ISC’s Civil Society Advocacy Initiative’s (CSAI) overall goal is for the citizens of Serbia to take responsibility for defining their future while building a more democratic and prosperous Serbia moving towards European integration. By providing grants, training, and technical assistance, CSAI works to:

• Support civil society organizations (CSOs) to advocate effectively about political, economic, and social issues that consolidate Serbia’s democratic transition
• Pursue the adoption of new laws and strategies, amendments to current laws, and monitor the implementation of key legislation critical to improving the lives of Serbia’s citizens
• Create conditions for citizen activism at the local level
• Provide high quality technical skills in advocacy, networking and consensus building
• Encourage cross-sector partnerships and involvement of key stakeholders in advocacy initiatives.

Major Achievements

To date CSAI has supported 203 Civil Society Organizations, awarded 300 grants totaling $11.2 million. Major CSAI Advocacy Achievements to date include:

• Expediting legal and policy reforms (national and local) on election legislation, government transparency and accountability, environmental protection, youth, vulnerable populations and other issues

• Launching the first ever Business Leaders Forum with members from 17 leading Serbian companies to encourage increased corporate social responsibility

• Supporting the establishment of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and more than 70 Youth offices around the country, as well as adoption of a National Youth Strategy

• Establishing the Virtus Award recognizing outstanding companies in the area of corporate philanthropy while forging sustainable partnerships between CSOs and businesses

• Support of a nation-wide Get Out the Vote campaign which galvanized the largest ever voter turnout during 2007 national elections

CSAI has resulted in 73 Advocacy Successes to date on both the local and national level. These include:

Key Advocacy Achievements on National Level :

• In October 2008 National Parliament of Serbia adopted the Law on Personal Data Protection, a direct result of CSAI’s FOI Coalition’s advocacy activities

• The Law on Associations was adopted on July 8, 2009, marking a significant achievement and the start of a a new chapter in the overall development of the NGO sector in Serbia.

• CSAI Grantee Group 484 undertook a long-term advocacy campaign to change and improve the Bill on Social Housing during the adoption process. This resulted in substantial improvements to the Bill on Social Housing which is now more favorable for vulnerable groups and which was adopted on August 31, 2009.

• National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted the Law on Data Confidentiality and the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance on December 11, 2009, the result of advocacy by People’s Parliament and YUCOM.

• On December 11, the Serbian National Assembly adopted the Law on Unified Voters’ List that provides a computerized and centralized system that accounts for all Serbian voters. The law was drafted jointly by the Ministry for Public Administration and Local Self-Government, with support from CSAI Grantee the Center for Free Elections and Democracy.

• The Parliament adopted a new Law on Endowments and Foundations on November 23, 2010, which makes it easier and more transparent to establish and operate an endowment or a foundation. The effort was spearheaded by CSAI Implementing partners BCIF and ECNL.

• On April 15, 2011, the Serbian government agreed to establish an Office for Cooperation with Civil Society, a key accomplishment spearheaded by CSAI implementing partners CI and ECNL. The office will strengthen and improve the policy framework for CSO activity and facilitate greater legitimacy for and expansion of an enabling environment for the work of civil society organizations in Serbia.

 

Key Advocacy Achievements on Local Level

• Local Action Plans for Improvement of Roma Education were adopted in three Vojvodina municipalities: Opovo and Bac in February, and Secanj in April 2009. The initiative was led by CSAI Grantee Novi Sad Humanitarian Center.

• On December 10, 2010, the city of Kragujevac adopted a Strategy for the Development of Civil Society, as a result of advocacy by CSAI Grantee CSO MillenniuM. The strategy represents the first strategic document of its kind in Serbia, and provides a platform for the future development of civil society in the City of Kragujevac.

        

Additionally CSAI program has completed Training  for over 1155 CSO representatives and activists in topics such as effective advocacy techniques, grants and financial management, and the use of new internet and communication technologies.

CSAI also supported 119 local grassroots advocacy campaigns through the Balkan Community Initiatives Fund. These initiatives build a culture of democracy by engaging citizens to get involved in the participatory process and advocate for, among other things, revitalization of local school yards and playgrounds, cleaning up rivers and illegal dumps, employment for people with disabilities, recycling, and greater visibility and human rights for all communities.