PASOS supports the development and strengthens the outreach and impact of its 56 members. PASOS builds upon the work undertaken by the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative (LGI) of the Open Society Institute (OSI) since 1999 to upgrade the institutional capacities of the OSI-related policy centres which operated until 2004 within a collaborative and supportive network known as the Related Centres Network (RCN).
History
In December 2003 members of the RCN decided to formally establish the PASOS association as a means to increase their collaborative effectiveness at regional information sharing, joint project formulation and implementation and internal capacity building. The founding meeting of PASOS took place on June 18, 2004 in Chisinau, Moldova. PASOS was registered under Czech law on September 16, 2004 as a Citizens Association. The headquarters is based in Prague, where the PASOS Executive Director, Jeff Lovitt, set up an office in March 2005.
PASOS 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.
The international donor community has recognised this expertise and the network has provided input to projects sponsored by the EU, UNDP, DFID, OSI and a host of international foundations and national governments.
The first General Assembly of PASOS was held in Prague on 16-19 December 2004.
Today, PASOS as an initiative to strengthen independent think-tanks to ensure the lessons of transition are understood, shared, and applied, set out its values, short-term and medium-term objectives, and strategic approach.
In Strategic Directions, 2010-2014, drafted by the PASOS Board in conjunction with the PASOS Secretariat, the PASOS mission to promote and protect democracy, human rights and open society values is reaffirmed. The text, duly amended and approved by the PASOS members on 8 April 2010, outlines four key priority areas for the association’s projects and activities, namely:
Democracy and Human Rights
Good Governance and Open Economy
Sustainable Development
International Co-operation
The following objectives are set out for the period 2010-2011:
Two interlinked streams will run through the main activities of PASOS co-ordinated by the Secretariat, namely Services to Members, and Advocacy and Publishing, including forming a concerted “voice” of independent think-tanks on policy challenges and developments crucial to the PASOS region.
Mission
PASOS aims to promote and protect democracy, human rights and open society values – including the rule of law, good governance, and economic and social development – by supporting civil society organisations that individually and jointly foster public participation in public policy issues at the European Union level, in other European and global structures, and in the wider neighbourhood of Europe and Central Asia.