What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

CSOSI 2020 Report for North Macedonia: Responsive CSOs and Enhanced CSOs’ Cooperation in Times of Crisis

On 3 September 2021, BCSDN held an online presentation to reflect on last year’s events affecting the CSOs’ sustainability and the most important findings of each of the seven dimensions covered by USAID’s CSOSI methodology: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, sectoral infrastructure, and public image. The report presents that, overall, CSO

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CIVICUS MONITOR: A Snapshot of Protests and Restrictions during COVID-19

CIVICUS Monitor published the latest periodic report on the human rights situation during COVID-19, covering the last four months of 2021. The report notes various issues on which people staged protests, including those against COVID-19 measures, gender-based violence, police brutality, poor political leadership, etc. Protests regarding gender justice, equality, and reproductive rights issues took place

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CSO Development Effectiveness (CPDE) Review Survey (Deadline: 24 September 2021)

CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) has launched the CSO Development Effectiveness Review survey to help its members reflect on how they have practiced the Istanbul Principles and the challenges they face in the implementation. The aim is to support succeeding platform initiatives, including developing CSO DE frameworks, the conduct of country initiatives, global conferences, and

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IDSCS: Defining the Role of the EU as a Global Actor-Challenges and Perspectives

The Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” – Skopje has published the 62nd edition of the publication “Political Thought” dedicated to defining the European Union’s role as a global actor, the future of the Balkans, decades of interethnic and minority conflicts, geopolitics, and geopolitical interests. This edition also provides space for eminent and young professionals to

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SLOVENIA: Restrictions on Funding for Slovenian Press Agency; Attempts to Block Funds for NGOs

The new CIVICUS Monitor update on Slovenia alerts the worrisome circumstances and disabling environment in the country. The latest concerns include attempts to decrease access to funding for NGOs and the continuing obstruction of funds to Slovenia’s public press agency, STA, endangering its survival. Media and CSOs are found in a difficult situation after the

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TURKEY: Who Will Defend the Defenders

In addition to the pressures on the opposition, media, and civil activists after the 2016 coup in Turkey, the trend of targeting lawyers – defending the activists – increased. Since this period, the attacks on lawyers have become institutionalized and systematic. Lawyers are investigated, detained, and they no longer feel safe and free when defending

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MONTENEGRO: Calls for Restraint Following the Protests Over Enthronement in Cetinje

The enthronement of the new Patriarch in Cetinje has led to interethnic tensions in Montenegro, resulting in days of mass, violent protests. On several occasions, fierce clashes broke out between protesters and police, followed by excessive use of force by police officers. Following the weekend filled with tensions and violent protests, multiple international community representatives

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ECNL: Fight Against Counterterrorism Overregulation

Monitoring and advocating against the global trend of increasing restriction of CSO activities in response to security and counter-terrorism and its burdens on civil society operations, ECNL and its partners have convened a global Expert Hub of different countries and activists on Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). The Hub members build their coalitions,

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Accountable Now Annual Workshop (24-26 November 2021)

Decision-makers and innovators, people working in ICSOs, and national-level CSOs are invited to participate in the annual Accountable Now workshop on dynamic accountability. The workshop aims to promote discussions on the powershift in the civil society sector and on helping CSOs and other actors understand how to have a lasting positive change on the people

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