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Regional programme on local democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD)

ReLOaD2 is a regional initiative funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the following six Western Balkans countries and territories: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

Following the successful first phase of the programme, which supported more than 50 projects across Montenegro, ReLOaD2 continues to empower civil society by enabling better cooperation between local governments and NGOs, as well as by promoting youth and civic engagement.

The overall objective of the programme is to strengthen participatory democracies and the EU integration process in the Western Balkans by encouraging civil society to actively take part in decision-making and by stimulating an enabling legal and financial environment for non-governmental organisations.

This Programme emphasises the needs of local communities and hence strengthens the capacities of local governments to apply transparent and gender-responsive funding for civil society organisations. ReLOaD2 places special emphasis on youth. In that regard, this programme component seeks to identify the needs and attitudes of young people and strengthen their participation in the community, ensure funding for youth initiatives, as well as support activities aimed at creating internship programmes for young people.

Fllowing public calls, five clusters of local governments have been selected for participation in ReLOaD2, namely:

  1. Tara – the municipalities of Mojkovac, Kolašin and Pljevlja,
  2. Coastal Mates – the municipalities of Budva, Herceg Novi, Kotor and Tivat,
  3. Together for the North – the municipalities of Andrijevica and Berane,
  4. Together Nikšić and Plužine – the municipalities of Nikšić and Plužine,
  5. Central region – Podgorica Capital City, Cetinje Old Royal Capital, Golubovci – a municipality within Podgorica Capital City, and the municipality of Danilovgrad.

ReLOaD has funded NGO projects tackling different areas, including human and minority rights, cultural heritage, green economy, education and social policy. Below is an overview of several projects supported within the first phase of the programme:

Project name:

Regional programme on local democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD)

Sector:

  • Civil Society

Start time:

01/02/2018

End time:

01/12/2024

Location:

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia

Budget:

22600000€

Beneficiary:

Local self-governments

More info:

www.me.undp.org/ReLOaD.html
www.me.undp.org/regional-programme-on-local-democracy-in-the-western-balkans-2–.html
www.ba.undp.org/ReLOaD.html
www.facebook.com/RELOADWesternBalkans/

News:

Additonal materials:

Grants

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Affirmative sign – the use of symbolic signs for the promotion of positive life values and affirmative action as a tool for prevention of peer violence

  • Implemented by the NGO Youth Cultural Center Herceg Novi, with an aim to contribute to preventing and combating peer violence by promoting positive values through creative interventions in public spaces. 250 students and 20 teachers participated in its activities and 25 creative workshops were conducted in primary and secondary schools. The workshops combined creative work, followed by discussions on diversity, friendship, tolerance, etc. Each series of 5 workshops ended with a joint painting of a fresco, which represents the positive values discussed during the workshops.
spektra

Action for TRANSforming the schools

  • Implemented by the Association “Spektra”, with an aim to contribute to the fight against peer violence towards trans gender youth. Within this sub-grant was established cooperation with key stakeholders: Ministry of Education, Institute for Education and UNICEF. Also, a Memorandum of Cooperation with secondary school "Mirko Vešović" was signed, and a plan of educational activities in that school is in making. The research "Responding to Violence: Research on Discrimination against Transgender and Gender-Variating Students in Secondary Schools in Montenegro" was conducted and presented, together with the "Guidelines for Creating a Safe School Environment for Gender Diversity". In cooperation with the Pedagogical Center, training for capacity building of transgender and gender-diverse activists for conducting education were organised. This sub-grant helped raise awareness on prevention and protection mechanisms against peer violence against transgender and gender-diverse students by creating and implementing an online campaign "To ring the violence".

