Category: News

Accelerating Inclusive Power Shift: An aggregated benchmarking study

20th December 2022 by Myriam Ciza Gambini

Following four years of Power Shifts Labs, the Centre wants to build on all of its collective work through analysis and deeper engagement around progress made. In February 2022, it commissioned a benchmarking study where its members were invited to discuss what shifts are currently underway within their organisations, as well as their challenges and next frontier ambitions. 

The study’s results were discussed and shared with study participants in the hope that it would feed into their future exchange and learning while allowing them to benchmark their progress over time and with each other. The Centre is presenting an aggregated version of the Power Shift benchmarking study as it believes that it will be both relevant and interesting to a much wider community outside of its member base.

Download Report

Learn more about the project

Myriam Ciza Gambini

Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Myriam coordinates the “Accelerating Inclusive Power Shift” project, which aims to foster equitable partnerships and more inclusive governance models in the development and humanitarian sectors. Prior to joining the Centre, she worked on EU development policy in Brussels for CONCORD and Humanity & Inclusion and with CBM in Italy.

Discover the ‘Anticipating Futures for Civil Society Operating Space’ report 

10th November 2022 by Eva Gondor

This report contributes to the Centre’s multi-year initiative Anticipating Futures for Civil Society Operating Space to strengthen the anticipatory capacities and future readiness of civil society professionals who are working to defend civic and civil society operating space. It is intended to provide a basis for further activities, especially in identifying gaps that require collective sector commitment. 

The report is the outcome of an exercise to map the current landscape: the issues impacting civic space, the strengths and weaknesses of civil society organisations’ (CSOs) responses and their reflections. 

Download Report

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Eva leads on the Centre's civic space work - the Solidarity Action Network (SANE) aimed at strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors, and the International Civic Forum (ICF), our annual civic space platform to network and identify opportunities for collaboration. Prior to joining the Centre she worked at the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Foundation) in Stuttgart where she managed the foundation’s projects focusing on civil society and governance in Turkey, the Western Balkans, and North Africa.

Explore the Centre’s ‘Civil Society Innovation and Digital Power Shift’ report

7th October 2022 by Elizabeth Parsons

Civil society organisations are innovators. They test new approaches to both traditional and emerging problems. Rapid digitalisation is one of today’s most prominent and influential global drivers of change, but decisions on how future digital development and data use proceeds still sit almost exclusively with the governments and businesses already powerful and privileged enough to influence and receive its benefits today, further growing the equity gap to the half of humanity who remain unconnected.

While civil society organisations have achieved some success in shifting power around these challenges, there is a significant opportunity for organisations to learn and benefit from the lessons others have encountered.

The report will share effective and inclusive innovation approaches, solutions and new ways of working which are helping to shift power in the digital ecosystem, and achieve more people-centred or nature-positive outcomes enabled by digital technology, by showcasing eight case studies from international and national CSOs around the world. Get inspired by real-life examples of new approaches.

Plan International – Equality Tech

 

Three girls watching their phone

Code for Pakistan – Fellowship Program

Internet Society and Murambinda Works Community Networks

Listen to our Futures and Innovation Podcast – an audio series streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Soundcloud – and hear the stories of their inclusive innovation approaches to advance people-centred digitalisation, to either address system power imbalances or capitalise on emerging people power and technological capabilities.

Visit our Innovation Webpage to find out more about the aims of the report and all the case study content.

Communications Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Call for Applications: Evaluation Consultant

5th July 2022 by Elizabeth Parsons

The Centre is looking for an experienced consultant or a team of consultants with expertise in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) to conduct an independent evaluation of the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) Partnership and its Making Voices Heard and Count project. The consultant will be expected to review and evaluate the activities the LNOB Partnership has conducted on global, national and local levels since its inception in 2017.

The Centre is commissioning a consultant to:

  1. Review various work documents and outputs of the LNOB partnership from 2017 through 2022 to assess the partnership’s overall work and achievements. 
  2. Based on the review of relevant documents and outputs, sketch the overall scope of the evaluation, analysis framework and methodology. 
  3. Draft evaluation questions, design the methodology and develop the assessment and research tools, including surveys and interviews.  
  4. Conduct surveys or interviews with representatives from LNOB secretariat, country coalitions and other partners to support the evaluation. 
  5. Review the 2022 baseline impact assessment results from LNOB country coalitions and their partners. 
  6. Present results/findings and suggest recommendations for future programming and scaling up of the partnership, providing specifics for acting upon these recommendations, in a detailed 20-25 pages evaluation report.  

