About the ReLOaD project

The Regional Program of Local Democracy in the Western Balkans (ReLOaD) is a three-year project (February 2017-February 2020), financed by the European Union (EU), and implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

ReLOaD is based on the positive experiences of the Strengthening of Local Democracy (LOD) project, which was implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina by UNDP, with financial support from the EU, and which serves as an example of good practice that is now used as a model throughout the Western Balkans. As a regional initiative, the ReLOaD project is implemented in Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo* and Serbia.

Given its regional presence, ReLOaD will function as a platform for networking the countries/territories of the Western Balkans, and for the exchange of experiences and lessons learned related to better provision of services to citizens.

The goal of the ReLOaD project is to strengthen partnerships between local authorities and civil society in the Western Balkans, by expanding the successful model of transparent project financing of civil society organizations from municipal budgets, aimed at greater citizen participation in decision-making processes and improving the level of service provision in local communities.

ReLOaD will improve the financial mechanisms through which municipalities, financed by civil society organizations, will implement priority activities for local development, in cooperation with civil society organizations. In this way, the ReLOaD project, in partnership with local authorities throughout the Western Balkans, will contribute to increasing the involvement of civil society in decision-making processes and improving the level of service provision to citizens.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the ReLOaD project cooperates with 21 local self-government units:

Banja Luka, Bratunac, Bijeljina, Brod, Centar, Sarajevo, Gradačac, Jablanica, Kakanj, Maglaj, Modriča, Pale, Rudo, Sokolac, Stari Grad, Sarajevo, Teslić, Tešanj, Travnik, Trebinje, Tuzla, Vitez, Vogošća

In these local self-government units, ReLOaD will focus its activities on working with representatives of the municipal administration, municipal councils and civil society organizations, and improving their capacities to improve cooperation between local authorities and civil society organizations.

In local self-government units in Bosnia and Herzegovina that have already adopted a legal framework for the transparent allocation of funds for projects of civil society organizations, ReLOaD will work on its more intensive implementation and ensuring the sustainability of such a system. In local self-government units that do not already have an adopted legal framework, the ReLOaD project will work on its adoption and its implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Selected partner municipalities and cities undertake to transparently finance projects of public interest, which will be implemented by civil society organizations, with the aim of improving living conditions for all citizens.

In selected municipalities and cities, the ReLOaD project will support the implementation of 80 projects of civil society organizations, and it is expected that about 20,000 citizens in Bosnia and Herzegovina will benefit from these projects.Special attention will be devoted to projects that provide social services for the most vulnerable categories of society, projects that work to improve gender equality and environmental protection, and projects that deal with human rights issues.

The essence of the ReLOaD project is the application of transparent, project-based financing of civil society organizations' projects that are based on local strategic documents and that are focused on citizens and their needs.

The Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina participates in the work of the ReLOaD project as a member of the Partnership Committee for Bosnia and Herzegovina together with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government, the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Association of Municipalities and Cities of the Republika Srpska and representatives of civil society.

Follow the ReLOaD project on Facebook:  RELOADWesternBalkans

*This designation does not call into question the positions on status and is in accordance with Resolution UNSCR 1244 and the Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

ReLOaD BiH infographic

ReLOaD BiH infographic

LOD methodology

LOD methodology

Publications

"Manual for non-governmental organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina"

Promotional video

„ReLOaD aktivnosti u 2018. godini“

“Zdrav kao dren!”

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju -  Stari romski zanati u Vitezu”

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju  -  Mala škola ribolova“

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju  -  Jake žene , jaka lokalna zajednica“

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju  -  Ekologija i teatar u Travniku“

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju  -  Stanovanje uz podršku za osobe sa invaliditetom

“Minuta za lokalnu demokratiju  - Jačanje građanskog učešća