Under the ‘IRIS NETWORKing – CSOs for protection sensitive migration management’ project, we have developed one regional Balkan Briefings. Within the policy influencing pillar, this document serves to assess quality standards in migration management in the Western Balkan region.

The Balkan Briefings on the quality standards are providing a regional perspective on a) Process and requirements of service standardization; b) Adaptation of licensing system so that the conditions for CSOs are supporting; c) Services that are missing, and which are necessary to be supported; d) Support from local and national governments in achieving structural standards; e) Linking stakeholders from different sectors such as social welfare and education; f) Exchange of experiences with countries that already have a practice of licensing.

The briefings will involve a wide range of inputs aiming to introduce, advance, and monitor quality standards for social and legal services for the migrant population in WB.

Balkan briefings- September 2021

ANNEX 1- References

ANNEX 2- Questionnaires

ANNEX 3- Questionnarie analysis

ANNEX 4- List of relevant institutions

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 #socialservicesforall 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻!

The campaign is focusing on the promotion of the needs of social services beneficiaries and migration-related policies in the WB countries.

With the campaign itself, we wish to highlight the importance of social services provided by the civil society organizations in the countries of the region and their impact on the beneficiaries coming from the most vulnerable categories.

Through specific examples of our partners’ activities, who have initiated significant changes in their communities and beyond, we are hoping to contribute to the advocacy efforts for more inclusive policies.

Under the scope of the Project “IRIS NETWORKing – CSOs for protection sensitive migration management,” the IRIS Network has continuously conducted activities pertaining to policy processes. Shadow Reports (Country Shadow Reports (CSR) and Regional Shadow Report (RSR) as well as the Gap Assessment have been produced and will serve as a baseline for the online advocacy campaign. Throughout the campaign, we will attempt to pass the key messages and findings onto a large number of stakeholders in the region.

Apart from the overarching IRIS network regional campaign, each partner organization – IDC Serbia and ASB South East Europe, SOS Podgorica (Montenegro), LIR CD (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Отворена Порта – Open Gate: La Strada Macedonia (North Macedonia) and Nisma për Ndryshim Shoqëror, ARSIS (Albania) will conduct their own national campaigns.

We are happy to announce the beginning of a challenging yet exciting journey where a joint voice of IRIS Network members and partners will have a chance to resonate in unison on a series of significant topics.

Stay tuned for what we have to share in the upcoming period through the IRIS Network social media channels, individual social media of our respective partners, and finally at the series of national Public Hearing events.

IRIS NETWORKing

About IRIS Network

IRIS network is the only regional network that brings together CSOs social service providers in South East Europe. IRIS connects currently 200 member organizations that provide different types of social services to different vulnerable groups: people with disability, children, and youth at risk, women victims of family violence, refugees, asylum seekers, etc.

IRIS aims to strengthen the role of not-for-profit social service providers throughout SEE and to ensure that these organizations are recognized as equal partners by the public sector.

IRIS was founded in 2012 and from the mere beginning we had huge support from our partners in the European Union and in the CSF program.

About the Call

This call for applications is launched to invite interested and qualified candidates to submit their applications for Consultant/Expert in production of Regional Shadow reports.

All applications will be evaluated on the basis of expertise and experience.

Those candidates who are selected will be notified by the IRIS Network or ASB staff.

Please send the application to aleksandar.pavlovic@asb-see.org.

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The focus of the Shadow Reports should be monitoring of social inclusion policies in the area of employment, education, accommodation and health care.

The Regional Shadow Reports will consist of monitoring results related to Chapter 19 and Chapter 24 presented in the Shadow Reports for each of the countries – Albania, B&H, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

For scope of work, description of the assignment, responsibilities, requirements and other relevant information please see attached Terms of reference.

Relevant documents – the Terms of reference and Draft of the applicable Service contract and its special and general conditions  and General Conditions

The application should consist of:

1. CV – in English language,
2. References,
3. Recommendation letters or portfolio of previous work are welcome, but not obligatory.

In the period of 2019/2021, IRIS Network awarded 39 small grants to its members to improve their social service provision and enhance local initiatives for advocacy in the social sphere. Grants were distributed in amounts up to 8000 EUR in five countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia. In the publication Small Grants Scheme Newsletter we acknowledge the achievements of our member organizations.

Over thirty participants from the IRIS network gathered for the 𝗣𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 organized by the Network to discuss the biggest challenges in social protection and service provision triggered by COVID-19.

While the presenting organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Serbia shared their experiences in attaining financial sustainability and interaction at the local level, a vivid exchange was stirred on the variety of responses to the ongoing corona crisis.