Dimitrie Chupovski 16A-1/4
Skopje
North Macedonia
- Democracy and community development
Founded in 2004 as a place for pro-active communication and cooperation of all relevant social actors, NGO Info-centre provided direct communication and cooperation with the media, as well as capacity building for CSOs. It has 5 member Managing Board, Executive Manager and 3-member permanent staff. The organization is predominantly donor funded (from Olof Palme International Centre, EU, USAID, Balkan Trust for Democracy, US Embassy in Skopje, etc.), with small percentage of own incomes. Average annual turnover in the last 5 years is approximately 100.000 euro. Advocacy activities: research, analysis, monitoring, policy documents, meetings; Promotional activities: web and social networks, announcements, info-graphics, multimedia, press conferences, briefings, public events (debates, forums, conferences), campaigns; Trainings, workshops, etc.
NGO Infocentre has a vision of open, developed and free democratic society based on rule of law and respect for human rights, society of enlightened and proactive citizens who live in welfare and nurtures dignity, equality, solidarity and fairness. The NGO Infocentre works dedicatedly to create a culture of continuous and proactive participation of citizens in political and social processes through continuous education and emancipation, as well as through public advocacy to liberate public space from centres of influence and power. As a professional and independent organization that works in an open and transparent manner, involves and has equal approach to all people and social groups, values its integrity, credibility and approaches the (natural) resources and the environment in a responsible fashion. The NGO Infocentre is led by several key values in its efforts to follow and achieve its long-term goal of creation of an open, developed and free democratic society. The NGO Infocentre shall always aim to reflect its internal values in the organization climate and culture, as well as in its relations with external partners and other target groups, including the public (expert and general).
In the past decade, in the midst of political and health turmoil in the country, the organization, while suffering strong governmental pressure, successfully implemented various projects for promoting and defending of the right to freedom of expression in the broadest sense and of the right to free civic association; raised the issue and supported the Census in Macedonia by successful national campaign about importance of census and creating and conducting quality and non-discriminatory demographic policies; participated in the monitoring of the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and responsibility of the regulatory bodies for media; established cooperation with Ombudsman in the efforts to recognize the degree of influence of the Ombudsman; worked on promotion and support of investigative journalism; conducted a partnership project for promotion of anticorruption and successfully implements project for better utilization of EU funds; contributed to greater integrity, efficiency, transparency and accountability of the inspectorates on local level while establishing cooperation with more than 200 local inspectors from 67 municipalities; contributed towards neutralization of social media negative influence by providing evidence-based information on Covid-19 vaccination process; was actively involved in establishing and coordinating national coalition Forum for Civic Dialog as a platform to promote and to enhance dialogue between citizens and local governments, while encouraging and supporting citizens’ engagement, community cooperation and building new alliances; and finally supported active involvement of local governments in including citizens in developing local policies and decision-making processes while actively involving municipalities and empowering local CSOs to improve their organizational capacities for fund raising, mobilization of citizens, active involvement of creating local policies and improved communication capabilities.
Many of NGO Info-centres’ projects involve other CSOs and civic initiatives both as partners and as collaborators. Open and fair communication and cooperation with national and local institutions is long term practice of NGO Info-centre, especially when they are active participants in project implementation. We have well established network of 15 small local NGOs (from small and medium municialities). NGO Info-centre is also e leader of the informal Forum for Civil Dialog (FCD network) that operates in 9 municipalities in RNM. We have well established expertise in PR and communication, media monitoring, and CSO capacity building. NGO Info-centre focused its activities on promoting human and political rights, transparency and accountability of national and local governments, participatory democracy and active citizenship, freedom of expression and independent media, and primarily has been focused on CSOs, youth, women, media, national and local government and public institutions. The organization possesses sufficient technical and analytical capabilities and competence for continuous advocacy and watchdog activities, research, data storage and sufficient experience to perform mentorship, trainings and workshops. It also gained sufficient technical and administrative experience in managing and implementing donor funded projects.
From NGO Info-centres` perspective as an organization we expect partner collaboration that will enable us to work on reaching organization’s goals, at the same time overcoming existing organization’s weaknesses. NGO Info-centre has longstanding cooperation with local and regional CSOs from which our organization has benefited greatly in building the organization’s capacities and becoming a significant actor in promoting participatory democracy. It is very important for NGO Info-centre to further expand the cooperation with partner organizations in the region and EU.