What's New

News and updates from BCSDN and the region

CPDE Special Report on the (In)Effectiveness of COVID-19 Response

CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) delivered its latest report as a part of the platform’s engagement to effective development cooperation and SDGs’ fulfillment. Through case studies delivered by individual countries, the publication analyzes the Effective Development Cooperation principles in COVID-19 response worldwide, outlining the government’s anti-COVID-19 measures and implications on CSOs’ work, CSO strategies,

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Ten Initiatives for Expanding the Civic Space in the Western Balkans Supported Through the BCSDN Regional Civil Society Hub

As part of the multi-country action component of the Sida-funded Regional Civil Society Development Hub, BCSDN proudly presents the 10 successful regional grantees, whose projects and knowledge shared will contribute towards the Hub’s mission to strengthening regional cooperation and protecting the civic space in the Western Balkans. Through their work and engagement, the networks will

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Amnesty International: Human Rights Worsened in Central and Southeast Europe During Pandemic

The latest Amnesty International Report: “The State of the World’s Human Rights” presents the CEE and SEE governments used the pandemic to tighten controls over justice systems, curtail freedoms, and further discriminate the marginalized communities, increase state control over the judiciary and media, etc. While in some countries, the governments failed to implement adequate measures

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SERBIA: CEPRIS Financial Control is a Continuation of the Campaign of Intimidation and Obstruction of the Civil Society Work

Recalling recent examples of government’s abuse of international recommendations, including the case in which the Directorate for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in Serbia investigated 57 organizations, media, and individuals without legal grounds, and state bodies’ campaign to obstruct CSO’s work, in a statement CSOs, among which BCSDN member Civic Initiatives, express

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TURKEY: Top Administrative Court Ruled Government Restricted Media Freedom

Turkey’s top administrative court decided the authorities’ regulations on journalists’ accreditation, allowing officials to cancel reporters’ press cards being unfriendly to the government, breached the media freedom. With the authorities’ regulation, many independent journalists have had their press cards revoked, or their renewal applications were denied. According to the Council of State, the press cards

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SERBIA: Polarized Reporting on EU Country Findings in Media

In its latest publication, the Centre for Contemporary Politics states that when informing citizens about EU reports on Serbia, there is a lack of reporting of direct findings, conclusions, and independent interpretations of the Commission Report’s original text. It asserts that the EU report presents a situation that is not in line with the country’s

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IDSC Policy Study on Crisis Management – Lessons from the COVID-19 Crisis in the Western Balkans

A new IDSC public policy study aims to assess the crisis management system’s structure and provide recommendations for its development. By reviewing the legal and institutional set-up, it reflects on the competencies of the municipalities; it identifies the systemic gaps and challenges, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operation of the municipalities; the

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BCSDN at DaCoP Workshop: Sharing Practices of Resilience

On 23 March 2021, BCSDN Communication Officer Marija Vishinova participated at the Dynamic Accountability Community of Practice network and workshop session “Sharing Practices of Resilience”, organized by the Global Standard, CIVICUS, Keystone, and Restless Development. The event provided a chance for like-minded practitioners to exchange experiences on how their organizations/ networks have adapted to the

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The Role of Principles and Values in CSO Accountability

To be truly accountable, CSOs should be led by: promoting and fighting for the protection of human rights, ensuring that principles of do-no-harm guide their program and project work, and prioritizing activities by sustainability values. Accountable Now members show their progress in line with the 12 GS principles through the accountability reports, while in response,

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Giving Balkans: Philanthropy’s Response to COVID-19

Catalyst Balkans delivered infographics, presenting data for helping prevent the consequences from COVID-19, as well as people’s reactions in the past 12 months. In terms of the value of donations, from the beginning of the crisis to 31 March 2021, Catalyst processed data on 5,832 philanthropic instances in the Western Balkans and registered the total amount of

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CSOs Calling for Higher Levels of ODA During Covid-19 Pandemic

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) announced that over the course of 2020 DAC donors allocated 161.2 billion USD of official development assistance (ODA), more commonly known as ‘development aid’. Despite the long-standing commitment to contribute 0.7% of gross national income towards ODA, the 2020 figures show that only 32 cents for every 100

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Civil Society to World Bank: Governments to be Accountable in COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

The World Bank supports the call for people’s free vaccines and transparency in countries’ decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccinations to reduce information barriers and permit scrutiny and monitoring. However, the importance of respecting governments’ decisions on how to implement their vaccination campaigns in the best way should not be undermined. At the recent civil society event

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