Regional Programme on Local Democracy in Western Balkans (ReLOaD)
Overall objective of ReLOaD was to strengthen participatory democracies and the EU integration process in the Western Balkans by empowering civil society to actively take part in decision making and by stimulating an enabling legal and financial environment for civil society.
The Project strengthened partnerships between local governments and civil society in the Western Balkans, by scaling-up a successful model from Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning funding of CSOs from local governments budgets, in line with local priorities.
ReLOaD worked with local governments on adopting the transparent, development-oriented and project-based approach to funding of CSOs focusing on its citizens and their needs. It also offered a platform for networking among the participating Western Balkans IPA Beneficiaries and civil society actors, to share the experience and lessons learned in providing better services to citizens.
ReLOaD2 has started in January 2021.
Key results:
- 493 projects led by CSOs were supported in 53 partner local governments across the Western Balkans, out of which 217 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Over 4 years of implementation, more than 100,000 people benefited from various projects
- Local authorities have taken into consideration the needs of citizens in order to improve living conditions in local communities, for example:
> New services for people with disabilities were introduced.
> Children were actively involved in cultural, educational and sports activities.
> Old people were given attention and much needed care.
- 51 partner LGs institutionalized new model of transparent funding mechanism aligned with principles of the LOD methodology as the replication model from Bosnia and Herzegovina
- 40 LGs utilized its own funds using newly introduced funding mechanism
- 210 LG officials increased capacities in transparent CSO funding and LOD methodology (LOD Methodology for Allocation of Fund to Civil Society Organizations)
- Interactive platform to facilitate knowledge sharing, advocacy and communication throughout the region initiated
- 545 CSOs participated in joint mentoring sessions for CSOs
- Strengthened Project Cycle Management (PCM) capacities of partner local governments and 1’451 grass-root CSOs throughout the region
Link to a video presenting the results achieved by ReLOaD: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=408638117008107
Contact:
Samir Omerefendić, Regional Programme Manager, UNDP, samir.omerefendic@undp.org