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…)

Donor: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Duration of the project: June 1998 – May 1999

In 1998, the development of local human rights NGOs was at a remarkably low level in Serbia – majority of NGOs were established and operated in Belgrade. In an attempt to encourage the development of local human rights NGOs in various parts of Serbia, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights decided to support the establishment of the Centre for Human Rights in Niš. One of the main objectives for the establishment of the Centre for Human Rights in Niš was to raise public awareness of the importance of human rights at the local level and to encourage local participation in activities related to human rights. (more…)

Donor: Danish Centre for Human Rights and the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Duration of the project: January – December 1998

The Report on the human rights situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1998 was the first one produced by the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights with the wish to present to the public in Yugoslavia and abroad the most important information on how the internationally guaranteed human rights have been respected and enjoyed in the FRY. The intention of the Centre was to examine all the aspects in which human rights were manifested, regulated and enjoyed, restricted or violated in 1998 and to describe the circumstances which influence the true Enjoyment of human rights in the country. (more…)

Donor: Constitutional and Legal Policy Institute and Open Society Fund
Duration of the project: October 1997 – October 1998

Freedom of expression and information has been the object of a heated public debate in Serbia for many years. Although freedom of the press was formally guaranteed by the Serbian and Yugoslav constitutions and laws, a de facto state monopoly on electronic and printed media has been persistently maintained by the ruling political party in Serbia. The state owned Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) was the only broadcasting network which covered the whole territory of Serbia. It has been notorious for its biased reporting and propaganda in favor of the government. It also had a significant role in forging the war on the territory of former Yugoslavia through its war mongering reporting. (more…)

Donor: Institute of Federalism Fribourg (Switzerland)
Duration of the project: January – December 1997

Since its establishment in 1995 the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights has endeavoured to contribute to better respect of human rights in Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. One of the experiences gained by its members and collaborators is that the human rights situation in one country cannot be studied as a special and limited field, isolated from the general situation in the country. Human rights are not implemented and enjoyed in a social vacuum.  Norms prescribing, guaranteeing and protecting human and civil rights must be a part of a social, economic and political system creating favourable – or at least minimal – preconditions for success. (more…)