WWF regionalt program för västra Balkan, fas 2 WWF, Protected Areas for Nature and People II, 2019-2022 - WWF regional program for Western Balkans, phase 2 In September 2015, Sida approved a proposal from Världsnaturfonden WWF Sweden, to implement a programme called Protected Areas for Nature and People (PA4NP) together with WWF Adria. This contribution is a follow up to the first phase of the program. The title for this contribution is: Protected Areas for Nature and People II 2019-2022. 

The overarching aim is to ensure effective and financially viable Protected Areas (PA) supported through community and CSO inclusive engagement. The contribution addresses two broad issues – the effectiveness in the implementation of regulations linked to PAs and showcasing benefits of PA to the general public.  The project is regional and will be implemented in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and North Macedonia.

The contribution is expected to address how protected areas can be better managed and how to enable participation of local people with a specific focus on women in the decision making processes connected to management of protected areas in Western Balkan. Moreover WWF is planning to use the project to mobilise civil society and provide platforms (within and between countries) for actors including community groups to share views on management of protected areas. The suggested contribution will employ a range of different methods to reconcile diverging views connected with the mismanagement of protected areas. 

This contribution is in line with the Swedish Reform Strategy for Eastern Europe and Western Balkan by contributing in broader terms to the EU reform and specifically to result area 3 targeting the results: Enhanced environmental responsibility among the general public, the business sector and civil society and the result on Partner countries increase compliance with EU regulations and international agreements on the environment, climate and energy. It is also envisioned that the contribution by focusing on assessing public administration and accountability regarding protected area management and means to combat illegal activities in protected areas will contribute to result area 2. I september 2015 beslutade Sida om en ny insats med Världsnaturfonden WWF Sweden: Protected Areas for Nature and People 2015-2019, som implementerades tillsammans med WWF Adria. Denna insats är en uppföljning av programmets första fas. Titeln för projektet är: Protected Areas for Nature and People II 2019-2022. 

Det övergripande syftet är att säkerställa effektiv implementering av regelverk kopplat till naturskyddade områden. Insatsen behandlar två breda frågor - genomförandet av förordningar kopplade till naturskyddade områden och att visa fördelarna med naturskyddade områden för allmänheten. Projektet är regionalt och kommer att genomföras i Albanien, Bosnien och Herzegovina (BiH), Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbien och norra Makedonien.

Insatsen förväntas adressera hanteringen av naturskyddade områden och hur lokalbefolkningen med särskilt fokus på kvinnor kan delta i beslutsprocesserna kopplat till förvaltningen av naturskyddade områden på Västra Balkan. Insatsen förväntas även bidra till kapacitetsutveckling av civilsamhällesaktörer som arbetar med miljö/klimat på Västra Balkan. 

Insatsen är i linje med den svenska reformstrategin för Östeuropa och Västra Balkan genom att bidra i bredare termer till EU-reformen och specifikt till resultatområde 3: Förstärkt miljöansvar bland allmänheten, näringslivet och det civila samhället och Resultatet med fokus på att partnerländerna ökar efterlevnaden av EU: s förordningar och internationella avtal om miljö, klimat och energi. Insatsen förutses också att bidra till resultatområde 2 genom arbetet med ökat deltagande i förvaltning och ansvarsutkrävande beträffande ohållbar förvaltning av skyddade områden. Preserve biodiversity in the Western Balkans and secure well-being for all current and future generations.
Objective 1: Improved and/or better implementation of national policies for management of protected areas, biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation and  through advocacy and national civil society organisation platforms.
Objective 2: Raised awareness on biodiversity and active citizenship amongst public and decision-makers through educational programmes.
Objective 3: Decision-makers are held accountable for their actions or in-actions in relation to nature through engaged civil society and media.
Objective 4: Opportunities for sustainable development in and around protected areas among local community members, with a special attention given to inclusion of underrepresented groups such as youth women, elderly and ethnic minorities.
Objective 5. Increased community participation, emphasizing gender equality.
The contribution will address how protected areas can be better managed and on how local communities can participate in the decision making processes connected to management of protected areas, PA, in Western Balkan. The contribution will target regional, national and local level. By spreading knowledge about the economic and social values of biodiversity, as well as the importance for climate adaptation and mitigation, the ambition is to obtain better protection for and management of protected areas. 
Regional and national platforms will be used to address gaps in policy framework linked to management of PA involving key actors from civil society and authorities. 
WWF will empower PA staff and the local school to collaborate on joint education projects. This will be done in Serbia, Montenegro and BiH. The first approach is to ensure that PA management develop education programmes for their staff, the second to ensure that schoolteachers are trained in education for sustainable development within a program that brings together students teachers and PA staff to learn together. The third approach is to engage relevant decision-makers in the ministries of the educational sector to promote education in sustainable development.
WWF will continue to build capacity of civil society organisations in the Region. Small grants will be provided for specified activities. 
WWF also seeks to raise awareness about corruption and environmental crimes by empowering civil society and media in their roles as a watchdogs.