SMART Balkans - SMART Balkans

Credibility, competence, solidarity, and united action of civil society on the path to EU integration

As part of the SMART Balkan project, a two-day training session on “Understanding the role of CSOs in the EU integration process: where, when, and how to work in the field of security and stability in all accession chapters” was organized on December 11 and 12, 2023, in Sarajevo.

Targeted at civil society organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the training aimed to familiarize them with the role and potential for their direct contribution to the EU integration process, particularly in terms of security. The trainer and guest lecturers included Ph.D. Nedžma Džananović, Ph.D. Lejla Ramić-Mesihović, Ph.D. Sead Turčalo, and Ph.D. Eldan Mujanović.

Trainer Nedžma Džananović presented thematic areas covering security and defense, energy security, corruption, and migrations. During the training, attention was also given to other crucial security aspects. She emphasized that the engagement of civil society in EU integrations requires credibility and competence, highlighting the need for solidarity and mutual cooperation among civil society organizations.

Ph.D. Sead Turčalo compared key aspects of energy security between the European Union (EU) and Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasizing the importance of reliable, adequate, consistent, and environmentally friendly energy supply. The significance of the EU regulatory framework as a tool for geopolitical action in the energy sector was particularly highlighted.

In an interactive and dynamic atmosphere, participants reexamined existing knowledge and acquired numerous new skills and insights.

“Through this training, I deepened my existing knowledge and gained additional necessary information regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina’s obligations in the context of citizen security from the perspective of prevention, i.e., reducing the misuse of psychoactive substances. This will help our organization better support the state and our citizens in the process related to the mentioned perspective,” emphasized Amir Hasanović from the Association for the Prevention of Addiction NARKO-NE.

Through its training component and other program activities, SMART Balkans, which is implemented by the Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD) in partnership with Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) from North Macedonia and the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) from Albania, continuously strengthens the capacities of civil society organizations in the Western Balkans with the financial support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Post-Conflict Research Center

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

Post-Conflict Research Center (PCRC) is a peacebuilding non-governmental organization in BiH, internationally recognized for its innovative approaches to peace education, creative multimedia, human rights, transitional justice, violence prevention, and post-conflict reconciliation. PCRC was founded in 2011 with a vision to contribute to the development of a society where people no longer perceive ethnicity as the source of their differences, but instead see it as the basis for prosperity, redirecting their focus towards economic development, improving the educational system, creating a stable democracy, and cultivating a lasting culture of peace.

Organization goal

Our work focuses on creating spaces for different groups to hear plural stories, discuss grievances and concerns, be inspired by alternative possibilities, and look to the future. With this, we enable people in conflict-affected and polarized societies to shape the kinds of narratives they want to subscribe to and that make peace possible.

Beneficiaries

PCRC’s primary beneficiaries include Bosnian and Balkan youth, minorities such as members of Roma population, marginalized groups such as victims of wartime sexual violence, and Bosnian rescuers and survivors. All multimedia materials and tools PCRC creates to supplement its core programs are dedicated to giving a voice to marginalized and unrepresented communities.

Main organization activities

Increasing PCRC’s organizational capacity by providing the means to hire staff members, improve technical capacities, and develop core programs: Historical Remembrance and Peace Education, Western Balkans Coalition for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Crimes Prevention, Holocaust & Peace project, and the Western Balkans Peace Museum.

Center for Environment

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

The project will enable and support the further enhancement of the Center for Environment’s work in the upcoming period by increasing focus on programmatic and strategic goals, thereby providing greater benefits to end-users. Over the next two years, there are plans to deepen programmatic work within specific themes, strengthen legal actions, and expand communication of environmental activities and themes to the public.

Organization goal

The project goal is to enhance the Center’s work in terms of its ultimate impact on environmental protection policies, raising public awareness of the current challenges facing the BiH society, and the need to mobilize the population in their local communities.

Beneficiaries

BiH citizens (directly and indirectly)
Environmental civil society organizations and citizens’ initiatives
Governmental institutions on all BiH levels
Media
Judicial system in BiH

Main organization activities

Creation and adoption of Strategic Plan for the period 2024 – 2026
Support to implementation of activities that relate to the strategic development component of all program areas.
Improvement of financial management
Support fundraising activities based on realistic internal and external needs.
Improvement of work with the final beneficiaries and partners (individuals, associations, and networks)
Improvement of monitoring and evaluation system of staff and program/project activities

Center of Women’s Rights

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

Improve the position of victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking in accessing reparative justice

The response of the legal system to cases of gender-based violence is more oriented towards the rights of the victim, meaning that the system focuses on the needs and protection of the victims, and not only on punishing the perpetrators. This approach includes ensuring access to rights and services, security measures and support, and provides victims with adequate protection and support during and after criminal proceedings. The Center of Women’s Rights works to develop a system that recognizes and understands the effects of gender-based violence on victims and their needs, and enables their protection and empowerment.

