“INCLUSION OF FOREIGNERS IN WESTERN BALKANS – ACCESS TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS” – MYLA’S NEW PARTNERSHIP PROJECT

Macedonian Young Lawyers Association (MYLA) started implementing the project “Inclusion of Foreigners in Western Balkans – Access to Social and Economic Rights (FOSTER)” under the program Support to Regional thematic networks of Civil Society Organizations; Small scale projects in support of good neighborly relations between Serbia and Kosovo*; Regional CSOs networks promoting media freedom and freedom of expression; and Quality Journalism initiative EuropeAid/174154/DH/ACT/Multi.

MYLA is the project lead, in cooperation with partner organizations from the Western Balkans included in the informal network Balkan Refugee and Migration Council (BRMC) and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

Partners of MYLA in the implementation of the project are the organizations Group 484 and the Belgrade Center for Human Rights from Serbia; Albanian Helsinki Committee from Albania; Legal Center from Montenegro; Your rights from Bosnia and Herzegovina; Kosovo Civil Rights Program and the Danish Refugee Council.

The main goal of the project is compliance with EU principles for the protection of human rights through the development of inclusive and non-discriminatory policies and effective inclusion practices for vulnerable categories of foreigners as a prerequisite for a successful approximation process with the EU and sustainable development in the Western Balkans.

Target groups are local CSOs and independent institutions for human rights in the countries of the Western Balkans.
Beneficiaries are vulnerable foreigners in the countries of the Western Balkans (regular and irregular migrants, refugees, victims of various crimes); relevant government institutions and organizations, courts, media, the academic community and the citizens of the Western Balkans.

Activities:

• Identification of CSOs and assessment of their capacities for service delivery and rights protection.
• Capacity building and networking of CSOs and independent human rights institutions throughout the Republic of Serbia with a focus on advocacy, promotion and protection of social and economic rights and access to services for vulnerable foreigners
• Support of up to 24 national and 6 regional projects for the protection of the fundamental rights of foreigners and mentoring of NGOs
• Advocacy activities for harmonization of policies, legal framework and practice in ZB

The project activities in a broader sense contribute to strengthening the capacities of civil society organizations and institutions and to the compliance with EU principles for the protection of human rights through the development of inclusive policies and practices for foreigners.

The total duration of the project is 42 months (March 1, 2023- August 31, 2026). The project is implemented in six countries from the Western Balkans (North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina) and each of the partner organizations is responsible for the implementation of the project activities in their country.

Collaborators of the project are the Commission for Prevention and Protection from Discrimination of North Macedonia; Defender of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro; Protector of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia; Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Serbia; Ombudsman of Kosovo.

You can find more information on the project here.