News and updates from BCSDN and the region
Civil society needs a safe and enabling environment. That civic space has been shrinking in parts of Europe was widely documented even before the pandemic hit. The adoption this month by the European Parliament of the report on this theme is crucial in the current political environment that emphasizes the need for CSOs to act,
Read more →Youth civil society’s lack of confidence in formal power and rejection of traditional hierarchies has led it to rely on its own creativity and embeddedness within communities to be a powerful force for good. Without youth civil society, communities’ recovery from the pandemic to date would have undoubtedly been held back. Youth civil society has
Read more →A recent article published on the Oxfam Apps explores the term “accountability”, and why that particular word is often treated as an all-purpose solution to a very wide range of problems—from corrupt politicians and the quality of public services to systemic injustice and impunity, yet somehow accountability reforms struggle to deliver. This article is delivered
Read more →Seven years since the launching of the Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (CHS), marking a major milestone for the aid sector. Development of the standard brought together multiple stakeholders, including people and communities affected by crises, to agree on a common set of commitments and good practices to improve the quality, effectiveness, and
Read more →In the past couple of years, CSO’s integrity has been questioned due to the surfacing of cases of misconduct within the sector. Issues such as sexual exploitation, harassment, and bullying have come up despite having policies and procedures in place precisely to prevent these cases but that ultimately seek the safety and wellbeing of the
Read more →Within the Civica Mobilitas program, the Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation and our members from North Macedonia held an online information session on the Code of Civil Society. The event was attended by 34 representatives of the organizations, grantees of the program Civica Mobilitas, that were introduced to the process of preparation of the Code,
Read more →The publication documents the variety of existing approaches, experiences, and lessons learned from the field, intending to create a collection of good practices on Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) in the Neighbourhood and Enlargement region. Recent evaluations of DG NEAR support to civil society confirm that FSTP is an increasingly used tool throughout the
Read more →A new article published by the Global Fund Community Foundation explores what might a new local funding mechanism in Somalia, a feminist fund in Poland, and a centenarian community foundation in Buffalo, New York have in common. Excluding the geographical and socio-cultural similarities, the articles paint a picture of the similarity in the context that
Read more →Prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Center for Effective Philanthropy examined the state of practice in philanthropy regarding multiyear general operating support. They found that there is “a sobering disconnect” between attitudes of foundation CEOs and their foundations’ practices – while they believed multiyear core support was a good practice, very few
Read more →Target groups: Informal or registered organizations from the Western Balkans Aim: Providing rapid funding (in the form of expert support or direct funding for regional actions) for CSOs’ urgent interventions, needed due to unpredictable changes of the conditions in which they operate or unique, time-bound opportunities for impact, and in the implementation of innovative uptakes
Read more →Target group: CSOs and independent media from North Macedonia Aim: According to the Annual Program Statement, funding will be available for projects that address the following priority areas: Rule of Law and Government Accountability, Citizen Participation, Cybersecurity and Disinformation, Youth Development and Women Empowerment, and Environmental Protection. Amount: USD 1.000 – USD 24.000 Duration: up
Read more →Target group: CSOs from Pre-Accession Countries/ New Member States Aim: The global objective of this call for proposals is to strengthen freedom of expression, by enhancing the role of various media associations/civil society organizations in their active promotion and advocacy for effective protection of the labor and social rights of journalists. Amount: EUR 90.000 –
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