Centre de ressources

In the South Caucasus and Eastern Europe region, riddled with various forms of conflict, from protracted to all-out war, the topic of disability rights through the lens of gender and Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is relatively unexplored. In this paper, The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation analyses and highlights several key issues and priorities for women and girls with disabilities, through the prism of inclusivity and meaningful participation in crisis response, humanitarian efforts, conflict transformation and peace negotiations, humanitarian efforts, and post-conflict reconstruction and recovery. The rights of displaced women and girls with disabilities, access to a variety of services, as well as fragmentation within the community will also be addressed. These insights were collected through a series of interviews and workshops on this topic, conducted with Kvinna till Kvinna partner organisations and community members across the region.

On a global scale, the rights of women and girls with disabilities frequently remain outside of the Women Peace and Security framework and holistic security considerations. Women and girls with disabilities are uniquely impacted by war and conflict, including through increased rates of gender-based and other forms of violence during conflict. Their specific needs and priorities are not considered in conflict and post-conflict environments and response strategies. Despite their potential to contribute unique perspectives to key processes, they do not hold agency and do not participate meaningfully in decision-making on policy and community levels in conflict transformation and peace negotiations, designing humanitarian aid, or post-conflict recovery processes. There is a prominent lack of detailed, standardised, disaggregated data, research, and analysis in this regard, including in the South Caucasus and Eastern Europe region.

SCiDEV has conducted the Mapping of Youth Participation in Digital Democracy in Albania, the first report of its kind in Albania aiming to provide a baseline knowledge resource on youth’s level of digital literacy and online participation to inform further youth initiatives and contribute to the development of policies and practices that support effective youth participation in digital democracy.

Quantitative and qualitative findings gathered by survey and focus groups suggest that despite 79.8% of youth in Albania regularly keep up with social media and are informed, only 19.6% engage in digital activism, showing a strong trend of slacktivism-minimal engagement such as sharing content without further involvement of youth.

Key barriers that hinder digital participation among youth are:
An individualistic consumerist approach of using social media
Fear of being a victim of cancel culture and/or bullying
Lack of trust in institutions due to perceptions of them being ineffective to tackle cyber threats youth is facing. Youth are more eager to report issues at media outlets rather than the responsible authorities.
Limited access to technology, mainly for youth coming from disadvantaged background

In addition to limiting perceptions and emotions such as fear, another factor that may be hindering meaningful youth participation in the digital sphere are limited understanding of their digital rights. While more than 80% of the respondents from the survey believe their digital rights are as important as their rights in the physical world, less than half the respondents (46.5%) understand what digital rights are. The most well-known digital rights among participants are centred around privacy (25.2%) freedom of expression (22.4%) and data protection (16.8%), while when it comes to cyber security only about half of the participants report a good understanding of key principles.

La Méditerranée est une région au patrimoine naturel et culturel unique, mais elle fait face à des défis environnementaux et sociétaux de plus en plus préoccupants. Afin d’aider à construire un avenir résilient pour cette région emblématique, nous avons le plaisir d’annoncer la publication du rapport “La Méditerranée à l’horizon 2050 : Une prospective du Plan Bleu”. Ce rapport constitue un jalon pour la compréhension des enjeux de développement durable dans la région méditerranéenne et propose des perspectives d’avenir pour les trente prochaines décennies.

MED2050 : Une étude prospective collaborative
Le rapport MED2050 est le fruit d’une collaboration entre des experts issus de différents pays méditerranéens et domaines disciplinaires. Il présente six scénarios sur le futur de la région à l’horizon 2050. Le projet a pour objectif d’éclairer les décideurs politiques sur les enjeux méditerranéens et aussi de sensibiliser le grand public, en particulier les jeunes générations.

Un outil pour une transition durable
MED2050 propose un ensemble de recommandations ou mesures sans regrets pour aller vers un développement durable, en insistant sur l’importance des solutions basées sur la coopération à différentes échelles. Face aux défis croissants, ce rapport constitue une base solide pour une action régionale concertée.

