|
|
|
|
Grants>>Description of 2002 Grants: Central & Eastern Europe
|
Regional Programs: Go to 2002 Annual Report |
Albania Albanian Institute for International Studies $39,370* To conduct a research and advocacy program aimed at improving the accountability and transparency of Albanian local governments through increased citizen involvement in community decision-making processes. The program will produce a policy paper identifying the main obstacles that communities face in improving local-level democratic structures and practices, as well as recommendations for overcoming those obstacles. Albanian Study Center on Parliamentary and Democratic Practices $45,000* To continue publishing its journal, the Review of Parliamentary Law and Politics, which documents and analyzes the work of the National Assembly. The journal is published eight times per year and is distributed to key government officials, political party headquarters, and nongovernmental and international organizations. Institute for Democracy and Mediation $75,000* To continue a program of roundtable discussions in key municipalities and at a national conference, aimed at increasing the levels of trust between citizens and law-enforcement officials. Also, in an effort to improve the transparency, accountability, and efficiency of Albania's law-enforcement agencies and encourage public debate on local-level policing problems, the Institute will work with the Ministry of Public Order, the Ministry of Local Government, members of parliament, and local police departments to establish Police-Community Consultative Groups in towns throughout Albania. "Women in Development" Association $34,210* To produce and televise eight one-hour panel discussions about challenges that face Albanian women in key areas, including health care, education, housing, and the environment. Panelists will also discuss how women can involve themselves in local-level decision-making processes in order to confront these challenges. Bosnia-Herzegovina Alternativna Televizija $45,750* To continue broadcasting unbiased news and information to viewers in the Serb Republic and to produce twenty-five investigative documentaries addressing community concerns in the Serb Republic. American Center for International Labor Solidarity $130,213 To implement a program to help unions in Bosnia-Herzegovina better defend workers' rights, educate union members about their rights, and expand outreach to young workers. ACILS will fund the salary of a legal-network coordinator from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, and the consulting fee of a Brcko Legal Advice Center attorney. ACILS will also conduct four seminars on advocacy in labor-law reform and three seminars on the role of youth in democratic unions and civil society. Center for Civic Cooperation - Livno $23,400* To continue to promote interethnic reconciliation between Muslims and Croats in the western Herzegovina region of Bosnia. The Center will provide local citizens with training in conflict prevention, dispute mediation, responsible journalism, micro-enterprise development, and local public administration. Centers for Civic Initiatives (CCI) $90,000* To monitor Bosnia-Herzegovina's October 2002 nationwide elections, in cooperation with a coalition of 200 NGOs from the Serb Republic and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. CCI and the coalition will recruit and train 200 mobile monitors who, in turn, will recruit, train, and deploy 5,400 volunteers to monitor approximately 2,600 polling stations throughout the country. Helsinki Citizens Assembly (HCA) - Tuzla $26,485* To continue promoting development of an independent civil society in Bosnia by strengthening nascent youth organizations at the grassroots level. The HCA will hold a series of debates, seminars, and issue-based campaigns aimed at increasing cooperation and communication between youth groups and local government officials. It will also encourage Bosnian youth in two regions to conduct their own campaigns to address critical issues facing youth at the local level. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, Republika Srpska $49,160* To continue monitoring the human rights situation in the Serb Republic, to report human rights abuses to local residents and the international community using print and electronic media, and to educate Serb Republic residents about their basic human rights. Independent Radio Studio "N" $37,480* To continue broadcasting unbiased news and information to the populace of the western Herzegovina region of Bosnia. Funding will be applied towards staff salaries, basic infrastructure expenses, and the purchase of a more powerful transmitter, which will significantly increase the station's range. Tuzla Human Rights Office $40,600* To work with the Bijeljina Human Rights Office to provide human rights resource centers, where citizens of the Serb Republic and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina can learn about international standards for human rights and seek assistance in countering human rights abuses. The two offices will also monitor Bosnia's October 2002 elections, work to encourage citizen participation in the elections, and work to ensure that new legislation protects basic human and civil rights. Bulgaria Center for International Private Enterprise $67,062 To aid the Centre for Social Practices (CSP) in organizing and coordinating a stakeholder group that will examine a previous CSP/CIPE project, determine three priority issues implicit in that project's results, and develop an action plan to tackle the informal economy and produce shared solutions. After agreeing upon solutions, the stakeholders will undertake activities—such as issue-advocacy campaigns, institutional pressure, and media outreach—to ensure action on the part of relevant policy-makers and business leaders. Media Development Center $34,986* To hold a series of intensive training seminars for ninety journalists. The seminars will be designed to equip reporters, editors, and managers in local media with the training they need in order to address the challenges of their demanding profession, particularly in the area of investigative journalism. