Living Water: Civil network for the protection of rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Global map of Foreign development and humanitarian aid of the Czech Republic
Description: The aim of the project was to strengthen the capacity and cooperation of local NGOs in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the protection of natural river flows, the involvement of citizens in decision-making processes at the local level and the presentation of the situation in Bosnia at the international level.
SECTOR (OECD): Human rights
Budget in CZK: 1 806 700 Kč
Implementer: Arnika - the Center for Community Mobilization and Support
Funding organization/s: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
Partner organization/s: Center for Environment
Web links: www. english.arnika.org/bosnia-and-herzegovina www.eko.ba www.czzs.org www.rijekebih.org
Social networks: www.facebook.com/arnika.org https://www.facebook.com/CentarZaZivotnuSredinu https://www.facebook.com/koalicijazazastiturijekabih
Contact - implementer: Zuzana Vachůnová/ [email protected]/ +420 604 360 199 Viktor Bjelić/ [email protected]/ +387 654 444 54
Contact - gestor: https://www.mzv.cz/jnp/cz/zahranicni_vztahy/lidska_prava/index.html
Detailed description: One of the key environmental problems today is the uncontrolled boom in the construction of hydropower plants. Bosnia is one of the richest biodiversity countries in Europe, with a number of as yet unregulated watercourses. Information is currently available on the preparation of projects for the construction of several hundred power plants. Some buildings are to be located in areas with extremely rare and protected nature or even in sites where future inclusion in the European Natura 2000 network of protected areas is envisaged. Although Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the International Aarhus Convention on Access to Environmental Information, the Right of Public Participation in Decision-Making and the Right to Judicial Review of Decisions in 2008, citizens' awareness of legal instruments remains low, as is active participation in decision-making. . The project had four main goals: 1) Strengthening the capacity and cooperation of civic initiatives for river protection through the support of the established civic Coalition for Rivers. 2) Streamlining the involvement of local civic initiatives in decision-making processes by commenting on individual projects and holding round tables for politicians, public administrations, investors and the general public. 3) Raising public awareness through the media, the web and publications. 4) Increasing international pressure on the Bosnian authorities through the active participation of civil society in the Conference of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention and the preparation of a shadow report on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in BiH.
Results to date: 1) Created a strategic plan of the Coalition for Rivers and set up functional mechanisms for coordination and communication 2) Organized 2 coordination meetings of the Coalition, 6 round tables in localities endangered by the construction of hydroelectric power plants and 2 workshops on the possibilities of involving civil society in decision-making processes 3) 9 comments were submitted on permitting processes and on 4 strategy documents, 2 lawsuits and participation in 6 public hearings 4) Participation in the Conference of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention in Budva, Montenegro, where we presented a shadow report on the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina - ENG, BCS 5) A set for journalists on endangered rivers was organized, on the basis of which 1 photo report, 1 radio program, a two-part television documentary by Al Jazeera television and 16 articles and reports were published.
Project identifier: 9/2017/01
COUNTRY/EMBASSY: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nation-wide project: Nation-wide
Project location: All country
Project status: Completed