The “Together with Proactive Citizens” event in Brčko focused on promoting citizen participation in decision-making. A key message from the meeting was that true activism begins with individuals leading by example and engaging actively in their community.
The event brought together representatives of civil society organizations from BiH, local activists, and representatives of local authorities in the District of Brčko and neighboring municipalities.
As the organizers announced, the gathering aimed to facilitate the exchange of experiences and ideas for developing local civil society organizations. The goal was to help them better define the priority needs of citizens in their communities and to communicate their ideas and demands to the authorities effectively.
The participants also presented the issues they will address with their social campaigns and discussed how they plan to use existing mechanisms for citizen participation.
“We held 160 meetings in seven local communities and, in collaboration with civil society organizations, identified key areas for improving people’s lives in those communities. Today’s event marks the start of efforts to improve these key areas. Meetings are also ongoing in seven more local communities across BiH. So far, we have engaged with over 2000 citizens who have identified more than 700 issues in their local communities,” said Slaviša Prorok, manager of the PRAGG project.
Active participation of citizens, particularly those who are marginalized, in advocacy and developing public policies through civil society organizations helps strengthen the community.
PRAGG will support civil society organizations in amplifying citizens’ voices through participation in democratic processes.
The conclusion of today’s event is that addressing the problems citizens identify in their communities is a crucial step towards a better life and positive social changes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
PRAGG is funded by the Government of Switzerland and implemented by a consortium of HELVETAS and NIRAS, in partnership with local partners – Centers for Civic Initiatives (CCI) and the Institute for Youth Development KULT.
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