusions from the evaluations from the broadest possible range of stakeholders as well as to gather preliminary ideas on the…