News and updates from BCSDN and the region
CSOs have emerged as active participants in local, national, and global governance processes, often mobilising across borders to promote and protect human rights and hold governments accountable for repressive actions. However, in many countries, CSOs are under significant pressure as states deploy a range of formal and informal strategies to undermine their credibility, financial security,
Read more →Recent political events sweeping democratic strongholds around the world reflect a deep loss of faith in government. Citizens perceive their institutions to be captured by elites who are disconnected from the needs of their constituents or complicit in schemes that benefit the powerful at the expense of ordinary citizens. In this publication, the Open Government
Read more →Quality nonprofits create benefits to society by addressing social problems, and virtually all the social benefits they create have monetary or economic value that can be identified and measured. A nonprofit that calculates this value can leverage its success into more effective fundraising, revenue generation, pay-for-performance relationships, and better ways of capitalizing growth. An organization
Read more →The future of the Western Balkans is an issue that is moving swiftly up the European agenda. But rising instability, territorial disputes and ethnic rivalries mean many in Europe fear a return to war and conflict in the region. Democracy, peace and stability, as well economic development and integration in the Western Balkans, depends not
Read more →Now in its 7th year, AidEx is one of the leading platforms for the international aid and development community to come together and improve the efficiency of aid. AidEx is a two day event, which encompasses a conference, exhibition, meeting areas, awards and workshops. Its fundamental aim is to engage the sector at every level
Read more →The Global Citizens’ Initiative has announced the 6th annual online Global Citizen Leadership Training Course, taking place between October 23 and December 15, 2017. The course content is tailored for entry- and mid-level international development professions working for NGOs, government entities, businesses, or international organizations. The course will build the participants’ capacity to address development
Read more →The specific objectives of this Call are to support civil society and human rights defenders working outside the EU in five key areas of human rights corresponding to the five recurring lots: 1) Supporting Human Rights Defenders in the area of land-related rights, indigenous peoples, in the context of inter alia ‘land grabbing’ and climate
Read more →The Australian Embassy in Rome is seeking project applications for funding under the Australian Direct Aid Program (DAP) in Albania that is a flexible small grants program funded by the Australian Government. The aim of this program is to support projects with a strong development focus that complement Australia’s broader aid program which contributes to
Read more →Norad’s Civil Society Department announced a call for proposals by Norwegian and international CSOs and networks for efforts supporting two Grant Scheme Allocations: 1) Funds for efforts supporting the follow-up of 1325- Women, Peace and Security, and 2) Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (Women’s Economic Participation and Empowerment and Women’s Political Participation and Empowerment). The
Read more →On 20-22 September, up to 300 representatives of civil society organisations, donors, political actors, UN bodies, and academia, met at Sida’s head office in Stockholm to discuss an “Active Space Defence”. The focus of the event how to work in contexts of shrinking space for civil society activists and organisations and to exchange experiences and
Read more →On 21-22 September, in Sarajevo, the Regional Working Group on Better Regulation, consisting of relevant public administration bodies, endorsed the Western Balkans Recommendations on Public Participation of citizens and civil society in legislative and decision-making processes. The Recommendations represent a set of guidelines and rules for effective public participation and recommendations for policy-making cycle, including
Read more →Members of the European Parliament together with CSOs, academics, and journalists from across the EU have called for greater openness of decision making and full transparency of spending of public funds in the final declaration of an International Right to Know Day event held on 28 September 2017. The closing statement of the expert, high-level
Read more →