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs $195,585 To strengthen the parliamentary caucuses' ability to reach out to the electorate in Bulgaria through a program that will work with a core group of members from each parliamentary party caucus to determine priority issues requiring greater citizen outreach; provide technical assistance to caucus working groups for outreach to civic organizations in core areas; and conduct an evaluation session to review work-to-date and recommend subsequent steps towards building and sustaining better government-citizen communication. Tolerance and Mutual Aid Foundation $24,820* To continue a leadership-training project for young Roma throughout Bulgaria by establishing regional Roma contact groups to act as liaisons between local-government officials and the Roma community. Croatia Citizens Organized to Monitor Elections (GONG) $50,000* To continue the "I Vote for the First Time" program, which informs Croatian high school students about their role as citizens in a democracy and about the importance of participating in elections. The program will be conducted in twenty-one Croatian counties and will reach up to 200 high schools and 15,000 students. Croatian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights $45,000* To improve journalistic practices in Croatia by conducting a media-monitoring project, which will include publication of a quarterly bulletin containing analyses and examples of news distortion. The Committee will also carry out an advocacy campaign to defend individuals and groups against abuses and violations of journalistic ethics committed by main media outlets. Croatia/Bosnia-Herzegovina STINA Press Agency $23,000* To maintain STINA's information-gathering capacity in Bosnia-Herzegovina by supporting its strong network of correspondents in the region of western Herzegovina and throughout the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina. STINA will endeavor to break the information monopoly of the ruling nationalist parties and ensure the free flow of independent news and opinion in the region. Kosovo Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms $45,000 To maintain the operations of its Prishtina-based headquarters, monitor the human rights and minority rights situation in the province, and disseminate information on human rights abuses to the international community. The Council will also strengthen its network of seven branch offices, electronically publish periodic informational bulletins, and organize human rights lectures and workshops for local activists. Radio TV 21 $75,000* To pay the salaries of the station's producers, journalists, presenters, technicians, and stringers so that it can continue to provide its listeners with timely and objective political, cultural, and economic news. Zeri I Dites (The Daily Voice) $22,000* To purchase newsprint so that the newspaper can continue to regularly publish timely and objective political, cultural, and economic news. Macedonia Association for Democratic Initiatives $45,000* To conduct a comprehensive monitoring and advocacy program aimed at ensuring implementation of the minority rights provisions set forth in Macedonia's Framework Agreement. The Association's monitoring and information-gathering network will organize a series of roundtable discussions involving local government officials, party representatives, NGO representatives, ethnic minority leaders, and ordinary citizens, to encourage proper implementation of the Agreement at the municipal level. The Association will publish monthly assessment reports based on the information gathered in this process. Medienhilfe Ex-Jugoslawien $83,200* To ensure the survival of objective media in Macedonia by partially covering the basic operating costs of four independent electronic media in the republic for a six-month period, and to cover the administrative costs of implementing this project. Montenegro Association of Young Journalists $38,000* To improve journalistic practices in Montenegro by conducting a media-monitoring project, including publication of monthly reports containing examples of political bias in the media. The program aims to increase the professionalism and objectivity of Montenegro's journalists, and reduce the level of distortion and manipulation in the republic's media. Center for Democracy and Human Rights $40,000* To monitor and analyze developments in Serbia-Montenegro relations, the independent media in Montenegro, and the different types of laws proposed and passed by parliament. Based on its analyses, the Center will publish quarterly reports with policy recommendations. Center for Development