World Movement for Democracy in
Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Spotlight on NGO Work in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Legislative Oversight, Accountability and Transparency
Legislative oversight plays a vital role in promoting open public discussions of proposed laws and their effects on civil society, informing the public of their legislative rights, encouraging civil society to take initiatives to help shape the laws, and highlighting the significance of transparency in the legislative process. A number of organizations in the region perform these roles. Promoting accountability and transparency, as well as combating corruption, are other important functions performed by the NGO community.
This section also includes an interview with Yuri Dzhibladze, President of the Center for Development of Democracy and Human Rights in Moscow, Russia, as well as a list of online publications and resources relevant to this subject.
The Agency of Legislative Initiatives - Ukraine
www.parliament.org.ua
The Agency of Legislative Initiatives, based in Ukraine, seeks to encourage transparency and openness in work of Ukrainian parliament, promote the development of public oversight of legislative processes, and strengthen cooperation between parliamentary deputies, NGOs, and the public in working with the Ukrainian parliament. The Agency publishes a monthly journal, The Parliament Journal. Each month the journal picks a topic and dedicates a section to this topic, featuring relevant materials from conferences, articles, opinions, and expert analyses and recommendations. Other sections include up to date information on proposed legislations, upcoming parliamentary discussions, summaries of laws proposed and comparative analysis of parliamentary practices in other countries. The journal also maintains its Web site.
Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT) - Moldova
www.e-democracy.md/en/
The Association for Participatory Democracy (ADEPT), an independent, nonpartisan NGO based in Chisinau, Moldova, provides expert advice and information on electoral and democratic processes in the Republic of Moldova, South Eastern Europe and the New Independent States. ADEPT's mission is to help ensure the transparency and accountability of governmental institutions in Moldova and to promote and support citizen participation in all forms of public life. To do this, ADEPT conducts a wide range of activities such as developing a detailed series of recommendations for improving Moldova's electoral law; organizing an annual school for young political activists; and conducting voter education programs prior to national elections. In addition, ADEPT hosts a website "E-Democracy" which tracks the activities of political parties and recent legislations passed by the Moldovan parliament. Included on the website are an on-line weekly newsletter that monitors the legislative process in the Moldovan parliament and the activities of the political parties represented in that body as well as a bi-weekly electronic journal which analyzes the policy agenda emanating from the Council of Ministers and the Presidency of Moldova.
Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) - Bulgaria/Georgia/Azerbaijan
www.cipe.org
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that works to build democracy and market economies throughout the world, is expanding to form linkages between Southeastern Europe and the Caucuses. Building on a strong network of local think tanks and business associations in Southeastern Europe, which have begun to effectively address these issues, formal initiatives are being developed to transfer lessons learned and best practices to countries across the Black Sea. CIPE's program in Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Georgia aims to bolster broader efforts to increase global security. This initiative starts with a working group meeting and technology-transfer seminar, where stakeholders in combating corruption come together to discuss how best to fight corruption on a broader front. Following the seminar, anti-corruption education and advocacy campaigns are scheduled to take place. CIPE works with a number of local partners on this project. In Bulgaria, these include the Center for the Study of Democracy and Coalition 2000, a local initiative of NGOs working to promote public awareness of corruption, and serving as a "watchdog" over the reform process. In Azerbaijan, CIPE works with the Entrepreneurship Development Foundation and in Georgia with local partner, the Alliance for Business Environment and Development.
Civil Society Promotion Center - Bosnia-Herzegovina
cspc@epn.ba
The Civil Society Promotion Center, an NGO based in Sarajevo, strengthens the nongovernmental sector in Bosnia-Herzegovina by increasing civic involvement in the local decision-making process. The Center organizes a program which encourages greater transparency and accountability of local government through a series of seminars for local government representatives and community-based NGO leaders in five municipalities in the Bosnian Federation and the Serb Republic entities. The training program aims at increasing the public relations skills of local officials, encouraging them to involve the nongovernmental sector more directly in their work, and helping them develop new ideas for integrating citizens' input into the local government process. By increasing civic participation in local affairs in Bosnia, the Civil Society Promotion Center's program encourages communication and cooperation between citizens and local government officials thereby increasing citizens' trust and confidence in the legislative processes.
Coalition 2000 - Bulgaria
www.anticorruption.bg
Coalition 2000, an initiative of a number of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations aimed at combating corruption, prioritizes the transparency of both government and the business sector's activities and dissemination of information about the "corruption temperature" of the society. Among other projects in maintains a Web site, Anticourrption.bg. Anticorruption.bg is Bulgarian portal site dedicated to anti-corruption measures and policies in the country. The site provides information about media coverage of corruption cases in Bulgaria, as well as research, publications, and studies about anti-corruption projects, initiatives and policies. Anticorruption.bg also provides links to resources, such as publications, studies, polls, research and reports produced both in Bulgaria and abroad, to facilitate knowledge-sharing.
