Local Leadership

• 2024 in Review: Celebrating Civil Society’s Resilience and Impact

  A message from Interim Co-Secretary Generals, Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana 

  Dear CIVICUS members, partners and allies  

  As a tumultuous 2024 draws to a close, we would like to celebrate the remarkable courage of civil society in the face of adversity. In South Korea, people recently came out onto the streets in large numbers to protest the imposition of martial law, forcing its reversal in less than 24 hours. Citizen action led to the stepping down of a long-standing oppressive government in Bangladesh this year. In Kenya, persistent demonstrations despite widespread police brutality forced the government to back down on the imposition of unpopular taxes. In Venezuela, people outvoted an incumbent authoritarian government that ended up stealing the election. But that doesn’t mean that the struggle for democracy has been permanently suppressed.

  Our just-released People Power Under Attack report attests that throughout 2024, civil society activists and organisations continued to demand a better life for all. Many among us put their lives and livelihoods on the line in the pursuit of justice. Across the world, people are not just resisting oppression; they are actively seeking to shape a future where rights and equality prevail. But as the most recent CIVICUS Monitor findings attest, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population live in countries where civic space is ‘closed’ or ‘repressed.’ Among the more alarming findings, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) accounted for nearly 10% of documented global violations. Israel’s military actions, including attacks on civilians, journalists, and humanitarian workers, have led to a downgrade in civic space ratings in the occupied territories, underscoring the severity of ongoing abuses amounting to genocide. It should concern us all that Palestine solidarity protests have been actively suppressed in the United States and several European countries.

  Notably, the People Power report also references significant civil society victories, such as Thailand’s passage of a marriage equality bill and Greece becoming the first Christian Orthodox country to legalise same-sex marriage. Countries like Japan, Jamaica, and Poland received upgrades to their CIVICUS Monitor ratings for progress on civic freedoms, including advancements in women’s rights and public health.

  Our 2023-2024 Annual Report, presented at the CIVICUS Members’ Annual General Meeting in early December, highlights our role in supporting struggles for justice and equity. It reminds us, for instance, how through the #StandAsMyWitness campaign, we were able to celebrate the release of courageous Guatemalan prosecutor Virginia Laparra, who stood up to the previous corrupt regime in her country, and how our Crisis Response Fund delivered 29 grants in support of local responses to civic space restrictions. Throughout the year we continued to emphasise the importance of locally led initiatives, culminating in a Donor Transformation Challenge that inspired over 30 commitments to dismantle systemic barriers for smaller organisations and adopt more inclusive practices. Our recently launched Local Leadership Labs initiative seeks to develop civil society-driven and context-appropriate solutions to development challenges.

  At the international level, we have continued to amplify the voices of our members, supporting national level organisations from the Global South to participate in the Human Rights Council and the African Commission for Human and People’s Rights while pushing for greater civil society say in global governance through campaigns like UNMute Civil Society and 1 for 8 billion. In the face of mounting restrictions on civic freedoms, our annual report underscores our commitment to empowering civil society as a force for justice, equality, and sustainability. 

  As we approach 2025, we are clear-eyed about the challenges that lie ahead from anti-rights authoritarian-populist forces. They may try to threaten our existence, but they will never deter us from our mission to support citizen action and civil society throughout the world. Our vision of a worldwide community of inspired, informed and committed citizens confronting the challenges facing humanity remains ever relevant.

  In solidarity and gratitude,

  Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana

  Interim Co-Secretary Generals, CIVICUS

• Bilan d'une année de transformations et priorités pour l'avenir

  Message de Lysa John, secrétaire générale de CIVICUS

  Chers membres et alliés de CIVICUS,

  Nous terminons une année extraordinaire en réfléchissant à la croissance de l'Alliance CIVICUS. Je voudrais prendre un moment pour souligner ce que nous avons réalisé et appris ensemble, ainsi que nos priorités pour l'année à venir.

  Larévision du plan stratégique 2017-2022 au début de l'année a montré que CIVICUS a non seulement adopté les leçons apprises, mais s'est continuellement efforcé d'avoir un plus grand impact à l'échelle mondiale. Avec la mise en œuvre de notre Plan stratégique 2017-2022, nous avons produit des rapports et des analyses mondiaux actualisés. En passant d'une recherche rétrospective à une analyse de données plus récentes sur les évolutions dans le monde, nous nous sommes imposés comme un leader et un partenaire de confiance dans le secteur.