of Nongovernmental Organizations $39,220* To continue a program of strengthening civic groups in Montenegro by improving leadership, organizational, managerial, and fundraising skills in the NGO sector. Also, the Center will organize a series of intensive seminars for young people, to encourage them to get involved in NGO activities and to train them in the basics of NGO management. Finally, the Center will maintain and expand the only comprehensive NGO database in Montenegro. Romania Association for the Protection of Human Rights in Romania - The Helsinki Committee (APADOR-CH) $50,892* To encourage political leaders to create a legislative framework that respects civil liberties. In addition, APADOR-CH will provide legal advice to victims of human rights abuses, monitor and document human rights violations, and educate citizens on legal standards for the protection of human rights. Center for Independent Journalism $29,130* To provide reporters, editors, and managers in local media with the journalism education essential to raising the professional competence of independent news organizations in Romania. The program will consist of an intensive series of training seminars led by four of Romania's most prominent journalists. Community Foundation Sibiu $44,559* To establish local working groups and conduct a series of town hall meetings aimed at increasing citizens' involvement in local decision-making processes concerning allocation of municipal budgets. This project will focus on three towns in Romania's Transylvania region—Sibiu, Brasov, and Focsani—and will be a cooperative effort with the Pro-Democracy Association in Brasov and the Association for Community Partnership in Focsani. Foundation for Pluralism $48,975* To organize a "School for Young Political Leaders" program, which will prepare young people to take more active roles in developing Romania's nascent democracy. This series of rigorous training seminars will be attended by eighty-four young political leaders, selected from the local youth branches of political parties, from municipal councils, and from the local staffs of parliament members. Serbia American Center for International Labor Solidarity $124,820 To work with the trade union UGS Nezavisnost to strengthen understanding, consensus, and active participation of union members in the social dialogue and reform process; to enhance UGS Nezavisnost's ability to service, educate, and represent its expanding membership; and to help UGS Nezavisnost achieve full financial sustainability. BETA News Agency $54,000* To cover the subscription costs of its service for six struggling independent radio stations in the Bosnian Serb Republic and the Local Press Association of Serbia. By providing its service to these stations free of charge, BETA will help them to survive in an extremely difficult political and economic environment. Center for Anti-War Action $28,944* To expand the impact of its existing network of regional centers by continuing to develop the organizational capabilities of its regional center in Cacak and by establishing a sixth regional center in Novi Pazar. The core activities of these two centers will be town meetings and educational seminars. Center for Interethnic Reconciliation, School for Investigative Journalism $73,600* To provide 300 young reporters, editors, and managers in local media with the journalism education essential to addressing the challenges of their demanding profession. The program will consist of a three-month series of intensive training seminars that will focus on principles of professional journalism, basics of media management, and media technology. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia $45,000* To continue the operation of its Legal Aid Office in Belgrade. The office is a place where individuals can report human rights abuses and seek assistance in countering these violations. Also, the Committee will launch a program to monitor the drafting and enforcement of laws that affect citizens' basic civil rights in order to ensure that Serbian governmental institutions are in compliance with international standards of human rights. Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe $62,075* To assist the Student Union of Serbia (SUS) in boosting student involvement in Serbia's general reform efforts by increasing the Union's capacity to represent the interests of students enrolled in Serbia's four main universities. SUS will establish new chapters, conduct a national membership drive, organize a campaign for university reform, publish informational materials representing student interests, and train student leaders in organizational and leadership skills. Otpor (Resistance) $228,000* To maintain the operations of its headquarters in Belgrade and of forty Otpor branch offices in towns and cities throughout the country. The grant will cover basic infrastructure costs and will enable Otpor to maintain its network of supporters throughout Serbia and carry out activities planned for the coming year. Slovakia Association Obcianske Oko (Civic Eye) $26,900 To support a youth education and mobilization program for Slovakia's September 2002 parliamentary elections. The program will be a multifaceted effort incorporating youth roundtables, get-out-the-vote materials, an election Web site, and a voter newsletter. Association of Regional Press Publishers $30,000 To promote civil society in rural Slovakia by producing