Strengthening Democracy Efforts in Kosovo through Peacebuilding Initiative
Project Description:
Strengthening Democracy in Kosovo through Peace-Building Initiatives, funded by United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). The project began in April 2007 and will be completed by October 2009. The overall goal of the project is to reduce interethnic conflict in targeted communities in Kosovo through initiatives that strengthen reconciliation.
Projects specific objectives are:
1. Strengthening the capacities of the community based organizations and civil society organizations to effectively participate in conflict resolution activities
2. Strengthening the capacities of local governments to undertake interethnic dialogue and joint development activities aiming to facilitate networking among individuals from across communities. With this project CARE will work closely with municipal government authorities and civil society organizations in undertaking activities aimed at supporting them to address and manage inter-ethnic conflict at community level. The project will focus on capacity-building interventions aimed at increasing the quality of local government services to the communities with ethnically mixed populations, as a critical component for establishing trust and sound working relationships between municipalities and communities. Furthermore, the project will focus on supporting civil society organizations and municipal governments to identify the root causes of conflict and ways of addressing them, in order to end the cyclical nature of violence in Kosovo. The project will be implemented through two Local NGOs -partners aiming to strengthen the capacities of civil society organizations to effectively participate and manage interethnic dialogue between different communities and increase their participation in decision making process at local governance.
Selection of 2 Local NGOs: Syri I Vizionit from Peje/Pec and Communication for Social Development from Gracanice/Gracanica for partnering with CARE during the implementation of the SDEKPI Project has taken place during this period.
Moreover, preliminary assessment of the organizational capacities of the two local NGOs including the assessment of capacities on conflict resolution and peace building initiatives/activities as well as their interest/eagerness to take part in SDEKPI Project was carried out throughout this period.
Based on the assessment of capacities on conflict resolution and peace building carried out with two local NGOs we will design the capacity building plan for both: Syri I Vizionit and Communication for Social Development.
