Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It gives me great pleasure to announce that the CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) has issued a call for applications from partner organisations around the world who would be interested in implementing a new phase of our internationally renowned project. Many of you will know that the CSI has recently concluded its first phase in over 50 countries across the world. I am proud to say that CIVICUS achieved a great deal with the CSI. First of all, the project collected an impressive amount of data, which was then presented in numerous conference s and meetings and eventually analysed in the two-volume, Global Survey of the State of Civil Society (Kumarian Press 2007). More importantly though, the CSI was a mobilisation machine. In the past few years, we engaged over 7,000 civil society activists, government representatives and other stakeholders to conduct an assessment of civil society’s strengths and weaknesses, which was participatory, inclusive and culture-specific. The upcoming phase aims at repeating and extending the experience to civil society organisations that are committed to strengthening civil society in their own countries.  

Those civil society organisations that enjoy a broad-based constituency in their countries and focus on the enhancement and strengthening of civil society, are therefore invited to apply for the 2008-2009 phase by completing our application form. The call for statements of interest is available in English, French and Spanish.  

From a technical point of view, we describe the CSI as a participatory needs assessment and action planning tool for civil society, which has the objective to improve the knowledge of civil society around the world while strengthening the capacity of civil society itself to contribute to positive social change. Characterised by a mix of research activities, the CSI generates data through participation and consultation with local communities. The objective is to identify the various strengths and weaknesses of civil society in each country and involve local stakeholders to propose recommendations. By implementing the CSI, civil society organisations build not only their research capacity, but also their skills at networking and lobbying at the national level. The presentation of the final report is an additional opportunity for various stakeholders to engage with the findings and translate them into action.  

In the project phase that we have just completed, many success stories have been collected. For instance, in Ukraine the CSI country report was used to draft a government strategy on civil society development. In Uganda, local organisations have given birth to a number of initiatives to improve civil society’s accountability, while in Cyprus the project was implemented as a joint effort to foster dialogue between the two different ethnic communities. Presently, the CSI is also being implemented in six African countries with a particular focus on regional learning, collaboration and capacity building.  

The deadline for applications for the upcoming phase is 31 March 2008. Selected partners will be informed of the outcome by the end of April. We anticipate that the project will commence in May 2008 and will be completed in 2009.   

I encourage you to visit www.civilsocietyindex.org for more information.

Warmest regards,

Kumi

To send you comments, suggestions or contributions of articles, e-mail editor@civicus.org.

Below you will find all previous columns published. 

• Why civil society should support the Call to Action for Decent Work

• Reflections from the World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland

• Civil society heroes languish in prison for over two years

• Civil society seeking collective reponses for the year 2008

• A time for peace, reflections and rededication

• 10 December - Human Rights Day

• International Volunteer Day: A Day for recognition and reflection

• The crossroads at Bali -- Choosing our destiny

• 16 Days of nActivism against Gender Violence

• Civil society under siege in Pakistan

• Aid must be more effective...and more accountable too

• Participation will be the focus of the 8th CIVICUS World Assembly

• Islam: The New Fascism?

• Standing Up for the People of Burma

• Closing the gap between volunteering and social activism

• A poor climate makes for poor people

• It starts with you: become a volunteer GCAP organiser and Stand Up and Speak Out Against Poverty and Inequality

• Enforced disappearance threaten us all

• We must plug the leaks: Civil Society and Aid Effectiveness

• October 17: Stand up with millions united as one

• Should the voting age be reduced to sixteen? International Youth Day: a time for reflection

• CIVICUS partners continue to languish in jail

• If civil society organisations cannot change how governments can?  

• Climate Change: How much longer can we ignore this catastrophe and how will climate change affect the work of civil society?

• Civil society engaging with inter-governmental organisations: is the feeling mutual?

• 07/07/07: Reflection on the mid-point of the Minimalist/Millennium Development Goals

• Towards the Legal Empowerment of the Poor

• Continuity and Change: The position of CIVICUS' Secretary General

• Continuity with change: Governance change at CIVICUS

• From a whisper to a whimper: Reflections on the on the G8 Summit

• Will the G8 deliver according to its broken promises?