Institute for Democracy and Mediation - Albania
www.idm-al.org/
The Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM), an independent NGO in Albania, works to strengthen the civic sector and improve the leadership and communication skills of civic activists at the local level. IDM organizes a program aimed at increasing the level of trust between citizens and law enforcement officials in towns where the level of violence and mistrust between community and police forces is very high. Among the program activities are a series of roundtables where representatives from local government, police and civil society are invited to discuss the establishment of Police-Community Consultative Groups (PCCGs) in their municipalities. These independent groups are intended to act as an effective means of communication between citizens and police officials at the local level and increase trust between the two sides. Also during the roundtables, there will be a discussion focusing on professionalism and transparency in local law enforcement through the establishment of public relations offices to provide the public with current and future activities of local police departments. Following the roundtables, IDM will publish a report about the roundtables as well as develop a statute for the PCCGs to be presented to the government for inclusion in the draft on crime prevention to facilitate the improvement of the security situation at the local level.
Joint Legislative Oversight Poject: "Legislative Process in the State Duma: Human Rights Analysis"
www.demokratia.ru/analyst/reviewlaws
The project is implemented by three Russian Human Rights NGOs: Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights (CDDHR, www.demokratia.ru); Institute of Human Rights (IHR, www.hrights.ru ); International Historical-Enlightment Human Rights and Humanitarian Society "Memorial" ( www.memo.ru); and the Human Rights in Russia Web portal (www.hro.org), which provides Internet support for the project. The newsletter includes information on and analysis of bills under consideration and amendments to existing laws; review of all newly introduced and passed bills; monitoring of voting by MPs; section focusing on underlying historical, political, and economic aspects of a bill discussed in the States Duma which has a particular importance for human rights; and "Army and Human Rights" section which covers bills concerning human rights in and related to the Russian Army. The newsletter is distributed once a month via email and is available online both in Russian and in English. Hard copy version is included in the monthly issues of the journal "Chronicle of the Moscow Helsinki Group."
Judges Web - Croatia
www.judges-web.org
The Judges' Web, a nongovernmental organization based in Croatia, develops information systems to improve the transparency and efficiency of Croatia's judicial system. The Judges' Web aims to increase the speed and consistency of judges' rulings; facilitate information exchange among judges and encourage the creation of informal judges' networks in Croatia; increase citizens' confidence in the judicial process; and develop and expand an online database of legal decisions for use by judges in municipal and county level courts throughout Croatia. The Judges' Web is currently working on a project that will expand its database and extend its services to all courts in Croatia at the municipal and county level. By providing access to its database, the Judges' Web encourages the development of a virtual network of judges which allows them to exchange their opinions and interpretations of Croatian law. Additionally, by posting their decisions publicly on the database, judges are more inclined to make more balanced and unbiased decisions on the cases before them, which in effect, raises the public's confidence that the verdicts of courts are being passed in a fair and consistent manner. Law students from the University of Zagreb will be involved in the project, which will inspire them to incorporate transparent and accountable practices in their work.
Kalligram Foundation - Slovakia
www.cla.sk/
The Center for Legal Analyses consists of a group of independent experts whose main mission is to analyze Slovak and European laws, with a special focus on legal issues regarding minorities in Slovakia. This independent analysis, as well as generated public discussion, and dissemination of relevant information improves the legal protection mechanism for minorities, strengthens their legal consciousness, and brings attention of the whole society to the minority issues. Activities include: identification of current legislature needs and drafting amendments to current laws; evaluation of past and recent legal issues important for today; evaluation of current Slovak law in the context of international cooperation and integration; identification of areas for potential improvement of the legal system; monitoring and reporting on the legislative policy of the Slovak government and parliament, especially regarding minorities; publishing, seminars, and round-table discussions; and creation of legal library that will serve as a research tool for analysis and be open to public.
Open Society-New Kutaisi - Georgia
newkutaisi@hotmail.com
The Open Society-New Kutaisim, a Georgian-based NGO, assists in socio-economic development and civil society building. The Open Society-New Kutaisi organizes a program to encourage local citizens in one region of Georgia to take advantage of their rights to information about and participation in local budgeting. The program includes the publishing of information concerning the local budget and budgetary process; seminars for local political and NGO leaders to increase transparency of the process; installation of mechanisms to facilitate public input into the process; and recommendations for replicating the project in other regions of Georgia.
Women's Federation "Status" - Kazakhstan
status@mail.kz
The Women's Federation "Status", a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization based in Ust-Samenogorsk, Kazakhstan, aims at developing information, education and leadership programs for women in the eastern part of the country. It coordinates a project that is designed to increase the transparency and fairness of the judicial and law enforcement organs of Kazakhstan. The project focuses on cases of domestic violence, which often go unpunished. Project activities include monitoring and compiling a database concerning the disposition of domestic violence cases; conducting roundtables and workshops to seek solutions to unfairness of the law enforcement and judicial organs; and the dissemination of information about all stages of the project.
|
