The Cross-Border Citizens’ Network for Peace, Inter-Communal Reconciliation & Human Security is a joint initiative –with partner organizations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (hCa and ORC), Bulgaria (IRIS), Kosovo (CDRP), Montenegro (ZID), Serbia (SeConS) and Turkey (hCa in Turkey)– whose establishment was supported by the European Commission. Within the Network, each member approaches the issue on human security from different perspectives, therefore focusing on a particular aspect (local, civic, regional) and field of activities (advocacy, broader social mobilization, research). Their common denominator, however, is their aim to create security-oriented political culture and build structures within their communities.
The transnational nature of the threats to human security, in everyday life, have been identified through organized crime, poverty, social exclusion, extremism and the “gray” economy. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen regional and international connections of all stakeholders, research and advocacy communities and decision makers who strive to uphold the values of peace, reconciliation and human security.
Networking aims to strengthen sustainable transnational civic networks as an actor for the preservation of peace, inter-communal reconciliation and human security –at the local, national and regional level– in order to encourage, and improve, the socio-political and legal transformations in the process of European integration of the Balkans and Turkey. Specific objectives of the Network are:
Building social capital
Making recommendations for political reforms
Networking on the local, regional and EU level
Within the Network, a series of activities are being conducted such as capacity building, networking, research, advocacy, the preparation of annual and thematic reports as well as the organization of regional and international conferences and summer schools for researchers in the field of human security.
From December 2012 to December 2016, SeConS has implemented the project Cross-Border Network for Peace, Inter-Communal Reconciliation & Human Security in cooperation with partner organizations whose primary focus is on the security of youth and people in the work environment followed by the application of research on the national and regional level and the implementation, and availability, of on-line courses on human security.