Preamble

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, abbreviated CDN, is the organisation that empowers green and progressive youth from the countries of Eastern Europe.

Eastern Europe, for the purposes of work of the network, is the region of the European continent comprising the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Türkiye, Ukraine.

For the purposes of the network’s work, CDN operates across the time zones of the countries listed in the Preamble, namely CET/CEST, EET/EEST, and GET/AZT/AMT, and schedules meetings and deadlines accordingly.

CDN has minimal statutes that only contain what legally matters, and they will be revised in case the Belgian law changes. IRP is a supplementary document to Statutes. In case of contradiction between the Statute and IRPs, the former shall prevail. CDN Executive Committee (EC) can adopt internal documents, such as Office Guidelines, EC Guidelines, etc., that further define and are adopted by the EC.

For the purposes of this document, the following abbreviations are used:

• CDN – Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe

• MO – Member Organisation

• OO – Observer Organisation

• GA – General Assembly

• CoM – Council of Members

• EC – Executive Committee

• OC – Oversight Committee

• Office – the Secretariat of CDN

• PT – Prep Teams

• AT – Action Teams

• CET – Central European Time

• CEST – Central European Summer Time

• EET – Eastern European Time

• EEST – Eastern European Summer Time

• GET – Georgia Standard Time

• AZT – Azerbaijan Time

• AMT – Armenia Time

• Definition of voting majorities:
  • Present votes at the General Assembly: all registered votes at the beginning of a General Assembly;
  • Supermajority: At least 2/3 of present votes;
  • Absolute majority: 50% plus one vote of present votes;
  • Simple majority: the highest number of all present votes.

1. Member Organisations

1. The definition of Member Organisations is explained in detail in the Statutes.

2. Observer Organisations express interest in the political and topical issues of the region and want to get involved and contribute to CDN, while not necessarily being bound to Eastern Europe geographically. They have the right to participate in CDN's events and structures, if the specific project allows. Reimbursement of travel costs to statutory meetings will be done according to CDN's financial possibilities.

3. Criteria for becoming a Member organisation:
   1. Organisation has a democratic structure, is youth-led, has statutes or other guiding documents and continuously demonstrates ongoing organisational activity (e.g. events, campaigns, projects or membership engagement).
   2. Organisation’s political values must be compatible with the CDN Political Platform and open to Green values as a whole, even if their actions focus on specific issues.
   3. The representatives of the organisation need to participate in at least two CDN events in the two years before the application, and/or be active in CDN digital spaces.
   4. Organisation has a status of a candidate for at least one year.

4. Candidate member organisations are the organisations with ambition to apply for full membership. They need to fulfil all the criteria for becoming MO. If organisation does not apply for membership during next two years, the candidate member organisation status is revoked.

5. The membership and observership candidates are presented at the General Assembly (GA). After receiving the application, EC has to formulate and present a report on the membership application.

6. Member organisations can send comments, suggestions and proposals to the EC or Office, as well as ask CDN to promote activities, actions and developments of MOs in its channels of communication at any time. EC or Office should address this motion within 14 days after receiving it.

7. The EC can propose to the GA expulsion of MO/OO based on inactivity for more than a year (which means lack of presence at the GA or other CDN events and/or lack of contact with EC) or departure from the principles of internal democracy or green values.

2. General Assembly Rules of Procedure:

1. General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of CDN and consists of delegates from every Member Organisation.

2. Every Member Organisation can have up to two delegates. The second delegate needs to pay a fee. Representatives of Observer Organisations and guests can be registered if there is logistical possibility, and upon a fee. The fee amounts are decided by the EC every year based on approved budget.

3. The deadlines for the announcement and preparations of GA are following:
   1. at least 3 months before the GA: announcement of the date and location of GA,
   2. at least 2 months before the GA: publication of the official invitation, including registration form, provisional agenda and the link to online platforms, and all open calls.
   3. 45 days before the GA: deadline for the registration of MOs delegates, submission of candidacies for the Secretary-General (if applicable).
   4. 28 days before the GA: deadline for submission of candidacies for new Member Organisations and EC Members (can be prolonged once by outgoing EC),
   5. 15 days before the GA: deadline for the submission of resolutions, motions and amendments to the CDN documents,
   6. 5 days before the GA: deadline for the submission of amendments to resolutions
      1. In case of amendments to amendments as well as amendments to the resolutions, the compromise can be reached between the proposers during the GA, and a new alternative version can be suggested.
      2. Emergency resolutions can be submitted after the deadline, but no later than the opening of the GA. The EC should decide if the resolution is to be discussed and voted on.

4. Resolutions express the political stance of CDN. Directives express the recommendations to CDN or provide the interpretation of the other documents. Both are binding and valid indefinitely, unless stated otherwise in the text of the resolution. The CoM may repeal a resolution if it deems it out of date and must announce this at the next GA.

5. Any member organisation may propose changes to the agenda before and during the GA.

6. GA is chaired by the Presidency, consisting of 3-5 people, and is to be selected by the EC. The Presidency can be selected via an open call. The main responsibilities of the Presidency are to:
   1. Ensure that the Statutes and the IRPs are being respected before and during the General Assembly.
   2. chair the meeting,
   3. moderate the discussion,
   4. manage and present the voting,
   5. make sure that voting and elections are taken according to the IRPs and Statutes,
   6. take down the minutes of the GA.

7. The presidency members cannot run for any positions or be members of candidate organisations, they cannot express their opinions regarding any of the candidates or motions.

8. The rules of procedure for the efficient realisation of the GA shall be shown and explained at the beginning of every GA. The legal fulfilment of all obligations must be validated by supermajority of the present organisations before the start of the GA. Approval of the agenda by supermajority follows.

9. Only the delegates of Member Organisations, EC, co-presidents of the CoM, OC, candidates and Office have speaking rights at the formal sessions of GA.

10. The Minutes of the GA include decisions and votes together with the explanatory information and are published within 30 days after the end of the GA.

11. Voting and elections:
    1. All the MOs have two votes.
    2. In case of justified absence of delegation to the GA (due to the visa problems, sickness, etc.) or on its parts, GA may approve delegation of voting rights to another MO present at the GA. One MO can only be delegated the vote of another MO. The request for voting delegation needs to be sent to the Presidency before the start of GA and contain the voting recommendations.
    3. All elections must be held by secret voting.
    4. The quorum can be questioned by any present MO or the EC, at the approval of the Presidency.
    5. In principle, all decisions must be made with an absolute majority of votes, unless determined otherwise.
    6. Final adoption of the organisational documents (IRPs, Political Platform, Statutes) requires supermajority.
    7. For the acceptance or dismissal of membership in CDN as an MO/OO, a supermajority at the GA is required.
    8. For the election of the Secretary-General, a candidate must secure an absolute majority at the GA. If no candidate achieves an absolute majority in the first round, a second round of voting will be conducted with up to two candidates. The candidate that secures simple majority of votes will be selected for the position of Secretary-General.
    9. The GA decides on the number of EC members to be elected upon a recommendation by the outgoing EC.
    10. For becoming member in the CDN EC, a supermajority in favour of all present votes at the GA is required.
    11. If more candidates secure a supermajority of votes in favor than available seats, the candidate(s) with the highest number of votes in favour will be elected.
    12. If one or more candidates get less than supermajority in favour of all present votes at the GA, an absolute majority of present votes in favour at the GA in a second round is required. Then, in case of:
        1. 1 Candidate: a second round of voting is conducted. If, after this round candidate does not reach an absolute majority, the seat remains vacant.
        2. 2 or more candidates: The candidate with the highest number of votes is elected, considering that they have secured absolute majority.

3. Executive Committee rules and procedures

1. Executive Committee tasks include the following:
   1. Making strategic and political decisions concerning the organisation - based on the strategy and CDN's best interest,
   2. Contribute to the implementation of Activity Plan, shaping and adhering to the political direction while ensuring alignment with the strategy,
   3. Maintaining close and continuous communication with Member organisations,
   4. Monitoring the workflow of CDN structures,
   5. Representing and promoting CDN during its and partners’ activities,
   6. Actively participating in the regular bi-weekly online and in-person EC meetings,
   7. Keeping track of the well-being of CDN’s Office
   8. Preparation of activity and financial plans for the next year, as well as presenting activity and financial reports covering their mandate.

2. The EC should comprise of 5-7 people.

3. The Treasurer is selected from EC and is obliged to make a financial update to the EC at every physical meeting (including general expenditures and incomes). The treasurer also presents a detailed annual financial report to the GA.

4. Further responsibilities and tasks are defined by Internal Delegation Order, which outlines the authority granted to one or more individuals to make decisions on behalf of CDN, as well as the procedures involved, where applicable. It is adopted by the EC on an annual basis, detailed procedures are defined within the document. Delegation order and task division have to be published at latest 4 weeks after the election.
   1. The time of regular online meetings, dates and places of in-person meetings should be announced on the website in advance, and the minutes of in-person meetings should be published latest 30 days after the meeting.

5. In case of EC member’s unjustified absence from the meetings for over 30 days, the rest of the EC has a right to terminate their mandate . The decision shall be taken by supermajority of all the remaining EC members.

   The concerned EC member must be informed and given the opportunity to provide an explanation before the vote. Following the termination, the remaining EC members decide whether to organise by-elections to fill the vacant position or to leave it vacant until the next GA.

6. In case of Safe Space violation or harm to the organisation by an EC member, their continuation or termination of mandate can be decided by a supermajority vote of all other members of the EC. The person who is subject to vote does not participate in the voting.

7. In case of the lack of capacities, the EC has the right to delegate a person outside of the EC to represent CDN on certain occasions, with obligation to present a report.

8. Executive Committee members must have their residence in one of the Eastern European countries listed in the Preamble. If a member’s residence is outside those countries, they may serve only if they can assure the General Assembly that they can regularly participate in meetings scheduled to respect the time zones listed in the Preamble. Any travel cost reimbursement for members whose residence is outside the Preamble countries requires prior written approval from both the Treasurer and the Secretary-General, in line with the organisation’s travel and budget rules.

4. Oversight Committee rules and procedures

1. The Oversight Committee is an independent supervisory and interpretative body of CDN. It acts as a safeguard of compliance with the Statutes, Internal Rules of Procedure, and other internal acts of the organisation.

2. The Oversight Committee consists of 3 people, selected for a one-year term by the GA. Members of the Oversight Committee must be independent, impartial, and act in the best interest of the organisation. They cannot simultaneously hold a mandate in the EC, Office, or Council of Members.

3. The Oversight Committee meets upon request of the EC, Council of Members, Secretary-General, or at least one Member Organisation, or on its own initiative when necessary. Decisions are taken by a simple majority of all members, unless specified otherwise...

4. The Overshight Committee tasks include the following:
   1. Decision on the compliance of internal acts and decisions with the Statutes and IRPs,
   2. Providing binding interpretation of the Statutes, IRPs and other internal acts of CDN
   3. Deciding on the compliance of internal acts and decisions with the Statutes,
   4. Resolving competence conflicts between CDN bodies,
   5. Acting as a second-instance body in Safe Space procedures.

