News and updates from BCSDN and the region
On 2 June, BCSDN member, the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) organised the first workshop aimed at improving implementation of the Code for CSOs, five years after its adoption. Bringing together Civica Mobilitas grantees, the workshop explored how stronger monitoring mechanisms can enhance accountability, transparency and public trust in civil society. Participants drew on
Read more →A new report on Good Practices of Civic Space Resilience explores how civil society in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia and Slovenia responds to democratic backsliding, political polarisation and growing legal, administrative and public pressure. Drawing on concrete country cases, the report shows that resilience goes beyond simply withstanding restrictions: it is the capacity to
Read more →The Possible Now Summit, taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2–4 December 2026, will bring together people exploring new approaches to social change, solidarity and collective action. Emerging from the 2023 #ShiftThePower Global Summit in Bogotá, Possible Now seeks to connect innovative but often isolated practices and experiments into a broader ecosystem capable of challenging
Read more →Recent civic mobilisations across the Western Balkans point to a broader shift from issue-specific protests towards demands for accountable governance, institutional transparency and democratic responsiveness. From the Novi Sad railway station tragedy and environmental protests against the Rio Tinto project in Serbia, to demonstrations over the Zvërnec–Narta development in Albania, anti-corruption protests in North Macedonia,
Read more →A new research brief by People Powered synthesises findings from 66 studies across 24 countries, highlighting the positive impact of citizens’ assemblies on democratic participation and governance. The review finds that citizens’ assemblies strengthen participants’ political knowledge, deliberation skills and sense of political efficacy, while fostering dialogue across different viewpoints and reducing polarisation. Beyond individual
Read more →More than 80 women from 12 local organizations gathered in Struga for the eighth annual Women’s Circles networking meeting, organized by Akcija Zdruzenska with the support of the Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia, the Embassy of Sweden in Skopje, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation and filia.die frauenstiftung. The event provided a safe
Read more →As CSOs face shrinking aid, growing funding inequalities and increasing pressure on civic space, stronger partnerships are needed to build resilience. Developed by the Global Solutions Lab as part of the Local Leadership Labs initiative, The Dialogue is a practical resource that helps funders and CSOs engage in open, trust-based conversations that challenge traditional power
Read more →As part of its 2026 State of Civil Society Report, CIVICUS has launched a series of country interviews through its CIVICUS Lens initiative exploring the drivers and impact of emerging civic movements worldwide. The series accompanies the report’s focus on the global rise of Gen Z-led protests, identifying youth mobilisation as one of the defining
Read more →A recent analysis highlights the growing importance of participatory and ethical storytelling in development and humanitarian work. The article argues that traditional approaches often portray communities through narrow, deficit-based narratives, while excluding them from shaping how their experiences are represented. Instead, it advocates for storytelling that is developed with communities rather than about them, recognising
Read more →A new regional report developed under the Digital Democracy Initiative explores the growing pressures facing CSOs across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from shrinking civic space and financial instability to digital security threats, disinformation, and rapid technological change. Developed by Metamorphosis Foundation, TechSoup, and CIVICUS, the analysis draws on research and interviews conducted across 13
Read more →A new report by Peace Direct warns that deep cuts to international aid funding, including the dismantling of USAID in 2025, are accelerating a major crisis across humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors. Based on consultations with more than 400 activists, peacebuilders, and civil society actors from the Global South, the report argues that the current
Read more →Accountable Now will host a Dynamic Accountability Dialogue on 21 May focused on the growing challenges civil society organisations face in designing safeguarding and accountability systems that are both effective and proportionate to their capacities and operational realities. Bringing together experts on safeguarding, anti-fraud and corruption, and digital security, the discussion will explore how organisations
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