News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The European Civic Forum recognizes how the European Commission emphasizes civic actors’ role for the defense of the rule of law. The report acknowledges that the safeguards of the rule of law depend on the entire ecosystem of institutional and societal checks and balances and the civic organizations as main actors for alerting on violations
Read more →A long time ahead of the coronavirus outbreak, democracy was under threat, and the COVID 19 pandemic has only deepened this negative trend. Illiberal leaders have embraced the moment to raise their executive power, increase censorship, forbid public protests, postpone elections, increase surveillance, and limit fundamental rights—under the necessity of safeguarding public health. The pandemic
Read more →The reference tool strives to support National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in applying their functions during times of public emergency and post-emergency, whether they are formally declared (as emergencies or states of emergency, or below some other formal classification), or are de facto imposed. The tool does not provide an exhaustive list of actions to
Read more →Although media space amid COVID 19 in Montenegro was overburdened with disinformation, the key media outlets successfully passed the reporting test in the public interest, without making any deliberate mistakes by creating false narratives or reality representations. On the other hand, tabloids and media from the margins were recognized as creators and channels for channeling
Read more →Seven international rights organizations sent an open letter to the Albanian Parliament, raising their concern over the reports that the ruling party in the country is pressing on with legislation, targeting online media, despite the Venice Commission’s international criticism. In the letter, they urge the Parliament to reconsider the ongoing legislative procedure and put a
Read more →The report is part of the latest edition of the Civil Society Organization (CSOSI) Sustainability Index for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. It presents Bulgaria’s political situation in 2019, marked with polarization, populism, political struggles, and deteriorated CSO sustainability. Several legislative proposals questioned basic standards of freedom of association, such as access to funding
Read more →The report indicates that one of the essential factors that contribute to extending the right to participation is the monitoring and reporting of the legal and administrative framework’s implementation. The first part of the report constitutes the roof of the three-section report and the information that was provided regarding the “Monitoring Report of Guidelines for
Read more →Civil society Europe with its members and allies, published a statement to contribute to the European Commission consultation on the European Democracy Action Plan. The statement indicates that EU’s core values- democracy, the rule of law, and fundamental rights, have been facing increasing challenges within the EU during the last years, including the shrinking civic
Read more →The Open Government Partnership (OGP) provides government and civil society reformers an opportunity to make governments more transparent, participatory, and accountable. Working together, government and civil society in 78 countries and several local members cocreate two-year action plans with concrete commitments across a variety of sectors. The first section features two commitments that fall within
Read more →The European Democracy Action Plan is a chance for the EU to articulate a vision and ambition for European democracies. The Action Plan should provide a comprehensive framework to guide the EU and EU Member States in enacting this vision for strengthening democracy. The paper presents several areas that the Action Plan should contribute to
Read more →The Protection Working Group under the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, and the Office of the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth (OSGEY) recently started working on protection of young activists/ human rights defenders/ peacebuilders and other youth who are active in civic spaces. They are currently organizing online global consultations with young people who
Read more →CIVICUS spoke with Ivana Teofilović from Civic Initiatives about the causes of recent protests and the government’s reaction to them and Serbia’s elections under the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate reason for the mass and spontaneous gathering of citizens in July 2020 was the announcement of the introduction of a new curfew, that is, another 72-hour
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