  Le nouveauPlanstratégique 2022-27 nous a amenés à revoir et à optimiser notre coordination interne et notre impact externe, notamment en révisant les principaux axes de travail dirigés par l'Équipe de direction senior (SLT).  Le SLT nouvellement restructuré, composé de cinq membres, dirigera les priorités définies dans notre Plan stratégique 2022-27.

  

  Nous sommes heureux d'annoncer que notre rapport annuel 2023 montre clairement les progrès de CIVICUS par rapport à la nouvelle stratégie. Les principaux points du rapport comprennent l'utilisation croissante des recherches générées par CIVICUS Monitor et CIVICUS Lens pour influencer le discours public.  Nos efforts de plaidoyer ont évolué vers des stratégies permanentes en réseau et, par exemple, la campagne#StandAsMyWitness a contribué à la libération de 15 défenseurs des droits humains emprisonnés. Nous sommes également heureux de partager que CIVICUS a été reconnue comme l'organisation la mieux classée dans lemoniteur annuel FAIR SHARE for Women Leaders.

  Fidèles à notre mission, nous avons lancé cette année plusieurs initiatives visant à renforcer la participation de la société civile et les libertés civiques. Il s'agit notamment de lacampagne WeRise, qui se concentre sur la liberté de réunion pacifique, duprojet Local Leadership Labs, qui renforce l'écosystème de la société civile locale, et de l'Initiative pour la démocratie numérique, qui promeut un espace démocratique local inclusif à l'ère numérique. En outre, notre bureau des Nations unies à New York travaille sur la campagneUnMute Civil Society, qui plaide en faveur d'une meilleure participation de la société civile aux Nations unies.

  Pour l'avenir, nous avons le plaisir d'annoncer que nous présenterons les prix de l'innovation Graça Machel-Nelson Mandela en 2024 et la Semaine internationale de la société civile (ICSW) en 2025. Restez à l'écoute de nos plateformes pour plus d'informations sur ces événements. 

  Alors que nous naviguons dans les complexités de ce monde en constante évolution, l'Alliance CIVICUS reste engagée dans sa mission de renforcement de l'action citoyenne à travers le monde. Nos réalisations de cette année reflètent notre résilience collective et notre engagement inébranlable en faveur du progrès. 

  Nous vous remercions pour votre soutien continu et nous vous souhaitons une fin d'année joyeuse et un début d'année 2024 rafraîchissant !

  En toute solidarité,

  Lysa John (LinkedIn)

• Local Action, Global Accountability

  This speech was delivered at the "Local Action, Global Accountability" UNGA-Side Event on September 20, 2024, at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York City, USA.

  By Sita Supomo, Executive Director of Indonesia untuk Kemanusiaan (Indonesia for Humanity - IKa) on behalf of Femme Forte, Trend Asia, CAPAIDS Uganda, IKa, Africa Philanthropy Network and Innovation for Change East Asia, the Convening Partners of the Local Leadership Labs – CIVICUS 

   

  Good morning everyone.

  Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of six CIVICUS Local Leadership Labs partners in Southeast Africa and Southeast Asia. It is an honour to be part of this crucial conversation.

  Today, I will share insights on the challenges and strategies we are employing to support civil society in Indonesia, working alongside communities as equal partners so they can confidently shape their own futures.

  Before discussing our work in Indonesia, let me briefly introduce the Local Leadership Lab (LLL). This pilot initiative tackles barriers preventing governments, donors, and stakeholders from supporting diverse local civil society groups as key development actors.

  LLL is implemented with support from CIVICUS Alliance and Hilton Foundation. Another "sister" initiative called Localization Labs, is led by NEAR Network.

  LLL centers the political power of communities, especially those excluded from decision-making. It creates inclusive spaces for dialogue and co-creation at various levels, where local civil society groups co-shape policies alongside key actors.

  Five elements characterize LLL's approach:

  • Being locally-driven,
  • Building power,
  • Promoting relational strategies,
  • Encouraging innovation and flexibility,
  • and Fostering a collective learning mindset.

  
  Indonesia is facing a shrinking civic space, with restrictive policies, increased state surveillance, and other forms ofrestrictions.These pressures undermine social movements and public support. Beyond visible restriction,resourcing, such as funding sustainability, threatens the independence of social movements. Without addressing these issues, their capacity for transformative change will falter.

  AtIndonesia for Humanity (IKa), we are strengthening resources for the social justice movement. We raise and channel resources to support them in challenging environments. Our approach is rooted in mutual trust, solidarity, and community-driven change.

