CIVICUS Board Elections 2023

The election process to bring on board new Board members is now officially open. This presents an opportunity for CIVICUS members and partners to be involved in the governance of the Alliance and in steering the implementation of the 2022 – 2027 CIVICUS strategic plan. 

December 2023 marks the end of Board service for one Board member and the possible start of a second three-year term for four Board members, if re-elected. We are searching for up to five committed, diverse, and passionate civil society leaders who will join the remaining Board members to govern the CIVICUS Alliance from January 2024 to December 2026. 

You can nominate yourself or another Voting Member here by midnight GMT+2, Sunday, 10th September 2023. We particularly encourage nomination of representatives from youth and traditionally excluded communities. 

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee (NomsCo) of the Board to oversee the 2023 Board elections consists of four current Board members and one external member. They are Patricia Tatis, Cristina Palabay, Omaid Sharifi, Irene Petras and Oyebisi Oluseyi (as the External Member).
Patricia Tatis
Irene Petras
Cristina Palabay
Oyebisi Oluseyi
Omaid Sharifi

The NomsCo intends to present a slate of up to 15 qualifying candidates to the CIVICUS Voting membership for elections. In selecting the candidates, the Committee will be guided by a wide variety of factors. These may in addition to the standard criteria outlined below, include regional or sector representation, youth candidates, and traditionally excluded groups among others. 

In response to recommendations from the 2022 post-election analysis, the slating process will, for the first time, include a brief conversation between qualifying candidates and individual members of the NomsCo. This will be an opportunity for candidates to clarify matters related to the election process and to hear directly from current and former Board members on Board related responsibilities. 

Criteria for Board Nominations

In order to stand for Board election or vote for a preferred candidate, you must either be an individual CIVICUS Voting member or a nominated representative of an organisation with CIVICUS Voting member status. 

We welcome all civil society actors who demonstrate that they are committed to strengthening civil society and citizen action, adhere to the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and use peaceful means to pursue their objectives. 

Further criteria considered by the Nominations Committee will include: 

  • Active commitment to and support for CIVICUS’ Mission, Vision and Goals, Commitment to the principles of accountability, diversity and inclusion that we value and represent as an alliance 
  • Ability to devote the time and energy to responsibilities of the Board, including regular attendance at meetings, serving on sub-committees of the Board and representing CIVICUS externally where needed 
  • Contribution to our strategic vision by providing direction and inputs to the development of a strategic plan that is backed by measurable goals and financial resources 
  • Willingness to understand, accept and comply with Board responsibilities and policies 
  • Support to shared outcomes needed through teamwork, enthusiasm, innovation and candidness 
  • Support to advancing the learning and achievements of the alliance through critical insights and judgements 

To be eligible to stand for election, you will need to be a verified CIVICUS voting member by Sunday, 10 September 2023 

Details on the legal duties of CIVICUS Board members can be found here. Please contact John Mang’ana at for further information on the CIVICUS Board or the elections process.

Please see the following section on how to become a Voting member.

Becoming a Voting Member of CIVICUS

CIVICUS members are authentic foundations, civil society organisations, national or regional civil society platforms or networks, social movements or individual who have attained recognition in their communities or among their peers. They abide by and promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, embody CIVICUS’ Vision, Mission and Values, and adhere to CIVICUS’ Code of Conduct for members.

Voting members collectively set the agenda and priorities for the CIVICUS alliance, playing a leadership role in key activities, increasing their visibility and enhancing the diversity and resilience of the alliance through support to the CIVICUS Solidarity Fund.

To become a voting member:

  1. Fill in the Online Form
  2. Complete the three-tier assessment: i) a self-assessment on your commitment to human rights and social justice, ii) a peer review from a organisation, activist or constituent related to how your values are reflected in your work, and iii) an indication of the supporting documentation you have.
  3. Pay the voting membership fee. Please note – the Voting membership fee is optional if you are an individual or if your organisation has an annual income of under $80k. The membership fee goes towards the CIVICUS Solidarity Fund.
  4. Detailed information on becoming a CIVICUS Voting member can be found on our website or through contact with our Membership Team at .

Election Timeline

10 August – 10 September

Call for Nominations

Call for nominations is open. You must be a current CIVICUS Voting member to be eligible to participate in the elections as a candidate or a voter. Nominations shall be updated on the CIVICUS elections website as they are received. As we are unable to respond individually to all nominations, this mechanism serves both as an acknowledgement of receipt and a way to highlight outstanding requirements to fulfilling the nominations criteria.

10 August – 10 September

11 September – 25 September

Candidate Confirmations

Confirmation of candidates by the Nominations Committee. 

The Nominations Committee shall communicate the outcome of the selection process to all candidates before the final slate is presented for elections. 

02 October - 23 October

Voting

Voting will commence with the opening of the voting window. Voting members will select candidates from a list of candidates presented by the Nominations Committee.

02 October - 23 October

07 November

New Board Announcement

New CIVICUS Board members to be formally announced following introductions at the Board meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

You can also get in touch with our elections team via the following email address: .

The Nominations Committee plans to hold an open question and answer session between Monday, 18 September – Wednesday 20 September. Qualifying candidates will be able to clarify matters related to the election process and directly hear from current and former Board members on Board related responsibilities. The actual time for the sessions will be communicated at a later stage when it is possible to determine the potential candidates’ time zones. 

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