Projects in 2009
In 2009 the organization had the largest number of projects. This year was worked in 15 long-term projects but also in many other projects in partnership, some voluntary campaigns and actions were done and was worked to strengthen existing partnerships and to support other organizations with the aim of strengthening them. Syri i Vizionit is now part of all civil society organisms in Kosovo and plays an important role in its organization. So in these partnerships in network during the year are conducted three wide activities that have engaged a number of thousands of participants in Kosovo: Democracy in Action, Coalition for RECOM and ad-hoc coalition of civil society against rising electricity tariff.
As part of "Democracy in action" created for the 2007 elections, also for the local elections of 2009, SIV has monitored the campaign and elections in five municipalities in the region of Peja.
As part of ad-hoc coalition of civil society against rising electricity tariff, the NGO Syri i Vizionit together with 5 other NGOs (FOL 08, KCIC, KDI, INPO and CBM) during January and February 2009 have collected 10,529 signatures in Kosovo (in the region of Peja SiV has collected over 2000 signatures). The petition was submitted in Kosovo Parliament, the President and other institutions. Petition has had great resonance in the public and affected that Regulatory Authority of electrical power to not take into account all the requirements that came from KEK, among which the foremost was that of increasing the cost of electricity in Kosovo by 30 percent
During this year Syri i Vizionit within initiative for RECOM (initiative to create the mandate for a regional commission on truth in former Yugoslavia States) has had engagements in several directions at the local level, but also Kosovo and regional level. At the local level in the region of Peja were held consultations with civil society, which in the initiative were joined over 20 organizations from the region of Peja. At the Kosovo level NGO Eye of Vision is a partner along with about 10 other organizations in this initiative. In the context of regional partnerships Syri i Vizionit has participated in several activities held outside of Kosovo in order to create a regional commission. Cooperation project with One World from 2008 this year has continued with the portal only two months, and then continued with a journalism course. This course was attended by 12 young people from Peja which have learned a basic course of journalism, reporting in print and electronic media and preparation of web pages. As a result of the course students their selves opened an information portal named Pinfop in three languages in which are being published articles with youth topics and other various topics
During this year with FIQ partners were held several debates about safety in Raushiq. Also with FIQ was held a debate on transparency in Peja, and another television debate on findings of citizen complaints.
Within the MOBKOS project, 15 volunteers weekly have done a research on the traffic in Peja municipality that will serve the municipality for better urban planning.
PROJECTS:
Project Title: Increasing public oversight in the rule of law in Kosovo
Duration: 12 months (November 2009 - September 2010)
Location: Kosovo (SIV covers Peja municipality)
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit in partnership with FIQ
Total budget: $ 76.858 ($ 6,016 for Peja)
Donor: National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD)
Purpose of Project: This project aims to increase public oversight in the rule of law. Project will design and support the Kosovo Action Plan for European Partnership (APEP) in the field of law enforcement, offer suggestions for the design and implementation of this plan and to strengthen the capacity of six local NGOs to do the monitoring of law enforcement at the local level. By focusing on the rule of law sector, the project raises the capacity of civil society where people of Kosovo need the most to help their rights for free access, equitable and beneficial to the justice system regardless of nationality, gender, disability or political view, this project will also help the Kosovo media to have an active and informational role in monitoring the fulfillment of human rights in the rule of law sector.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of the project are the citizens of Kosovo, in a sense security in four sectors: human trafficking, immigration, police, and court. Beneficiaries are also institutions dealing with security, including six municipalities where the project is realized (Gjilan, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Gjakova, Prizren and Peja), associations that deal with this topic and civil society in general.
Project Title: Youth and Social Dialogue
Duration: 24 months (January 2009 to December 2011)
Location: Kosovo
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit in partnership with the Swiss Labour Assistance - SLA
Budget: € 8.000 during 2009
Donor: Swiss Development Agency - SDC, Swiss Labour Assistance
Project Purpose: Strengthening youth sector unions and youth organizations as a preparation and as a contribution to social dialogue, through a competition for projects, conferences and further education.
Beneficiaries: Direct beneficiaries are initiative members of youth organizations and youth sectors of unions, who engage in particular for youth and employment issues (unemployment, labor rights, etc.). Beneficiaries of the latter will be employed (youth), who benefit from the activities and campaigns and also by strengthened unions and by public awareness and decision-making political forces, on topics of social dialogue.
Project Title: "Rural Perspective" -Dialogue in the dairy sector
Duration: 12 months (01 January 2009 - 31 December 2009)
Location: Kosovo
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit in partnership with the Swiss Labour Assistance - SLA
Budget: € 51.000
Donor: Swiss Development Agency - SDC, Swiss Labour Assistance
Project purpose: Activation and the institutionalization of dialogue in the dairy sector, strengthening the organizations of interest groups and the establishment of industrial relations between them. By improving negotiating skills of dairy farmers and a suitable debutante platform, dialogue between important representatives of the dairy sector will be institutionalized and will lead to increased milk production in the sector. The project aims to influence the establishment of dairy farmers' incomes and improve living conditions of families in rural areas.