  Over the past six months, we've facilitated four FAJAR dialogues with over 60 organizations, conducted three sensing journeys, and identified seven local resourcing models. All of which helps guide partner selection across four provinces. FAJAR (Forum for New Resourcing), a forum initiated by IKa, strengthens connections between local and national dialogues, amplifying community-driven issues within broader alliances.

  So what have we learned in six months with LLL:

  Building trust, practicing patience, intently observing and actively listening are essential for amplifying local voices. We've learned that providing spaces for communities to co-create their visions and articulate their demands effectively is critical to closing gaps and fostering collective action.

  To conclude, I want to offer a reflection and a call on the international donor community to rethink its roles. We know, donors in the Global North are also grappling with your own social, political, and economic shifts. But this moment calls for more than just adaptation. It demands a fundamentalrethinking of how we operate and the roles we play as enablers of change. It's not just about increasing funding; it's about transforming partnerships to create equitable, sustainable futures.

  So, let us LLL partners, urge you to:

  First - Invest in institutional strengthening through flexible, predictable funding.

  Second - Intentionally show up as allies by participating in locally-led dialogues.

  Third - Ensure accountability by prioritizing local needs and being transparent.

  Together, we can shift power to communities, fostering a just, inclusive world where every community shapes its path forward.

  In the words of Arundhati Roy:"Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing."

  Thank you.

• Reflecting on a Transformative Year and Priorities for the Future

  A message from Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS

  Dear CIVICUS members and allies,

  As we bid farewell to a remarkable year, I am inspired as we reflect on the growth of the CIVICUS Alliance. I would like to take a moment to highlight what we achieved and learned together and priorities for the coming year.

  The 2017-2022 Strategic PlanReview earlier in the year demonstrated that CIVICUS has not only embraced the lessons learned but we have continuously strived for a higher standard for global impact. Through our 2017 -2022 Strategic Plan delivery, we produced timely and world-class knowledge and analysis. By shifting from retrospective research to up-to-date data analysis on global events, we established ourselves as leaders and trusted partners in the sector.

  Our new2022-27 Strategic Plan hasled to a review andoptimisation of our internal coherence and external impact, includingareview of thekeywork streams led bythe Senior Leadership Team (SLT). Thenewly restructuredfive-member SLTwill leadthe priorities underpinned by our 2022-27 StrategicPlan. 

  

  We are proud to announce that our 2023 Annual Report clearly shows CIVICUS's progress against the new strategy. Noteworthy headlines from the report include the increasing utilization of knowledge generated by the CIVICUS Monitor and Lens to influence public discourse.  Our advocacy efforts have evolved into sustained and networked approaches, and for example, the#StandAsMyWitness Campaign has helped free 15 human rights defenders from imprisonment. We also pleased to share that CIVICUS was recognised as the top-ranking organisation in the annualFAIR SHARE for Women Leaders Monitor.

  Remaining steadfast in our mission, we launched several initiatives this year aimed at strengthening civil society participation and civic freedoms. These include theWeRise Campaign focused on freedom of peaceful assembly, theLocal Leadership Labs project strengthening the local civil society ecosystem, and theDigital Democracy Initiativepromoting local, inclusive democratic space in the digital age. Additionally, our UN office in New York is working on theUnMute Civil Societycampaign advocating for better civil society participation at the UN.

  Looking ahead, we are thrilled to host the Graca Machel-Nelson Mandela Innovation Awards in 2024 and International Civil Society Week (ICSW) in 2025. Watch out for more information on these exciting events on our platforms!

  While we navigate the complexities of our ever-changing world, the CIVICUS Alliance remains dedicated to its mission of strengthening citizen action globally. Our achievements this year are reflective of our collective resilience and unwavering commitment to positive change.

  Thank you for your continued support, we wish you a joyful end to this year and a refreshing start to 2024!

  In solidarity,

  Lysa John (LinkedIn)

• Una Llamada Conjunta para Convocatorias Internacionales Inclusivas sobre Desarrollo Liderado Localmente

  Arabic

  En noviembre de 2023, personas del Mundo Mayoritario y organizaciones comunitarias publicaron una carta dirigida a sus socios internacionales detallando cinco principios para lograr una mayor inclusión en las reuniones sobre desarrollo liderado por la comunidad local. La carta pide a los organizadores y patrocinadores de dichas reuniones que: