USAID Serbia and Montenegro
Media (Serbia): USAID media assistance has contributed to more independent, professional and financially viable media outlets and media associations. The regulatory environment now better supports the development of e-media; 2,000+ media professionals trained. | Court Reform (Serbia): U.S. assistance helped increase independence and the professional skills of judges, magistrates and prosecutors; provided legal assistance to victims of war crimes and human rights abuses. | Local governments (Serbia): Through work with a wide geographic spread of municipalities, local governments are now more responsive: 30+ Citizen Assistance Centers, E-government in 80+ Municipalities. | Youth (Serbia): Junior Achievement in 90 schools in 2009. USAID supports efforts of the Ministry of Youth/Sports to better prepare youth for post-graduation work opportunities. | Agribusiness (Serbia): Serbian companies assisted made $16.7m in registered sales in 2008. Recent trade shows expected to bring over $17m in contracts. | Local Economic growth (Serbia): Municipalities in USAID’s Municipal Economic Growth Activity attracted over 800m Euro in investments and created over 11,000 jobs in two years by becoming more business friendly; 270 new businesses opened; 26 Local Economic Development offices set up to actively attract investments. | Commercial Courts (Serbia) have become more efficient and transparent with Case Management Systems in all 16 courts and the High Commercial Court. Case backlogs cut drastically. | Compete Project (Serbia): Helping to bring Serbian companies back into world market – leading directly to $20.5m in 2008 exports. Helping to introduce International Industry standards that allow companies to compete in the global marketplace. Attracted major film productions and millions in investments. | Support to companies (Serbia) in vulnerable areas increased their competitiveness. 2008 sales at trade/shows fairs for assisted companies up 42%. | Economic systems (Serbia): Helped introduce: VAT; private pensions; investment funds; sound insurance industry, bankruptcy and enforcement and modern payment systems. | Opportunity Bank (Serbia) loans created 5,000+ new jobs and ensured 40,000+ existing jobs were kept. Only lender for vulnerable people who have little access to credit. | Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Serbia): Civil Society activities have brought together 14 major companies and an array of NGOs to establish culture of CSR. | Preparedness Planning (Serbia): USAID works with all levels of government to improve disaster risk reduction, trained 675 responders from 50 Municipalities on disaster management. | Civil Society Grants (Serbia): USAID assisted 160 Civil Society organizations with $5.2 million in 2.5yrs to better represent the needs of ordinary people & become more influential partners with businesses and government in the democratic process. |
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    Montenegro Advocacy Program (MAP)

    Develops the capacity of the civil society sector to fully participate in, and be recognized as valuable partner in the process of transition from a Socialist state to a truly democratic, reform oriented country

    Project components:

    • Developing and implementing an NGO strategy for Montenegro, covering self-regulation and sustainability
    • Strengthening public confidence in the NGO sector
    • Consolidating rule of law strengthening, through NGO watchdog activities
    • Implementation of media laws, focusing on further restructuring of RTVCG into a true public service broadcaster and reviving the self-regulatory body
    • Enabling the full and accurate enforcement of the newly-adopted Law on Free Access to Information

    Results to date:

    • Significantly increased capacity of the NGO sector in Montenegro in three areas: organizational skills, advocacy and sustainability (measured by the NGO Sustainability Index)
    • NGOs have developed into sophisticated advocates for legal change in their communities and constituencies. NGOs have affected the law-making process, both related to the drafting of new laws and to proposing changes in existing laws. New laws drafted by NGO partners include but are not limited to: Law on Witness Protection; Law on Political Party Financing; Law on Political Parties; Guidelines for Police on Domestic Abuse Intervention; By-Law on Anonymous HIV/AIDS Testing; Law on Circulation & Trade of Narcotics; Law on Firearms; Law on Professional Rehabilitation & Employment of Disabled Persons
    • Ten NGO networks or groups assisted by the project hold government and public institutions accountable for implementing rule of law in Montenegro. As a result of the success of the ORT MAP Watchdog Program and its potential as a best practices model for the region, ORT MAP was invited to present the methodology of the program at a UN Conference in New York in September 2005

    In order to realize the goals of this project, USAID/ORT MAP is working together with municipal local authorities, government ministries, NGOs and media outlets. The project has been implemented Montenegro-wide by the American ORT since 2002. Its current program ends in 2008.

    For more information:
    http://www.ortmap.org