News and updates from BCSDN and the region
As the climate crisis intensifies, so does the crackdown on environmental activism. Civicus Monitor’s new report for COP26 looks at 3 worrying trends: bans and restrictions on protests, judicial harassment and legal persecution, use of violence & vilification. Research examines the crackdown on environmental activism and profiles important victories civil society has scored in the
Read more →“World Protests: A Study of Key Protest Issues in the 21st Century” is a recent publication that provides the background and methodology of the study, including the countries covered. This book presents the results of a protest event analysis undertaken in 2013 and 2020 by a team of four researchers. The study analyzes data on
Read more →The extraordinary circumstances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic set new standards, habits and conditions. In the previous period, we had to adapt and start following new models in life and work. Catalyst Balkan has prepared a list of software and instructional videos for their use, which will improve the performance of your organization in these
Read more →On paper, the Western Balkans have some of the most progressive Freedom of Information (FOI) laws in Europe. All OGP members in the region, including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia have made more than 20 commitments to advance the right to information through OGP. Despite having comparatively strong FOI laws
Read more →At the FATF Plenary, which took place on 19-21 October, over 200 delegates of the Global Network, finalized work in a number of strategic initiatives, and discussed country-specific processes. Of the latter, jurisdictions under increased monitoring are actively working with the FATF to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing,
Read more →Civil society is a key component of any democratic system and continues to be recognized as such by state institutions, states the open call for contribution towards the consultation process on the draft strategy for cooperation with and development of civil society, issued by the government of North Macedonia. The Strategy of the Government of
Read more →The Turkish foreign ministry summoned ten Western ambassadors who signed a joint statement calling for the release of Turkish philanthropist and human rights activist Osman Kavala, who has been in jail for four years. The ambassadors of the United States, Canada, France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden were arrived at
Read more →In order to contribute to better future digital policies, Access Now and Liberties have published a policy brief. The COVID-19 pandemic came as a shock to all of us, especially governments, which had to act quickly and efficiently to save lives. In short order, almost all European Union Member States decided to implement contact tracing
Read more →The twenty-fourth edition of the CSO Sustainability Index (CSOSI) for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, covering developments during the unprecedented circumstances of 2020, during which the COVID-19 pandemic affected all aspects of society, has been published. This year’s CSOSI reports on the state of CSO sectors in twenty-four countries in the region, including eleven
Read more →CIVICUS’s Vuka! Coalition has developed new resources on supporting protest movements and the exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly, based on the recommendations from its Dialogue Series Report. In the support directory for protestors, the Protest Movement Support Phonebook, protesters can find various types of support from nearly 30 international and regional CSOs to protect
Read more →The UN Human Rights Council has adopted by consensus a resolution on equal participation in political and public affairs. The resolution puts an important focus on elections and on the impact of COVID-19 on participation. It underscores the importance of protecting civil society participation at every level as part of effective response to the pandemic,
Read more →New research commissioned by Dafne and EFC and published in a new report, maps the regulatory environment for fundraising across Europe, underlining the need for a single market for philanthropy and modernization of the legal framework around foundations. The report – a Philanthropy Advocacy initiative – recognizes that some countries have become more flexible when
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