Donor: Constitutional and Legal Policy Institute and Open Society Fund
Duration of the project: January – December 1998

This book was the first book on Serbian language explaining the system of the EU law after Maastricht Agreement. The reason for translating and publishing this book was the lack of knowledge and understanding of the Community law, not only in the general public, but also among those supposed to deal with this subject in education, law enforcement and legal representation. It was important for the legal professionals to have the book about EC law because there is luck of the literature in Serbian language on this subject, especially because there is no this kind of education in the curriculum on the universities in Yugoslavia. On the other hand Centre believed that Yugoslavia will change the regime in the near future and begin with the processes of the European integration.

Donor: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Belgrade
Duration of the project: January / December 1998

The Centre held four seminars entitled Human Rights in Our Society, targeting mainly lawyers and activists in non-governmental organisations in towns where there had been no such training programmes before:

• Human Rights in Our Society, Kragujevac, 28 – 29 March 1998
• Human Rights in Our Society, Knjaževac, 9 May 1998
• Human Rights in Our Society, Šabac, 23 May 1998
• Human Rights in Our Society, Užice, 14 December 1998

Donor: Swedish International Agency for Development Cooperation (Sida)

Duration of the project: January – December 1998 

The main goals of the project were to present an independent Report on the situation in FR Yugoslavia regarding the observance of the rights recognised in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This Report was submitted as a Counter-report to the Yugoslav Government’s Report to the Committee on Economic and Social Rights. Special attention was paid to the factors and difficulties affecting the degree of fulfillment of obligations under the Covenant. The Belgrade Centre and the co-ordinators of this project assisted in the creation of a permanent body (Board), assembling experts and NGOs activists, which would monitor the fulfillment of obligations under international instruments and national laws, and act as a pressure group advocating the economic and social rights. (more…)

Donor: Swedish International Agency for Development Cooperation (Sida)

Duration of the project: January – December 1998 

Although transition occurs mostly in the economic field, the Belgrade Centre was always aware that there is no transition without comprehensive transformation of the society. Contemporary democracy, which is interdependent with market economy, includes respect for human rights. Cultural rights, comprehended either as individual or as group rights, are an unavoidable element of respect for human rights. (more…)

Donor: Westminster Foundation for Democracy  
Duration of the project: September 1998 – September 1999

Encouraged by the positive experience with branch office in Niš, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights continued establishing and assisting local NGOs. The Branch Office in Užice commenced its work in October 1998. The newly established NGO organised a debate with “The Postpesimists of Belgrade” and promoted its magazine “Kulturtreger”. On that occasion the citizens were officially informed on the beginning of the work of the Office of Belgrade Centre for Human Rights. A close cooperation with organisation “Libergraf” continued and resulted in synchronized action on the occasion of marking 50 years anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (more…)

Donor: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Duration of the project: June 1998 – May 1999
 
This was the first activity of the branch office of the Belgrade Centre in Nis which was opened in June 1998. By opening an office in Niš, the Centre began to educate target groups in specific regions in a systematic way. Having in mind the crucial role of education and training in achieving the sustainable changes from within a society, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights assisted in the dissemination of knowledge and teaching techniques related to human rights for teachers and organising workshops/seminars for teachers from the region of Niš. (more…)