5. Council of Members rules and procedures:

1. The Council of Members (CoM) is the second-highest political body of CDN and ensures continuity of political action and decision-making between sessions of the GA.

2. The Council of Members is composed of:
   1. One representative of each Member Organisation (referred hereinafter as MO Reps),
   2. All members of the EC,
   3. Two co-chairpersons of CoM selected by the GA.
   4. Secretary General (who doesn’t have voting rights).

3. Each Member Organisation communicates the name of its Representative to the Office. The person can be changed anytime by the MO.

4. The responsibilities of the CoM include:
   1. Adopting resolutions, declarations, positions, and other advocacy or strategic documents,
   2. Providing political guidance to the EC between GAs,
   3. Convening the GA upon a justified proposal of the EC,
   4. Submitting an annual report on its work to the GA.

5. The CoM is presided by one Member Organisation for a one-year term. The presiding MO is elected by the GA. The presiding Member Organisation is responsible for setting political agenda for the work of the CoM and defining its priorities during its one-term mandate.

6. The Co-Chairpersons of CoM are elected by the GA. They are responsible for the procedural management of the Council’s work, including convening and moderating meetings of the CoM and ensuring proper documentation and follow-up of decisions. Co-Chairpersons of CoM must be gender balanced.

7. CoM meets at least quarterly, online or in the country of presiding organisation. The meeting agenda is set up by the Chairpersons of CoM, with the political input of MOs and the EC.

6. Office rules and procedures:

1. The daily work of the Network is carried out by the Office under the responsibility of the Secretary General. The working conditions are defined in the Office Guidelines.

2. The Secretary General is elected for a two-year term by the GA in the procedure stated above. Pre-selection of candidates is carried out by EC in accordance with the delegation order. Candidates not elected by the EC can still run for the position and present themselves at the GA. The term of the Secretary General may be extended once but cannot exceed two terms in total.

3. The Secretary General is responsible for the legal representation of the organisation; managing the Office; coordinating the work of the EC; supervising the HR; supervising statutory activities; overseeing finances with the relevant employee and the treasurer; overseeing external communication; structural fundraising, ensuring and monitoring the strategy implementation, representing the organisation.

4. All members of the office are appointed by the EC based on the proposal by the Secretary General. EC cannot dismiss any member of the office without the consultation of the Secretary General. The selection criteria for an employee will be decided by the EC.

5. In case of Safe Space violation from the Office member, the violator's contract may be terminated by a supermajority vote from EC. First instance body in arbitration is the EC Office Responsible, and the second instance is the Oversight Committee.

6. The office is responsible for:
   1. Daily Management of the organisation,
   2. Supervising the development and responsibility for all formal contract obligations of projects towards funders,
   3. Coordination and facilitation of the CDN Activity Plan and Strategy.
   4. Support of the EC work and facilitation of EC meetings,
   5. Reporting of all its responsibilities to the EC,
   6. Other duties and responsibilities of the office that are explained in the internal documents of CDN and Office contracts.

7. The work of the office is more closely defined in the Office Guidelines.

8. The EC must publish an open call for candidates for any paid position longer than 3 months. Specific project-based positions can be excluded from the open call.

7. Temporary bodies

1. Prep-Teams are temporary bodies for the planning, organisation and follow-up of specific projects. They can take decisions regarding the project independently and can consult EC for support or in case of internal problems.
   1. Prep team members are selected by the EC, preferably via an open call.
   2. The leader of the Prep-Team is the Programme Director, usually the Office member responsible for the project.
   3. If EC Member is part of the Prep-Team, they are responsible for political direction of the event and for communication between Prep-Team and the EC.
   4. Prep Team Members can be dismissed by the Programme Director and EC responsible during preparation or activity in the event of non-fulfilment of duties, prolonged and unexcused absences from PT responsibilities, or violations of the Safe Space. The decision will be effective immediately and, if possible, a replacement member will be found. The PT member excluded can appeal to the Oversight Committee, which will decide on the righteousness of the decision.

2. Action Teams are comprised of three or more people who collaborate to accomplish specific aims or objectives within the organisation. These teams are formed to initiate and execute projects, actions, or campaigns aimed at advancing CDN's mission and goals. Action Teams

3. operate under the guidance and approval of the EC, ensuring alignment with the organisation's Political Platform.

4. Members of any CDN structure or participants of the events cannot be older than 35 at the end of their mandate. The further limitations are defined in adopted documents or in specific project requirements.

8. Event & Financial Management

1. Participants who are subject to reimbursement can only get reimbursed for their travel costs only in the case of 85% of their attendance of official programme (exceptions can be made under adequately justified circumstances).

2. The Office sets the financial and reimbursement rules based on the guidelines from the EC. These rules become binding once they are sent to participants before the event.

3. The host organisations of CDN events are selected based on the project requirements and the previous open call for host organisations. The call needs to be issued at least once every two years.

4. CDN promotes environmentally friendly approach during its events:
   1. Only travel by land to CDN events is subject to reimbursement, in case the trip lasts less than 15 hours. An exception can be made for people who have health-related issues or urgent obligations.
   2. Only a sustainable and nutritionally balanced vegan or vegetarian diet is provided, with the preference to vegan options whenever possible.
   3. Special attention is put on recycling during the event, using tap water or reducing digital footprint.

Introduction

Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe is a capacity-building
network comprised of different youth and green-minded organisations from Eastern
and Central Europe. Fighting for a Green movement is our common goal but at the
same time, we acknowledge that we differ a lot based on the diverse cultural
environments we come from. In addition, patriarchy/sexism/ nationalistic
discourses are highly embedded in our societies, therefore the creation of a
safe space is a crucial component for CDN activities in helping to dismantle
existing power structures and challenge oppressive mechanisms. This way we
ensure the creation of a welcoming environment where participation is equalised
for all despite the ethnicity /religion/ sexual orientation/gender identity/
class background and different abilities of all (participants, Executive
Committee, Prep Teams and Office).

In general, Safe space policies are the rules by which a community agrees to
behave. They help in guaranteeing that everyone feels free to express themselves
and help prevent some of the problems common in our societies (such as racism,
sexism, transphobia, etc.) from becoming part of the community.

This document provides an overview of what safe spaces are, the definition of
inappropriate behaviour, and what key principles/mechanisms should be followed
when establishing such spaces in CDN’s activities and structures (CDN Executive
Committee and Office, Prep Teams and Working Groups). This document is developed
by a Working team comprised of some of the members of CDN Executive Committee/
Secretariat/ Gender Working Group, and adopted by the General Assembly as an
internal document of CDN in 2021. CDN aims to create a respectful, understanding
and open space, and we encourage everyone, from organisers to participants, to
be pro-active in creating an atmosphere where the safety of everyone is
validated.

This document is a result of consecutive meetings of the Working team throughout
the period between November 2020 - February 2021. The document refers to
experiences documented by previous CDN EC members and Secretariat, who have
recorded cases where safe space was breached at CDN activities. Guidance has
also been taken from other similar youth-oriented organisations, which have
documents in establishing safe spaces, and we are grateful towards all the
organisations who shared with us their resources (see more on page 12).

This document is just a set of mechanisms/ techniques for constructing a safe
space environment but is not a definitive document. We welcome you all to give
us feedback and further suggestions for ensuring safe space at the following
email address: office@cdnee.org.

Types of unacceptable behaviour

In this chapter, we will explain the types of behaviours that violate the safe
space as a whole and which we aim to prevent. In case of recognizing some of
these behaviours, please report to Safe Space Persons (SSP). We are aware safe
space is an individual perception, and this list contains general behaviours,
whilst other violations are not excluded. Any other situations that are not
mentioned here but would lead to someone feeling uncomfortable, unsafe or
excluded will be assessed as a violation of safe space and people are welcomed
to voice them out.

Disclaimer: This chapter contains examples of unacceptable types of behaviour
which some readers might find triggering. Examples are listed for the purpose of
better understanding of these types of behaviour. The following behaviours can
vary from moderate to severe violations of safe space, and the measures are
taken accordingly(elaborated further in the last chapter).

Physical:

Breaking personal boundaries

Indicating personal boundaries, whether physical or emotional should be a basis
prior to interaction and should be respected at all times. The boundaries are
often defined internally and presented with body language and verbal statements.
These need to be observed, recognized (or verbalized) and respected.

Example: Person X has said they do not want to be touched, and person Y teases
them and “jokingly” touches the person X, and gets within their personal space
without their consent.

Physical assault

Inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon someone. Any kind of
physical violence or touching without consent is completely unacceptable. Any
kind of touching between people has to be consensual and thoroughly
communicated. Physical assault can also be sexual harassment and is a severe
violation of safe space and personal boundaries. In the physical form of sexual
harassment, assault can be anything from inappropriate touching and teasing to
severe sexual assault and rape (further explained in point Sexual harassment).

Example: Person X punches person Y because of a disagreement of their opinions
during an intense informal discussion about some topic.

Usage of hate/disrespectful symbols

Carrying (jewellery, clothing, accessories) or physically presenting (writing,
drawing, mimicking) disrespect and/or hate symbols connected to religious,
national and extreme ideological beliefs.

Example A: During an art session on a CDN activity, the participant draws a
swastika on a piece of paper and shows it to others.

Example B: participant comes to an activity wearing a T-shirt with disrespectful
writings about Muslims.

Verba:

Stereotyping and discrimination

Stereotyping is acting based on assumed ideas or beliefs regarding someone based
on their gender, sexual orientation, national, religious identity, physical
appearance. Includes assuming facts about someone based on their identities. For
example: assuming that a feminine man is gay. Discrimination is the act of
making unjustified distinctions between individuals on basis of race, gender,
age, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, disability or other
characteristics. It involves restricting members of one group or an individual
from opportunities that are available to others. Extreme discriminatory
behaviours like racism, chauvinism, nationalism, linguicism, homophobia,
transphobia and similar will not be tolerated in CDN activities.

Example: A group of participants in a session refuse to involve a participant
with hearing difficulties because this person speaks in a manner the group finds
uncomfortable.

Objectifying

This behaviour conveys the idea of treating a person as a commodity or an
object. Another form, sexual objectification is the act of treating a person as
a mere object of sexual desire. Everyone’s individuality and autonomy are their
own and objectifying behaviour is destructive of these characteristics.

Example: participant X is told by another participant “hey girl! You would be
prettier if you smiled”.

Sexual harassment

Even though sexual harassment can be physical, it’s verbal form is explained in
this chapter. Along with objectifying and bullying, it is the root of other
unacceptable behaviours that can lead to physical assault. Sexual harassment
involves the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, non-verbal cues and
signals, unwanted and non-consensual touch and sexual assault.

Sexual harassment includes a wide range of behaviours and interpretations,
examples of which can be found here
(https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/whatissh.pdf)

Mansplaining

The explanation of something in a patronizing manner, usually by someone who is
privileged because of their gender. This behaviour is often present in group
discussions when the privileged person or a group of people are not allowing
others to present, speak and behave in an authentic way. Mansplaining severely
disturbs dynamics and create a sense of hierarchy and domination of a privileged
person or group.