Core support grant will contribute to implementing activities under the specific strategic goals:

(1) Ensure access to justice and services for women victims of gender-based violence, with support before judicial and service institutions

(2) Providing legal and psychological assistance to victims of human trafficking with the aim of preventing retraumatization and facilitating access to justice, including exercising the right to compensation in criminal proceedings.

(3) Eradicate prejudices and stereotypes in the application of laws, public policies and the actions of institutions in the chain of protection systems towards victims of gender-based violence and human trafficking.

(4) Strengthening the non-institutional model of providing protection to victims of gender-based violence and women at risk provided by community helpers.

Organization goal

Contribute to achievement of strategic goals of the Center of Women’s Rights and its contribution to the enhancement of the position, rights and access to justice for victims of gender-based violence.

Beneficiaries

Women victims of all forms of gender based and sexual violence, marginalized and vulnerable groups.

Main organization activities

Providing free legal aid and psychosocial support for victims of gender-based violence
Establishments and strengthening of cooperation between different sectors, i.e. builds multi-sectoral cooperation between subjects in the chain of protection (police, judicial authorities, social services, health institutions and other relevant participants in the process)
Advocating for changes in laws, public policies and the actions of institutions in the chain of protection systems and insisting on the improvement of practice
Monitoring the work of the service and judicial institutions regarding the position and access to justice for women victims of gender-based violence.

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banjaluka

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

The Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka (HCA BL) is an organization that supports and stimulates the autonomy, equality and freedom of all citizens by initiating and supporting various democratic and peace initiatives and including marginalized social groups in democratic processes.

Program areas of activity: Strengthening of civil society and transformation of public authority into a service for citizens; Advocating for gender equality; Culture of dialogue and trust-building and Capacity-building of the organization.

Organization goals

Empowering marginalized groups for political action and improving their position in society,
Influence on government institutions in BiH in order to improve laws and public policies towards these groups,
Increasing the representation and better presentation of women, youth and minorities in the media,
Strengthening the awareness of citizens in BiH about the discrimination of marginalized groups and mechanisms for protecting their rights
Strengthening cooperation with other organizations and institutions in BiH, but also at the international level
Bringing closer education programs, literature, knowledge and skills in relation to peace building, development of civil society and human rights to the citizens of BiH
Continuous improvement of HCA BL staff and work on the sustainability of the organization.

Beneficiaries

OCD, Grassrots organisations and informal groups, marginalised gropus, youth and citizens in greneral

Main organization activities

Creation of the Human Resources Development Policy, including the development of indicators for assessing staff performance;
Strengthening external communication (towards users, institutions, international organizations and donors) through clearly defining roles and tasks and hiring a PR person. The goal is to additionally strengthen the image of the organization and make the results of work more visible and recognizable in the public;
Securing a position for a legal expert who could relieve existing employees and help in timely response to threats and various types of violations of human rights and freedoms, especially in the context of the negative development of the situation in the RS;
Elaboration of the internal monitoring and evaluation system.

Forum MNE

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

Forum MNE is present in Montenegro since 2002. It has evolved from the international project into a local CSO. Security and stability have been in the focus of Forum MNE activities since 2015 when youth workers have been called upon to actively engage and contribute to prevention and countering of violent extremism. Ever since Forum MNE has been actively working on building capacities of diverse actors (grassroots CSOs, authorities, educational institutions) locally, nationally and regionally but also fostering direct youth engagement.

The organization has established a regional network of CSOs, experts and young people and facilitates exchange of experiences and best practices but also offers platform for joint initiatives.

Organization goal

To contribute to youth resilience to violent extremism in Montenegro through a tailor-made strategic approach adjusted to local contexts and concerns.

Beneficiaries

Relevant authorities responsible for implementation of the national P/CVE strategy, national youth supporting structures, local self-governments, CSOs, academic community, and media.

Final beneficiaries are young people.

Main organization activities

In the upcoming period, Forum MNE will prioritize the significant role of youth work in preventive efforts aimed at eliminating risk factors leading to violent extremism. This involves reducing root causes, facilitating early recognition and response, and necessitates the engagement of institutions, organizations, and individuals alike. Concrete preventive actions will focus on relevant and timely learning, the development of knowledge and critical thinking, the enhancement of skills, values, and attitudes, as well as the promotion of positive narratives. These activities aim to foster self-confidence, mutual respect, and the cultivation of a culture of peace, tolerance, intercultural and interreligious dialogue. By involving young people, the goal is to deter their departure from socially accepted attitudes and behaviors.

Civic Alliance

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

CA will provide support for the most vulnerable social groups: asylum seekers, persons deprived of their liberty, minorities, women, Roma, etc. CA will do the monitoring of the work of state and judicial institutions and public advocacy for changes in institutional and legal level.