Our Money

  • Implemented by the Association of professional journalists of Montenegro and the Trade Union of Montenegrin Physicians, with an aim to empower journalists and media to more effectively monitor public spending in Montenegro, as well as doctors and journalists to specifically monitor public spending in the health sector. As part of this subgrant, two training sessions were organised for both journalists and doctors. One training was organised on monitoring and reporting on budgetary spending; and the other one on monitoring of budget spending in the health sector. Additionally, a brochure compiling six investigative journalism articles (three on public spending and three on budget spending in the health sector) was prepared and published in print and online media.
Regional-Development-Agency-Ulcinj-Business-Association

Ulcinj’s civil society monitors public spending

  • Implemented by the Regional Development Agency" – Ulcinj Business Association, with an aim to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations based in Ulcinj municipality to participate adequately in monitoring the spending of public funds. Within this subgrant, an analysis of the local budget spending of Ulcinj municipality was prepared and presented to the stakeholders; and training for 20 NGO representatives from Ulcinj municipality on monitoring of budget spending and participative budgeting was organised.

Our Money – Yours or Our Responsibility

  • Implemented by the NGO NADA – Herceg Novi, with an aim to increase the level of Herceg Novi citizens’ understanding of the budget cycle and openness of local self-government for participatory budgeting and civic monitoring of public money spending. NGO NADA compiled and submitted citizen’s ideas for infrastructure investments in Herceg Novi as an initiative to the local self-government for infrastructural local development and budget planning. Also, three initiatives on participative budgeting and budget transparency were submitted to the local self-government. Within the subgrant were organised a workshop on participative budgeting for 23 NGO representatives; round table on participative budgeting at the local level; as well as panel discussion and final conference on local budget and transparency.
More-transparent-concessions-for-the-exploitation-of-gravel-and-forest

More transparent concessions for the exploitation of gravel and forest

  • Implemented by the Democratic Centre of Bijelo Polje and Centre for Creative Skills, with an aim to strengthen the application of anti-corruption policies through raising the awareness of citizens in Berane and Bijelo Polje municipalities on the importance of combating corruption at the local level. As part of this subgrant, a research on concessions for gravel and forest exploitation in Bijelo Polje and Berane was conducted. Furthermore, two photo exhibitions were organised in Bijelo Polje and Berane on the state of the Lim River on several locations after concessionaire’s activities; and a video on state of the Lim River on locations where the concessionaires are exploiting gravel and sand was prepared and promoted.
Transparent-public-spending-on-Roma-inclusion-policies

Transparent public spending on Roma inclusion policies

  • Implemented by the “Walk with us” Phiren Amenca, with an aim to empower Roma’s civil society organisations to participate in monitoring of public spending. Therefore, within this subgrant a publication “Analysis of the financing of Roma people public policies on the local and national level” was prepared and published. In order to build capacities in budgetary planning and overseeing the budgetary spending for Roma people of CSOs dealing with Roma people’s rights and policies, two trainings were organised for their representatives, and a conference was organised to present research findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
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Games of Chance – How to reach a more efficient and transparent system

  • It was implemented by the Institute for Legal Studies, with an aim to contribute to more efficient and accountable management of public finances in Montenegro. More precisely, the specific goal of this subgrant was to define guidelines for the development of new public policy for collecting and spending public funds from games of chance. Within this subgrant a publication ‘’Improving the efficiency and transparency of the games of chance system of Montenegro’’ was prepared, published and printed in 250 copies, with a total of 28 recommendations for different types of games of chance. One infographic with key research findings was prepared and published, and a conference was held to present research findings to interested parties and stakeholders. Also, 12 meetings with stakeholders were held to discuss institutional and overall reform of the games of chance system.

Our budget is our business!

  • Implemented by the Association of Youth with Disabilities, with an aim to contribute to control the spending of special contributions for the employment of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and the process of budget planning for measures of professional rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities. Within this subgrant was produced an Analysis on the financial aspects of the Law on professional rehabilitation and employment of PWDs 2019, with 33 recommendations; and a roundtable for presenting the analysis with more than 70 participants/stakeholders was organised. Additionally, guidelines on the payment of special contributions for people with disabilities were adopted and published on the Tax Administration’s website. A public advocacy campaign, including one TV show on the payment of special contributions for people with disabilities was conducted.

Regional programme on local democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD)

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Implemented by the NGO Monitor Center for Media and Democracy, with an aim to help reducing the level of peer violence against Roma youth. In order to raise awareness of peer violence against members of the Roma community, this sub-grant included production of several research articles. In the research process were also involved journalists from the Roma portal “Romalitika”.