Example: A cis-gender white man dominates the discussion about gender equality
and argues with the points of the wage gap and denies the existence of
inequality.

Invisibilising / belittling

The act of not giving chance to speak, speaking over someone, ignoring opinions
etc.

Excluding someone from the conversation on purpose by either not giving them a
chance to speak, speaking over them or ignoring what they are saying. To
marginalize someone and to erase or ignore their presence or contribution.

Example: During an event, participants are divided into small groups and working
on some presentation. Within one group, one participant is missing because has
gone to the bathroom, Meanwhile, the rest continue with the work and take some
important decision without the presence of this participant.

Shaming and blaming

Shaming is the act of bringing negative attention to an individual or a group
because of their opinions; actions; physical, racial, ethnic, religious or
cultural characteristics or activities. Blaming an individual or a group is a
way of shaming them based on actions and the development of a situation.
Unexpected or undesirable results are not a responsibility of the action doer,
and no one should be blamed or feel guilty.

For example: participant X is approached by another participant and asked: “What
is wrong with you? Why do you behave like this?” or “The situation that happened
is your fault and you should face consequences”

Ridiculing/bullying

Using dismissive language or behaviour towards someone. Especially problematic
when done based on someone’s gender identity, sexual orientation, language,
national or religious identity. Bullying can be verbal, but also physical and
then is seen as physical assault.

Example: Participant X calls participant Y offensive names and laughs at them.

Criticism without constructive feedback

Criticism, if presented in a constructive way, is a tool for growth and
development, however it is often misunderstood. If offered without constructive
feedback, criticism can be connected to insulting, ridiculing and similar
behaviors. However, everyone must be aware of different levels of knowledge,
language, experience, and different opinions, and give feedback accordingly.

For example: While discussing over a topic participant X responds to participant
Y in the following way: “This is stupid, you should stop talking".

Threatening and blackmailing

Threatening behaviour includes physical or verbal actions that don’t involve
actual contact/injury (moving closer aggressively), general verbal or written
threats to people. Blackmailing is manipulative behaviour that includes the act
of demanding personal and material belongings or degrading and non-consensual
activities with the threat of revealing personal information or compromising
autonomy.

Example: Person X found out person Y is queer, and forces person Y to give them
money or they will “out” them on social media.

Ideological claims

(Extremist) Ideological claims are strict beliefs about certain groups,
geographical locations, religious beliefs, cultures and similar identifications
that lead to conflict or violent thoughts and actions.

For example: As it is stated in CDN Political Platform, we should strive to
acknowledge and reject the politics of division and politics that seek to use
nationalistic or any other exclusionary rhetoric at the expense of minorities
and vulnerable groups.

Tools and mechanisms

This chapter enlists some practical tools and practices that can help making and
obtaining a safe space environment. These tips are mostly associated with
activity planning and executing, but most of them are suitable for an
organizational level as well.

Before an activity

• Inclusivity

One of the first steps in the creation of an inclusive environment is enabling
the participation of people of different backgrounds. When selecting
participants, CDN Secretariat, EC member(s) and Prep Teams (PT) are paying
special attention to underrepresented groups and ensuring their participation.
Depending on the topic of the activity, CDN will spread its calls for
participants to various channels, putting efforts into reaching out to these
marginalized groups even outside of the Green family. Both regional and gender
balance (a minimum of 50% of participants are young people that self-identify as
woman, trans or genderqueer) are taken into consideration.

• Ability

Addressing the needs of everyone prior to the activity with a simple
questionnaire (e.g. question box within an application form) will help
organizers (CDN) to be aware of everyone’s needs and assist accordingly if
needed. Local PT (hosting the activity) will secure that the venue/hotel is
accessible for all differently-abled people.

• Accessibility

When checking potential venues for the activity, Local PT should take into
account a provisional number of participants and search for working areas that
can host this number of people comfortably (and in different arrangements - e.g.
sitting in circle). It is recommended to choose well-lit venues and ensure
accessibility to all different venues/toilets/rooms of use to participants/Prep
Teams/EC Office members.

• Information

Prior to the activity, Local PT should assemble an Infosheet with all the
essential information (local transport & hotel), including a brief cultural and
political background, as to make participants more comfortable with their
travelling. CDN will provide all the other key information about the event
itself, along with the schedule (agenda) and this policy, to familiarize new
participants with the Safe Space.

During an activity

• Introduction

At the beginning of each activity, CDN organizes an introduction session, going
through the agenda, background of the project and CDN. During the Introduction
session, PT will go through moderation rules and introduce diverse communication
tools that will be used throughout the activity. During an introduction session
or shortly after, CDN will propose a round where participants will express their
needs on obtaining a safe space throughout the activity.

• Spatial organisation

How CDN arranges participants and chairs in the room depends on the session
itself - whether there’s a movement involved, small groups division, etc.
However, it is recommended arranging participants in a circle/horizontal
arrangement, rather than having a classroom arrangement, for having a more
inclusive environment. Moreover, working room/venue should be noise sensitive.

• Language

Facilitators (CDN) will take steps to equalize participation, ensuring all
participants are heard and diverse gender identities are respected - at the
beginning of an activity, all participants will be asked to share their pronouns
and have them along with their name attached visibly.

Facilitators will make sure to speak slowly, clearly, avoiding jargon and
excessive academic language. Acknowledging that the activity is held in English,
participants will be encouraged to use the language sign ‘L’ when a word/phrase
is unclear. Moreover, participants should be encouraged to speak in English also
outside of sessions, not to exclude participants - when someone is using their
native language, anyone can raise it with ‘Bora Bora’ rule. This will be a
gentle reminder for everyone to speak in English. Nonetheless, if someone does
not speak English well, this should not be a basis for excluding person from
activity and that CDN will strive to have at least one more person speaking some
other language that person understands and helps with translation.

• HEGs and Morning circles

HEGs are designated groups of smaller number of participants, organised almost
every day of the activity after a full-day programme and moderated by one of the
PT members. This is a space where participants can reflect and share how they
felt throughout the day in a more intimate environment. Each PT member shares
the main thoughts/comments/concerns expressed by the participants during HEGs at
the evening PT meeting. PT can make changes in an agenda, raise some points
during a Morning Circle or introduce new rules according to the results of HEGs
evaluation.

Morning circles are organized every day, before the actual programme begins and
are moderated by one of the PT members. During this circle with all of the
participants, PT will go through any changes/announcements/technical reminders
for the day in question. This is also a space for PT to remind everyone of safe
space and raise a point if anything had happened against safe space guidelines.

• Safe Space Persons

Elaborated in the fourth chapter.

• Question/Feedback box

During the event, there shall be a box where participants can leave written
notes to facilitators and the PT members with feedback and questions. Some
people might prefer this way of flagging something up, asking a specific
question, or asking for support or a need to be met. The question/feedback box
should be placed in a visible place where everyone can access it, and its
purpose should be explained at the beginning of the activity. Other tools for
anonymous messages can be also used for this purpose.

After an activity

• Evaluation

Participants share how they felt during the event and tell if there were any
situations that made them feel uncomfortable. Safe space persons can also be
contacted online after the activity for the purpose of improving CDN safe space
regulations.

• Privacy

No pictures shall be posted on public sites or social networks without the
explicit consent of the individuals who can be identified in them. In the
participants list, every participant will sign a separated column regarding the
consent to be photographed and the consent to disseminate these pictures.

• Data storage

CDN stores personal data (collected through application forms) of the
participants/Prep-team members and ensures the safety of data. Data erasure can
be done on the demand of the participant.

Finally, the best and most basic preventive measure is to educate ourselves,
acknowledge privileges we have and build understanding and solidarity for one
another.

Reporting and measures

The aim of this chapter is to create a sustainable system to prevent, identify
and react to different types of unacceptable behaviour (outlined at chapter 2),
which is not in compliance with the rules for the provision of a safe space
environment in CDN activities (online and offline). These guidelines are written
from the perspective of an international umbrella youth organization.

Disclaimer: This chapter contains hypothetical cases of unacceptable behaviour
which some readers might find triggering. Examples are listed for the purpose of
better understanding of these types of measures taken against these behaviours.
The following cases can vary from moderate to severe violations of safe space,
and the measures are taken accordingly.

Definition of SSPs

The central pillar of the Safe Space preventive measures and reporting mechanism
evolve around the concept of Safe Space Persons (SSP). The SSPs are elected by
the organizers prior to the event and are usually members of CDN EC /
Secretariat/ Prep-teams that aim to prevent, identify and react to cases of
unacceptable behaviour not only during activity sessions but applicable to
breaks and informal parts of events. An SSP should be a person who is
internalized with the Safe Space document and preferably has participated in
previous CDN events. Depending on the capacities, it is recommended to elect two
SSPs.

Safe space persons are beforehand provided with Safe space Toolkit, a document
created by CDN along with Safe Space policy document, which provides knowledge
and detailed procedures of creating safe space and dealing with its potential
violations.

SSPs are present at events to help raise awareness about the topic, intervene in
questionable situations where Safe space principles are breached, and provide a
listening ear to participants who have felt harassed. Nonetheless, we highly
encourage everyone to be proactive in creating an atmosphere where the safety of
others is validated. In case of a safe space breach, there are three stages that
an SSP goes through: 1- Prevention; 2- Identifying; 3- Reporting.

Prevention

The main aim is always to prevent unacceptable behavior from happening and safe
persons should guarantee this. Before the start of an offline/online event, they
can briefly present the Safe Space document and measures/mechanism entailed in
the document. Prevention methods are elaborated in chapter 3.

Since the document will be sent to participants in advance, the safe space
person should open the floor for questions from the participants, in case that
there is something unclear from the document. After the presentation, the safe
space person should let participants know that he/she/they are the right person
to approach, in case that somebody faces unacceptable behaviour, and this
behaviour goes unnoticed from the safe space person.

Along with the preventive measures from chapter 3, participants and SSP should
conduct regular emotional screening and be observant.

Identifying

Safe Space persons are trained to identify unacceptable behaviours in CDN
activities and observe participants in a non-intrusive way for the sake of
timely reactions. Unacceptable behaviours are not necessarily obvious and
visible for bystanders and (if not verbalize) can be recognized through body-
language. SSPs are trained to recognize subtle signs and react if someone feels
uncomfortable. This of course depends on the specific context.

The key action in creating safe space, along with prevention, is identifying the
breaches of safe space and boundaries in groups and on a personal level. There
are different ways of recognizing and identifying safe space violations:

• Direct report to SSP;

These are usually subtle cases when the SSPs are notified or approached by
participants/ or active bystanders who have noticed some kind of violation or
strange situation. This can be a person directly seeking action to prevent
further harassment, a complaint against other participant, seeking advice etc.
If someone from bystanders notices someone else is feeling uncomfortable, they
can inform SSP who will take further measures.

