News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The use of facial recognition technology in public spaces interferes with several fundamental rights, including the right to protest. But how does such technology work and what are the human rights standards in this field? What risks are commonly associated with FRT? What do the international human rights standards protecting assemblies say about FRT? ECNL
Read more →Nearly 800 cases of digital rights violations in eight countries of south-eastern Europe were recorded by BIRN and SHARE Foundation in the latest Annual Digital Rights Report 2021. Hate speech continues to thrive, journalists and vulnerable groups are systematically targeted in the online realm, and the presence of fake news does not decline. Similarly, political
Read more →The monitoring report for the Media Freedom Rapid Response has focused on summarising press and media freedom violations across EU Member States and Candidate Countries. From January until June 2021, 272 alerts have been documented, ranging from verbal attacks to legal incidents. 438 individuals or media entities in 26 countries have been subject to one
Read more →The Thomson Reuters Foundation has partnered with UNESCO, the International Women’s Media Foundation, and the International News Safety Institute to develop practical and legal tools for journalists, media managers and newsrooms to counter harassment. The Practical Guide for Women Journalists on How to Respond to Online Harassment and Checklist and Guidelines on Gender-Sensitive Safety Policies for Newsrooms address the
Read more →Safe and effective whistleblowing protects everyone involved with aid: the people affected by crises, aid workers and the organisation itself. By identifying problems or harm, organisations can ensure that misconduct or wrongdoing is acted upon. This resource has been created by CHS Alliance to provide practical guidance and a policy framework for CHS Alliance members
Read more →Anti-government protests, political rhetoric, and institutional instability appeared to be the main causes of digital rights violations in Southeast Europe over the past fortnight. An article published by the Balkan insight does a thorough overview of the anti-government protests in Serbia, the political tensions in the digital environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the rise of
Read more →Following the protest series occurring all over Serbia`s major towns and smaller cities over the last two months, and keeping track of all the pressure mechanisms practiced by the state, Civic Initiates has publicly expressed their solidarity with the oppressed citizens. In their statement, they note that so far they are aware of 146 misdemeanor
Read more →The ECF, a pan-European network of CSOs, has published its report on the Rule of Law in the EU. The report notes the importance of vibrant civil society space as the foundation of a strong and well-functioning rule of law. Recommendations from the report note the urgency for the European Commission to develop a civil
Read more →The OGP CSO Network that advocates for the establishment of a new structure for coordination of the OGP process in Northern Macedonia in accordance with the international experience, has launched an open call for expression of interest for membership of representatives from interested CSOs in the Council for coordination and monitoring of the National Action
Read more →The EJA Kosovo program, implemented by BCSDN member KCSF has entered the second year of its implementation. To inform and exchange their experiences, 36 organizations and individuals who have been beneficiaries of this program were gathered at the first networking meeting. The organization has prepared a short video, reflecting on the highlights of the event
Read more →Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst in North Macedonia has published a study on the role of young politicians in domestic and regional processes of reconciliation and dealing with the past. The interactive publication is aiming to explore opportunities to strengthen the role of young politicians in these processes. The review recommendations include stimulation of the participation of
Read more →Partners Albania, BCSDN member organization, has started the implementation of an initiative that aims to empower CSOs to proactively engage in an enabling legal environment in the context of preventing money laundering and combating terrorist financing. The intervention focuses on mapping and analyzing the legal and regulatory framework in the country on the prevention of
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