CIVIL SOCIETY FOR SHARED SOCIETY IN THE WESTERN BALKANS

Children and Youth Support Organisation launched a new project SMART, with three regional partners: Volunteers Centre Skopje (VCS), Partnere per Femijet (PPF) and Institute for Development of Civil Society-Innovate (IDCSI).

SMART project is strengthening the civil society influence over human, women’s and girls’ equality and participation in peace building and social cohesion through education, networking and advocacy for gender equality and empowerment of girls in Western Balkans (WB) countries.

Developing a Sub-Regional Network of civil society organisations working on peace building and security through promotion of gender equality and active women’s participation, peer education and youth empowerment (especially girls) will make long lasting impact and support equality, peace and security. The importance of promoting empowerment of youth, especially girls, and respect for diversity and gender equality for long-lasting peace and stability through peer education, advocacy, networking in the WB and partnerships with EU organisations and networks are the key mile stones of the project and will affect civil society as a whole.

Final direct beneficiaries will be at over 2000 teenage children and young people (13-29 years of age), 20 local NGOs and 4 national NGO networks. Selection of teenage children and young people will be made through open calls applications’ evaluation, gender balanced and based on their interest and motivation to participate. Future peer trainers will be selected based on their attitude, willingness to undergo training, learn and practice facilitation skills. Participating CSOs in the national networks will be selected per their application forms and motivation letters.

Action for Girls’ Rights to Equality, Peace and Security was supported by the Regional grant of the “SMART Balkans – Civil Society for Shared Society in the Western Balkans” regional project implemented by Centar za promociju civilnog društva (CPCD), Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) and Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) and financially supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NMFA).