Beneficiaries: The direct beneficiaries of the project are representatives of key organizations and stakeholders of the dairy sector in particular representatives and members of the Association of Dairy Producers of Kosovo and the Association of Dairy Processors of Kosovo. Indirect beneficiaries are the families of farmers who live in rural areas and deal with milk production.
Project Title: Assistance in implementing MOBKOS I
Duration: 4 months (September 2009 - March 2010)
Location: Kosovo, Municipality of Peja
Implementing Organization (s): "Syri i Vizionit" MOBKOS program, Municipality of Peja
Budget: € 14,135
Donor: Flemish Government (Belgium) in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the support of the Municipality of Peja
Project Purpose: This project aims to increase the awareness of citizens and institutions in relation to urban mobility.
Beneficiaries: Direct beneficiaries are municipalities and the Ministry that collect information that they need about spatial planning, and take suggestions and ideas of experts on urban mobility, organizations and activists concerned with the environment and urbanism, and finally citizens of Peja by promoting campaign for the use of bicycles and parking in order to alleviate urban traffic.
Project Title: Preventing Conflict in Kosovo
Duration: 01 Apr 2009 - 30 September 2011
Location: Kosovo (Peja, Klina, Istok, Mitrovica, Gjilan, Kamenica and Novoberdo)
Implementing Organization(s): CARE International Kosovo and ProPeace Platform (Syri i Vizionit within ProPeace covers Peja, Klina and Istok municipalities)
Budget: € 930.000 (realized by ProPeace)
Donor: European Commission
Project Purpose: Promotion of sustainable peace by encouraging a greater leadership of civil society and political participation among young people of Kosovo.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project will be groups of young people in 8 municipalities in with multi-ethnic population in which the project will be developed. These young people and NGOs will be part of the project and will work together in creating an early warning system. Municipalities will also benefit from the project because they will be provided with continuous information on the situation on field.
Project Title: - Promotion of accountability and efficiency of democratic institutions in Kosovo.
Duration: (October 2008-September 2009)
Location: Peja
Implementing organization: Syri i Vizionit
Budget: $ 5,241
Donor: FIQ-NED
Project Purpose: The project aims to promote accountability and efficiency of democratic institutions in Kosovo and strengthening of civil society oversight. Also to measure the accountability and efficiency of the institutions of the country, so to register the experiences of citizens with local institutions, so that these experiences, results to be shared with the wide public and institutions.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project are all citizens of Peja, because they will have the opportunity to exercise their civic right to local institutions demanding accountability from public services.
Project Title: BRIDGE (Bridging Rights Initiatives in support to Democracy, Good Governance and Equity)
Duration: 24 months (January 2009 - December 2010)
Location: Klina, Istok, Peja, Decan, Gjakova
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit
Budget: € 98,957
Donor: European Commission
Project Purpose: The project aims to promote the marginalized groups of society, their empowerment through strengthening the organizations that represent them and increase their participation in decision-making. The project deals with the strengthening of civil society through the creation of joint councils in the municipalities that stimulate campaigns to promote human rights and democratic values.
Beneficiaries: Within this project the direct beneficiaries are more than 50 different informal organizations and groups operating in the Peja region, including four sectors: women, children, people with special needs and minority communities. Also within this project there are beneficiaries from local institutions of these municipalities, including departmental officials for human rights from the five municipalities of the Peja region.
Project Title: "Democracy in Action" - Elections 2009
Duration: 3 months (September-December 2009)
Location: Region of Peja (Peja, Klina, Istok, Decani and Junik)
Implementing Organization(s): "Syri i Vizionit" within the "Democracy in Action" coalition
Budget: is realized through KDI
Donor: USAID, ISC, NDI, German Embassy, Embassy of Switzerland, BTD, Olof Palme.
Project Purpose: "Democracy in Action" was established in order to monitor the parliamentary and local elections organized in November 2007 and aimed at raising the awareness of citizens to participate in elections. Besides "Syri i Vizionit” part of "Democracy in Action - Elections 2007" are 10 organizations: 1. Community Building Mitrovica (CBM); 2. Communication for Social Development (CSD); 3. Center for Civil Society Development (CCSD); 4. Developing Together (DT); 5. Forum for Democratic Initiatives (FID); 6. Initiative for Progress (INPO); 7. Kosovo Centre for International Cooperation (QKBN); 8. Kosova Democratic Institute (KDI); 9. Association "Mother Theresa"; 10. Kosova Institute for Research and Development of Politics (KIPRED).
Beneficiaries: Direct beneficiaries are the entire population of Kosovo. In particular, a number of people involved in the process as monthly and daily monitors have benefited from training on the process and the electoral system in Kosovo. Also through voter education campaigns have benefited all voters in general and in particular the undecided ones.
Project Title: Strengthening the Municipal Council for Community Safety, through the involvement of civil society
Duration: (April 2009 - June 2010)
Location: Peja
Implementing organization: Syri i Vizionit
Budget: $ 10,000
Donor: East West Management Institute (EWMI)
Project Purpose: This project aims to assist in the functioning of Council for Community Safety (MCSC) in Peja, mainly through the active involvement of civil society in the council.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project are the Municipal Assembly, civil society, representatives of communities and all citizens, as this council helps to increase security in the municipality of Peja.
