News and updates from BCSDN and the region
MEPs have called upon EU Commission to set up a binding, instead of the current “crisis-driven” EU mechanism, to monitor and report annually on the records in the field of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights (DRF) in EU member states. The aim of the Parliament’s proposal is to (1) incorporate existing DRF tools
Read more →ECNL extracted key issues from each of the comprehensive country reports that monitor legal developments and practical implementation of freedom of assembly in Western Balkans countries into five user-friendly flashcards. The flashcards were designed to be useful tools for local partners to engage in in-country advocacy and reform. The brief publications (1) feature up to five issues
Read more →This year’s edition of Global Perspectives, which took place in Berlin between 26th and 28th October, brought together around 150 key leaders and experts from civil society around the world to discuss “The Future of Civic Space”. Organized by the International Civil Society Center, included addresses by Thomas Carothers from the Carnegie Endowment for International
Read more →The European Union has again failed to meet its commitment to spend 0.7% of Gross National Income on Development Aid by 2015. On 26th October in Brussels, the CONCORD Aidwatch report 2016 was published, entitled “This is not enough”, reveals that only five countries met their 2015 targets: Denmark, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
Read more →The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) commissioned an impact assessment of its Western Balkans program from 2010 to 2015. The overall conclusion from the assessment is that the RBF program in the Western Balkans is having a meaningful positive impact, and it is relevant to the developments in Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and the rest of the
Read more →The Aid Transparency Index is the only independent measure of transparency among the world’s leading aid organizations. It assesses organizations’ overall commitment to transparency as well as the information they publish at the organization level and for individual activities. It encourages the publication of timely, comprehensive and forward-looking data in an open format. As announced
Read more →The 23 Issue of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association has been published. In this issue you can read about: Kiai to present final report to UN General Assembly, examining assembly and association rights in the workplace, The
Read more →The state in its endeavor to support civil society development can have a positive role and thus it can provide financial support to CSOs’ operation. One of the key sources of funding is the revenue from lotteries and games of chance. In the country, these funds are potentially significant funding source for organizations’ sustainability. However,
Read more →The European Union finds itself in the midst of multiplying crises. The possible secessionist crisis triggered by Brexit is the latest manifestation of Europe’s fragility and of the declining attraction of integration. In spite of this, support for EU integration in the countries of the Western Balkans remains very high, and their peoples still perceive
Read more →We are witnessing insufficient and incoherent teaching throughout Europe of essential civic competences, i.e. the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are needed to act as a responsible, active and democratic citizen. The European citizens’ initiative allows one million EU citizens to participate directly in the development of EU policies, by calling on the European Commission
Read more →IPD is announcing its next International Winter Programs in Peacebuilding, Conflict Transformation, Mediation, Security and Intercultural Dialogue, which is going to be held in Switzerland. Applicants could choose either 10 days winter academy or three Month CAS-Research program in their filled application. The deadline for submitting applications is 15 November 2016. More information is available
Read more →Metamorphosis Foundation announces: Request for Applications To support the actions of civil society organization within the project “Accountability through Citizen Engagement” implemented with financial assistance from the British Embassy. The project will provide support to civil society organizations to tackle issues related to accountability, transparency and social cohesion and to promote good governance by awarding
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