• SSPs observation ;

As mentioned previously, SSPs are observant and notice disturbed power dynamics,
uncomfortable situations etc. by observing body language of participants
(Example: Person A repeatedly sits next to person B on a break, each time person
A moves away and appears uncomfortable. This keeps on happening and person B is
retreating to their room). SSPs in these cases approach these participants and
make sure to understand if there is some underlying issue that needs to be
resolved.

• Feedback from the box

The box represents an opportunity specifically for reporting of safe space
violations. The tips can be reported anonymously and will be researched further
by SSP and PT members. Messages in the feedback box don’t necessarily have to be
reports, but also suggestions, for example, to rearrange groups or be aware of
some situations happening outside the venue (for example accommodation). The box
is checked daily for feedback along with other preventive measures, but should
not stop participants of contacting SSP or other PT members on anything
relevant.

Reporting:

The SSP serves as the first line of contact and provides a type of first aid.
Depending on the context, there are different ways of reporting the incident:

• the immediate reaction from the SSPs

In this scenario, the SSP are reacting immediately on spot to address the issue
that have disrupted the safe space. This is sometimes done in a very intrusive
way.

Techniques: educating participants, collective emotion check, body awareness
exercise etc.

Examples: For instance, an SSP notices that only some participants are speaking
in a discussion, therefore the SSP suggest to leave space for others who have
not engaged much with the discussion.

• communication with victim/perpetrator

In case when there is a breach of Safe Space, SSPs try to identify the victim
and perpetrator and have a moderated conversation separately with each of the
sides involved in the dispute. Through this conversation, the SSP can understand
the reasoning behind the perpetrator’s behaviour and provide emotional support
to the victim.

• communicating with the PT;

After consulting with both sides involved in the incident, SSPs sum up the case
to the PT. This way, the PT can adjust the sessions accordingly in order to
avoid similar cases for the rest of the programme, and make sure that everyone
feels included and comfortable.

Measures

Based on the scale of the misbehaviour (mild-severe-extreme) there are different
measures to be taken by the SSPs and PT of the activity. We will exemplify this
by showing one hypothetical incident and different escalation of it from mild to
an extreme incident. Let’s imagine that we are facing a case where a transgender
participant is being misgendered by another participant.

• Mild case: After the SSPs approach the “harasser”, it turns out that this
  is done unintentionally due to the lack of information on the topic/
  misuse of the PGP.

Measures: moderated communication/ SSPs remind participants again to read the
Safe space document and ask if something is unclear.

• Severe: After the SSPs approach the “harasser”, it turns out that this is
  done intentionally due to the discrimination based belief. For instance,
  person believes, that only ciswoman are categorized as women and
  transwomen are men.

Measures: Emotional support to the victim, explanation to the harasser why their
behaviour is unacceptable and they are asked to apologize to the harassed
person. We can communicate with the problematic participant that if the
behaviour will be repeated, then further measures will be taken. This will be
taken into consideration for their future participation at CDN events, follow-up
from the EC. If the participant is part of CDN MO, CDN EC will proceed with
contacting the MO contact person.

• Extreme: when it involves instances of physical harassing/unwanted touch
  etc.

Measures: They can bring people to a safe place, away from whomever they felt
harassed by. Furthermore, decisions and actions regarding what happens to people
and an event remain with the organizers and/or CDN EC.

Other measures:

1. Group discussion can also be made during the event, where people
   collectively discuss the situation, and then participants can propose
   measures.

2. In case if there`s an extreme situation (ex. if there is a fight, if the
   safety of participants is risked), then the next measure will be:

2.1 contact the authorities;

2.2 expel the participant involved in the physical incident.

3. In case of an extreme or multiple severe safe space violation, the Executive Committee can limit the participation of a perpetrator in the next activities, including the work in structures such as General Assembly or Council of Members.

Safe space in online environments

CDN online spaces in which SS needs to be monitored include chats, mailing lists
and online calls. This is monitored by SSP in accordance to SSP document and “SS
guidelines for online spaces”. If possible, every chat should have at least one
- preferably more SS persons who will overlook discussions and react in case of
SS breaches.

General rules of SS in an online environment

1. Space for all
CDN chats are a space for all people, no matter one's gender, sexuality, race,
religion, nationality, physical ability, etc. Stereotypes and insults are not
allowed on chats. Personal opinion is valued, but it's crucial to give space to
people who are experiencing the discussed issues directly and encourage all
people to share their thought.

2. Respect
There should be respect towards everyone no matter their identities. No
previously outlined unacceptable behaviours are allowed in CDN chats. Trying to
force religious and/or cultural beliefs is forbidden.

3. Gender and pronouns
Every member should respect other people's pronouns which should be clearly
defined (or clarified if not clear). Disrespectful remarks towards a person's
gender and gender identity is unacceptable.

4. Trigger warnings
If a participant is discussing topics that could be triggering to someone, it's
crucial to use trigger warning (TW) or content warning (CW).

5. Misinformation
It's prohibited to spread misinformation in the chats.

6. Verbal and non-verbal communication in calls
Be aware of disctracting behaviours you might show in videos, which might be
interpreted as offensive, insulting or simply distract the speaker (eg.
discussions in chats of the meeting, facial expressions, physical needs,
personal obligations, discussions in chats).

7 Safe space in EC and office
In order to ensure SS in the working structures of CDN, there should be similar
concepts of ensuring SS in terms of unacceptable behaviours and general rules.
It is recommended that 2 safe space persons are appointed - one from office and
one from EC, who mutually consult and communicate on ensuring SS in these
structures. Along with standard preventive methods of ensuring safe space, it is
recommended that SSPs conduct regular (at least every 2 months) SS check with
all members of structures, including persons under temporary contracts with CDN.
In addition to the previously mentioned examples of SS breaches, the SSPs shall
pay attention to the following conditions and situations: burnout states, mental
health issues, communication within the team, working hours and vacation times
etc. SSPs will gather recommendations on the improvement of working conditions,
structure them, and regularly implement new positive practices.

Methods of ensuring SS in online spaces

SSP is responsible for chat monitoring, issuing warnings, ending conflicts, and
reporting members that have been warned more than three times for not following
the SS guidelines. SS guidelines are a document outlining procedures and
unacceptable behaviours which can occur in online spaces and ways how to
overcome them, similar to outlined SS policy procedures.
Additionally, SSP for online spaces should be aware and moderate gender balance
and encourage all groups concerned to participate in the discussion. SSP can
restrict people from dominating discussions in order to provide SS for everyone
to share.

If personal attacks, accusations, spreading misinformation or defensive
communication occurs, chat members need to be reminded by the SSP to keep
discussions constructive and reminded of the SS Guidelines and Policy. If
participants ignore this reminder then SSP needs to contact involved
participants privately and bring to their attention the issue.

If necessary SSP should create smaller chats for specific conversations. In case
that conversations are getting out of hand then SSP (also an admin) should
install slow mode (in Telegram chats).
In online meetings in cases of inappropriate verbal and non-verbal communication
or breaking of moderation, SSP should remind of the SS guidelines and if the
behaviour is not stopped after 3 warnings, SSP can restrict online activity as a
meeting admin. In extreme cases of this behaviour, SSP can restrict activity
without warning and contact the involved persons with a warning and
clarification.

Resources

Hereby we would like to thank the following organisations for providing
materials and resources with us in the process of creating the Safe Space
Policy.

• Col·lectiu Eco-Actiu/ The Ulex project “Anti-oppression toolkit: A
  facilitator’s guide”

• Association des États Généraux des Étudiants de l’Europe (AEGEE)“Smash
  guidelines: Structural measures against sexual harassment”

• Federation of Young Europen Greens (FYEG) “Smash Glass ceiling: Handbook
  for brave feminist leaders”

• Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG) “Internal Rules of Procedure”

• European Network of Equality Bodies (Equinet ) “Safe Space Policy for
  Equinet Events”

VISION

...Eastern Europe that is peaceful, inclusive, social, and sustainable. Eastern
Europe with multiparty democracy in which young people with progressive values
are relevant and actively engaged in civil society, politics, and decision-
making processes at all levels of governance.

MISSION

Our mission is to empower and support young progressive changemakers in Eastern
Europe, enabling them to increase their political relevance and impact. With our
activities and events, that include trainings, seminars, conferences, as well as
leveraging digital tools, platforms, and resources, we strive to equip them with
the necessary skills and knowledge to lead the change for more just, open, and
sustainable societies.

BACKGROUND

External

We embark this strategy period in a very different reality. The unprovoked,
illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has turned the
world upside down and had immense complications for the globe and especially for
our region. Meantime, we are witnessing rise of populism and authoritarianism,
democratic backsliding, deliberate weakening of the institutions, attempts of
state capture, attacks on civil liberties, civil society, and independent media.
Consequently, it is increasingly difficult to be young, green, progressive, and
democrat in this restrictive context where activism and engagement in politics
is becoming more and more challenging, exhausting, and dangerous.

In opposition to this, we are also witnessing a growing movement actively
fighting to counter and challenge backlash on democracy. Young activists play a
vital role in this movements of resisting authoritarianism and advocating for
progressive policies.

Young people are an integral building block of the diverse coalition that drives
the Green and Progressive political movement in Europe. However, the gap between
West and East and North and South of Europe in terms of success of
Green/Progressive parties remain wide. While Western European Green parties have
made significant strides in gaining political representation and influence, the
same progress has been slower to materialise in the Eastern European context.
Nevertheless, recent years have seen the emergence of progressive political
movements in the region with increasing influence on the forefront for the fight
for democracy, equality, and sustainability.

Internal

Over the past three years, CDN has seen notable changes and developments. We
have worked diligently to enhance our operations by professionalising our work,
better organising tasks and responsibilities within the Executive Committee
(EC), balancing workload, and improving working conditions for staff.

Furthermore, we have updated our Statutes, transitioning partner organisations
into Member Organisations (MOs), a move aimed at fostering inclusivity, and
creating a more cohesive network. This shift maintains primary focus on non-EU
member countries while encouraging greater participation from Eastern European
countries within the EU.Simultaneously, we are striving to reach and include
more independent progressive activists, young politicians as well as relevant
organisations.

Given the restrictive nature of governments in specific Eastern European
countries, some of our Member Organisations face significant challenges in
becoming more politically engaged and operating effectively within their
respective nations. In recent years, numerous activists have had to relocate due
to these constraints. MOs that collaborate closely with local communities in
their respective countries constantly contend with the looming threat of
government intervention and limitations, stemming from the intensified scrutiny
on activists and NGO activities.

Process

This is the context in which this four-year strategy is being developed and
drafted. The process formally started at 2023 General Assembly (GA) in Warsaw
that included Strategic Planning Meeting (SPM) that aimed to extract ideas and
guidelines for the next years of operation. The event brought together
21delegates from 13Member Organisations. The SPM was led by external facilitator
who conducted four sessions with the aim to gather input from delegates
representing MOs. Sessions included SWOT analysis, understanding people,
political priorities, as well as resources, and action areas.

