During the final conference of the Third Sector Impact (TSI) project, which took place in Brussels on 9th November, the results and policy recommendations following three years of research and intensive stakeholder engagement were shared. They focused on the scope of the third sector, elaborated what can be said about its impact on social, economic and political life, focused on resilience strategies adopted by third sector organizations (TSOs) to deal with old and new barriers and looked at policies that can support the sector to continue to be a strong force in society. The event also served to present the policy recommendations…
Author: anja
On 6 November 2016, the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation launched the Kosovar Civil Society Index for 2016. The Kosovar Civil Society Index (KCSI) is a regular study of the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF). It assesses the state of the civil society sector in Kosovo on a periodical basis, by measuring the main dimensions of the sector including the structure of the sector, legal framework, internal governance and capacities, citizen engagement, funding, perceived impact and external environment for the operation of civil society. Despite a difficult political, economic and social situation in Kosovo, civil society has managed to become an important…
The purpose of the closing conference held in Skopje on the 10th -11th of November was to take stock of progress registered so far and promote the achievements of the FPAs towards the general public and other relevant stakeholders. During the event, the FPAs had the opportunity to: disseminate the results of their action among various stakeholders and the press; discuss issues concerning the general development of the civil society in Western Balkans and Turkey, etc. BCSDN lead on of the FPAs, Balkan Civil Society Acquis: Strengthening the Advocacy and Monitoring Potential and Capacities of CSOs which had for objectives…
On October 31st – November 2nd, the Romanian NGDO Platform (FOND) organized its IX Edition of the Black Sea NGO Forum in Varna, Bulgaria. The event gathered around 130 representatives of national and regional civil society organizations, intergovernmental organizations and relevant state institutions from the countries in the Black Sea region and beyond, including, Sanja Bogatinovska – BCSDN’s Junior Policy and Advocacy Officer on Civil Society Development and Simona Trajkovska – Junior Project Assistant, colleague from BCSDN’s member Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC). More information is available here. Source: BCSDN
On November 8th – 9th, 2016, CONCORD – the European Confederation of Relief and Development NGOs, organized the first edition of its Learning and Exchange Forum titled “Shrinking Space for Civil Society Organizations in Budapest, Hungary. The event gathered circa 80 representatives of CONCORD members and guests from all around Europe including Sanja Bogatinovska – BCSDN’s Junior Policy and Advocacy Officer on Civil Society Development. Organized with the support of the European Union, the main objective of the event is to create a space for sharing innovative solutions that turned useful in particular contexts in the fight against shrinking space…
The Macedonian Center for International Cooperation issued the first Comparative Analysis of Systems of Public Funding of CSOs. Exploring the legal and institutional frameworks for public funding of CSOs in Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Scotland, Serbia, and Slovenia, the analysis aimed at contributing to a better understanding of the procedures of public funding of CSOs in these countries and thereafter, offering specific recommendations for the system of public funding in Macedonia. While focused solely on a national level, the analysis includes both the legal framework for procedures of public funding of CSOs and the existing rules and standards in practice. The…
Balkan Public Policy Fund (BPPF) grants from the Balkan CS Acquis project implemented by BCSDN and its members were allocated for the implementation of activities aimed at building functional cooperation mechanisms between governments and CSOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), since there is lack of institutional cooperation at any of the levels: municipal, cantonal, entity and state. In the past, an agreement on cooperation between the Council of Ministers and CSOs has been signed, but many years later, not much has been done to its revision, and it is expected that it will happen by the end of the year.…
Among the 370 more associations that Turkey’s government has recently taken a decision on to suspend in reference to a state of emergency are the country’s some of the most active and influential civil society institutions that have been an advocate of rule of law, human rights, and social justice and peace. Giving reference to the 11th article of the current state of emergency law, the ministry stated that the institutions were banned from carrying out their activities ‘in order for public security to be protected’ as ‘their activities were found to be threatening to national security.’ More information is…
Donald Trump’s election victory over Hillary Clinton raises a lot of questions for the development community before he takes office as the next president of the United States. There are two reasons for cautious — and relative — optimism among development professionals. First, Trump passed up a chance to say he would entirely eliminate U.S. foreign aid programs as part of his larger push to shed government spending and bureaucracy. Trump said that he would continue to deliver foreign aid to countries that might otherwise turn into security risks, such as Pakistan, but hinted at a more limited role for the U.S.…
The Civil Society Partnership Review defines Department for International Development’s (DFID) future objectives, approach, and instruments for a partnership with civil society in order to deliver more for the world’s poorest. A healthy, vibrant and effective civil society sector is a crucial part of Britain’s soft power and leadership around the world. The UK Government will give them our strongest support. The Civil Society Partnership Review (CSPR), developed with extensive CSO engagement, considered DFID’s current civil society funding portfolio alongside the changing global context and civil society operating environment. The full report is available here. Source: GOV.UK