News and updates from BCSDN and the region
The President of the European Commission, Ms. Von der Leyen during in her 2023 State of the Union Adress stated that EC will open the Rule of Law Reports to accession countries who get up to speed even faster, placing them on an equal footing with member states, supporting them in their reform efforts. This
Read more →The EU has expressed its concern about the enforcement of amendments to the criminal code of the Republika Srpska entity, which reintroduces criminal penalties for defamation. The EU’s position is that this legislation has come into force in the Bosnian Serb entity and that these legal changes impose unnecessary and disproportionate restrictions on independent media
Read more →The CASE coalition, a network of organizations combating SLAPP lawsuits in Europe, has released an updated report detailing SLAPPs prevalence and impact. SLAPP suits are legal actions designed to intimidate media outlets and individuals into silence, rather than seeking legitimate legal outcomes. The report reveals that over 250 SLAPP cases were documented in the past
Read more →In Turkey, closure cases against associations are used to target individual organisations while exerting a chilling effect over civil society. The Observatory and their partner organisations in Turkey, the Human Rights Association and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey released a report documenting this practice and its adverse impact on CSOs and the communities they
Read more →The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg ruled in favor of TV B92 and against Serbia in a case centered on the station’s reporting of allegations of abuse of office by the assistant health minister in 2011. The ECHR stated that it found Serbia in violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of
Read more →The right of citizens to form associations and receive funding to pursue their missions is enshrined in international human rights law. Yet, in recent years an increasing number of states have adopted or amended laws and regulations constraining the right of CSOs to access funding, particularly foreign funding. These measures severely constrain the ability of
Read more →On 7 September, Dynamic Accountability Community of practice group (DACoP) hosted a dynamic online event that delved into the world of co-design and collaboration. The engaging session emphasized the significance of teamwork and user-centered solutions. CSOs’ practitioners participated in interactive breakouts, gaining practical co-design skills while learning how to enhance collaboration within their teams. Success
Read more →Artificial intelligence is already a fact in international development. It is present in many of the tools researchers use on a daily basis to aid in data analysis, translation, and speech-to-text transcription. Services like Google Translate and Otter are significantly cutting the time spent on previously labor-intensive tasks. AI can also support the data collection
Read more →Target group: EU member states Aim: To examine how narratives, including false and harmful ones, emerge and how to reconcile existing narratives with facts through a case-study approach. Amount: Up to 190,500 EUR. Duration: 18 months (extensions are possible, if duly justified and through an amendment). The proposed start date is 1 September 2024. Deadline:
Read more →Target group: CSOs, groups, initiatives, and movements from the Western Balkans. Aim: The European Fund for the Balkans has established the Response Hub as an instrument of micro financial support to civic groups, local initiatives, and movements in the Western Balkans. The aim is to provide a flexible response to specific and urgent needs, contributing
Read more →Target group: Public and private institutions registered in a CEI Member State, NGOs/CSOs as well as international organizations Aim: Capacity building by transferring and sharing know-how, from EU CEI Member States to non-EU CEI Member States Amount: 420,000 EUR Duration: N/A Deadline: 13 October Link to more information (Central European Initiative)
Read more →Target group: CSOs established in Kosovo Aim: To strengthen the capacities of civil society organisations from Kosovo, supporting their role as competent, transparent, effective and accountable civil society actors. Amount: The maximum amount of funds available for operating grants under each lot is 80,000 EUR. Duration: up to 48 months Deadline: 23 October Link to
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