Association for Democratic Initiatives (ADI) is a non-governmental organization based in Sarajevo. ADI’s main fields of work are improvement of the rule of law, protection of human rights, and EU integrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina by fostering participatory and direct democracy practices and instigating partnerships between the civil society, governmental institutions and the private sector. ADI realizes its objectives through proposing policy solutions, implementing projects and advocacy campaigns, and organizing educational trainings. Particularly, ADI’s efforts are directed towards building institutional capacities of civil society organizations and promotion of their role in the society. ADI has worked on diverse national and regional projects on issues in area of development of political and economic institutions, instigating participatory democracy mechanisms, strengthening the civil sector, and protection of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since its creation until 2008, ADI has served as the Secretariat for the Balkan Human Rights Network (BHRN), coordinating activities and projects with 44 human rights organizations in the Balkans region. During this period ADI implemented great number of projects in cooperation with national and regional partners/NGOs. Some of ADI’s past project include, successful regional schools “Human Rights and Business” and “Regional Summer School on Human Rights” held in Malta. In last three years, ADI implemented several projects focusing on the reform of the justice sector and development of public participation practices in this sector: “Strengthening the Role of the Professional Associations in the Justice Sector in BiH” and “Creating the Preconditions for the Cooperation between Non-governmental organizations and the Ministry of Justice of BiH”. Within this last mentioned project, ADI developed, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice in B&H internal public consultation procedures for the Ministry as well as the stakeholder database for public consultations. ADI also initiated creation of Justice Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina – a network consisting of 64 non-governmental organizations active in the justice sector – and implemented several policy research and advocacy projects through the Network, acting for two years as Network coordinator as well. In addition, ADI held numerous trainings for civil society organizations (CSOs) focusing on developing their knowledge and skills in writing project proposals; trainings on organizing advocacy campaigns and public consultations; preparing applications for EU funds, World Bank, and other international and national donor organizations; financial management; strategic planning; monitoring work of public institutions; building communication strategies. Similar trainings were organized for municipalities and small businesses throughout the country. As part of its projects’ activities, ADI prepared and published great number of guidebooks, research and public policy papers.

ADI is one of five non-governmental organizations that signed the Memorandum on the establishment of mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Justice Sector Reform Strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Ministry of Justice in BiH, as representative of the justice sector of BiH, on which monitors the implementation of measures and activities within pillar 1 – the judiciary – of the Strategy.

Secretariat for the Balkan Human Rights Network (BHRN) was established in Sarajevo, January 2001, with a mandate to establish a regional cooperation among members, ensuring the flow of information and ideas among members and other NGOs in the region, assists in the preparation and implementation of joint projects, and for the development of member organization’s capacities. In the period from 2003 – 2008, the Association for Democratic Initiatives Sarajevo (ADI) took over the management of the Secretariat of the BHRN. Within the BHRN, the ADI worked on implementation, monitoring and facilitation of more than 35 regional projects. The main task of the ADI was that, by building the capacity of individual member organizations, to contribute to the establishment of sustainable projects and a strong civil society in the region. The most important task the BHRN Secretariat was working on was the development of strategic documents and the preparation of annual action plans, and their presentation to donors. This demanding work was carried out with the assistance of the Board of the BHRN which was deciding on priorities of the BHRN projects. The Secretariat was working on the preparation of project proposals, funding to regrant the BHRN members, facilitation of implementation of project activities, evaluation and reporting on activities implemented and expended funds to donors. The second part of the activities of the Secretariat was aimed at promoting the values and results of the BHRN to the donor community, international institutions, networks and NGOs in the region and beyond. In the process of preparing the BHRN members’ project proposals, for other donors except NAB SEE program, the Secretariat has worked to build the capacity of member organizations by giving them training in project management, strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation and advocacy. Within six years, the Secretariat, during the period when the ADI was leading the BHRN, has grown into a center of excellence in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the region. The total number of projects implemented in the framework of the BHRN program in a period of eight years was 75, of which the BHRN worked on 45 facilitation projects.

In February 2014, the Association for Democratic Initiatives (ADI) received the ECOSOC status thanks to many years of reporting in the field of access to justice in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Special consultative status is granted to NGOs that specialize in specific programs and activities that fall within the scope of action of the ECOSOC.

Organizations with this status have the opportunity to attend all meetings of the Council and its working bodies, as well as to offer suggestions and opinions on the topics in the field in which they specialize.

The ECOSOC, together with the General Assembly, is responsible for the tasks specified in Chapter IX of the UN Charter. In accordance with Article 63, the Council shall act in the economic, social, health, educational, cultural and in other related fields. It can be said that the ECOSOC is a coordinating body for economic and social issues.