Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Agenda – ICEDA

Project title: Increasing Civic Engagement in the Digital Agenda – ICEDA

Main goal of the project

Increasing the engagement of the civil society organizations (CSOs) in the shaping and implementation of the Digital Agenda in the Western Balkans (DAWB).

Specific objectives

1. To increase the capacity of CSOs and media for tackling challenges related to the Digital Agenda, empowering them to become active participants in the process.
2. To enhance the role of CSOs in aiding state institutions to better exploit the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in order to improve the quality of their e-services to the citizens and increase their openness.
3. To strengthen the online trust and security by providing trainings and awareness-raising through a network of CSOs promoting digital literacy, skills, and inclusion at regional, national and local levels.
4. To increase the visibility of issues related to Digital Agenda within civil society and media.
5. To increase the citizen demand for quality e-services through training and awareness-raising by the CSOs.

Target groups

1. Local CSOs and local media.
2. Citizens as current and prospective users of e-services
3. Public/state institutions providing e-services at national and local levels

Expected results

1. Advanced Digital Agenda through a network of 30 CSOs from the Western Balkans supported by a Small Grants Scheme implementing concrete initiatives.
2. Published research on the state of e-government in the five countries.
3. Formed 15 local e-gov support centres run by CSO network members.
4. Improved skills of CSOs and media professionals at a local level to recognize and tackle challenges related to the Digital Agenda.
5. Increased use of e-government services by citizens in targeted areas.
6. Enhanced dialogue between CSOs and governmental institutions for inclusive citizen-centered Digital Agenda by providing recommendations for improvement of e-government services, via developed and disseminated evidence-based research.

Project activities

1. Research of the state of e-government development & digital literacy in targeted countries.
2. Creation of a CSO Network for the Digital Agenda for the Western Balkans.
3. Capacity building of CSOs and media using a suite of trainings.
4. Awarding small grants to 30 CSOs for promoting and advancing the Digital Agenda.
5. Supporting citizens and vulnerable groups to use the existing e-gov. services.

Project duration: 01.02.2020 –  31.01.2023 (36 months)

Financial support: European Union

Project partners:

• Metamorphosis Foundation (North Macedonia) – metamorphosis.org.mk
• e-Governance Academy (Estonia) – ega.ee
• CRTA – Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (Serbia) – crta.rs
• Partners for Democratic Change Serbia (Serbia) – www.partners-serbia.org 
• NGO 35mm (Montenegro) – nvo35mm.org
• Open Data Kosovo (ODK) (Kosovo) – opendatakosovo.org
• Lѐvizja Mjaft! (Albania) – mjaft.org