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Initiatives: Current Initiatives | Past Initiatives
The Open Society Institute's initiatives address specific issue areas on a regional or network-wide basis. Many of them are implemented in cooperation with Soros foundations in various countries. For a list of initiatives that have been closed down or are no longer affiliated with OSI, view the Past and Spin-Off Initiatives section.
AfriMAP
The Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project (AfriMAP) was established in 2004 to monitor the compliance of member states of the African Union with selected standards of good governance, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. more
Arts & Culture Program
The Arts and Culture Program promotes cultural and artistic collaboration throughout the Soros foundations network; fosters structural changes in cultural policy; and helps develop an autonomous and innovative arts sector. more
Burma Project/Southeast Asia Initiative
The Burma Project/Southeast Asia Initiative focuses on open society issues throughout Southeast Asia, particularly in Burma but also in other countries where essential freedoms are threatened. more
Central Eurasia Project
The Central Eurasia Project strives to enhance policy debate on key issues affecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus as well as several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. more
Children & Youth Programs
The Children and Youth Programs bring innovative approaches to existing social and educational structures that have an impact on the welfare and development of children and adolescents in Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. more
Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap
This national program is designed to create awareness of—and increase resources to close—an alarming gap in the availability of drug and alcohol addiction treatment for Americans who need it. more
Documentary Photography Project
Through grantmaking, exhibitions, and training workshops, the Documentary Photography Project supports photographers whose work addresses social justice and human rights issues that coincide with OSI's mission. more
East Africa Initiative (OSIEA)
The Open Society Initiative for East Africa supports and promotes public participation in democratic governance, the rule of law, and respect for human rights by awarding grants, developing programs, and bringing together diverse civil society leaders and groups. more
East East Program: Partnership Beyond Borders
The East East: Partnership Beyond Borders Program supports international exchanges that bring together civil society actors to share ideas, information, knowledge, experiences, and expertise and to support practical actions that result from that networking. more
Education Support Program
The Education Support Program works to facilitate change in education and national policy development in Central and Eastern Europe, South East Europe, former Soviet Union and Mongolia. more
EUMAP
EUMAP (the EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program) monitors the development of selected human rights and rule of law issues in both the European Union and in its candidate and potential candidate countries. more
Global Drug Policy Program
The Global Drug Policy Program aims to engage and support drug policy experts and other related professionals as they analyze and publicize the effects of drug policy on public health, human rights, national security, and the economy. more
Human Rights & Governance Grants Program
The Human Rights and Governance Grants Program provides support to nongovernmental organizations operating in the fields of human rights and governance in Europe and Central Asia. more
Information Program
The Information Program promotes the equitable deployment of knowledge and communications resources for civic empowerment and effective democratic governance. more
International Higher Education Support Program
The International Higher Education Support Program (HESP) promotes the advancement of higher education within the humanities and social sciences in Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia. more
International Policy Fellowships
The International Policy Fellowships Program identifies and supports research by open society leaders in countries throughout the Soros foundations network. more
Latin America Program
The Latin America Program works throughout the region to create more open societies, enhance human rights protections, and encourage the implementation of economic and political policies firmly rooted in democracy. more
Local Government & Public Service Reform Initiative
The Local Government & Public Service Reform Initiative promotes democratic and effective governance and public administration, and advances policy analysis as a tool for decision making in public affairs. more
Media Program
The Media Program assists in the development and establishment of media systems marked by freedom, pluralism, and the inclusion of minority voices and opinions. more
Middle East & North Africa Initiative
OSI's Middle East & North Africa Initiative operates primarily as a grantmaking program on issues ranging from knowledge and information to women's rights. more
Open Society Fellowship
The Open Society Fellowship enables innovative professionals—including journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners—to work on projects that inspire meaningful public debate, shape public policy, and generate intellectual ferment within the Open Society Institute. more
Open Society Justice Initiative
The Open Society Justice Initiative, an operational program of the Open Society Institute, pursues law reform activities grounded in the protection of human rights, and contributes to the development of legal capacity for open societies worldwide. more
Open Society Mental Health Initiative
The Open Society Mental Health Initiative aims to ensure that people with mental disabilities (mental health problems and/or intellectual disabilities) are able to live as equal citizens in the community and to participate in society with full respect for their human rights. more
OSI-Baltimore
OSI-Baltimore seeks to foster debate, empower marginalized groups to help shape and monitor public policy, and strengthen communities and families in the Baltimore, Maryland area through the development of fair, rational, and responsive public systems. more
OSI-Brussels
Established in 1997, OSI-Brussels acts as a liaison to facilitate collaboration among the organizations of the Soros foundations network and West European partners, including the various institutions of the European Union, bilateral donors, and nongovernmental organizations. more
OSI-Washington, D.C.
OSI-Washington, D.C. focuses on civil liberties in the United States as well as other domestic and international policy issues, including globalization, criminal justice reform, human rights, and women's rights. more
Public Health Program
The Public Health Program supports initiatives throughout the Soros foundations network that encourage sustainable change in public health policy and practice. more
Roma Initiatives
OSI Roma Initiatives focus primarily on improving the social, political, and economic situation of Romani populations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans region. more
Scholarship Programs mobilize students and scholars by providing support for fellowships, scholarships, and related activities that empower individuals throughout the world to improve the social, political, and intellectual environments of their home communities. more
Strategic Opportunities Fund
The Strategic Opportunities Fund was set up to respond more rapidly and flexibly to emerging challenges in the United States, utilizing a more coherent thematic strategy that may often be driven by current opportunities to impact specific open society issues. more
Think Tank Fund
The OSI Think Tank Fund supports independent policy centers in Europe and Central Eurasia that strengthen democratic processes. more
Turkmenistan Project
The Turkmenistan Project promotes civil society in Turkmenistan via grantmaking and programmatic activities in areas such as arts and culture, access to information, and public health. more
U.S. Justice Fund
The U.S. Justice Fund is the cornerstone of OSI's strong commitment to reducing the excessive reliance on punishment and incarceration in the United States, and to promoting fair and equal treatment in all aspects of the U.S. criminal justice system. more
The International Women's Program promotes the advancement of women's human rights, gender equality, and empowerment as an integral part of the process of democratization. more
Select a region or issue below for a list of relevant OSI initiatives:
Central Eurasia
Russia, Ukraine & Belarus
Turkey & the Middle East
Media, Arts & Culture
Many Open Society Institute initiatives are established with pre-determined life cycles and funding levels. Over the years, several of them have been either closed down or spun off as independent entities. more
Select an Issue- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Children & YouthEconomic DevelopmentEducationGovernanceHealthHuman RightsLaw & JusticeMedia, Arts & CultureWomen
Select a Region- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -AfricaAsiaCentral & Eastern EuropeCentral EurasiaLatin America & the CaribbeanRussia, Ukraine & BelarusSouth Eastern EuropeTurkey & the Middle EastUnited States
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