Taking the report from SPM into account, the Secretary General led the process
and together with an EC representative worked on the initial draft, which was
subsequently reviewed and approved by the entire Executive Committee. In the
second phase¹, the draft was shared with MOs and Partners with a survey to
gather feedback, guiding further revisions. Simultaneously, Secretary General
organised several meetings with stakeholders including in-person feedback
session during Study Session in Budapest attended by 10 participants. Based on
the input, Secretary General and a designated EC member further refined the
strategy. Finally, the Strategy Paper underwent the process of review,
amendments, and final adoption by Member Organisations during the 2024 General
Assembly.

SWOT LANDSCAPE

Leveraging Strengths: Sustaining and Amplifying Impact

CDN, as an organisation, possesses certain strengths that should be harnessed
and expanded upon to achieve its mission and vision effectively. These
strengths, rooted in the organisation's values and operational practices,
include a solid reputation built on trust, a commitment to inclusiveness, and
the promotion of intersectionality. CDN's diversity, both culturally and
geographically, adds significant value, enhancing its ability to adapt to
different contexts within the Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the organisation's
dedication to democratic principles and quality work, underpinned by a well-
structured network, empowers its members, and provides space for knowledge and
experience sharing.

Addressing Weaknesses: Strengthening the Foundation

Despite its notable strengths, CDN has encountered specific challenges over the
past few years. Some of MOs have exhibited instability and inactivity within the
network, and in their local initiatives. Motivation levels among MOs and
activists associated with CDN have been inconsistent. The secretariat has faced
recurring challenges stemming from relatively poor working conditions and issues
with staff well-being, along with difficulties arising from inadequate internal
communication tools and task division. These challenges are compounded by
several weaknesses, including high turnover of staff, limited impact assessment,
reluctance towards innovation, difficulty to reach new audiences, insignificant
political influence, insufficient knowledge transfer, a dearth of comprehensive
policies, and an absence of a dedicated social media presence. Addressing these
challenges and weaknesses is essential for CDN's continued growth and impact in
the region.

Using Opportunities: Embracing Strategic Advantages

CDN's strategic planning capitalises on emerging opportunities in the political
and organisational landscape. We are witnessing growing engagement of youth in
politics even though the methods are different from traditional ways such as
party or organisational membership. At the same time, there is rising Green
movement in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as well as increased focus from the
wider Green movement in the region with aim to support progressives on the
ground. CDN, with its established presence and expertise, is uniquely positioned
to seize this moment. CDN should explore extensive partnership opportunities,
foster sustainable collaborations, and facilitate the exchange of experiences
and ideas with partners. Furthermore, embracing intersectionality and digital
technologies can enhance CDN's influence and reach.

Mitigating Threats: Safeguarding Organisational Resilience

To secure its future, CDN must address potential threats that could interrupt
its mission. These are the potential threats to successful achievement of the
mission: consolidation of far-right, authoritarian, and populist governments in
the region that create hostile environment for progressive activists; shrinking
space for civil society; all these accompanied with economic challenges that
result in demoralisation and high level of brain drain of CDN’s primary target
group; Besides, visa and border restrictions hindering in-person events.

STRATEGIC GOALS:

1. Empower Progressive Changemakers

...and equip activists and leaders with necessary capacities to actively engage
in political processes; Provide comprehensive training, political education,
opportunities for knowledge exchange, and utilise digital tools to foster their
growth, reach, and impact.

2. Strengthen the Network

...and connect further with the existing Member Organisation as well as welcome
new ones. Moreover, prioritise intra-organisational growth and
professionalisation of CDN to enable greater and more sustainable impact.

3. Bring Eastern European Perspective

...and cultivate a strong understanding of regional dynamics and political
developments in Eastern Europe. Position CDN as influential source and a
reference point within Green and Progressive European circles.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES:

1. We will Empower progressive changemakers by:

   1. Developing and implementing effective training events to enhance
      their capacities;
   2. Strengthening theoretical knowledge in key subject areas (such as
      the climate crisis, security, social justice, democracy) by
      organising educational events such as seminars, conferences, Study
      Sessions, as well as knowledge-sharing outputs such as publications,
      podcasts and recordings;
   3. Design and implement tailored mentoring year-long projects with
      series of in-person and digital meetings focusing on key areas of
      impactful and sustainable organisation.
   4. Elevating attention towards 1. young members within political
      parties who are not necessarily involved in youth wings; 2.
      progressive activists who are not part of member organisations;
   5. Collaborating with professional organisations, companies, experts,
      and academics to support preparatory teams in creating relevant and
      high-quality content for activities as well as deliver at least 1/4
      of sessions during the events.

Overarching approach:

• Promoting Inclusivity: Ensure that all our activities are inclusive and
  accessible to a diverse range of participants. Implement measures to
  accommodate different backgrounds and ensure safe space;

• Ensuring intersectional approach: embed an intersectional approach into
  all our initiatives, recognising the interconnectedness of environmental
  issues with social justice concerns, as well as acknowledging the complex
  interplay of personal characteristics such as race, gender, sexuality,
  class, and ability;

2. We will Strengthen the Network by:

   1. Evaluations and annual membership survey to gather feedback and
      ensure relevance of upcoming activities;
   2. Expanding Network Membership, particularly in countries where we
      currently lack representation. Additionally, giving special
      attention to the independent activists and young members of
      progressive political parties;
   3. Focusing on further Professionalisation of the organsiation: improve
      internal management, governance processes, policies, transfer of
      knowledge and documenting.
   4. Diversifying Funding Sources: Develop a fundraising strategy to
      maximise support from Green foundations while actively seeking new
      funding sources. Concurrently, increase attention towards small-
      donor donations and launch fundraising campaigns.
   5. Developing well-being-oriented Human Resource policies, fostering
      skill and knowledge development, and enhancing the working
      conditions and retention of staff and the Executive Committee;
   6. Organising productive and well-planned Executive Committee Meetings
      and invigorating General Assemblies;
   7. Enhancing communication channels and strategies, including the use
      of digital platforms and social media, to effectively disseminate
      information, statements, share success stories, and mobilise for
      collective actions and campaigns.

3. We will Bring Eastern European Perspective by:

   1. Strengthening Partnerships with Progressive and Green Stakeholders:
      Foster ongoing and extended collaborations with partner
      organisations like Federation of Young European Greens, as well as
      European Green Party, Green European Foundation, and Heinrich Boell
      Offices in the region.
   2. Increasing political communication on Eastern Europe issues and
      developments: publishing statements and opinion pieces by Executive
      Committee Members, Secretary General, and other relevant
      individuals, organising webinars, providing input to other Green and
      Progressive actors;
   3. (Re)Introducing and maintaining Newsletter to share important
      updates, insights, and perspectives from Eastern Europe. Highlight
      the contributions of Member Organisations and other progressive
      forces from the region, actively engage with them to gather input
      and provide informed contributions on key regional and political
      developments.

BOLSTERING OUR CAPACITY FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGY
DELIVERY

To ensure our ability to execute the strategy effectively, we recognise the
importance of building organisational capacities which are essential not only
for our strategic success but also for achieving our goals. Consequently, we
have identified following four priorities:

Internal Management:

• Develop a comprehensive governance handbook that outlines roles,
  responsibilities, and decision-making processes for the Executive
  Committee, office as well as for temporary structures (such as Presidency,
  Prep Teams);

• Improve delegation order and reinforce in practice;

• Develop transfer document for each staff position (replacing of single
  document for whole staff);

• Optimise office structure and positions, ensuring more efficient task
  allocation and defined responsibilities:

  • In case of financial possibilities, prioritise the following new
    staff positions for: 1. Finances and Admin 2. Communications

Communications:

• Utilise digital organising tools such as petitions and continue
  newsletter. Initially, to be distributed quarterly, with the goal of
  transitioning to a monthly basis;

• Targeted social media presence and increased political communication;

• Improve internal communications by unifying communications channels;

Human Resources:

• Revise contracts to ensure their legal compliance and practical
  applicability;

• Prioritise office well-being and professional growth;

• Update guide for onboarding and offboarding procedure;

• Establish a systematic performance assessment process, including regular
  evaluations and feedback sessions;

Finances:

• Reinforce intra-organisational financial procedures and rules;

• Strengthen fundraising efforts to diversify income streams by applying a
  minimum of two grants from sources beyond our existing partners. However,
  ensuring that any new projects do not overburden existing staff;

• Facilitate sub-granting possibilities to member organisations;

IMPLEMENTING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION

To bring our vision and mission to life, CDN is led by its Executive Committee
and Secretary General, elected by member organisations at our annual General
Assembly. The daily operations are carried out by staff, based in Belgrade,
under the responsibility of the Secretary General. Our guiding document, the
Political Platform, adopted by member organisations at the General Assembly,
outlines our political positions and values. While Internal Rules of Procedure
regulates framework of our operations. In addition, Safe Space Policy provides
practical guidelines for ensuring inclusive and safe environment during our
activities as well as general work.

Implementing

Central to our implementation strategy are the Annual Activity Plans that are
developed and presented by the Executive Committee to be adopted at the General
Assembly. They serve as a roadmap for the year ahead, outlining specific
initiatives and activities aligned with our strategic objectives. Developed
through inclusive and democratic processes, these plans provide detailed
guidance for action, defining objectives, and timelines.

In coordination with our Annual Activity Plans, Executive Committee presents a
Financial Plan which is subsequently adopted at the General Assembly. This plan
is designed to efficiently allocate resources in alignment with our strategic
objectives and initiatives, ensuring the availability of the financial support
required to achieve strategic objectives.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The fulfilment of Strategic Plan is monitored by the Executive Committee under
the guidance of Secretary General. They identify and track Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) directly linked to our strategic objectives. These KPIs
undergo an annual review to assess their progress and effectiveness in advancing
our strategic priorities.

As part of the monitoring process, progress reports related to the Annual
Activity and Financial Plans are presented at the General Assembly. These
reports offer a comprehensive overview of each initiative, highlighting
achievements, challenges, and areas for adjustment, while also showcasing their
alignment with our strategic objectives and progress toward fulfilment.

CDN values feedback from participants of our events, Member Organisations,
partners, and other stakeholders. We actively seek input through surveys,
consultations, and feedback mechanisms to gain diverse perspectives on our work.
This continuous feedback loop helps us identify areas for improvement, refine
our strategies, and enhance the impact of our initiatives.

The strategy will undergo a mid-term assessment at the two-year mark to evaluate
its relevance, progress, and effectiveness in advancing our strategic
priorities. The review process will be led by Secretary General and involve
analysing feedback from conducted activities, interviews with several
participants, stakeholders, selected Member Organisations, and partners. Based
on the feedback, the Executive Committee should discuss amendments to the
Strategy to be proposed at the 2026 General Assembly.

The Executive Committee reccomends the composition of five members for the mandate 2026/2027.