The work of CA will also be focused on increasing capacities and empowering young leaders in politics, NGO sector, and media. Moreover, the focus will also be on strengthening capacities of women on local level in terms of gender equality and advocating women’s and human rights on local and national level.

Organization goal

Empowering vulnerable groups, women and young leaders
Monitoring of work of state institutions regarding the aspect of human rights and rule of law

Beneficiaries

Those that will benefit directly from the project are asylum seekers, persons deprived of their liberty, minorities, women, PWDs and Roma people. In addition, the final beneficiaries of the project are also state institutions, media and Montenegrin citizens.

Organization main activities

Provision of free legal aid to asylum seekers to gain access to legal status and representing their rights through integration process
Provision of free legal aid to persons enduring torture and persons deprived of their liberty
Free legal aid to vulnerable groups such as Roma, PWDs, etc.
Empowering, increasing capacities and improving position of women in society
Increasing capacities of young leaders (politicians, NGO members, media)
Monitoring of state institutions and contribution to increase of their capacities and transparency

Building Resilience of Youth towards Criminal Activities

Implementing organizations:

NGO Juventas, Lead applicant, Montenegro
Nisma për Ndryshim Shoqëror ARSIS, Partner, Albania
Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, Partner, Serbia

Summary of the project

The regional project “Building Resilience of youth towards Criminal Activities” has a focus on building the resilience of youth and strengthening the capacities of relevant stakeholders. It adopts a research-based approach, conducting comprehensive research among elementary and high school students to understand the factors leading to their involvement in criminal activities. This research will inform effective preventive measures and provide valuable data for decision-makers in the fields of security, social protection, and public health. The project also aims to strengthen the capacities of police officers, journalists, and youth NGOs through trainings and programs based on best practices from Europe, fostering better communication and understanding between youth and these professionals. By creating a regional social media page and organizing competitions, the project promotes positive interaction and trust-building between youth and the police. It advocates for greater involvement of decision-makers and aims to influence policies and strategies through round table discussions. By addressing underlying factors and providing support systems, the project aims to prevent social exclusion and facilitate the reintegration of those affected by criminal activities. Overall, the project fosters regional cooperation among organizations from Montenegro, Albania, and Serbia to combat organized crime and promote the resilience of young people in the Western Balkans.

Project goals

Overall goal of the project is contributing to fight against organized crime and building a new paradigm in current socio-economic breakpoint, by strengthening the resilience of youth and providing systematic solutions and support.

Specific objectives (outcomes) are:

(1) Improved understanding of push and pull factors for recruitment in criminal activities through conducting research among elementary and high school students through two researches.

(2) Strengthening capacities of police, sport clubs, journalists and youth NGOs for building resilience of youth.

(3) Building trust between youth and police.

Expected results of the project are:

(1) Improved knowledge of decision-makers about the push and pull factors for the involvement of young people in criminal activities and the importance of building resilience of youth toward crime.

(2) Built capacities of professionals (police, sport trainers, youth NGOs, and journalists) in bridging the gap with youth, in order to prevent criminal activities of young people.

(3) Raised awareness of the public about the issue.

Target groups and beneficiaries

The direct target group of the project are at least 4500 elementary and at least 4500 high school students from Montenegro, Albania and Serbia and at least 21 journalists, 60 police officers and 30 representatives of youth NGOs from all three countries.

The final beneficiaries of this project are different stakeholders, decision-makers, governments of Montenegro, Serbia and Albania, as well as the general public.

Main activities

Desk research
Conducting a survey among elementary and high school students
Building capacities of professionals (police, youth NGOs, and journalists)
- Drafting a program plan for the prevention of the criminalization of young people based on the best practices from Europe
- Trainings for police officers
- Regional trainings for journalists
- Regional trainings for youth NGOs
- Competition for youth about creating tools and methods in bridging the gap between police and youth and the creation of a regional page on social media (Instagram).
Conducting a regional campaign
Organization of regular coordination meetings

Digital Inclusiveness for CSO and Citizen Engagement in Regional Cooperation (DIGI-CORE)

Implementing organizations:

Association “Social Center for Helping People in Need” Fushë-Arrëz (QSNNN), Lead applicant, Albania
Edutask Institute, Partner, Kosovo
Center for Social Innovations BLINK 42-21, Partner, North Macedonia

Summary of the project

The DIGI-CORE project aims to promote inclusive and transparent governance in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia by bridging the digital divide. Its key objectives are: empowering civil society organizations (CSOs) and marginalized communities to participate in regional decision-making through capacity building and access to digital tools; developing digital literacy programs targeting disadvantaged groups like rural women and the elderly; piloting the mCommunity digital platform to enable citizen-government interaction and boost transparency in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz, Albania; and advocating for public administration reforms to embrace digitalization and civic participation. By taking a multidimensional approach focused on digital empowerment, fostering regional cooperation, promoting good governance ideals, and ensuring no one is left behind in the digital transition, DIGI-CORE strives to catalyze positive social change in the Western Balkans on the pathway towards integration of European values of digital empowerment, transparency and inclusiveness. The project consortium led by the Social Center for Helping People in Need, partnering with Edutask Institute and Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21, will collaborate closely to implement the activities and support the local CSOs, authorities and communities in the three countries.