Obcianske Listy (Civic Letters), a four-page newspaper supplement that covers topics related to the country's democratic transition. Twelve issues of the monthly insert will be distributed by fifteen independent regional and local newspapers based throughout the country. Several of the supplements will focus on educating and mobilizing voters for the country's September 2002 parliamentary elections. MEMO 98 $40,000 To carry out a media-monitoring program designed to promote a free and fair process for Slovakia's September 2002 parliamentary elections. MEMO will introduce a formal code of media conduct, provide a seminar on the role of media in elections, organize four regional public debates on media and elections, publish four issues of its newsletter, hold five press conferences, and monitor the election-related reporting of Slovakia's leading national and regional media. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs $151,574 To conduct a six-month program to extend its Slovakia Youth-in-Politics Program through the fall 2002 election period. The Institute will continue working with youth organizations affiliated with the principal political parties to develop fundamental election-related skills, and will transfer the stewardship of its parliamentary internship program to the Slovak National Council. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs $90,000 To provide training in legislative skills to newly elected women in the Slovak National Council, as well as training in election-related political and organizational skills to women activists and candidates preparing for the December 2002 local elections. In addition, NDI will work with Roma candidates and activists to further their abilities to gain elected office and promote Roma civil society. Permanent Conference of the Civic Institute $25,000 To continue the work of its network of eighty civic clubs in Slovakia. Funding will be used for a series of nonpartisan voter-education and mobilization activities, which will be carried out by the clubs and will target the country's September 2002 parliamentary elections. Approximately 135 public events will be conducted, and a series of get-out the-vote materials will be produced and distributed. Pontis Foundation $28,250 To support a nonpartisan voter-mobilization program for Slovakia's 2002 parliamentary elections. Pontis will work with partner NGOs in Slovakia's regions to mobilize first-time voters through a series of nonpartisan get-out-the-vote-activities, including concerts, town meetings, and youth competitions. Presov Civic Forum $24,850 To educate citizens and mobilize voters for Slovakia's 2002 parliamentary elections. The Forum will organize three candidate fora, develop a voters' guide to candidates from the Presov region, produce a series of get-out-the-vote materials, and organize three voter-mobilization concerts. Central and Eastern Europe Regional International Republican Institute $900,000 To work towards the consolidation of Central Europe's transition through a wide range of democracy-building activities. Efforts will be focused on supporting the development and maintenance of political party infrastructures and parliamentary institutions; promoting coalition-building and political consolidation; providing post-election transition and governing assistance; strengthening policy-making and implementation; and expanding the role of young people and women in the political process. Malopolska Educational Society $40,000* To organize a series of training workshops and study-visits in Poland for local Balkan civic education activists, in order to promote civic activism in rural communities. The Society will assist trainees in establishing new parent-teacher NGOs in small towns in Serbia (including Kosovo), Macedonia, Montenegro, and Bosnia. The Society will then award twenty small grants for local civic education and participation programs organized by the new NGOs. People in Need Foundation $27,500* To enable the Faik Konica Journalism Academy to conduct a series of courses on professional journalism and media management for more than 200 young journalists. Funding will also be used to help cover the Academy's infrastructure costs. Southeast Europe Regional American Center for International Labor Solidarity $145,001 To help young union members in Southeastern Europe identify strategies for effective advocacy and facilitate a regular exchange of knowledge on issues of common concern. The project will include a two-day forum on joint cooperation, during which participating youth sections will be provided with some of the technical support, equipment, and training that they need in order to maintain close contact with each other and remain aware of current developments. Center for International Private Enterprise $109,434 To assist independent business organizations in Serbia and Croatia by building their capacities to participate in the broader policy environment. In Serbia, training programs, publications, and direct assistance will be used to lay the groundwork for future direct grants to capable associations. Also, to more firmly establish its presence in Croatia, CIPE will coordinate with a local partner organization that is familiar with Croatia's business environment. The partner organization will help evaluate independent and democracy-building organizations. *Indicates funding source other than annual congressional appropriation |
|
| |