28th March
All times in EET/EEST

9:00-9:30 Registration
9:30-11:00 Political Conference
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-12:30 Formalities
Verification of the presence of the delegates from Member Organisations;
Quorum check and validation of General Assembly;
Adoption of Presidency;
Presentation of IRPs GA chapter;
Presentation of the GA rules, (voting, majorities);
Voting on the minutes from the last GA;
Presentation and adoption of the Agenda
12:30-13:00 Reports&Plans Presentations
Activity and Financial report
Sec-Gen report
Activity and Financial Plan
13:00-14:30 Lunch break
14:30-16:00 Candidates presentation
Presentation of Candidate Organisations;
Presentation of Executive Committee and Secretary General candidates;
16:00-16:30 Coffee break
16:30-18:00 Amendments & Resolutions
Presentation of new IRPs proposal;
IRPs Amendments;
SSP, SP Amendments;
Resolutions.
18:00-20:00 Dinner

29.03
9:30-11:00 Political conference
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
11:30-13:00 Questions and Answers:
Executive Committee and Secretary General Candidates
Candidates Organisations
Questions to be send 28th March EoD
13:00-14:30 Lunch break
14:30-15:30 Voting
15:30-16:00 Closed discussion on EC, SG and MO candidates
16:00-16:30 Lunch break
16:30-18:00 Elections, speeches of outgoing and elected SG and EC

The rules of the preparation of the General Assembly has been fulfiled and all
deadlines met.

The only exception is the call for the Executive Committee and Member Organisations, with the original deadline on February 26th, Thursday, which was extended until February 28th, Saturday - to fit with the month.

The minutes are available under the link.

This document is the assessment of the applications for CDN Membership or Observership done by the Executive Committee, and recommendation to GA. Of course, the final decision is up to the GA.

1. Restart Gavar Youth NGO

We had contacts with Restart Gavar Youth NGO previously, with their International Project Manager Nona present at two of our events (but as representative of FYN), and some members participating in our digital space.

Regarding the membership criteria:

• General criteria: The deeper research is needed. The organisation is youth-led, but the limit is only 18+ (no upper age limit). Regarding the democratic structures, the role of president in the status is quite high (only one defined position, elected for the 5-years term). EC assess it might work in the local context, but that further contact with the organisation in the next year needs to be established in order to assess the democratic structures of the organisation.

• Sustainability criteria: Fulfilled. The organisation is working in a continuous way, organising several projects each year. It was established in 2023, and gained a stable volunteer base.

• Value and issue criteria: The deeper research is needed. The organisation is working especially on democracy and youth participation, which are core CDN values, but we are not able to assess their stance on other CDN and Green values. We believe that closer research next year is needed.

Our current organisation from Armenia, FYN, was asked about their opinion, but did not reply in a given time.

Thus, EC says that it is yet too early to say if Restart Gavar Youth NGO fulfill all the membership criteria. EC thus recommends voting against Restart Gavar Youth NGO as a Member Organisation, and instead recommends accepting it as an Observer Organisation, with potential pathway to membership in next years.

2. JUST

No contacts with JUST were established previously. One of the JUST’s board members was present at our event, but a bit before the establishment of the organisation. We just became aware of the existence of organisation in the moment of receiving an application.

Regarding the membership criteria:

• General criteria: Fulfilled. The organisation is youth-only, registered, and has democratic structures (board and general assembly).

• Sustainability criteria: Not fulfilled. The organisation was only established in October 2025. The application states that they are conducting the activities, but are not listing them, and we are not aware about their specific activities.

• Value and issue criteria: The deeper research is needed. The organisation claims to promote green values in most of its policy areas. We do not have reasons to not believe them, but due to the lack of previous contact, we cannot assess it positively as well.

Our current MO from Georgia did not have strong preference for or against JUST, having little knowledge of them as well.

Thus, EC assess JUST at this moment does not fulfill all the membership criteria. EC thus recommends voting against JUST as a Member Organisation, and instead recommends accepting it as an Observer Organisation, with potential pathway to membership in next years.

3. CKO

We have contacts with people from CKO, but as back-then members of our Serbian MO ZOS. No institutional contact between CDN and CKO was established previously.

Regarding the membership criteria:

• General criteria: Fulfilled. The organisation is youth-only, registered, and has democratic structures (board and general assembly).

• Sustainability criteria: Fulfilled. The organisation is implementing multiple projects on different topics.

• Value and issue criteria: The deeper research is needed. The organisation core values and activities include democracy, human rights and social justice, however deeper research would be needed to assess their stance towards green values and green political family as a whole.

Our current MO from ZOS recommends to vote against the organisation. The reasons will be explained by the EC for the delegates at the General Assembly.

Thus, EC assess CKO at this moment does not fulfill all the membership criteria. EC thus recommends voting against CKO as a Member Organisation.

4. Climate Pioneers

The contact person of Climate Pioneers was present at our 2025 Study Session. No further institutional contacts were established as per now.

Regarding the membership criteria:

• General criteria: Fulfilled. The organisation is youth-only, registered, and has democratic structures (board and general assembly).

• Sustainability criteria: Fulfilled. They are a successful NGO, working since 2021 with multiple projects.

• Value and issue criteria: Not fully fulfilled. The organisation is working in the climate field, but staying apolitical in other areas. We believe that the participants from Climate Pioneers are thus valuable for CDN and its MOs, but do not qualify for MO.

We received a negative recommendation for their Membership, but positive for the Observership, from our current Turkish MO Genç Yeşiller. GY wants to cooperate with Climate Pioneers, but believes that they do not fulfill the criteria. The reasons were included in this recommendation.

Thus, EC assess Climate Pioneers do not fulfill all the membership criteria. EC thinks that they are a valuable point of the civic society in Eastern Europe and wants to have cooperation with them, thus recommending voting against Climate Pioneers as a Member Organisation, but instead recommends accepting it as an Observer Organisation.

5. NGO “SATELLITE”

We had established contact with NGO “Satellite” since at least July 2025. We participated in a call together regarding potential cooperation and path to Membership. Two representatives of the organisation participated in “Environmental consequences of war” activity, their CEO Anna Bilous was also the speaker on “Sustainable recovery and reconstruction” webinar organised together by CDN and Polish YGs in February 2026.

Regarding the membership criteria:

• General criteria: Fulfilled. It is a youth organisation (age limit 13-35), it has democratic structures (annual General Assembly, Board elected for 2 years term).

• Sustainability criteria: Fulfilled. They are a well-established organisation, conducting their activities since 2023 in a continuous way. Their organised events and programmes on the environment, as well as capacity-building non-formal education events.

• Value and issue criteria: Fulfilled. They organised the activities on almost all the pillars of democracy, environment, security and peace-building. Also inclusion policy is one of their priorities.

Hence, EC assesses that NGO “Satellite” fulfills all the membership criteria defined in the IRPs. However, due to the application coming up late (deadline prolonged by the EC), and thus, EC being out of capacities and deciding not to contact our current organisation from Ukraine, EC decides to not recommend the NGO “Satellite” for the Membership, and leave this decision to the GA.

In case of an Observership vote, EC recommends the NGO “Satellite” for the Observership status.

The financial plan comprehends the proposed activity plan for 2026 and 2027. The plan follows similar pattern to the previous year with minor changes.

The narrative parts focuses on 2026, with the more detailed plan on 2027 can be found in the excel attached in the end.

The total planned expenditure for the period amounts to 229,560.07 EUR, while the total projected income is 227,771.00 EUR (compared to 184,717.79 in 2025), resulting in a planned surplus 1788 EUR.

Expenditure:

Category 1: Personnel Costs

This budget line covers salaries, staff trainings, and meetings. The total personnel expenditure amounts to 57,003.75 EUR, including overhours. It includes 1300 EUR planned previously for 2025 (thus most of the deficit).

The plan also includes 1,903.75 EUR for internship fees and overhours. The plan includes only current intern – the new internship programme is not planned yet and is subject to savings or fundraising (as in activity plan).

In addition, 450.00 EUR is allocated for staff trainings and meetings, including 250.00 EUR for trainings for staff and Executive Committee members and 200.00 EUR for staff meetings or retreats.

As in previous years, the organisation will explore opportunities to expand the Secretariat in relation to potential project funding. This includes position of Taste the Change programme coordinator, though due to the project contract not yet signed, it is included in one line with the whole programme.

Category 2: Infrastructure and Operating costs

This category covers office, infrastructure, and operational costs related to physical and digital maintenance, ensuring smooth operations, and supporting organisational functionality. It includes expenses such as office rent, utilities, office equipment, different software and website maintenance, all vital for sustaining smooth and effective daily operations. Total costs of this category are 11480 EUR and are similar to previous years, with adjustment to inflation.

Category 3: Administrative expenditure

This budgetary category covers costs related to administrative functioning that includes legal fees, extraordinary admin costs, audit, and bank charges. Compared to previous year, it is increased due to the the new employment legalisation processes (600 EUR), totalling to the 4300 EUR.

Category 4: Statutory Meetings

This budget category covers statutory events and governance-related activities. The total planned expenditure in this category amounts to 31,357.60 EUR.

Executive Committee meetings are budgeted at 7,000.00 EUR, ensuring that the governing body can meet regularly and effectively to oversee the organisation’s work. This is the projects’ money, and savings possibilities are limited.

The General Assembly and Conference represent the largest item in this category, with a total planned expenditure of 22,357.60 EUR. This is a biggest chunk of the money, that grows year by year due to the increased number of MOs and their activity.

Additionally, 2,000.00 EUR is allocated for other meetings and representation activities. This includes 500.00 EUR for visits to member organisations or study visits and 1,500.00 EUR for networking and political cooperation with partners.

Category 5: Capacity Building and Regional Activities

This category represents the largest share of the budget, with a total planned expenditure of 121,841.77 EUR. It includes the organisation’s seminars, conferences, regional activities, and educational programmes.

EYF Work Plan activities will cost 49,764.77 EUR for the EYF Work Plan, which supports a series of educational activities such as seminars, trainings, and conferences. Additional 6,500.00 EUR for the (Cross)Regional Meeting combined with the Summer Camp.

An additional 53,163.00 EUR is allocated for the Taste the Change Programme. That includes whole programme, with activities for 2026 and 2027, and salary of programme coordinator (10 months). The division between 2026 and 2027 will be done later, due to the project requirements.

12414 EUR includes money for the additional activities: Training of Trainers and the Climate Refugees Seminar. The exact division will be made close to the activities.

At this stage, no separate ad hoc projects are included in the financial plan.

Incomes:

Category 1: Administrative Income

Administrative income amounts to 100,268.00 EUR.

The largest contribution comes from the Green Forum Foundation, providing 64,708.00 EUR (700,000 SEK). The amount might differ due to the exchange rate fluctuation. We will receive 24,500.00 EUR from the EYF Structural Grant (we received slightly less than in previous cycle) and 10,000.00 EUR from FYEG.

Category 2: Projects

Project income amounts to 127,503.00 EUR. The main component is the EYF Work Plan grant, contributing 60,000.00 EUR (including administrative costs). An adjustment of –1,000.00 EUR is included for potentially rejected invoices from the 2025 Local Actions.

Important project funding includes 55,463.00 EUR from the Green Forum Neighbourhood Programme (Taste the Change project), 5,040.00 EUR from the New Democracy Fund (AMAZ project), and 7,000.00 EUR from the International Foundation GroenLinks.

Attachment: Financial Plan 2026-27 (Detailed).

