| International Programs |
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ICEG European Center is an independent economic research institute, focusing its activities on research, macroeconomic and sectoral analyses and forecasts, policy advice and the dissemination of its research output through conferences and publications. While research in ICEG European Center has European-wide orientation, it is focused on analysing economic developments in Central and Eastern Europe. Economic research in ICEG European Center has five priorities. The first is the analysis of European macroeconomic issues with particular attention to the New Member States (NMS) and Southeast Europe (SEE). The second major topic is empirical and policy oriented research on economic growth, competitiveness and their major determinants. The third area of interest is research on the diffusion of information and communication technologies in the economy and in the society, with particular attention to European, NMS and Southeast European trends. Another key research area is public economics with particular attention to the analysis of tax systems, healthcare and public administration. The fifth area of research is economic geography and regional economics.
The International Commission on the Balkans has been established with the main objective to develop a vision for the integration of the countries of Southeastern Europe into the European Union and other international structures highlighting the progress made to date, supported by recommendations for action to the governments of the region and to the international community. Based on the consultations and analyses, the International Commission has published its final report which defines the main political, economic and social challenges in Southeastern Europe; formulates a common standpoint on these issues; and formulates policy recommendations addressed to the countries of the region and to the international community. The Commission was launched by the Robert Bosch Foundation, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, the King Baudouin Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
The International Gender and Trade Network is made up of seven regional networks (Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Pacific) of women involved in research, advocacy and economic literacy around issues of trade and development. The network was established following a Strategic Planning Seminar on Gender and Trade, held in Grenada, December 1999. The outcomes of the meeting identified critical research needs and goals, a plan for developing regional networks building toward an international network on gender and trade, and an outline for developing trade literacy networks as tools for popular education and mobilization.
Founded in 1995, the International Harm Reduction Development Program (IHRD) works to reduce HIV and other harms related to injecting drug use, and to press for policies that reduce the stigmatization of illicit drug users and protect their human rights. IHRD has supported more than 200 programs in Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Asia. It bases its activities on the philosophy that people unable or unwilling to abstain from drug use can make positive changes to protect their health and that of their families and communities. Since 2001, IHRD has prioritized advocacy to expand availability of needle exchange, opiate substitution treatment, and treatment for HIV; to reform discriminatory policies and practices; and to increase the political participation of people who use drugs and those living with HIV.
The International Policy Fellowships (IPF) program was launched in 1998 as a program of the Open Society Institute, Budapest. IPF’s aim is to identify and nurture the next generation of open society leaders in the countries of the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, Mongolia, and the countries of the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. Working with the Center for Policy Studies, the program offers training in identifying appropriate policy instruments and writing professional policy documents. Fellow also receive professional support to enable them to effectively advocate policies. The IPF program seeks to improve the quality of independent analysis, to help prevent ‘brain drain’ and to ensure that policy fellows are able to conduct research in their home countries while maintaining a high degree of mobility and intellectual freedom.
The Open Society Institute–Budapest acts as the administrative and operational headquarters for a number of Open Society initiatives. The office also provides administrative, financial, and technical support to other parts of the Open Society Foundations.
The Open Society Justice Initiative, an operational program of the Open Society Institute, promotes rights-based law reform, builds knowledge and strengthens legal capacity worldwide. Justice Initiative projects seek to shape law reform policy and achieve concrete results through hands-on technical assistance; litigation and legal advice; knowledge dissemination and network building; and counsel to donor institutions. The Justice Initiative works in the following thematic areas: national criminal justice reform; international justice; freedom of information and expression; anticorruption; equality and citizenship. Its offices are in New York, Budapest, and Abuja.
The Network Women’s Program (NWP) works to promote the advancement of women’s human rights, gender equality, and empowerment as an integral part of the process of democratization. The program operates worldwide as a consultative and operational program, working directly with and providing technical assistance to entities inside the Soros foundations network on gender issues.
Among the program's focus areas are gender sensitive education, violence against women, young women’s human rights, mass media and gender policy, equal opportunities in the EU accession process, women’s oral histories, Romani women’s leadership, information initiatives, women’s health, and women in conflict zones.
The Open Society Institute’s Public Health Program aims to promote health policies based on social inclusion, human rights, justice, and scientific evidence. The program works with local, national, and international civil society organizations to combat the social marginalization and stigma that leads to poor health, to facilitate access to health information, and to foster greater civil society engagement in public health policy and practice. The Public Health Program promotes the participation and interests of socially marginalized groups in public health policy and fosters greater government accountability and transparency through civil society monitoring and advocacy, with an emphasis on HIV and AIDS.
The Open Society Roma Initiatives is a major nongovernmental funder and policy advocate on Roma issues in Central, Eastern, and South Eastern Europe, working on a wide range of issues, including civil society development, education, media, gender, local government and health. In order to improve the combined impact of its Roma work and to make a consistent contribution to the Decade of Roma Inclusion, OSI has established the Roma Initiatives Office. The purpose of this office is to guide and coordinate all aspects of OSI network programming and grantmaking activity related to Roma beneficiaries, including work presently undertaken by other OSI initiatives and Soros foundations.
PASOS is a network of policy centres from central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Set up in 2004 to consolidate earlier joint activities, PASOS works to increase collaboration at regional information sharing, project formulation and implementation and internal capacity building. PASOS was registered in Prague under Czech law on September 16, 2004 as a Citizens Association. Its members provide policy advice to the region's decision-makers and international organisations on issues as diverse as human rights, economic development, legal reform, management of governmental reforms, social policy, education, health, religion, international co-operation, small enterprise development, public participation and public sector management. PASOS promotes and protects open society values, including democracy, rule of law, good governance, respect for and protection of human rights, economic and social development by supporting entities that foster public participation in public benefit matters.
The Revenue Watch Institute is a non-profit policy institute and grantmaking organization that promotes the responsible management of oil, gas and mineral resources for the public good. RWI is funded through the generous support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Open Society Institute, along with several other donors. First launched in 2002 as the Revenue Watch Program of the Open Society Institute, it became an independent organization in June 2006. Revenue Watch promotes transparent, accountable and effective management of natural resource wealth to help countries avoid the "resource curse." It takes a comprehensive approach to improving governance and development across the entire value chain, -from the organization of extractive production, revenue generation and revenue management, through the expenditure processes and development outcomes in resource rich countries.
