- Program Civil Society
- Program Area Increasing Access to Justice
- Grant Amount $25,000
- Grant Period January 1, 2004–December 31, 2004
- Location Minsk, Belarus
- Geographic Focus Belarus
About this grant
Throughout communities in Central Europe, citizens’ advice bureaus provide guidance to citizens on issues regarding their rights and entitlement to social services. In 1997, the Belarusian Association of Social Workers opened a Bureau of Social Information (BSI) to provide guidance to citizens in Minsk. Currently, there are 14 BSIs in Belarus. The association supports the national network of citizens’ advice bureaus by maintaining a database of social and legal assistance information; convening network members and coordinating their activities; and providing training and consulting for bureau staff.Multiyear funding will enable the association to provide support to the 14 existing BSIs; identify six regional non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and assist them in establishing BSIs; help regional BSIs develop working contracts with local, national and international partners; and participate in a project funded by the United Nations Development Program aimed at preventing the trafficking of women.In 2001, the association developed a database of social legislation that includes a list of governmental and NGOs that provide social services; created a seven-member BSI network and expanded it to 14; and assisted nearly 5,000 Belarusians with various legal/rights issues.