Helsinki Citizens' Assembly
Banja Luka
Krfska 84, 78000 Banja Luka
Tel: + 387 51 432 751
Fax:+ 387 51 432 752
E-mail: hcabl@blic.net

 

Helsinki Citizens' Assembly (hCa) Banja Luka was officially registered on August 16th 1996 as a local nongovernmental organisation in Republika Srpska/Bosnia and Herzegovina . Since then, hCa Banja Luka has been actively involved in promotion, strengthening and networking of civil initiatives both locally and regionally in South Eastern Europe , working on reconciliation and empowerment of depressed and disadvantaged groups.

-  Our mission: hCa Banja Luka is an organisation that supports and stimulates autonomy and freedom of all citizens, involving depressed social groups in democratic processes, particularly women and youth.

-  Our vision: Society of equal opportunities for all .

Nowadays hCa Banja Luka is an advocacy and support organization as well as a resource centre directing its actions into three main program areas:

-  Strengthening civil society and transformation of public institutions into a citizens' service Through: Creating conditions for communication and influence between civil society and public institutions; Planning, designing and implementing advocacy campaigns with interested disadvantaged groups through partnerships; Creation of Peace Forum on local and regional level

-  Advocacy for Gender equality Through: networking and supporting initiatives related to gender issues; empowerment of women that are currently largest marginalized group, in particular women in public and political life; education of women and men in gender issues; training and developing skills in women; research and analysis of current policies; campaigning

-  Creating conditions for more intensive involvement of youth in public life Through: networking and supporting initiatives related to youth issues; empowerment of youth in trainings and developing skills; campaigning; research and analyses

Such policy supports disadvantaged and marginalized groups to gather in a stronger public movement that will become a corrective factor to governance structures. At the same time, hCa Banja Luka has never forgotten the importance of processes of trauma healing and facing the past, which have to be a basis for reconciliation.

- Educational programs - hCa Banja Luka gathers experienced trainers, who organise and lead trainings for hCa and other organisations in fields: capacity building of NGOs (strategic planning, fundraising, campaign, public relations...), non-violent communication, conflict resolution, human rights and gender equality.

hCa Banja Luka is a member of several local, regional and international networks: The Citizens' Alternative Parliament of BiH, Citizens' Pact for SEE, hCa International etc.

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Even before the official registration a group of intellectuals interested in improvement in the war-torn country started communication over ethnic and entity borders, made contacts with other civil groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Europe that supported us in incorporating and actions (Citizens' Forum Tuzla, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Tuzla, Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Sarajevo, hCa International).

To the end of 1990s the organizations' activities were mostly focused on opening a civil forum for discussion about the future of the country, confidence building among groups of different ethnic, religious and political background, promotion of freedom of movement...

Such programs have been a contribution to trauma healing process led by numerous local and international organizations at that time.

At the end of 1990s along with this process hCa Banja Luka started to make the first steps towards creation of public movement ready to advocate for improvements of situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, through awareness raising, trainings and conferences about democratic principles and reorganised its activities in accordance to that.

 

SOME PROJECTS HCA BANJA LUKA HAS IMPLEMENTED:

-  "National minorities: Cotenants, not Subtenants" - Registration and empowering of the Alliance of National Minorities of Republika Srpska and other associations of national minorities, raising awareness about their problems, campaigning for improvement of their status. Partner: Association of Czechs in RS “Ceska Beseda”. Financed by: European Union

-  "From Local to Global Dialogue" - opening communications between citizens and municipal institutions of Banja Luka , through TV broadcasts, public discussions on functioning of municipal governance and monthly information bulletin. Financed by: European Union

-  "Woman Today" - Serial of public discussions for women on different issues of interest has been implemented since 1997. In 1999 the project was enlarged and apart of public discussions workshops on gender equality were organised. In 2000 TV shows, there were workshops for women politicians on media advocacy and regional round table discussions in order to build self-confidence and skills, particularly before the elections. Partner: “United Women” Banja Luka . Financed by: Kvinna Till Kvinna

-  "Woman and Law" - Free legal assistance for women and SOS telephone line for victims of family violence opened in 1997. Since then the telephone line has received 3652 calls from women, mostly victims of family violence and offered legal and psychosocial assistance to 2793 women. Partner: United Women Banja Luka . Financed by: Kvinna Till Kvinna

-  "Women in BiH: Be Seen, Be Heard" - Support, promotion and empowerment of women in public life. The activities started in 2002 with a serial of trainings for women politicians and NGO activists, continued in 2003 with train the trainers program to educate women to work independently in their regions; researches on women's status in BiH and promotional booklets. Partner: Interchurch Peace Council, The Netherlands . Financed by: Hivos

-  "Youth Network of BiH" - Since 1997 coordination of work and activities in partnership with hCa Tuzla, of an informal network of non-party organizations, groups and individuals that meet the needs of youth in both entities, actively involving them in building of democracy and strengthening of civil society. Numerous meetings, conferences, summer schools, workshops and campaigns for members of the Network were organised. Nowadays the Network gathers 150 members, youth NGOs and individuals from 52 cities and towns in BiH, grouped in six program areas. Financed by: Olof Palme International Center ; NED; Cordaid; Press Now; Heinrich Boell Stiftung; OSCE

-  "Future" - Education of teachers and students of elementary schools in Republic of Srpska in developing non-violent communication and improving multicultural cooperation in sixty schools in Republic of Srpska (2001-2002). The activities involved 120 teachers and about 3600 students of elementary schools. Classes of non-violent communication are incorporated in school curricula and material printed in the project is used as manuals. Partner: Education Institute of Republika Srpska . Financed by: European Union

-  "Alternative = Peace" - serial of seminars for youth activists from the region of former Yugoslavia on peace building, and a conference that involved 60 participants of the program (2001/2002). Financed by: Westminster Foundation for Democracy

-  "Leaders" - Program for youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1999/2002), serial of workshops for youth on non-violent communication, conflict resolution and strategic planning as a support to the peace building processes and empowerment of youth activists in BiH. At the beginning the program involved youth NGO activists and later it was spread to youth from political parties. Financed by: Westminster Foundation for Democracy

-  " Bosnia and Herzegovina , Peace and Integration from below" - PHARE project 1997/1998 , joint project of hCa Prague , Tuzla and Sarajevo .

-  session of Civil Dialogue Bosnia and Herzegovina, FR Yugoslavia, Republic of Croatia – we organised the meeting in partnership with Citizen's Forum Tuzla, Antiwar Campaign Zagreb and Belgrade circle; Topic "Economic, social and political aspects of reconstruction and development" (Banja Luka, June 1997)

-  Executive organiser of 2nd session " Dayton – Continued in BiH" , with topic "Civil society in BiH, disturbed or stimulated by the international organizations" (Banja Luka, June 1997) in partnership with Law Centre Sarajevo and hCa International.

Women's Conference "Room for Conversation" - Project implemented in partnership with hCa Sarajevo and hCa Tuzla in Zenica (June 1996), Banja Luka (December 1996) and Mostar (July 1997).