Across the whole Eastern Europe, women and non-binary people are faced with challenges on almost all levels: society, policy, culture, economics, health, and law. Gender-based violence is a systemic problem maintained by institutional inefficiency. The common enemy is patriarchy, and it is deeply rooted in our society.

A critical issue that continues to affect society is the serious violence faced by women and gender minorities. Across much of Eastern Europe, legislation aimed at preventing and addressing violence against women remains insufficient, while legal protections for non-binary individuals are almost entirely absent. Even in countries where relevant legislation is formally in place, authorities often fail to deliver timely and adequate protection to individuals facing violence. Institutional reactions often come only after multiple reports, escalations of violence, or deaths.¹.

In the end, institutional responses to violence are often insufficient and fall far short of delivering justice. The lack of preventive measures, uneven judicial practice, weak intersectional and inter-sectoral cooperation and chronic underestimation of the role of civil society organizations lead to the normalization of violence against women and non-binary people².

Institutional responses remain insufficient, and perpetrators of violence against women and non-binary individuals are rarely held accountable, even in jurisdictions where legal protections are formally established. A lack of specific legal definitions for intimate partner violence and psychological abuse in domestic law results in inconsistent prosecution³.

Effective measures and transformative policies remain absent, and deterrence through both rehabilitation and punishment of perpetrators is insufficient. For example, HRA report states that in Montenegro from 2022 to 2025, “[i]ndictments were filed in every fifth case, half of the complaints were dismissed, while almost one-third of the cases remained unresolved”⁴.

Physical violence is the most egregious and obvious manifestation of violence, yet far from the only one. Violence can take the form of mental abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, digital and cyber abuse, or verbal abuse.

Statistics on these topics are also not updated regularly, reflecting a lack of prioritization in monitoring and response. In reality, the true scale of this phenomenon is unknown, as many women and non-binary people never report the various forms of violence against them.

It must be recognized that the growing influence of autocratic governance, far-right ideologies, and ongoing wars has intensified structural violence against women and gender minorities, which is frequently normalized within societies. The consequences of the war in Ukraine on women is much less talked about than other parts of the Russia’s terror, and the world is especially silent on the amount of sexual violence women face⁵. Along with other wars and genocides that have been going on in the world (including, but not limited to, Gaza, Iran, and Sudan), we have to stand for all the female and non-binary victims who are suffering, often in silence.

According to EU data, 25 % of women in Latvia have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime, indicating persistent gender-based violence⁶. Youth in Montenegro have a relatively high level of awareness about the existence and seriousness of violence against women, yet many remain unsure where to seek help. Bulgaria saw large protest waves in 2023 after a high-profile attack⁷. In Serbia, the Autonomous Women's Center reported 28,413 registered domestic-violence incidents in 2023⁸. European Institute for Gender Equality country profile notes tens of thousands of men reported to police for domestic violence in Poland in 2022, with far fewer resulting in sentencing⁹. In Croatia, 19 women were victims of femicide in 2025¹⁰, and in Turkey that number is 456¹¹.

In Serbia in 2024, there were reports of Telegram group in which large number of sexually explicit, violent, degrading and illicit content of women was shared without consent¹².

It has also been noted that a large number of women in Eastern European region think that violence is “common/fairly common” (88% in Albania, 67% in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 62% in Montenegro, 60% in North Macedonia and 85% in Serbia)¹³.

Across Eastern Europe, shelters and crisis centres for victims of domestic violence are often provided through a combination of municipal services and non-governmental organizations. Shelter infrastructure remains insufficient to meet international standards. The Council of Europe recommends one family shelter place per 10,000 inhabitants, yet many countries in the region fall well below this level¹⁴. Shelters also tend to be concentrated in urban areas and are primarily operated by non-governmental organizations with limited and unstable funding¹⁵. As a result, victims, particularly those in rural regions, often face serious barriers when seeking safe accommodation and support. While assistance is available, shelters and crisis facilities also apply internal rules related to safety and capacity, which can affect immediate access in certain situations.

Access to safe and legal abortion remains uneven across Eastern Europe. While abortion is formally legal in many countries, practical barriers such as restrictive legislation, administrative obstacles, and widespread use of conscientious objection by medical professionals significantly limit access to reproductive healthcare. Poland currently has one of the most restrictive abortion regimes in Europe following the 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling¹⁶, while in countries such as Hungary¹⁷, Croatia, and Romania legal access is often undermined by institutional barriers and refusal of services¹⁸.

Adolescents face particularly significant barriers in accessing reproductive healthcare. Approximately 21 million adolescents aged 15–19 become pregnant each year in developing regions, and complications from unsafe abortion remain a major cause of maternal morbidity among young women¹⁹. In many Eastern European countries, minors seeking abortion services must obtain parental or guardian consent, and in some cases judicial authorization²⁰. These requirements can delay or prevent access to timely care, particularly in situations where young people cannot safely involve their families.

Despite these hardships, there is enough proof and work institutionally, as well as in the field, to show that protection of women and gender minorities can be achieved, maintained, and improved.

The Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence) provides the most comprehensive international legal framework for prevention, protection, prosecution, and policy integration. Ratified in 39 countries²¹, it has faced difficulties in recent years. Turkey, for example, officially withdrew from in 2021²². Poland announced an intention to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention in 2020²³, and in Latvia protests occurred in 2025 amid parliamentary moves initiating withdrawal proceedings²⁴. In both cases, the withdrawals were not officially enacted.

Ongoing public mobilization in Latvia, through large protests and petitions (60,000+ signatures), indicates strong civil society engagement. The country also adopted national plans to prevent and combat violence against women and intimate partner violence, and ratified new laws against sexual harassment (2024) and broader awareness campaigns²⁵.

In 2024, Croatia passed a law outlining femicide as a separate crime²⁶.

Transparency and reporting requirements (e.g., employer pay audits, sanctions for discriminatory wage policies) exist in some EU states and should be adopted. (EU pay transparency directive frameworks available through EU Commission gender strategy).

Across Eastern Europe, centers for help and victim support services actively provide assistance to victims of domestic abuse and organise advocacy. In Latvia, for example, support services are provided through municipal crisis centres and non-governmental organizations such as the MARTA Centre²⁷.

All of these examples show that our region has real potential for change. Many Eastern European activists and civil society organizations are already working to support survivors and challenge gender-based violence. To achieve lasting progress, these efforts must be strengthened through greater cooperation and unity across the region.

We urge politicians in Eastern Europe:

• develop policies that prioritise the protection and prevention of violence against women and non-binary people;

• strengthen implementation of existing laws and introduce clearer protection measures for victims, including effective restraining orders and coordinated institutional responses

• legislate clear definitions of all forms of violence (intimate partner, psychological, stalking, digital) aligned with EU and Council of Europe standards

• ensure adequate funding and accessibility of shelters and crisis centres, in line with the Council of Europe recommendation of at least one family shelter place per 10,000 inhabitants

• guarantee access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including safe and legal abortion services, and remove unnecessary administrative barriers that prevent timely access — particularly for young women and those in vulnerable situations

• improve national data collection and research on gender-based violence and victim support services

• strengthen education on equality, consent, and human rights

• provide stable financial support for civil society organisations working on prevention, advocacy, and victim support

• address hate crimes targeting women and gender minorities, recognising their link to gender-based violence.

Systemic change needs the support and inclusion of civil society and the general public.

CDN will contribute to this struggle and strive to:

• continue working on feminist topics through its projects, activities, and groups, such as the Feminist Action Team

• develop partnerships with NGOs which fight violence against women and support victims of violence

• spread the word about different resources and organisations that provide help to victims of different forms of violence against women and non-binary people

• apply for and develop projects to address the issue of violence against women

• advocate and campaign among our member organisations, as well as beyond the network

• educate members on the topic and about the ways how they can fight for better law and prevention in their countries

• spread the word about the issues of women and gender minorities in the Eastern European region

• continue advocating for peace and the stopping of violence, especially in the cases of organized attacks that harm women further, such as full scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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References:

1https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/grevio

2https://eige.europa.eu/

3https://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/violence-against-women-eu-wide-survey-main-results-report

4https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/montenegro/more-efficient-handling-torture-and-gender-based-violence-cases-key-eu-accession_en

5https://www.euronews.com/culture/2026/02/19/sexual-violence-in-the-ukraine-war-six-women-break-their-silence-at-the-berlinale

6https://balticnews.com/latvia-has-highest-rate-in-the-eu-of-women-intentionally-murdered-by-partner-or-relative/

7https://sofiaglobe.com/2023/07/31/across-bulgaria-many-thousands-turn-out-in-protest-against-violence-against-women/

8https://www.rferl.org/a/serbia-balkans-domestic-violence-older-women-domestic-violence-/33243085.html

9https://eige.europa.eu/gender-based-violence/countries/poland?language_content_entity=en

10https://artkvart.hr/i-jedna-minuta-je-previse-potresno-sjecanje-na-19-zrtava-femicida-u-2025-godini/

11https://anitsayac.com/?year=2025

12https://www.rfi.fr/en/international-news/20240910-rape-and-revenge-porn-serbian-telegram-groups-preying-on-women

13https://projects.osce.org/JusticeInCombatingGBVinSEE

14https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/grevio

15https://eige.europa.eu/gender-based-violence

16https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/22/poland-abortion-ruling-harmful-womens-rights

17https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/hungary-abortion-law

18https://www.epfweb.org/node/837

19https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-pregnancy

20https://abortion-policies.srhr.org/

21https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/210/signatures

22https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/turkey-withdrawal

23https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-domesticviolence-idUSKCN24Q0ZP

24https://eng.lsm.lv/

25National Plan for the Prevention and Combating of Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, https://www.lm.gov.lv/

26https://wave-network.org/femicide-criminal-offense-croatia/

27https://marta.lv/en/

The report covers the period from April 2025 to March 2026, i.e. the second year of the Sec-Gen’s term.

Employment Conditions and Infrastructure

The working conditions remain decent. The salaries in the Office went up 50 EUR in November 2025, amounting to EUR 1,350 for Sec-Gen (EUR 1,400 for next term) and 1.300 for other full-time positions. The increase was planned (in the financial plan) since January 2026, but savings were allowed to be implemented earlier. The increase is due to the inflation and tax raises in Serbia, still being around the average gross salary in Serbia (1,308 EUR in December 2025). Additional raises or employing a new person would require receiving an additional grant.

In addition, the EC decided to grant an office year-end reward of 450 EUR per person. The EC decision states: In years where there is a profit compared to the financial plan, the Office may be awarded a year-end reward of up to 20% of the additional profit to be divided among personnel, which makes the reward clearly defined and predictable.

The only significant change in the infrastructure is that, due to the savings in 2025 and the transfer periods incoming, we bought new computers for the office.

The adopted Office Guidelines show the total amount of overtime, which stayed at the same level (around 120 in total for all Office personnel) despite the two additional projects organised.

Internship programme

The Project&Communication Intern started working in September and works until the GA is finished. The internship is remote, with participation in the Study Session and EC Meetings, totalling 17.5 hours per week, with a salary of 550 EUR. The main tasks and learning outcomes were defined in the activity report. The intern was supervised by the Secretary-General.

