FORUM FOR CIVIL MONITORING OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES’ PUBLIC POLICIES

Center for Monitoring and Activism - CEMA from ?a?ak is implementing the project ’’Forum for civil monitoring of local communities' public policies’’ financially supported by Open Society Foundation, Serbia. The main objective of the project is to ensure, through civic activism, full transparency and monitoring over the allocation of public funding for co-financing of media projects, which activities should provide media pluralism and quality information for all citizens of ?a?ak.

The specific objectives of the project are:
1. Establishment of the Forum for Civil Monitoring – ?a?ak, as a tool for control and supervision of all public policies of a local community;
2. Analysis of co-financed media content through the lens of citizens on fulfilled public interest in the sphere of information;
3. Empowering and mobilizing local NGOs, media and underrepresented groups in ?a?ak to actively participate in decision–making process;
4. Initiating and organizing public debates and proposing concrete measures to improve local public policies;
5. Strengthening of inter–sectorial cooperation between citizens / NGOs, local institutions and decision makers in ?a?ak via established mechanisms;
6. Increased opportunities for citizens to enhance the level of local government accountability;
7. Establishing partnerships with the media to ensure the media visibility of problems.

The objective of our project is (not to miss the opportunity) to connect with citizens in the network, in order to control the work of the local community and ensure its openness and transparency. The role of arbitrator between citizens, who have the courage to recognize and report all social anomalies of the competent local (or national) institutions and the media, should be given to local Forum for Civil Monitoring – ?a?ak. In this regard, within the framework of this project, we have set the task, based on two key priorities:
1. The first priority is the fight against corruption in a society characterized by high level of social and institutional disorganization. This situation is the impact of the transition period and "state capture". The fight should start from the local community creating the anti-corruption activism at lower levels of society. In this way, the assumptions are made for the autonomous local administration, which will be the service of citizens, not their ruler.
2. The second priority is actually the view that the transparency of local authorities, in all segments, is not just a question of political will but also the matter of social care. Therefore, the process should engage all relevant stakeholders at local level thus taking the responsibility in their own hands.
Project implementation period: 01/05/2018. – 30/04/2019.
We cordially invite all citizens of Cacak to join Forum for Civil Monitoring – ?a?ak in implementation of this project either by giving their suggestions or by direct engagement. You can contact us directly in the section CONTACT. 

Project Team

The project is financially supported by the Open Society Foundation, Serbia. The views expressed in this project do not reflect the official opinion of the Open Society Foundation Serbia. Responsibility for the information and views expressed lies entirely with the author(s).