Project Title: Development of the Action Strategy for Serbian Community 2010-2013 in municipality of Istok and support for mini projects in Peja
Duration: 1 year (January - December 2009)
Location: Istok
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit
Budget: € 21,497
Donor: Olof Palme Center
Project Purpose: This project aims to strengthen and support the Serb community in Istok municipality by developing a three-year community action plan in this municipality, which will be drafted based on the needs generated by community itself. This document as an action plan will be provided to the municipality, donors and the community. In the other part, project supports four initiatives from the strategy drafted in Peja in 2008.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiary of the project first of all is the Serb community in Istok and Peja municipalities. The municipality of Istok and Serb communities have received an action plan for the next three years. Community focus groups in eight localities of the municipality and municipal officials have received training and skills to present community needs in the best way possible. In Peja beneficiaries are women of Gorazdevac, the NGO "Briga", youth and pensioners of the village, while also have benefiting residents of Bellopja and Levosha.
Project Title: Building inter-institutional action plan for the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities
Duration: 5 months (August 2009 - December 2009)
Location: Istok - Peja
Implementing Organization(s): Syri i Vizionit
Budget: € 17,127
Donor: KFOS – Soros
Project purpose: The purpose of this project is to empower and mobilize the communities: the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities as a way of providing a long-term action plan, an inter-institutional municipal plan based on provisions of the Kosovo Government strategy on Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities involvement and action Strategy for RAE communities drafted a year ago from "Syri i Vizionit". By doing this, the project supports the integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians in general.
Beneficiaries: As part of this project, the direct beneficiaries are various community groups, councils with youth of Roma, Egyptian and Ashkali communities of Peja and Klina municipalities. Around 70 beneficiaries completed language and computer courses in Peja and Istok municipalities, municipal officials and community organizations have been part of this program.
Duration: 12 months (January 2009 - December 2009)
Location: Klina - Istok
Implementing Organization (s): Syri i Vizionit
Budget: € 32,214
Donor: Olof Palme Center
Project Purpose: This project aims to empower and mobilize the RAE communities in order to ensure that the provisions contained in the 2007 Strategy of Kosovo Government for the inclusion of RAE communities to be returned to practice at the municipal level.
Beneficiaries: The project has two types of beneficiaries, the beneficiaries from the drafting of strategy for the municipality of Klina, and beneficiaries who have been beneficiaries of small grants in Istok and Peja municipalities. Included were representatives of communities of neighborhoods, villages of Peja, Klina and Istok municipalities, also as direct beneficiaries have been the focus groups that were formed a year earlier in Peja and Istok municipalities, as well as the focus groups which are formed during this year in the municipality of Klina. Also direct beneficiaries have been the municipal officials from the Office of Communities and the Office of Return. Beneficiaries were also various groups and various community organizations which have also won various grants during the year.
Project Title: Return and Reintegration in Kosovo (RRK II)
Duration: 24 months (September 2009 - September 2011)
Location: The municipalities of Klina, Ferizaj, Obiliq and Rahovec
Implementing Organization (s): Syri i Vizionit in partnership with DRC (carrying the project)
Budget: € 48,600
Donor: European Commission Liaison Office and the Ministry of Returns and Communities through the Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
Project Purpose: This project aims to support the reintegration of minority communities in the municipalities of Klina, Ferizaj, Obiliq and Rahovec, the mobilization of other local institutions and society in support of reintegration, community stabilization and support of the sustainable return of displaced persons and social and economic reintegration activities through increased involvement of municipal authorities. As an important part of the project is socio-economic reintegration of returnees, which will be led by Local Action Groups, LAG.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project include at least 160 families from minority communities, internally displaced or refugees in Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, who are informed and supported through social and economic reintegration activities to return to Kosovo in Ferizaj Klina, Obiliq and Rahovec municipalities as well as the host community and municipal authorities which are responsible for return and reintegration of families.
Project Title: "Impact of Local Groups of Interest in the Decision - Making at Central Level"
Duration: July 2009 - May 2011
Location: Kosovo, Peja, Decani, Klina and Istok municipalities
Implementing Organization (s): Syri iI Vizionit
Budget: $ 61,846
Donor: ISC – USAID
Project purpose: The purpose of the project is to enable the impact of Local Groups of Interest (municipalities, civil society, community) in decision-making at the central level in drafting laws. The project aims to create a mechanism for the laws that are adopted and will be adopted at the central level, to start an initiative by the interest groups that come from the local level and to influence at local level in the entire territory of Kosovo (Law on Forests was selected specifically) to create a mechanism of transmitting the recommendations of interest groups for those laws at the central level.
Beneficiaries: The beneficiaries of this project are Peja, Klina, Decani and Istok municipalities, 23 MPs that come from these municipalities, organizations dealing with environment and the community in a wider sense.