News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The continued jailing of over 120 journalists in Turkey as a deep stain on the country’s human rights record was highlighted at the launch of a joint report on 18 November 2019 in Brussels by eight international press freedom and journalism organizations on the status of press freedom in the country. The report reveals an
Read more →In order to establish regular practice of wide-ranging consultations on setting priorities for funding of CSOs by the state, the Department for Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations of the General Secretariat in cooperation with the Macedonian Center for International Cooperation (MCIC) organized three consultative meetings with CSOs in three different cities the country. The consultative meetings
Read more →Attacks against journalists and media workers, and impunity for these violations and abuses, are one of the greatest challenges to freedom of expression worldwide. Such attacks are deliberate attempts to obstruct the free flow of information within our societies. A prevailing culture of impunity for threats to the safety of journalists fuels their repetition. A
Read more →Despite deep concerns about the future of democracy, people in Central and Eastern Europe retain a strong attachment to civil society and faith in the freedoms achieved with the collapse of Communism, according to States of Change: Attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, a report from
Read more →Countries in Central and Eastern Europe that made significant gains in building their new democracies following the Cold War are now experiencing a crisis of illiberalism that is weakening the rule of law, the separation of powers, and the integrity of elections, according to a new Brookings analysis. In recent years, the overall environment for
Read more →Public service media in SEE is an important part of the media landscape. Their existence is enshrined in the law of all countries and their mandate is to serve the whole society by informing, educating, consulting and entertaining. However, public service media have repeatedly been criticized of being the mouthpiece of the government. Thus, this
Read more →Anti-Serbian traitors and members of the “foreign services” who, by seeking “security-sensitive information,” threaten the national security of the Republic of Serbia, this is how the tabloids, as well as some officials and members of the government, see the non-governmental organizations in Serbia. Despite claiming that Serbia is firmly committed to the European path and
Read more →CSOs organized at National and European level, coming from a diversity of areas of citizens concerns have written to Věra Jourová, as the European Commission Vice President designate on Values and Transparency. The signatories of the letter, coordinated by Civil Society Europe, welcome Věra Jourová’s important commitment in a context where freedoms of assembly, association
Read more →Through two in-depth surveys, one of migrant workers and another of refugees, the study sought to understand more about the main challenges faced by migrant workers and refugees in exercising their rights to the fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression; the factors that make them more likely to try to assert their rights
Read more →Since the mid-2000s, civic space has come under attack in many countries around the world. To counter this trend, transnational actors that support civil society have responded in many ways—from exerting diplomatic pressure and building international norms to providing emergency funds for activists. Despite these efforts, governments continue to impose legal and extralegal restrictions amid
Read more →Civil society is a prerequisite for strong, resilient states. Conversely, when civic space is reduced or threatened, there might be a set in motion a downward spiral, with a profound impact on human rights and society as a whole. In the EU, the protection of human rights defenders and civic space has long been approached
Read more →The fiche is part of the study “Social enterprises and their ecosystems in Europe” and it provides an overview of the social enterprise landscape in Albania and Turkey. The fiche describes the roots and drivers of social enterprises in the country as well as their conceptual and legal evolution. It includes an estimate of the number
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