Anti-Poverty Network – Serbia is a young network gathering currently 24 members active in the field of fighting poverty and social exclusion.
EAPN Serbia started in December 2010 as an informal network of 12 civil-society organizations, formed within the project ‘Networking Against Poverty’ implemented by SeConS Development Initiative Group, in partnership with the European Anti-Poverty Network. By June 2011, the number of organizations joining the network doubled to 24 members.
See the list of members of Anti-Poverty Network – Serbia.
At EAPN’s 2013 General Assembly held in Serbia, Dr Slobodan Cvejic made a presentation to all EAPN representatives entitled “Welcome to Serbia – Living in Real Serbia Today”. Check it out!
Step by step building the network
Since the network was founded end of 2010, most activities in 2011 were dedicated to capacity building of members and establishment of functioning and communication procedures. In June 2011, on the occasion of a national conference on ‘Civil Society Networking Against Poverty and Social Exclusion’ in Belgrade, 12 new civil-society organizations joined the network. At that very same time, APNS was releasing 2 relevant policy briefs: ‘Rural development and social inclusion of people living in rural areas’ and ‘New cooperatives in function of social entrepreneurship’.
In September 2011, APNS drafted its main guidelines through a workshop on operative planning of network activities. As for most NGOs in all other countries, the lack of funding is a fundamental obstacle.
In 2012 APNS has been functioning mainly through issuing press releases, publishing documents of other organizations and institutions, supporting activities of the member organizations, participating in EAPN bodies and activities, etc. Several projects were prepared by the network’s management board with the assistance of members; widening the scope of activities depends whether the projects are selected or not for funding.
1. VISION
Serbia as an inclusive, encouraging and solidarity society in which everybody has the freedom and opportunity to express and develop their potentials and exercise the right to quality and dignified life.
2. MISSION
Through open communication and in partnership, the Network works in all the fields in which the quality of life of persons and groups experiencing poverty can be enhanced and in all the fields in which processes of social inclusion in Serbia can be improved.
3. GOALS
The Network is established with the aim of contributing to reducing poverty and increasing social inclusion of female and male citizens of Serbia.
The Network will especially focus on:
- Helping to shape social policies and action plans,
- Promoting and enhancing effectiveness of actions against poverty and social exclusion,
- Including the people and groups experiencing poverty and social exclusion in the activities of the Network,
- Positioning the Network as a relevant partner in all sectors, at local, national and international levels.
- Disseminating information and raising public awareness on issues relevant to fighting poverty and social exclusion.
Since APNS is one of the youngest networks in EAPN founded in Dec 2010), in first months of establishing main focus was on organizational and structural issues as well as on promotion of the idea of networking of strong CSOs and developing joing view on possibilities to influence Serbian society, central authorities and decision makers though this kind of platform.
Contact details
EAPN Anti-poverty Network – Serbia
Evropska mreža protiv siromaštva – Srbija
Address: Ustanička 173, Zvezdara 11000 Beograd, Serbia
Tel: +381 64 144 34 35
Jasmina Krunic, EAPN Serbia coordinator and EAPN ExCo member, e-mail: jasmina.krunic (@) gmail.com
Marija Babovic, EU Inclusion Strategies Group member, e-mail: bmarija63 (@) gmail.com
Website: www.protivsiromastva.org
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ProtivSiromastva/