Affinity Group of National Associations

Affinity groups are groupings of CIVICUS members that exist to take forward CIVICUS’ mission and values. The Affinity Group of National Associations (AGNA) brings together national associations from around the world to foster greater co-operation across national and regional boundaries and to increase their ability to collaborate on mutual areas of interest.

The establishment of AGNA in 2004 was influenced by the realisation that national associations in countries around the world provide a collective voice for civil society in their countries and regions. It was recognised that national associations are unique in having few, if any, comparative organisations in their respective countries; their natural peers are geographically dispersed, so there is a need for an international forum to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices.

AGNA was created to adress the following identified needs:

the need for an international citizens’ coalition;
to reverse the current understanding of capacity building characterised by a North to South flow of knowledge, information and experience sharing;
to provide a support network for national network leaders; and
to reduce the ‘re-invention of the wheel’ and improvisation in the leadership of NGOs/NPOs.

How We Work
The geographic representation of AGNA covers Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and North America. Currently, AGNA has representation in 77 countries around the world.

To facilitate knowledge transfer between the bodies, AGNA members engage in peer-learning and activities generating from five major working groups: the enabling environment and government relations; legitimacy, transparency and accountability; governance; sustainability; and advocacy.

The collective membership meets once a year during the Annual General Meeting, where they discuss the challenges, opportunities and priorities for the forthcoming year. The network is governed by a steering committee composed of 8 regional representatives, elected by members each year.

Resources
AGNA Member Profiles
AGNA Steering Committee Members
Terms of Reference of Working Groups:
Legitimacy, Transparency and Accountability; Advocacy; Sustainability and Resources; Enabling Environment and Government Relations; Governance and Membership

Research and Publications

Snapshots of Civil Society in AGNA countries

AGNA members give us a brief summary of the situation of civil society in their respective countries, with a special focus on their challenges and opportunities, as well as their resourcing situation.

State of Civil Society Report 2016- AGNA report (English | French | Spanish)

Joint Research

Solomon Islands and New Zealand

Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay

Joint research paper by SCVO and OFOP presented at ISTR Conference

OFOPs ISTR Conference Report

Reports from Peer Learning Exchanges

Report from Peer-Learning on Advocacy & Campaigning December 2016

Report from Global Civil Society Exchange November 2016

Africa Meeting June 2014

Report from Peer-Learning on CSO Accountability April 2014

Report from Caribbean Peer Learning Exchange

Report form IS Peer Learning Event by CANGO China

Report from Peer-Learning Exchange NNNGO-SCVO

Report on NANGO-SCVO Peer-Learning Event September 2009

Reports from the Annual General Meetings and Workshops can be found here.

If you would like to join AGNA, please review the membership criteria and, if you meet them, complete the application form. If you have any questions about the network, email .