A fifth of citizens at risk of poverty, adoption of the Social Protection Strategy urgent
Statement from the Center for Democracy Foundation on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty In Serbia, according to the latest data from the National Statistical Office (NSO), 19.9% of citizens live at risk of poverty, while 27.2% of the population is exposed to the risk of poverty or social exclusion. The elderly and the unemployed are particularly affected, indicating a serious lack of a systemic approach to combating poverty. The Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF) actively advocates for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 – eradicating poverty, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which has also been…
Call for a Regional Internship Program is open!
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE We are pleased to announce a great opportunity for 5 young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia to attend a paid internship in civil society organizations from Western Balkans. If you are a young person who wish to gain firsthand experience in civil society in Belgrade, Pristina, Tirana or Skopje in a period of two months, learn about European integration, contribute to youth participation and structured dialogue and connect with young people from the region, apply for internship at this link. Deadline for submitting applications is 29 October…
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: POLICY LABS ON YOUTH PARTICIPATION, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH, MEDIA, AND CULTURE
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE Join us in creating opportunities for collaboration, bringing together young people and policy makers to discuss and work on mainstreaming youth policies across all relevant areas! RYDE (Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe) project team invites youth representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), ministries/institutions, local decision-makers, youth councils, youth from political parties, youth representatives from media and other relevant stakeholders to join the upcoming policy labs. These sessions aim to establish and improve dialogue between decision-makers and youth representatives in order to jointly identify opportunities for improving youth policies in the Western Balkans in the following…
Vučković in Strasbourg: Collaboration Opening New Opportunities for Ukrainian Citizens
ALDA – Enhancing Local Democracy with Support from European Partners At the 20th Congress of French Regions in Strasbourg (France), a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for the Local Democracy Agency Kharkiv. On this occasion, Nataša Vučković, President of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA) and General Secretary of the Foundation Center for Democracy (FCD), highlighted the importance of this new partnership. "I am convinced that this cooperation will open new opportunities for the citizens of Ukraine," said Vučković, emphasizing the broader impact expected from such partnerships on Ukraine's recovery. The signing of the Memorandum took place on September…
Seminar on Social Dialogue and Collective Bargaining in the Areas of Care, Waste Management, and Public Administration
CEECAW Project The first seminar within the project "Challenges of Organizing and Collective Bargaining in the Care, Administration, and Waste Collection Sectors in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC)" (CEECAW) was held on September 3-4, 2024, in Belgrade, Serbia. The event discussed national reports on the state of social dialogue and collective bargaining in the areas of care, waste management, and public administration in Central and Eastern European countries and Serbia. The goal of the CEECAW project is to develop collective bargaining (CB) in three sectors (care, waste management, central public administration sectors) in the EU Central Eastern European countries…
Open Letter of the National Convention on the EU
NCEU, 27.8.2024 Open Letter of the National Convention on the EU addressed to the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and the President of the Government of the Republic of Serbia To the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Mrs. Ana Brnabić To the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Mr. Miloš Vučević Open Letter As you are aware, the National Convention on the European Union is the largest network of civil society organizations in Serbia, comprising several hundred member organizations, including citizens' associations, professional and academic organizations, and individuals…
Journalists’ Rights and Freedoms Must Be Protected!
Press Release: CDF Supports Journalist Tamara Skrozza and News Agency FoNet The Center for Democracy Foundation expresses its solidarity with journalist and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the FoNet News Agency, Tamara Skrozza, who has been subjected to attacks and a groundless media campaign. We demand that her rights be protected. The targeting, threats, harassment, and intimidation of journalists are unacceptable in a democratic country aspiring to become a member of the European Union. Tamara Skrozza is a journalist of unquestionable professional and personal integrity, ethicality, and principled conduct. It is the duty and obligation of the relevant institutions to safeguard the…
Ensuring that All Employed Women Can Access Maternity Leave and Other Labour Rights
Open Dialogue on the Position of Pregnant Women and Mothers in the Labour Market It is crucial to take a step forward in the field of gender equality and to ensure that all working women, regardless of employment status, have access to maternity leave and other labour rights, stated the Secretary General of the Center for Democracy Foundation, Nataša Vučković, during panel discussion entitled Woman, Mother – the European Union as part of an open dialogue on the position of pregnant women and mothers in the labour market. The Center for Democracy Foundation has long been dedicated to protecting economic…
Annual Report on Labour Rights in the Republic of Serbia Presented
Contribution to the Promotion and Advancement of Labour Rights The Center for Democracy Foundation, with the support of the Olof Palme International Center, organised the presentation of the Annual Report on Labour Rights in the Republic of Serbia for 2023 on 26 June 2024. For the sixth consecutive year, the Center for Democracy has prepared an annual report on the state of labour rights. The aim of this report is to contribute to the improvement of labour rights in the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with international standards. The report’s authors, Prof. Bojan Urdarević, PhD, and Jovana Misailović, presented the…
Contribution of Academia and Civil Society to the Promotion and Advancement of Gender Equality
Promotion of the New Master’s Programme in Law and Gender at the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade “As part of the extensive platform for societal dialogue Sustainable Development for All, which is implemented in partnership by the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, the Centre for Advanced Economic Studies, the Belgrade Open School, the Center for Democracy Foundation, TOC – Association for the Development of Sustainable Communities, the BFPE Foundation for a Responsible Society, and SMART Kolektiv, with the support of the governments of Switzerland and Germany and implemented by GIZ, we regularly publish an annual report on how civil…
Collaboration Between Trade Unions and Civil Society Organisations in the Protection of Human Rights in Companies
Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS) Workshop on Recommendations for Increased Participation of Trade Unions and CSOs in the Protection of Human Rights in Companies The Center for Democracy Foundation organised a workshop on 12 June 2024 on the recommendations of the study entitled The Role of Trade Unions and Civil Society Organisations in the Protection of Human Rights in Supply Chains. The workshop aimed to present the key points of the study and to exchange information on its findings and recommendations that may be useful for trade unions and civil society organisations in addressing issues related to the protection of…
Nataša Vučković – EU Civil Society Forum 2024 for the Western Balkans and Türkiye
ALDA President’s Speech at the EU Civil Society Forum 2024 for the Western Balkans and Türkiye On 11 June 2024, Nataša Vučković, ALDA President, delivered an opening speech at the EU Civil Society Forum 2024 for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, an annual event organised by the EU TACSO 3 project on behalf of the European Commission, DG NEAR. The aim of the event, which took place in Belgrade (Serbia) from June 11 to 13, was to provide space for the key stakeholders involved in civil society in the region to come together, network, and offer a platform for discussion…
