Dialogue, Consultation, Empowerment – Protecting and Strengthening Civic Space in Cyprus

Grantee: Civil Society Advocates
Call: Protecting and Promoting EU rights and values
Project Duration: 12 months
Budget: 29.987,82€
Country: Cyprus
Location: National level

The aim of the project is to protect and strengthen the Civic Space in Cyprus. The overall aim is expected to be reached by achieving specific objectives, which are:

  1. The improvement of cooperation between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and public authorities, as a result of the development and implementation of a structured dialogue process
  2. Strengthening cooperation between CSOs and enhancing their capacities to carry out advocacy activities and perform their watchdog role in an effective and strategic manner
  3. Τhe implementation of advocacy actions aimed at creating a more enabling regulatory environment for CSOs, as well as the effective participation of CSOs in policy-making processes. The project includes the following activities: Strategic planning workshop, coordinating meetings with the NGO Initiative Group, evaluation and monitoring of the implementation of the Law on Associations and Foundations (Law 104(I)/2017) and its implementation policies, evaluation and monitoring of the measures and practices adopted to comply with the recommendations on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism, and an exchange of good practices seminar on structured cooperation between CSOs and public authorities

Target groups:

The main target groups are Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and public authorities.

Activities: 

  • Organisation of a strategic planning workshop with the participation of 24 CSO representatives.
  • Organisation of six coordination meetings with the NGO Initiative Group, an informal network engaged in monitoring and influencing legislative reforms affecting the operation of NGOs in Cyprus.
  • Publication of two reports evaluating the implementation of the ‘Law on Associations and Foundations’ and the measures adopted to comply with the recommendations of MONEYVAL and FATF. The reports were prepared in collaboration with the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) and expert Emina Nuredinoska.
  • Organisation of two open consultations with CSOs, with 43 participants.
    Meetings with public authorities and other stakeholders, including the Ministry of Interior, the Commissioner for the Citizen, the Advisory Authority to Combat Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (Ministry of Finance), and Cyprus Banks Association.
  • Organisation of a good practices exchange conference titled ‘Implementation Challenges of NGO Law: Building Trust Between Government and Civil Society’, attended by 25 participants.
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