Project: Youth and Democratic Control of Security Sector10Oct2015
Conference Support of civil society organizations in participation of security sector reform: lessons learned
The conference on contribution of civil society organizations in security sector reform was organized by Democratization Department within the OSCE Mission to Serbia in Nis from 8th to 10th October. The three days conference was attended by the representatives of OSCE Mission to Serbia, Office for cooperation with civil society, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interiors, and civil society organizations whose projects have been funded through the program implemented by OSCE Mission to Serbia, and funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. During the project period (2010- 2015), OSCE Mission to Serbia supported around 25 projects focused on security sector reform and helped in improvement and empowerment of dialogue between civil society organizations and relevant institutions.
OSCE Mission to Serbia recognized the approach of Public Policy Research Center in considering of sectoral and intersectoral issues particularly focused on vulnerable groups and supported three CENTER's projects in security sector reform area: LGBT population and security sector reform, Roma women and men and security sector reform, and youths local security issues and democratic control of security sector. CENTER became reliable implementing partner of Democratization Department within OSCE Mission to Serbia for successful implementation of projects. This support was significant and helped the profiling of CENTER as organization with original approach in considering of security and social inclusion issues.
Marija Stankovic, Junior Coordinator in CENTER presented the relevant projects at the conference in Nis.
Milena Banovic, Office for cooperation with civil society underlined the importance of Draft of National Strategy for enabling environment for development of civil society and the most significant chapters- legal and institutional framework of cooperation between public administration and civil society, financial sustainability, the role of civil society as service providers for social and health protection services, in informal education and european integrations.
The representatives of Defence Policy Sector in the Ministry of Defence stressed that the Report on the implementation of National Action Plan related to UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security is published on the official website of the Ministry on the initiative by organizations of civil society and that is important issue in security sector reform and participation of civil society.
The representatives of Ministry of Interiors emphasized that the National Strategy for the policing was adopted in 2013 accompanied by the Action plan, as well as the existing mechanism liaison officer, responsible for the cooperation with civil society and local community. In that sense, there is a need for cooperation between community policing and local organizations focused on service provision.
Civil society organizations supported within this project in the previous five years presented the contribution in the implementation of the projects focused on gender based violence and gender equality, vulnerable groups, emergency situations, security on Internet and youth security and democratic control of security sector and security policies in general.
The representatives of OSCE Mission to Serbia respect the previous efforts of civil society and their contribution in security sector reform and they invited all participants to keep the cooperation in future public calls for submitting the project proposals.