• CIVICUS World Assembly need you to set the agenda 

• "We' re Living in a World of Global Economic Appartheid" 

• Renewed dedication to the Call for Poverty Eradication and Equality  

• Wolfowitz must resign to regain World Bank's credibility  

• Criminalising Human Rights in Zimbabwe

• Who's accounatability to who and why?

• Civil society and the progress of the feminist movement in transitional democracy

• The role of civil society organisations in promoting corporate citizenship

• Civil society faces increasing challenges in Zimbabwe

• The road to Accra: Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness

• CIVICUS Youth Assembly to urge for ‘Accountability to Future Generations’

• International Women’s Day, 8 March 2007: Men will never be free until women enjoy full gender equality

• The World Economic Forum is too important to be left to economists alone

• From Nairobi to Davos: Reflections on the World Social Forum and World Economic Forum

• The role of civil society organisations in managing for development results

• World Social Forum 2007: Another World is Possible for Africa

• The importance of civil society in the year 2006

• International Advocacy NGO Accountability Charter: Walking the talk

• Human Rights Day: Righting the Wrongs

• Sharing member impressions and why civil society should be part of CIVICUS’ alliance

• 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

• CIVICUS strategic planning takes centre stage

• Reflections on the CIVICUS Civil Society Index country reports

• Civil society and the challenge of Regional Integration in the Pacific

• Over 20 Million People 'STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY' to Set New Guinness World Record

• People created poverty. Only people can eradicate it." World-wide commemoration of October 17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

• Campaigning Works!

• If only civil society was taken seriously: Reflections on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy of 11 September 2001

• Help set a Guinness world record by standing up to poverty

• Civil society takes centre stage at the AIDS Conference

• Can we reform the International Finance Institutions?

• Article on the Doha collapse

• Civil Society and the Middle East Conflict

• Reflections of a Meeting with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin

• You can participate in the CIVICUS World Assembly even if you are not going to be there in person

• Can Civil Society make a difference in Iraq?

• The Ethics of Cherry Picking: The dilemma of where you live, work and play!!!

• Former CIVICUS Board Member passes away

• Reflections on a visit to prison

• The struggle for justice is a marathon not a sprint: A personal reflection

• Can Civil Society make 2006 a year of more and better coherence, coordination and communication?

• What 2005 means for civil society?

• Argentina: Thriving without the IMF

• Can legal frameworks strengthen civil society? Is the time right for a Campaign for Civil Society Rights?

• Why trade justice matters to you

• December 2005: Determined, Dedicated and Diverse Dimensions to Direct Action For Justice, Human Rights and Equality

• Reflections on the United Nations Summit

• Civil society gears up for the UN World Summit

• Reflections on the G8 Summit

• Nelson Mandela: Inspiring civil society efforts to create a just world

• Children, youth and the struggle for a just world

• So we think democracy is growing?: Rethinking social exclusion

• You can make difference on ‘Whiteband Day’ - 1 July 2005

• CSW Monthly Bulletin provides a global forum to protect the rights of civil society

• What does democracy really mean today

• The absence of democracy at the World Bank

• Grassroots activism: ordinary people making an extraordinary difference

• Madrid, Manhattan, Manica and Musina: Civic activism driving the agenda for social and political justice

• On International Women's Day civil society wonders if this is Beijing Plus Ten or Beijing Minus Ten

• Internal governance: Responding to the challenge of civil society legitimacy, accountability and transparency

• Poverty or social exclusion - What unites civil society in the North and South?

• Should civil society engage with governing institutions even when they have deep democratic deficits?

• One month gone, eleven to go: Is 2005 the year civil society focuses on its common shared values and agrees to disagree on strategy and tactics?

• The beginnings of the biggest ever mobilisation against poverty launched at the World Social Forum

• Civil Society gears up for a major global campaign against poverty

• What the Tsunami Tragedy means for Civil Society.

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