Akcija
“Reforms for a Healthy Society” Program    

ORT successfully demonstrated its coalition-strengthening capability under the USAID funded Akcija “Reforms for a Healthy Society” Program over two consecutive years, in 2003 and 2004. Originally established to address the limited engagement of NGOs and independent media in the ambitious reform program of Montenegro, the Akcija Program gave rise to the most successful series of nationwide public education and mobilization campaigns ever seen in the country. ORT’s partner, the Akcija NGO Network, a core group of leading Montenegrin NGOs, academics, experts and independent media organizations, became the largest, most organized, and most influential of NGO networks in the region, and under ORT’s guidance, its membership increased from 49 to 71 member organizations.

Working through the Akcija Network, ORT and its partners identified and funded a total 107 initiatives in support of the ongoing reforms process in Montenegro. Over half of Akcija grants were media grants specifically programmed in support of various reform initiatives lead by NGOs. This policy resulted in important reforms being explained and communicated more effectively to the public, and in maintaining a high profile for Akcija NGO reform efforts. ORT’s program goals were built around the need to foster a more meaningful third sector leadership of and participation in the reforms process and the need to inform and mobilize the population in support of the reforms. These goals were fully met through the organization, coordination and funding of six widespread public education and awareness campaigns that succeeded in mobilizing and informing the public on a wide variety of key reforms, such as illegal arms, the institution of Ombudsman, reform of political party registration and financing, firearms legislation, citizen participation in local governance, and consumer protection.

The Akcija Program succeeded in engaging a large number of citizens in the reform process, and in establishing them as critical stakeholders in the reform process, through campaign activities such as roundtables, polls, and collection of signatures in support of draft legislation. For example, the Akcija Farewell to Arms public education and mobilization campaign resulted in over 2,000 citizens volunteering the handover of over 34,000 pieces of illegal arms to police collection teams. Active public support for the campaign was 76% and the campaign led directly to a rise in public trust in the police of 10 points. A campaign on consumer protection galvanized citizens to learn more about their consumer rights and, more importantly, to exercise them: during the campaign, the Akcija Network received and processed over 14 times the monthly average number of complaints from consumers, over 55% of which were resolved. It is undisputed that the Akcija Network model has grown into a recognized and efficient mechanism for organizing public education and citizen mobilization initiatives – in January 2005, an opinion poll found that 80% of citizens recognized the Akcija Network as a brand name and believed that the Akcija model of public education was highly effective.

AKCIJA (Year I)

Number of Grants Awarded: 56
Maximum Grant Award: $20,000
Total US$ Obligated: $496,279.25
Status of Program: Closed

The Akcija Program is part of US Government efforts to support and promote important governmental reforms in Montenegro, and to increase public access to information on these reforms. Akcija is an informal coalition of Non-Governmental Organizations, representative of the reform-oriented organizations (NGO's and media outlets) in Montenegro. Membership of the Akcija coalition was open, and organizations interested in supporting and publicizing the reform agenda were encouraged to join. The main activity of the Akcija Coalition was to mobilize reform-oriented organizations in Montenegro to support and promote reforms that affect Montenegrin society by providing access to grants to reform-oriented organizations, NGOs, and media outlets to implement initiatives such as public debates, media campaigns, newsletters, roundtables, public education and information initiatives, etc.

AKCIJA (Year II)

Number of Grants Awarded: 47
Maximum Grant Award: $20,000
Total US$ Obligated: $229,177.61
Status of Program: Closed


Campaign on Citizen Participation in Local Self Governance

The local self-governance campaign was implemented from 10 November – 10 December 2004. The principal aim of the campaign was to raise citizen awareness about what the new municipal statutes & ordinance on citizen participation mean for ordinary citizens, as well as to encourage citizens to directly take part in local government decision making, through citizens’ initiative and citizens’ complaints.


Campaign on Arms

The main aim of this campaign was to ensure that citizens clearly understood that they are banned from carrying or using firearms of any type (legal or illegal) in a public place, as per the new Law on Firearms and that they would be heavily penalized if they violated this rule.


The 2004 Akcija Program and all corresponding subgrant activities were completed by 14 January 2005. It is undisputed that the Akcija Network model has grown into a recognized and efficient mechanism for organizing public education and citizen mobilization initiatives – in January 2005, an opinion poll found that 80% of citizens recognized the Akcija Network as a brand name and believed that the Akcija model of public education was highly effective.

AKCIJA

Media/Public Education Grants

Campaign Grants

Sector-Specific Grants

Think-Tank Grants

Legal / law-drafting grants