Ten new projects to support the development of democracy and human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina were presented at the EU Delegation in Sarajevo. The projects are part of a BiH-wide programme funded by the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

Gordana Šuvalija, EIDHR Task Manager for Gender and Science and Research at the EU Delegation to BiH, said the value of the projects is 1.2 million Euros. So far, the European Union has invested 7.7 million Euros in about 111 projects, which represents a significant contribution to the non-government sector.

“In the beginning, EIDHR was an initiative, and now it’s an instrument,” Vladimir Pandurević, EIDHR Task Manager for Youth and Culture at the EU Delegation, said during the presentation. He noted that EIDHR was established in 1994.

Mr Pandurević pointed out that government approval is not necessary in the case of implementing these projects since they are undertaken by non-government and non-profit organizations. He said the value of funding for the projects ranges from 50,000 to 150,000 Euros, and he stressed that project contracts must be strictly adhered to and a full account of project implementation must be given in final reports.

The biggest beneficiary of the project is the Centre for Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Studies (CIPS), represented at the conference by Mariana Hadžijusufović and Prof. Zdravko Grebo.

“We have about 300 Masters of Science and Arts, not only in BiH but also in the region, among whom most are faculty assistants or senior lecturers and three are ambassadors,” said Professor Grebo, adding that EU funds for such projects have obviously delivered very positive results.

New projects were also presented by the Centre for Civil Initiatives, the Agency for Cooperation, Education and Development – ACED, the Human Rights Office, Zdravo da ste, the Enterpreneurship and Employment Association – LINK, VESTA, Lighthouse, Mozaik and the Centre for Development and Support – CRP.

A new call for proposals was announced on 23 December 2010, and a the call  presentation will now be organised in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.