21Sep
2019
The purpose of the research "Participation of CSOs in cross-border cooperation" is to give a clear picture of the participation of CSOs in cross-border cooperation programs, focusing on the following...
21 September 2019
The reform of Public Administration is NOT an essentially legislative process but it is strictly connected with cultural and systemic elements in the community. It is therefore essential to consider the existence/non...
The reform of Public Administration is NOT an essentially legislative process but it is strictly connected with cultural and systemic elements in the community. It is therefore essential to consider the existence/non existence of the relation between institutions and citizens. PAR and the legislation cannot be developed without considering a constant process of information, dialogue and exchanges with citizens that will establish trust from both sides that will then allow the laws/provisions to have a certain chance of being implemented.
21 September 2019
Actors for democracy: civil society versus local authorities. Mistakenly, often, decentralised cooperation (but not only) considers elected representatives as the only “pure” expression of local...
Actors for democracy: civil society versus local authorities. Mistakenly, often, decentralised cooperation (but not only) considers elected representatives as the only “pure” expression of local democracy. Indeed, it seems that the magic moment of the elections gives its blessing to all those who have been elected. Today, when representative democracy is going through a difficult period, we wonder how much elected representative could be the only democratic voice or actors, and therefore to be able to transmit these capacities in decentralised cooperation. Our basic assumption is that democratic civil society, governed by democratic rules and respectful of the criteria of the membership and financially accountable, is a real actor of democracy. Citizens participate with membership, with opinions and actions (often much more than it is the case in the political parties themselves). They could even participate in large, cross border movements, much wider and influential than the political parties themselves. Therefore, they could be considered fully, and without any doubts, real actors of democracy.
21 September 2019
On the initiative of the Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Poland, The European Association for Local Democracy ("ALDA") was asked to conduct a survey that revealed local issues and opinions with the help of the...
On the initiative of the Mayor of the City of Gdansk, Poland, The European Association for Local Democracy ("ALDA") was asked to conduct a survey that revealed local issues and opinions with the help of the Local Democracy Agencies in Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine.
Local self-government outlines the right and the ability of local authorities, within the limits of the law, to regulate and manage a substantial share of public affairs. In a local democracy this right is
conferred to councils or assemblies composed of members freely elected by secret ballot and directly accountable to their own local constituency. This adheres to the principle of subsidiarity, which ensures that problems are addressed by those institutions and civil society groups that are most competent and closest to citizens.
Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve a greater unity between its members for the purpose of safeguarding and realising the ideals and principles which are their common heritage; Considering that one of the methods by which this aim is to be achieved is through agreements in the administrative field; Considering that the local authorities are one of the main foundations of any democratic regime; Considering that the right of citizens to participate in the conduct of public affairs is one of the democratic principles that are shared by all member States of the Council of Europe; Considering that it is at local level that this right can be most directly exercised; Convinced that the existence of local authorities with real responsibilities can provide an administration which is both effective and close to the citizen;
In 2007, the Government of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the first Strategy for Cooperation of the Government with the Civil Society and the Action Plan 2007-2011. There, the Government emphasized the importance of the civil society in general, thereby setting the ground for its cooperation with CSOs and took a systematic approach in strengthening the basic conditions for a faster and more efficient development of this sector. The Strategy refers to the cooperation with associations and foundations, as part of the wider civil society sector, with the aim of ensuring inclusive
process and engagement of the civil society in policy making processes. In the period following the adoption of the Strategy, a number of activities were undertaken, each with the aim of implementing the goals and measures and strengthening the sector. Following the example of that Strategy, a number of other strategies and documents were adopted, through which institutions on both a national and local level expressed their commitments to develop certain areas important for the work of the civil society and to include CSOs in inter-sectorial initiatives.
The main goal of the study is to inspect the mechanisms for cross-sectoral cooperation and dialogic mechanisms at the local level and on that basis to make a series of recommendations for further development of the methodology and transparent system of financial and non-financial support for CSOs, at the local level. Effective, functional and sustainable mechanisms for cooperation are a key precondition for creating an enabling environment for active participation of civil society and civic activism at the local level. These principles, of course, include basic principles: respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, respect for basic democratic principles, political engagement, clear procedures, and open space for dialogue and encouragement of conditions for an energetic, pluralistic and sustainable civil society.
How do the municipalities support CSOs? Has the cooperation between the local government and the civil sector improved? Which municipalities have publicly announced a call for projects? The...
This publication is prepared for the needs of the Institute for Human Rights "Ludwig Boltzmann" - BIM-FV, Skopje, within the project "Social Inclusion and Human Rights in...
For the proper functioning of the Council as a "legislative" body at the local level, which conducts policy and adopts acts in the municipality, it is essential that its members have...
This Guide is intended to respond to an increasing demand from UNDP Country Offices and a wide range of national stakeholders for guidance on the multiplicity of tools and methods that are being...
In the discussions about the current crisis of the European Union caused by “NOs” to the Constitutional Treaty in France and the Netherlands, one sometimes forgets that all in all the...
ALDA coordinates and supports the network of 14 Local Democracy Agencies (LDAs) and 3 Operational Partners (OPs) in their activities. ALDA works throughout the enlarged Europe. Most of the Local...