News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Over 80 CSOs from Kosovo have sent an open letter to French President Macron, calling upon the French Presidency of the EU Council to solidify Union footprint in the Western Balkans and to usher the European enlargement into a new era, by ending the isolation of Kosovo citizens and opening accession talks for Albania and
Read more →As the pandemic heightened the crisis of democracy in the Balkans, and the effects of the Ukraine war are yet to be seen in the region, it is evident that our societies face a turning point for their democratic development. The role of the civil society in driving positive change is now important more than
Read more →Media freedom remains a problem in many Balkan states, with journalists working in highly polarised political environments and encountering threats from criminal groups, says Reporters Without Borders’ 2022 World Press Freedom Index. The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of journalism in 180 countries and territories, highlights the disastrous
Read more →Titled “A Europe Fit for the Next Generation? “, the 12th edition of The State of the Union took place from 5 to 7 May 2022, focusing on the future of the European Union. Leaders and Experts from all over the world dealt with issues ranging from multilateral governance to sustainability and resilience, democracy and
Read more →The World Bank has published its semi-annual report on recent economic developments and the outlook in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The edition looks at the economic and social effects of multiple shocks to the region, including the impact of the war in Ukraine and the energy
Read more →The first high-level international conference on Human Rights, Civil Society and Counter-Terrorism, jointly organized by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and Spain, concluded today in Málaga. More than 430 participants, among them member states, regional and international organizations, United Nations entities and 44 Civil Society organizations, came together to exchange ideas and experiences
Read more →BCSDN has extended its research and efforts to further understand the CSOs’ internal environment, practices, and their impact. Below are the available findings from the survey and interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022 as part of this research demonstrating where organizations are vis-a-vis the Istanbul Principles. We also looked at the national Codes from recent
Read more →The OECD’s Common Reporting Standard (CRS), mainly aimed at banks and other financial institutions, has a primary purpose to enable tax authorities to automatically exchange certain types of information on an annual basis to better detect tax evasion and crimes/offenses. However, under its current wording, public-benefit foundations and non-profit organisations can fall under the label
Read more →BCSDN has extended its research and efforts to further understand the CSOs’ internal environment, practices, and their impact, demonstrating where organizations are vis-a-vis the Istanbul Principles. Looking at the national Codes from recent initiatives in Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as BCSDN’s Code of Conduct, the latest publication aims to showcase
Read more →What does civic space mean, and why is it a keystone to any democracy? Although it differs around the world, civic space is central to democracy, and we can all help protect it. A recently published article with multimedia content, by the Liberties, dives deep into these questions, painting picturesque images on the topic of
Read more →A new mapping published by Philea’s European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate explores the philanthropy ecosystem in the field of climate and the ways they shape and support the climate mission. This mapping exercise is part of the activities of the European Philanthropy Coalition for Climate, which aims to empower philanthropy to drive bold climate action
Read more →After the European Commission released the proposal for a directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, a directive that could represent a landmark step forward in minimizing the negative impacts of businesses on workers, communities, and the environment worldwide, the document was responded to by over 220 NGOs and trade unions from around the world welcome
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