By: Nevena Šarenac
The presentation of the project financed by the European Union within the framework of the program Partnership for Civil Society “Support to Regional Thematic Networks” took place in Sarajevo and organized by the project of Technical Assistance to Civil Society Organizations (TACSO) in BiH and the EU Delegation to BiH.
The goal of this presentation is to inform the public of the projects of regional thematic networks from the perspective of civil society organizations in BiH that are implementing projects, and to present the technical support that TACSO projects provide to multiuser projects of civil society organizations.
“This is a presentation of the projects that were awarded through the regional grand scheme for thematic support of networks of civil society organizations. This regional scheme is funded directly from the budget from Brussels through IPA funds’’, said the Program Manager in the EU Delegation to BiH Džemal Hodžić to journlists.
11 million euros are planned for the entire grant, while the amounts for individual projects are from 500.000 to 800.000 euros for a four-year period.
Hodžić said that the approval of 18 projects involve 18 non-profit organizations from the region, noting that the project is expected to provide further contribution to the solution of certain problems in the following areas: advocacy for the implementation of laws and policies for people with special needs, ensuring the quality of social services, strengthening the advocacy potential of civil society organizations in the field of public policy, protection of women and prevention of gender-based violence, anti-corruption, socio-economic rural development, efficient mechanisms of public procurement, sustainable sources of energy policy and public administrative reform.
The Association for Democratic Initiative is one of the recipients of the funds, which will realize its project together with eight members of non-profit sectors from countries in the region.
According to Director of the Assocation Snježana Ivandić Ninković, the project would focus on research on how the citizens of BiH have access to information and services that should be provided by the state and free legal aid.
“The law on free legal aid in BiH at the state level does not exist, while it is regulated differently in the RS and in cantons in the FBiH. We wish to transfer the positive experiences of Great Britain and Ireland, and will work to establish a model that works well because citizens have access to all information on which services are available to them’’, explained Ivandić Ninković.
