Our ID

THE IDEA

After SFRJ fell apart, the attention of international community was focused mainly on the humanitarian aid and public-legal problems of the disintegration of the former state. Private-legal problems of the citizens were put into background. That created the idea to for association that would protect the rights of the persons whose rights, either personal or property rights, were violated during the fall of the state.

MISSION OF THE LEX INTERNATIONAL

Lex International - Center for Human Rights is non-profit, non partisan and non governmental organization that deals with protection of rights of displaced and minority population and refugees, freedom of speech and freedom to for associations by the influence on the efficient functioning of the institutions of the state through:

• providing legal aid to individuals
• monitoring of the legal system and public administration
• research, analysis, education and publishing activities
• tracking the conformance of local legal acts with the international standards

THE VISION OF THE LEX INTERNATIONAL

Lex International - Center for Human Rights, as regional NGO recognizable in central and eastern Europe for its successful projects, specialized expert teams in areas of protection of the human rights and successful cooperation with governments, NGO's, donators and international community.

Lex International is lead by powerful and influential Steering board whose vision will be materialized by professional and able management.

LEGAL STATUS

Lex International - Center for Human Rights is non-governmental, non-profit, nonpartisan organization ... (The Statute, article 28). Lex International Banja Luka is formally registered with the Base Court of Banja Luka with registration Rg 189/96 and has been functioning since the start of 1996.

TEN YEARS ...

We have started out as a group of enthusiasts fighting for human rights while the war drums were still echoing. Idea of the equality of all human beings is out guiding idea. In the past, that idea started to materialize through many projects we have successfully realized or that are being realized (in cooperation with partners or on our own). We are just starting, aware that we have a lot of work in front of us. In time to come we will be stronger for the past ten years ...

STEERING BOARD

Lex International is lead by Steering board whose members are influential and respected in society. The are experts in various areas with huge professional and personal experience. People with vision.
... Members of the board adhere to the principles of volunteerism, commitment, public service and efficiency ... (Rules of work of the Steering board, excerpt).

MANAGEMENT

People that know their job and are able to convert vision into concrete actions make up our management. We try to have best people from different areas.

DONATORS

The organization is financed through donations made by individuals and legal entities. (The Statute, article 33).

In the previous time period our partners were: USAID, European Union, OSF SOROS, OSCE, City of Stockholm, Dutch Embassy, Ministry of External Affairs of Denmark, ICNL, IFS, DRC, ...

In future, we will cooperate with other international organizations, governments, embassies, private foundations and, hopefully, local donators.

WHO USES OUR SERVICES ...

• displaced, refugees and minority population, as well as persons whose human rights are violated in any way
• domestic and international NGO's
• media
• governmental institutions.

WHAT SERVICES DO WE PROVIDE?

... legal aid, representation, analysis, law interpretation, preparation of law models, education, ... depending on the target audience.

PAST PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

All realized and current projects are from the legal area, of which we would like to point out the following:

• LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR MEADIA ACTIVITIES IN REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA - IDENTIFYING THE LIMITING FACTORS
  
• IS THERE THE OPTIMAL MODEL OF MUNICIPALITY ADMINISTRATION IN B&H?
  
• EUROPEAN PROJECTS OF LEGAL AID TO B&H REFUGEES
  
• PROJECT OF INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF NGO's
  
• HOW TO REALIZE YOUR RIGHTS - Preparation and printing of the brochures
  
• OF TOLERANCE - Chosen texts
  
• ELECTIONS - What is not allowed
  
• GUIDE FOR REFUGEES AND DISPLACED POPULATION. Bimonthly publications
  
• LEX INTERNATIONAL has organized a number of conferences, seminars and round tables on the topics: "Refugees and displaced people between rights and politics", "Human rights today", "Media in legal system of Republic of Srpska", "Laws in NGO sector", ...
  
• "LIBRARY - READING ROOM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS"
  
• ROAD TO PROPERTY ACCORDING TO THE NEW LAW
  
• HOW TO - TENNANT RIGHTS IN FEDERATION OF B&H
  
• INFORMATOR FOR RESETTLERS
  
• PROTECTION FO RIGHTS THROUGH OMBUDSMAN
  
• AMNESTY AND CITIZENSHIP
  
• HAGUE TRIBUNAL AND RECONCILIATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  
• LEX INTERNATIONAL author team has finished the review of The Law on Execution of Criminal Sanctions of Republic of Srpska
  
• OBSTACLES IN CORRUPTION REDUCTION
  
• SIGNIFICANCE OF AMMENDMENTS TO THE ENTITY CONSTITUTIONS FOR EQUALITY OF CITIZENS IN B&H
  
• REDUCING THE ILLEGAL WORK MARKET
  
• HOW TO CREATE AN ASSOCIATION OR FUNDATION IN B&H
  
• FAIR TRIAL - Seminars on European Court of Human Rights practices
  
• COMMENTARY OF THE LAW ON ASSOCIATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS IN REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA AND BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  
• REGIONAL PARTNER PROJECT TRIANGLE
  
• ACCESS TO RIGHTS IN B&H
  
• SIGNIFICANCE OF VIENNA ACCORD ON SUCCESSION OF EX YUGOSLAVIA FOR CITIZEN RIGHTS

FUTURE ...

The organization tries to develop according to the international NGO standards. Next step is to look into the future. We have created Strategic plan for next period.

NGO Sector in B&H

After the signing of the Dayton Peace Accord (1995), development of NGO in B&H has expanded, especially quantity-wise. NGO growth was in part spontaneous due to the needs of community and in part with the help on international NGO's and donors. It was shortly noted that providing cheap services, which was dominant role of NGO's in after the war period, was not enough for establishing strong pluralistic civil society in B&H.

It was realized that third sector (non-governmental, non-profit) in B&H could stop its development unless there were some serious activities on the institutional development of NGO's. Concrete support in this manner was the DemNet program that included dozens of local NGO's and was implemented by US ORT and ADF, with financial backing of USAID.

Our Role

They say that democracy is more than free market economy, political parties and elections. Responsibility, legitimacy and competency in governing public affairs are conditio sine qua non of the free and open community everywhere, including B&H. Freedom of choice of the individual and strong NGO sector are key factors that make it possible. It is no coincidence that "democracy without civil society is an empty shell".

There are many arguments that support the claim that former projects by local NGO's have contributed significantly in changing the position of governments on all levels regarding the non-profit sector, contributed to bettering of the legal framework of NGO's, development of ability and sustainability, internal structure and transparency of NGO in accordance with international standards.

Legitimacy

It seems that activities of most NGO's in last ten years in B&H has reaffirmed the frame for new principle of legitimacy that is based on reason and not on the nationalism that has destroyed this area. Besides "legitimacy" created through terror tactics, there is a legitimacy based on the needs of the people. New principle is not coy to state that interest of the individual that uses his or her head is more important than the interest of the tribe, collective or system.

Complete previous work represents at the same time support of the idea of the importance of the civil society, as well as redistribution of power in favor of civil society. But not the power in sense of the misuse of people, but providing service to individual citizen. Building tolerance and pluralism in B&H is probably more important here than anywhere in former Yugoslavia, no matter whether the NGO is going toward the cheap service (where it begun) or mature NGO community (ie, civil society).