Find the full tender and how to apply here

The Centre invites qualified individuals, pairs or small teams to submit a proposal for the requested services. The application needs to be submitted by 18 July 2022.

If you meet the selection criteria, please send an email with your CV and a short proposal including a proposed timeline and detailed budget, including daily rate in Euros (EUR) to Chandani Lopez. The proposal must be in English and preferably in PDF format. The subject of the application should read ‘Evaluation Consultant LNOB Partnership.’ Only shortlisted candidates who meet the criteria will be invited for interviews.

    Communications Manager

    International Civil Society Centre

    Call for Applications: Strategic Research Consultant

    29th June 2022 by Elizabeth Parsons

    The Centre is looking for a strategic research consultant to conduct a mapping and support event content preparations during the initial phase of its new initiative “Anticipating Futures for Civil Society Operating Space”. The initiative’s overall aim is to strengthen anticipatory capacities and future readiness of civic space-focused professionals in international and national civil society organisations.

    The Centre is commissioning a consultant to:

    1. Draw out the potential connections between how governments frame and respond to crises, including complex, uncertain future events like climate disruptions, and the implications for civil society action and operating space. 
    2. Explore how states have pivoted to security framings in crises, the impact this has had on civic space and operating conditions, and the signals CSOs should increasingly become aware of. 
    3. Explore emergent opportunities for civil society from previous crises – such as COVID-19 – which served to change or influence state perceptions, narratives and framings of civil society.  
    4. Outline previous and current work in the field on “civic space futures” (e.g. International Center for Not-for-Profit Law’s (ICNL) Civic Space 2040 initiative of 2020).
    5. Identify gaps that require collective sector approaches and initiatives.  
    6. Prepare the results of this mapping in writing (report of ca. 15 pages) or as a visualisation/map.

      Find the full tender and how to apply here

      The Centre invites qualified individuals, pairs or small teams to submit a proposal for the requested services. The application needs to be submitted by 15 July 2022.

      If you meet the selection criteria, please submit your application to Eva Gondorová and Miriam Niehaus including:

      1. Cover letter (no more than 3 pages), including:
      • A brief description of your experience and expertise in the field that illustrates your overall qualifications and capabilities for this scope of work, including two examples of your previous comparable work;
      • A brief description of your understanding of the scope of services and proposed methodology for the work;
      • Your consultancy rate (amount in EUR/day) and amount of working days.

        2. Your CV.

          3. Two references that can be contacted should you be shortlisted.

          Communications Manager

          International Civil Society Centre

          Call for Applications: Research Consultant

          27th June 2022 by Elizabeth Parsons

          The Centre is looking for a research consultant to support its Solidarity Action Network (SANE) by capturing three to five case studies looking at how international civil society organisations (ICSOs) and CSOs have dealt with cyberattacks and digital risks. This will be an extension of the Solidarity Playbook – a collection of case studies and best practices on strategies, resilience, and solidarity mechanisms – with a topical focus on cybersecurity.

          SANE focuses on strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors when faced with civic space restrictions or changing operating conditions. It connects organisations across all sub-sectors and brings them into discussions on civic space challenges and opportunities.

          The Solidarity Playbook is an integral part of SANE with a focus on collecting case studies and best practices to help other ICSOs respond to undue scrutiny and challenges, and to enable learning on how to act in solidarity with civil society actors, particularly local partners.

          The Centre is commissioning a consultant to:

          1. Review and adjust the existing framework of the Solidarity Playbook case studies to accommodate the topical focus on cybersecurity.
          2. Conduct desk review and analysis of any written documentation (either publicly available or made available by contributing organisations).
          3. Conduct interviews with case study partners.
          4. Produce drafts of three to five case studies in a written form, including executive summary.
          5. Refine the case studies based on feedback received from the case study partners, the Centre and the CyberPeace Institute.
          6. Submit final case studies.

          Find the full tender and how to apply here

          The Centre invites qualified individuals to submit a proposal for the requested services. The application needs to be submitted by 25 July 2022.

          If you meet the selection criteria, please submit your application to Eva Gondorová including:

          1. Cover letter (no more than 3 pages), including:
            • A brief description of your experience and expertise in the field that illustrates
            your overall qualifications and capabilities for this scope of work, including two
            examples of your previous comparable work
            • Your consultancy rate (amount in EUR/day) and amount of working days
          2. Your CV
          3. Two references that can be contacted should you be shortlisted.