Project goals

The overall goal of the project is to strengthen civil society and foster inclusive, transparent, and digitalized regional decision-making processes that facilitate peaceful cooperation among Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia and move forward towards the Euro-Atlantic integration.

Specific objectives are:

(1) Empower Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia’s civil society organizations and populations to actively participate in regional decision-making processes.

(2) Develop digital literacy programs for marginalized communities.

(3) Implement a pilot implementation of mCommunity Platform in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz in Albania.

(4) Advocate for public administration reforms that embrace digitalization and citizen involvement in local and regional decision-making processes.

Target groups and beneficiaries

The target groups of the project are youth, the disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, elder people, and civil society organizations. Beneficiaries are Civil society organizations, general public and communities, local authorities, and public institutions in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.

Main activities

Assessment of the digital capabilities of disadvantaged communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia to engage with public institutions and participate in public decision-making, and raise regional cooperation.
Development of digital literacy materials among disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and North Macedonia.
Implementation of a pilot digital Platform in the Municipality of Fushë-Arrëz in Albania, called mCommunity Platform and developed by the Center for Social Innovations Blink 42-21.
A series of 10 training sessions for young students to be enabled to help disadvantaged and marginalized communities, illiterate rural women, the digital illiterate population, and elder people in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia to learn to use e- governance applications.
Capacity-building workshops for CSOs in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
Awareness campaigns on the importance of transparent governance and digitalization.
Advocacy meetings with public institutions for reforms.
Establish a forum for CSOs, local authorities, and the public to discuss regional issues. The workshops for CSOs will be complemented by advocacy meetings, ensuring that CSOs can directly engage with public institutions. The digital literacy materials will be integrated into the awareness campaigns.

STrEngthening Regional Partnerships for ComBating Irregular Migration through Cybercrime STrongEr Prevention in the Western Balkans (STEP BY STEP in the Western Balkans)

Implementing organizations:

Association “Vaša prava BiH” – Legal Aid Network, Lead applicant, B&H
Građanska alijansa / Civic Alliance, Partner, Montenegro
Grupa 484 / Group 484, Serbia

Summary of the project

The project will address the growing security risks of the use of high technology by OCGs for SoM by developing strong regional partnerships between CSOs from the WBs themselves and with their EU counterparts and public authorities. It will promote the importance of the fight against regional organised crime, cyber security, and human security. Additionally, the project will influence the WB countries to enforce EU standards as it will enhance the capacities of the CSOs to impact policies and monitor the performance of relevant institutions, especially related to security policy.

Project goals

Overall project goal is to: Contribute to regional integrations and EU approximation processes by strengthening the response to the use of ICT by organised regional criminal groups for migrant smuggling in the Western Balkans through the active role of CSOs in participatory democracy processes.

Specific objectives are:

(1) Strengthened the capacities and partnership of CSOs and law enforcement for combating migrant smuggling with the use of ICT and the protection of migrants’ rights in the WBs;

(2) Initiated changes to relevant laws that will improve the cooperation at the regional level in combating migrant smuggling with the use of ICT and the protection of smuggled migrants;

(3) Increased public awareness of the social danger brought by the smuggling of migrants by OCGs with the use of ICT in the WBs.

Target groups and beneficiaries

CSOs active in the fields of security, human rights, migration, child protection, and human trafficking
Relevant institutions in the WB countries
Relevant international and regional organisations, initiatives, and cooperation frameworks
The citizens of BiH, MNE and SRB
Media

The final beneficiaries will be migrants, especially smuggled ones, passing and staying in SRB, MNE and BiH, as well as migrants hosted in other countries of the WB.

Main activities

The project will consist of three key activity clusters:

Capacity building activities – include field research, three regional training courses and developing a mobile application.
Advocacy activities – involve conducting research on the relevant legal framework, participating in relevant national public discussions and organising a regional conference on migrant smuggling committed by using ICT and improving the protection of smuggled migrants.
Public awareness-raising activities – include a social media campaign and cooperation with media, with the aim to raise the level of understanding of the social danger from the use of ICT, the consequences and risk of OCG who are active in the region, the risks for smuggled migrants and criminal liability for helping migrants to use smuggling services.