Pour poursuivre ces échanges, l’équipe MED2050 prévoit d’organiser, dans les mois à venir, des présentations et des débats, en commençant par trois pays méditerranéens : le Maroc, la Tunisie et la Croatie. Ces événements donneront l’occasion à différentes parties prenantes méditerranéennes de dialoguer et d’échanger pour co-construire des futurs souhaitables pour la région.

During 2024 and 2025, the Klubtura Association and the Network of Socio-Cultural Centers conducted an analysis of the implementation of the provisions of the Act on Cultural Councils and Financing of Public Needs in Culture, which entered into force in July 2022, and which regulates the allocation of public spaces to natural and legal persons operating in the field of culture at the national level and the level of local and regional self-government units.

The aim of the research was to examine how the new Act is being implemented in five Croatian cities - Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Osijek, Split and Zagreb - and how the allocation of space affects the work of cultural organizations.

The research combined an analysis of the national public policy framework and a comparison of local practices in five cities, including document analysis and interviews with 30 representatives of JLRS, civil society organizations in the field of culture, members of space allocation committees and public policy experts.

The analysis sought to obtain a clearer picture of the capacities of local governments and other involved actors to implement the space allocation process and to identify key challenges and opportunities for improving the system.

One of the important aspects of the research is the question of how national and local authorities interpret and implement legal provisions, in what ways they coordinate and to what extent they apply the principles of transparency and inclusiveness in decision-making. Given that work spaces are crucial for the stability and development of organizations and actors operating in the field of culture, their allocation affects not only individual users, but also the wider cultural community and citizens participating in programs.

The intention of the research is to contribute to the improvement of the decision-making system in culture, to empower civil society organizations to monitor public policies and to propose recommendations for improving transparency and fairness in the management of public resources. In this way, the research not only provides concrete data on the implementation of the Act, but also opens up space for future dialogue and advocacy for systemic changes in cultural policy, at the national and local levels.

A new report on “Social cohesion monitoring in Cyprus”, reveals encouraging findings on the state of social cohesion in the Limassol and Famagusta districts of Cyprus.
The study reveals a strong sense of community in both districts, with 70% of Limassol residents and an even higher 82% in Famagusta regularly interacting with people from diverse cultures. The majority of participants also expressed optimism about the positive impact of foreign-born entrepreneurs on the local economy, with over 60% in both districts supporting their role in economic growth.
In Famagusta, nearly three-quarters of respondents support greater access to education for foreign-born residents, showcasing the community’s commitment to inclusivity in learning. Limassol, on the other hand, shows promise in employment inclusivity, with over 62% of residents agreeing that employers are open to hiring foreign-born individuals, contributing to a diverse workforce.

While the report acknowledges areas for improvement, such as enhancing housing equality and building trust in local leadership, it also provides clear evidence of progress. Both districts display growing support for living in culturally diverse neighbourhoods and fostering greater political participation, laying the groundwork for stronger social cohesion across Cyprus.
Key recommendations from the report include fostering greater political participation, expanding education on diversity, and improving trust in local leadership and law enforcement.

The handbook Youth, Emotions, and the Planet, produced by Youth and Environment Europe (YEE) addresses the growing emotional impact of the global ecological crisis on young people. It explores “eco-emotions” – a wide spectrum of feelings, from anxiety and grief to hope and pride, that emerge in response to environmental change. Rather than pathologising these emotions, the guide frames them as natural and meaningful reactions that reflect our interconnectedness with the planet.

The handbook begins by explaining eco-anxiety and climate distress, highlighting their effects on mental health and social life. It stresses that young people are disproportionately affected, often feeling isolated or unheard in their concerns. By presenting eco-emotions as both individual and collective experiences, the handbook emphasizes the importance of solidarity and community support.

Practical tools are provided for navigating these emotions, such as the Climate Emotions Wheel and the LOVE model (Listen, Observe, Validate, Express), which encourage emotional agility and resilience. Coping strategies range from self-care and mindfulness to community dialogues and collective resilience-building. Personal stories, exercises, and discussion prompts illustrate how individuals can transform anxiety into constructive action.

