News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The South East European Network for Professionalization of Media has curated a list of regional documentaries on media and journalism that provides insight into the state of journalism and media in the Balkans. The documentaries focus on issues such as media ownership, the importance of investigative journalism, and the role of media in promoting democratic
Read more →The Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities Skopje has published a preliminary research report on restoring the European Union’s credibility and the European consensus in civil society in North Macedonia. The report examines the impact of EU policies on civil society and suggests ways to improve the EU’s approach to the country. It highlights the
Read more →The European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) has published a framework that outlines guidelines for conducting human rights impact assessments (HRIAs) of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The framework emphasizes the importance of engaging with all stakeholders, including those most affected by the AI system being assessed, to ensure that the HRIA is comprehensive and effective.
Read more →An article published by the STGM discusses how CSOs in Turkey face legal restrictions, prohibitions, and penalties for their aid collection activities. Turkish law requires CSOs to obtain permits from the government to collect funds, and failure to comply with these regulations can result in severe fines and even criminal charges. This creates a challenging
Read more →The 2023 Rule of Law Report, published by Liberties reveals that democratic backsliding has resulted in shrinking space for CSOs in Europe. The report documents increased restrictions on the right to freedom of assembly and expression and the suppression of human rights defenders and journalists. It identifies Hungary and Poland as the countries where the
Read more →The European Policy Institute (EPI) published brief summarises the key developments in relation to rule of law in view of EU accession in North Macedonia for the period October – December 2022. It includes monitoring the fundamentals of EU accession, including key developments in the functioning of democratic institutions, public administration reform, and Chapter 23: judiciary
Read more →The article “Anti-Money Laundering: A Risk-Based Approach to Regulating NPOs”, discusses the risks of money laundering in NPOs and the importance of implementing a risk-based approach to prevent it. It emphasizes the need for regulators to recognize the diversity of NPOs and their potential risks, rather than simply assuming that all NPOs pose a high
Read more →The report “Monthly Monitoring Highlights Sexism and Ethnic Discrimination” published by Reporting Diversity, reports on the findings of the monthly monitoring conducted by the Network for Affirmative Action (NAA) in Media and highlights the prevalence of sexism and ethnic discrimination in the media. The monitoring looked at the representation of women and ethnic groups in
Read more →The European Commission has published a new “Handbook of Good Practices” to help member states fight corruption. The handbook includes practical tools and advice for law enforcement authorities, public officials, and CSOs. It covers prevention measures, detection and investigation, international cooperation, and recovering stolen assets. The handbook aims to support the implementation of the European
Read more →There are many studies on civil society and social movements, but none specifically deal with small states as a peculiar category of countries. As is well known, small states have particular characteristics, including a limited ability to reap the benefits of economies of scale, a high degree of exposure to forces outside their control, and
Read more →A case study published by Leviz Albania focuses on essential principles of democracy, among which: transparency and the rule of law, accountability and participation, effectiveness and efficiency, and citizen engagement. The document suggests that improved access to information fosters transparency and accountability, along with citizens’ collective action and engagement. Collective action and public engagement, on
Read more →In an interview for Time, Mira Murati, chief technology officer at OpenAI, talks about Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulation. Ms. Murati is addressing questions such as the potential misuse of AI and the global governance of the use of technology aligned with human values, stressing the need for companies working in the field to bring this
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