News and updates from BCSDN and the region
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
Read more →Mobilizing the power of people to overcome poverty and injustice is at the heart of Oxfam’s mission and vision. Oxfam works together with allies and partners around the world to protect and expand the space for all people, and especially for marginalized groups, to speak out, assemble and organize on issues that matter to them,
Read more →On Friday, 20 September September 2019, CRNVO organized an annual conference on a topic: Civil Society in Montenegro – How to get an Inclined Enabling…
Read more →The article presents the seven trends that are restricting civil society across the world: Civil society under attack in half of the countries; Anti-NGO legislation, restrictions on foreign funding and national security measures; Victimising journalists; Populism marches on Rise of protest movements and the establishments’ response; Attacks on excluded groups and the NGOs which fight
Read more →Civil society plays an important social, political and economic role in democratic countries. The existence of a vivid civil society is an indicator of well-functioning democracies that give space to the full variety of different opinions, concerns, and solutions. By combining a mix of various public and private resources – such as public funds, private
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