1. Federation of NGOs in Serbia (FeNS) plus other sectoral networks
Federation of Nongovernmental Organizations of Serbia (FENS) has been founded in 2003 recognizing the need of the sector in Serbia to have joint voice, better exchange of information, promoting the civil society values, influencing decision makers and triggering important socials issues. In the first years, the basic focus of FENS was towards setting up enabling legal-fiscal NGO framework through institutionalized cooperation of NGOs with the governmental and private sector and improving public image of the sector. In addition, FENS gave support to organizations of persons with disabilities to bring about Law on persons with disabilities, to increase participation of NGOs in the Poverty reduction strategy and to work on the development of the anti-discrimination laws. Since 2004 FENS actively participated in GOTV campaigns, encouraging active citizenship. During the conference in 2004, the main discussion on the Conference was on three declarations: Declaration on Poverty reduction and role of NGOs, Declaration on youth participation (drafted by Students Unions) and Declaration on European integrations (Drafted by European Movement in Serbia). All three documents were thoroughly analyzed as priorities for the sector. The challenges of current political events were present in all discussions throughout 2005-2008. A need for more pressure on Government for finally changing the NGO law and defining financial frame for the sector were set as priority activity of FENS. Creating a body for institutional relations between NGOs and State and a necessity of a Strategy for development of third sector were also enhanced. Civil society in Serbia is still waiting for this to happen. During the
Currently, there are over 550 FENS member organizations from more than 120 municipalities in Serbia, from all fields of the activities.
FENS remains the largest NGO network dealing with issues of importance for the civil society in Serbia. However, its present structure and a way of functioning needs to be adapted for the changed context and requirements imposed on the NGO community in the EU integration process. Therefore, during the 6th Annual Conference in October 2009, FENS decided to initiate a process of re-structuring.
2. NGO Focal Points for the PRS Implementation in the Republic of Serbia (KOCD)
NGO Focal Points for the PRS Implementation in the Republic of Serbia (KOCD) was initiated by PRSP team as a program that aimed at enabling participation of CSOs in shaping, implementation and monitoring of the policies and measures created by the Government and other relevant actors in the process of PRS and other reforms implementation. KOCD, in cooperation with the wide forum of CSOs, developed mechanisms of communication, creates and improves partnership relations between the government and CSOs, and develops recommendations and proposals about the key reform processes and ways for strategy implementation.
KOCD consist of 7 organizations selected through a public call for proposals, each representing one marginalized group: Roma, persons with disabilities, women, elderly, refugees and IDPs, children and youth. KOCD program enabled 545 CSOs to be involved in the implementation of different activities related to poverty reduction both on national and local level. One of the most important outcomes of this program is the initiative to establish the institutional mechanism of cooperation between the government and CSOs.
After closing of the PRSP team, 7 contact organizations continued to function successfully as a coalition and together developed a Civil Society for Government Accountability program, in partnership with ISC, USA and funded by Norwegian Ministry of foreign affairs.CSGA is a 3 year strategic program with objective to increase government accountability in addressing priority needs of vulnerable populations through budget and policy monitoring at the national and local level.
3. Coalition for Free Access to Information
Coalition consists of 15 organizations from throughout Serbia. Their advocacy efforts started already in 2000, with long preparations, joint pressure of NGOs, media, dialogue between civil society and state administration, with ups and downs that lasted for almost 4 years. Finally Law on free access to information of public importance has been adopted in November 2004. In the meantime, Parliament has appointed the Commissioner for free access to information whose work was fully supported by the coalition and wider NGO community. In 2004, Coalition developed the Guidebook on Law on Free Access to Information. It is aimed at familiarizing the general public with free access to information principles and is to kick-start the implementation of the Law. By providing the information needed for both fulfilling and protecting the public interest to know, it aspires to facilitate attaining free democratic order and open society. Civic initiatives as part of the coalition, managed to introduce free access to information as a topic within civic education classes in the secondary schools, and the Guide is used as a textbook for students.
Current activities encompass changes of the Law that will align it to the directives of the Committee of the Council of Europe against corruption and thus contribute to its more efficient implementation. In May 2009, the coalition made a public statement asking for these changes to be incorporated into the revision of the Law and was supported by more than 50 NGOs.
4. Coalition against discrimination
Coalition was formed with support of Swedish Helsinki Committee for human rights in March 2005 by 8 organizations from different fields of human rights protection and promotion from all over Serbia. They were involved in development of the draft of the Anti-Discrimination law in 2008 together with the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights. The Government adopted the law in February 2009 and submitted it to the Parliament for adoption. However, on March 4, just 15 hours before the debate in the Parliament, the Government decided to withdraw the law, giving in to pressure from among others the Serbian Orthodox Church.
This led to mass reactions and very intensive debates in media and in the society at large. Numerous NGOs, intellectuals, international organizations as well as some official representatives, protested about the fact that the Orthodox Church could influence the democratic process in this way, and urged the Government to promptly put the law back into Parliamentary procedure without changing the law. Nationalistic parties along with some churches strongly objected to parts of the law connected to articles related to religious communities and sexual orientation and gender identity. These groups tried to present the law as a “gay marriage law”, hoping to influence the big part of the population with negative attitudes towards Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.
The Government changed some parts of the text in the articles mentioned, and submitted it to the Parliament which adopted the law. Although the adopted law does not meet as high international standards as the old version, the adoption is a great step forward for the fight against discrimination in Serbia. Also in relation to the EU integration process the adoption is a step forward, since an Anti-Discrimination law is a condition in the visa facilitation process that will make traveling to the EU easier and without visa for citizens of Serbia.
The whole process of adopting the law is a symbolic victory for the Serbian civil society. This is the first time that a crucial issue was debated for almost a month in the media and among the general public. Moreover, this is the most important law in the field of human rights in Serbia. Securing equal rights of all, and especially the rights of marginalized groups, has always been a problem in the society
5. National Coalition for decentralization
National Coalition for Decentralization was created in 2006. Its activities until now included projects “Decentralization in Serbia” and “REACT!” managing to: involve 64 CSOs from 24 municipalities in Serbia, educate a network of 89 decentralization advocates in 5 cities (Uzice, Nis, Negotin, Vranje and Novi Pazar), produce and broadcast 8 TV shows on 16 different local and regional media, include more than 400 people in 14 local actions organized in 10 municipalities in Serbia Proper, establish a website www.decentralizacijasrbije.net, create and distribute a Handbook on decentralization “Decentralization of Serbia as a starting point of Serbia democracy development” explaining the terminology and existing models of decentralized authorities in Europe. Moreover, it also realized the research on attitudes and understanding of decentralization among general public and local authorities in Serbia Proper involving over 1,800 people in 30 municipalities. Representative of National Coalition for Decentralization became part of newly formed National Council for Decentralization that consists of state representatives, MPs, experts while NGOs are represented by NCD.
6. Green list of Serbia
Green List of Serbia is coalition of 25 environmental organizations formed in the Fall of 2008, with the aim to raise awareness in the public on environmental issues in Serbian communities and advocate for potential solutions. Green List, though a young coalition is currently implementing a campaign for solving the problem of waste disposal in Serbia. Campaign includes: 12 cleaning actions in different communities (from Vranje in South to Novi Sad in Vojvodina), eco bike tour of 500kms that will end in Novi Sad on EXIT festival. Until now, campaign involved more than 2,500 citizens in direct cleaning actions of wild garbage dumps, and succeeded to convince local authorities to accept some of the potential solutions (i.e. Public communal service taking responsibility for covering rural areas, accepting to organize garbage disposal through regional waste disposal place etc). Green List will continue to implement one national campaign per year.