ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Grassroots Democracy Projects Grassroots Democracy Projects Rationale A programme to encourage the development and implementation of national and local initiatives to promote In order to take better advantage of the OSCE’s expertise on human rights and democracy through low-cost, high-impact human dimension issues, the ODIHR created the grass-roots projects was established by the ODIHR in 1999. Ever since mechanism to support and fund small projects initiated by then, the ODIHR has provided support and funding to spe- local actors and implemented in conjunction with OSCE mis- cific projects across the human dimension through this pro- sions and field offices. Encouraging such mission initiatives gramme, highlighting co-operation between OSCE field of- has increased the scope of the OSCE’s human dimension fices and local actors. In 2003, the ODIHR supported 28 field activities, much of which is aimed at conflict prevention projects in nine countries. and conflict resolution in local areas. It has harnessed the comparative advantages of missions by drawing on their Objectives knowledge of local conditions and actors, improving the
To encourage the development and implementation of national and local initiatives to promote human rights and democratization as a conflict-prevention and -resolution tool; supervision of project implementation. cost-effectiveness of projects and enhancing on-the-ground The ODIHR has increased its support for such mission initiatives. The ODIHR provides technical advice and assists as
To support and expand the human rights and democratization activities of OSCE missions and field offices, in co-operation with the ODIHR; and necessary in identifying international experts. OSCE missions and field offices have all been invited to submit project proposals for consideration for ODIHR support.
To provide a regular source of support for grass-roots human rights and democracy initiatives developed by OSCE missions and field offices in their local areas. Eligibility Projects eligible for funding under this initiative should be small-scale efforts aimed at advancing particular aspects of Background human rights and/or democracy in the relevant mission’s National and local authorities, as well as OSCE missions and host country. The projects may, for example, deal with rule field offices, have increasingly turned to the ODIHR for ex- of law, NGO development, human rights education, advanc- pertise and assistance in implementing small-scale human ing gender equality, supporting human rights institutions, or rights and democratization projects developed by the mis- other aspects of the human dimension. sions. In 1999, the ODIHR developed the Grassroots Projects initiative to support these efforts. With ODIHR support, Preference is given to projects that include local partners in six OSCE missions and field presences successfully imple- implementation and strengthen the capacity of local part- mented 13 grass-roots projects during the programme’s ners to make sustained contributions to human rights or first year, reviewing legislation, raising public awareness of democracy. At the same time, however, grass-roots projects human rights, supporting NGO development, building are not intended to be an NGO funding mechanism; rather, bridges among ethnic groups, and advancing the rights of OSCE field offices are expected to be actively involved in im- women, as well as other valuable initiatives. Since then, the plementation or supervision of projects. programme has expanded, supporting 20 projects in 2000, 33 in 2001, 16 in 2002, and 28 projects in 2003 in collabo- In general, projects under this grass-roots initiative should ration with 11 OSCE field presences. cost less than 5,000 euros. 69