Moving towards a resilient future, the handbook also addresses burnout in climate activism and advocates for “regenerative action” – activism that sustains both people and the planet. It encourages non-formal education, community training, and advocacy as powerful avenues for empowering youth to turn emotions into meaningful change.

Ultimately, the handbook is both a reflective and practical resource: it validates eco-emotions, provides coping and resilience-building strategies, and highlights pathways for personal growth, collective solidarity, and sustainable action in the face of the triple planetary crisis.

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the complex drivers of violent extremism, along with recommendations for strengthening social and institutional resilience through peacebuilding and development efforts.

By presenting a theoretical and empirical argument that places the emphasis on social cohesion, resilience, and adaptive peacebuilding, this book challenges the conventional security-led approach to countering violent extremism. Through a range of case studies from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including Syria, Iraq, Mozambique, Niger, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines, it explores the complex dynamics of violent extremism and the ways in which it can be prevented and countered. Drawing on complexity theory and adaptive peacebuilding, the volume provides insights into how complex social systems adapt and respond to stress, and how peacebuilders can support societies in uncertain, volatile, and unpredictable contexts by improving their resilience and their adaptive capacity to sustain peace.

This book will be of much interest to students of peacebuilding, security studies and countering violent extremism, and professional practitioners.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

This thesis explores the integration of immigrant children in Slovenian kindergartens and is divided into theoretical and empirical sections.

The theoretical part first defines interculturalism and the categorization of immigrants. It then outlines what constitutes an intercultural environment and the key factors that support it. Attention is given to programmes for working with immigrant children, models of intercultural education, and the process of integrating immigrant children into a group. Each area, including relevant models and steps, is described in detail. The thesis also addresses official legal and formal frameworks, divided into Slovenian and international contexts. Finally, it identifies intercultural competencies as a crucial element in the integration process.

The aim of the thesis was to examine how to effectively prepare for the admission of an immigrant child into a kindergarten and to understand the approaches taken by professional staff when integrating immigrant children. The empirical part of the research was conducted using a questionnaire comprising both open- and closed-ended questions as well as a Likert scale. The sample included 35 educators and assistant educators who responded anonymously. The findings are presented descriptively and in table form.

The results show that most professionals had at least one experience of having an immigrant child in their group. The data suggest that the specific job role of the professional has little influence on their perception of the importance of a proper approach to integration. The research further reveals that most professionals apply similar methods and approaches when working with immigrant children, their parents, and other children already present in the group.

Les villes sont souvent à l'avant-garde de l'accueil des personnes en quête de protection internationale, ou d’« asile », c'est-à-dire des personnes qui ont franchi les frontières internationales pour échapper à la persécution ou au conflit. Les services d'aide à ces personnes demandeuses d'asile et réfugiées sont principalement fournis au niveau local, et les lieux où elles trouvent du travail ou des liens avec leur propre communauté se trouvent généralement dans les villes. En outre, les interactions avec les autres résident·e·s et avec les organisations de la société civile qui soutiennent l'intégration interculturelle dans la société d'accueil se produisent en grande partie dans ces villes. Pour que le processus d'accueil des personnes réfugiées soit une réussite tant pour les résident·e·s établi·e·s que pour les personnes nouvellement arrivées, les autorités élues et les autres organismes publics doivent avoir accès à des informations essentielles, notamment des données statistiques sur les caractéristiques démographiques et socio-économiques des personnes nouvellement arrivées, ainsi qu'un tableau de leurs besoins et aspirations. Il leur faut pour cela établir un véritable dialogue avec celles-ci. Or même les villes qui ont une longue expérience du suivi de l'évolution démographique peuvent constater, face à l'arrivée des personnes réfugiées, qu’elles ne disposent pas de moyens efficaces pour recueillir ces informations. Pour mieux saisir l’enjeu que représente la collecte de données sur (et avec) les personnes demandeuses d'asile et réfugiées, la présente note d'orientation examine l'expérience des villes de Pologne et d'autres États européens qui ont accueilli des personnes fuyant l'agression militaire russe contre l'Ukraine à partir de février 2022.