The internship brought improvement in the quality of the communication, especially from the events, and the coherence. Thus, it was proven that it is a good idea to have another position responsible for comms, even if part-time, or just for a specific campaign period. Project-wise, Sintija contributed to the FemAT Local Action as well as took some responsibilities from the Office in reporting (though it was limited due to some funders changing deadlines). Generally, the programme and intern’s work has a big advantage for CDN.

As it was the first CDN internship in years, the planning was quite chaotic. The internship plan was proven to be insufficient and needed to be adjusted during the internship (also due to the changes in deadlines of some applications/reports compared to the last year). This negatively affected the learning process, but hopefully will not affect satisfaction with the internship. It is recommended for the future to organise the internship programmes, not necessarily every year, but depending on the needs and capacities, to provide a good plan with learning outcomes.

It would be good to monitor somehow the situation of former interns, to check if the knowledge gained during the internship benefits CDN or its MOs. It would be fantastic if every intern applied for other positions, or EC, or Prep-Teams in the coming years, but there are many circumstances that make it unpredictable. The introduction of an alumni network might help in that as well.

Office Retreat and Internal Training

Office retreat was organised to create the transfer documents and team-build before the in-live activities in 2025, with that realising it aims. The documents were created, and the transfer will be much more straightforward.

We did not organise any internal training for Office, unfortunately. The Office retreat was prioritised, as well as additional activities in Q2-Q4. Finally, Office personnel also did not attend any in-person external training (one was supposed to go, but withdraw due to the sickness) due to the combination of lack of time and over-experience for some offered workshops.

New Office members will be encouraged to attend some external training, especially for the first year. Some two-days internal training plus team-building outside of Belgrade was proven to be a good practice as well, maybe with the use of some online tools, and invitation of some external expert at the later stage if needed.

Strategy Monitoring

We have met our strategic objectives in 92,11% (I goal: 100%, II goal: 94,31%, III goal: 82%), which is increase of 11 p.p. comparing to 2024 (KPI monitoring sheet available on request). We are succeeding in the educational events, and improved compared to 2025 in transforming them into outputs (increased number of publications). The goal 3: Bringing Eastern European perspective remains weaker and harder to measure: we increased the traffic on website or social media engagement, but it might be derivative of increased engagement in educational activities etc.

At ECM2, steps were taken to improve the strategy itself and its monitoring. KPIs were modified to measure the outreach and engagement of our external communication, instead of just its individual forms (which, like Opinion Pieces introduced last year, proved uninteresting and unengaging). At the same time, an amendment to the strategy was proposed, defining the forms of communication and their message, to avoid engagement farming (which in political movements is usually negative and reactive messaging) simply to achieve KPIs. CDN is committed to achieving engagement, but in a manner consistent with our engagement ladder.

Contact with EC

The contact between Office and EC improved comparing to the last year. The daily decision-making is quick on regular bi-weekly meetings, while the strategic decision are focus of the live meetings.

The activity and responsiveness of all EC Members increased the productivity of the network as a whole, also decreasing the amount of work put on the office. In previous term (2024/25), the reshuffling of work, waiting for the input of two inactive EC Members and forcing Office to make strategic decisions not in this role meant a lot wasted time for Sec-Gen, as well as other, active EC Member. In the 2025/26 term, this was freed up. Thus, the organisation of two additional events (Environmental Consequences of War and Training for Trainers) was possible thanks to EC being active and taking their work seriously.

While the EC task division was equal at the beginning, some people took additional projects not defined at the beginning, that could lead to inequal task division and overwork. There was reshuffling of tasks during live EC Meetings to mitigate this risk, but maybe the check-in mechanism from the Office should be implemented to monitor.

Fundraising

Due to the increase of Green Forum funding, we could fit the sensitive gaps in our previous years‘ budgets such as co-funding for work plan and salaries, and rather apply for grants based on our strategic priorities rather than to adjust our priorities to the grant. This also meant that we did not have to look for the additional co-funding of work plan, that previously required a lot of additional work from the office that was freed-up this year.

We applied for additional grant (rejected), as well as created the concept of additional programme Taste the Change: Youth Shaping Sustainable Food Transitions in Municipalities that was not send due to posponing the call for projects and can be used next year with some funder.

We need more work put in the small scale fundraising. We received only 20 EUR in small-scale donations. We also need to pay attention in the changes in the donor lanscape. The cuts in USAID did not concern us directly, as we have not applied for any such grant; however, it means that some organisations previously funded by USAID were applying for other grants. This means bigger competition for the usual grants we were receiving or applying for. Due to that, we need to put more focus on the applications for this funder; however, it is difficult because of a lack of any feedback on applications from their side (they either accept or do not). We will definitely need to pay more attention to CoE Youth Sector priorities while planning activities.

Relations with Other Organisations

We continued good, and on-time communication with FYEG, sharing calendars and doing some statement co-operation. We participated in the meeting with Foundation Max van der Stoel (PvdA foundation, Netherlands) to get to know each other and put stones towards potential cooperationa after GL-PvdA merger. We were also again represented at EGP Congress, with no significant updates.

We stay in contact with other youth international NGOs, either via EYF events, or participation in some events. This needs to be continued, but in order to increase our position, we need to make steps towards joining European Youth Forum. For this we need to increase the membership base, especially in our most active MOs – thus, maybe they should be strategically prioritised over next 1-2 years.

Next steps and recommendations for next Sec-Gen

Finishing my mandate, I believe the plans and strategy for next year are well-defined. A crucial thing will be to ensure the sustainable transfer of positions and continuation of work, merging the current strategy with the vision of the new Secretary-General. My recommendations for the next Sec-Gen, Office and EC that were not put into other documents include:

• The financial management and budget planning should be sustainable and reflect the challenges in the donor landscape. Thus, the amount of savings should not decrease much, and preferably increase, over the next few years in the case we do not need to implement any crisis management connected to the termination of some grant. Small-scale fundraising might be prioritised, as there is no need to gradually increase the activities of CDN, but ensure they are sustainable.

• Division of tasks in the office could be more equal on the institutional/document level. In my two years, we have quite an unequal division at some points, which was not problematic due to the overall good relations within the office, but can potentially cause problems in the future. Reflecting on specific tasks should be done periodically, especially to reduce the workload of the Finance and Office Manager in the coming years.

• Communication priority should indeed bring the Eastern European perspective regarding the developments in EE politics and our progressive postulates for the change. We are sometimes the only ones or one of the few pages that can gather the info about the region – the info from political parties or other organisations is limited due to their electoral aim, and the most popular info about the region often comes from Western influencers. Thus, I suggest increasing the communication on the developments in Eastern European countries, with the focus on positive developments or counter- and alternative narratives, with informative posts spreading the information. Furthermore, the fact that we are not competing in the elections and our ladder of engagement leads through MOs makes us less dependent on the outreach. Furthermore, this allows us to experiment with some avant-garde forms, having much more freedom in communications.

• Regarding the EC work, the task division can be clearer and more in line with the strategic decisions of EC. Eg, the decision on enhanced internal communication and trying out the new format (short videos) should include a list of topics and the person responsible for recording the videos. Maybe the role of (unofficial) spokesperson(s) should be discussed.

Moreover, repeating the point from last year, I strongly suggest rethinking the role and format of the General Assembly. The GA’s added value is low compared to the capacity-building events considering the amount of money and office capacity it takes, and, however necessary, can be shortened or be smaller, or even organised online, sometimes, eg, every second year. With new IRPs that shorten bureaucracy and implement changes increasing the roles of MOs in-between GAs, and a new form of political conference that has already tried this year, we might increase the added value of GA, so the next year I will be proven wrong.

Hence, I leave the the position CDN on a stable organisational basis, clear strategic direction and strong human potential. The organisation has proven its resilience, adaptability and relevance in a rapidly changing regional context, and this is an asset to be further strengthened. Our strength is in trust-based cooperation, flexibility and critically implemented Green and progressive values. We can work beyond the standard NGO practices, innovate faster than the systems we operate with, make some avant-garde, experimental forms of communication, organisational or event formats, or decision-making, as long as they remain transparent, accountable and politically meaningful.

I will stay (remotely) at CDN at least for three more months as coordinator of Taste the Change programme.

The report shows the State of Finances from 1st of January to 31st of December 2025.

We finished the year with 9271.10 EUR surplus (surplus of 1622.58 EUR was calculated in the Financial Plan). It resulted mostly from three things: (1) underspending on the General Assembly (~3200 EUR compared to the plan), (2) additional administrative money resulting from the “Environmental Consequences of War” activity (~2500 EUR), (3) additional money due to the SEK/EUR exchange rate (~2500 EUR). Hence, it is one-time surplus, making CDN finances much more secure for next years, but does not mean sustainable increase of funding.

In regard to financial management, nothing important changed. We continued to have good practices implemented in the previous years.

Expenditure:

Category 1: Personnel costs

Not much changes in this category. EC decided on introducing 1350 EUR year-end reward to office (450 EUR per person). We moved one salary (1300 EUR) to 2026 due to the transfer period in Office happening finally in 2026 not 2025. We saved a bit on the Internship costs, because of having fully remote internship, thus not including the relocation costs.

Category 2: Infrastructure and operating costs

In this category we overspent 15%. This results from the decision of EC to spent money saved on other activities to buy new computers for Office. The previous computers were bought ~5 years ago, and were too old and sometimes not working properly. Nothing important changed in other fields.

Category 3: Administrative expenditure

We spent 86% in this category – most of the savings were made on legal expenses as there was no need for doing them in 2026.

Category 4: Statutory meetings

We underspent 4,284.35 EUR (14,09%) in this category. This results from the savings on the General Assembly mostly, and a bit from savings on all the other sub-categories. It’s due to better management and planning than in previous years, and maybe also planning of bigger budgets. GA underspending results also from 3-4 last-minute cancellations (~170 EUR per person for accommodation and meals + reimbursement costs).

Category 5: Capacity Building and Regional Activities:

This category includes expenses for Special Call activity and ad hoc event (Training of Trainers) that were mostly or fully funded by the new project grants. Almost everything else went as in plan, within the margin of error.

Incomes:

We received more money from Green Forum (2390.98) due to the exchange rate gain. This money will need to be used in 2026/27 or secure any exchange rate loss in these years.

We received additional 3000 EUR from International Foundation GroenLinks for the organisations of Training for Trainers, and 25000 EUR for the Special Call activity (21.503,26 EUR spent in 2025, rest for the follow-up campaigns).

EYF rejected some invoices for 2024 Local Actions, resulting in receiving 350,42 EUR less than planned for 2024 AWP grant.

Profit and Loss:

Total profit for 2024 is 9271 EUR. We planned to have 1622.58 EUR savings, and 1300 EUR was moved to 2026. Thus, compared to the Financial Plan adopted in Zagreb GA, we saved 6348.51.

The total savings are now 20,075.25.

Attachment: Financial Report 2025 (Detailed)