          Communications Manager

          International Civil Society Centre

          Community-Driven Data as a Tool to Foster Equal Rights and Non-Discrimination

          16th June 2022 by Chandani Lopez Peralta

          The global pandemic has further exacerbated the long-standing structural inequalities and governance weaknesses around the world. As a result, an increasing number of communities are falling further behind the ambitious plan of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to “leave no one behind.” From 30 May to 3 June 2022, this year’s World Justice Forum brought together hundreds of leaders and experts from a broad spectrum of disciplines and geographies in the Hague to talk about these challenges and find effective measures to build fairer and healthier communities 

          Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN echoed:

          Justice means equality. Justice means fairness. Justice means accountability, fighting impunity and offering redress. It also means leaving no one behind and leaving no one behind means involving marginalised groups in decision making. 

          Read reflections from the LNOB Partnership’s working session at WJF

          Chandani Lopez Peralta

          Project Manager

          International Civil Society Centre

          Chandani joined the Centre as a Project Manager in May 2022. She supports the Leave No One Behind Partnership that promotes the collection and use of community-driven data to give voice and agency to marginalised communities. Prior to joining the Centre, Chandani headed communications and outreach at TolaData. In addition, Chandani has coordinated many projects for local and international NGOs, working closely with refugees, individuals with disabilities and other marginalised groups in Nepal, Germany and the US. Chandani holds a master’s degree in International Development and Social Change from Clark University, USA and a B.Sc. in Mass Communications with an emphasis on PR and Advertising from Minnesota State University Moorhead

          Navigating cybersecurity: Guidance for (I)CSO professionals

          11th May 2022 by Eva Gondor

          Within the framework of the Solidarity Action Network (SANE), a guidance “Navigating cybersecurity: Guidance for (I)CSO professionals” has been developed to help civil society actors better respond to cybersecurity challenges and digital threats.  

          The guidance shares lessons learned and best practices from a series of SANE curated conversations on the topics of data protection and security, prevention and mitigation of cyberattacks, and sustainable cybersecurity support for local civil society. It provides steps to better protect organisations online and highlights further relevant resources and initiatives. This guidance addresses (I)CSO professionals across different departments as cybersecurity needs to be everyone’s responsibility.  

          Download Cybersecurity guidance

           

          Eva Gondor

          Senior Project Manager

          International Civil Society Centre

          Eva leads on the Centre's civic space work - the Solidarity Action Network (SANE) aimed at strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors, and the International Civic Forum (ICF), our annual civic space platform to network and identify opportunities for collaboration. Prior to joining the Centre she worked at the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Foundation) in Stuttgart where she managed the foundation’s projects focusing on civil society and governance in Turkey, the Western Balkans, and North Africa.

          Scoping Study on Operating Conditions of Civil Society in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

          4th April 2022 by Eva Gondor

          Within the framework of the Solidarity Action Network (SANE), we commissioned a scoping study to analyse operating conditions of international and local civil society organisations in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In recent years, attacks on civil society organisations (CSOs) working on humanitarian, development and, especially, human rights programming in the oPt have come under more sustained and targeted attack, mirroring deteriorating CSO operating conditions and shrinking civic space and freedoms globally. Building on previous work in the field, this study aimed to capture up-to-date evidence of how the current environment impacts CSOs ability to deliver their mandates. The data generated may be used to inform policy and advocacy efforts and to identify possible solidarity mechanisms to support CSOs.  

          The study provides key findings on barriers and restrictions faced by civil society actors in the oPt based on the collected quantitative and qualitative data and presents recommendations for governments, donors and civil society actors. 

          oPt Scoping Study PDF

          Eva Gondor

          Senior Project Manager

          International Civil Society Centre

          Eva leads on the Centre's civic space work - the Solidarity Action Network (SANE) aimed at strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors, and the International Civic Forum (ICF), our annual civic space platform to network and identify opportunities for collaboration. Prior to joining the Centre she worked at the Robert Bosch Stiftung (Foundation) in Stuttgart where she managed the foundation’s projects focusing on civil society and governance in Turkey, the Western Balkans, and North Africa.

          New – 2022 events and programme flyer, find out what’s on and what we are doing

          17th January 2022 by Elizabeth Parsons

          Welcome to our 2022 flyer. You can download the flyer below to find out about what we plan to do this year and how you can get involved.

          Download 2022 Flyer

          Communications Manager

          International Civil Society Centre