News and updates from BCSDN and the region
A new study by Sarah Bush and Jennifer Hadden provides one of the most comprehensive overviews to date of the shifting landscape of international NGOs. Once heralded as central players in shaping a new global order after the Cold War, NGOs are now grappling with a wave of challenges that have curbed their growth, influence,
Read more →Political and financial instability, including USAID’s dismantling and cuts in Official Development Assistance, have disrupted funding flows, undermining civil society organisations’ ability to plan strategically, deliver effectively, and innovate. With aid increasingly politicised and tied to geopolitical interests, international CSOs face heightened accountability demands to ensure transparency, sustainability, and relevance in crisis contexts. The International
Read more →The post-war rebuilding of Ukraine is among Europe’s most complex and multifaceted challenges, requiring extensive coordination and resources. While the conflict continues, various recovery plans are actively being developed and implemented across different regions of the country. Experts emphasize that an inclusive approach is crucial, one that involves not only government agencies but also citizens,
Read more →The European Journalism Training Association (EJTA), with the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS), published its first guidelines for responsible AI use in journalism education. The guidelines are intended to motivate teachers, professors, but also students to focus their attention on critical thinking and the reasonable use of AI tools and to build a system of
Read more →Between March and April 2025, civil society organizations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Serbia conducted focus groups and research on LBQ women facing gender-based violence. The findings highlight systemic protection gaps, legal invisibility, and exclusion in policies and services. Discussions with activists and providers underscored the neglect faced by LBQ survivors. The upcoming
Read more →In a recent blog, Accountable Now outlines how CSOs can actively respond to declining public trust and growing skepticism towards institutions. Drawing on discussions from the May 2025 Dynamic Accountability Dialogue co-hosted with Rendir Cuentas, the article identifies three core actions CSOs must take: acknowledge their own contribution to trust deficits, shift from performative transparency
Read more →Despite increasing authoritarianism and attacks on women’s rights, Türkiye’s women’s movement has remained one of the strongest social forces in the country. The article explores how women’s organizations have sustained resistance by organizing outside formal political arenas, using street protests, social media, and grassroots education to amplify feminist voices and resist shrinking civic space. Key
Read more →The Civic Resource Center (CRC), in collaboration with Kobo Inc., recently hosted a vital training session on digital data collection and management, significantly boosting the capacities of civil society organizations across North Macedonia. Representatives from 26 CSOs participated, gaining hands-on experience with KoboToolbox, a powerful open-source tool designed for efficient field data collection, even in
Read more →The Civic Resource Center (CRC) in Skopje recently hosted a networking meeting focused on action grants for local initiatives, bringing together grantees and partners from the civil sector in North Macedonia. This gathering confronted the persistent challenges facing organizations in inner Macedonia, where limited logistical access and scarce resources pose significant obstacles to effective operation.
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 →To complement its 2024 Annual Report, the Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) has released a new brochure titled Strengthening Civil Society in the Balkans. Designed to make key insights more accessible, the publication distills BCSDN’s achievements, ongoing initiatives, and strategic priorities in a visual and reader-friendly format. The brochure provides a snapshot of the
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