COVID-19 Resources for Civil Society
This page is part of a series of COVID-19 resource pages that we are creating frequently to help civil society actors.
The Future of Civil Society Organisations – Foreword by Wolfgang Jamann and Ignacio Packer
Find The Future of Civil Society Organisations Document at the bottom of page
The Future is unwritten. Yet, the current challenges and opportunities brought by the COVID-19 pandemic call for a conversation over the transformations we want to see in society, and in the humanitarian, social justice and environmental sector. In this publication, a group of leaders of civil society networks and platforms share their observations and thoughts, identifying possible directions that civil society organisations may want to go.
You will read their views on how the ways we work and organise need to be adapted and made more agile to keep pace with people’s expectations. It is about shifting power, bridging divides and transforming society with a sense of acceleration, caused by the current crisis.
What you will read is both challenging and exciting.
The COVID-19 pandemic can re-energise the demands of civil society organisations to put people at the heart of the changes we need: to protect the planet from degradation, to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives, that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature and fosters peaceful, just and inclusive societies. As conveners of influential networks and platforms, jointly we represent thousands of civil society organisations which work with, and on behalf of, millions of people who are being marginalised and deprived of their human and civic rights. We are determined to mobilise and lead collectively, based on a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the rights of those left furthest behind.
Wolfgang Jamann and Ignacio Packer
The Future of Civil Society Organisations (PDF)
Wolfgang Jamann
Executive Director
International Civil Society Centre
Dr. Wolfgang Jamann is Executive Director of the International Civil Society Centre. Until January 2018 he was Secretary General and CEO of CARE International (Geneva). Before that he led NGO Deutsche Welthungerhilfe and the Alliance 2015, a partnership of 7 European aid organisations. From 2004-2009 he was CEO & Board member of CARE Deutschland-Luxemburg and President of the CARE Foundation. Previously, he worked for World Vision International as a regional representative in East Africa (Kenya) & Head of Humanitarian Assistance at WV Germany. After his Ph.D. dissertation in 1990 he started his career in development work at the German Foundation for International Development, later for the UNDP in Zambia. As a researcher and academic, he has published books and articles on East & Southeast Asia contributing to international studies on complex humanitarian emergencies and conflict management.
ActionAid and ActionAid Uganda: How to scenario-plan for attacks and the narrowing of civic space
ActionAid, a global justice federation, developed scenario-planning and rapid response mechanisms to address growing hostilities in some countries, for example to react to raids on its office and freezing of its accounts in Uganda.
Read the summary and find the full case study at the bottom of the page.
Actions taken by the organisation
| What was the trigger? | Growing hostilities in multiple countries noted by ActionAid Federation (2013). |
| What was the internal response? | Federation put together Working Groups on closing space and institutional resilience, in order to develop solutions. |
| What measures were taken at the national level? | Country offices received training and support to build resilience. |
Response carried out in practice
| What was the trigger? | Raid on ActionAid Uganda Office and bank accounts frozen due to their position on legal reforms (2017). |
| What was the response? | Scenario-planning and contingencies put in place; responses were deployed on political, legal, financial and communications fronts. |
| What were the outcomes? | Their bank accounts were unfrozen; ActionAid Uganda then integrated a civic space focus into their programmatic work. |
Learnings collected by the organisation
| Outcomes | ActionAid Uganda’s experience fed back to the Federation via a Learning Paper, and there are now resources and tools based on this. |
| Challenges | Resources; staff and sector insecurity; long-term impact of propaganda. |
| Lessons | Always keep your house in order; ensure all staff understand all processes for consistency of message; a rapid legal response is necessary; good media relations are essential; be relevant to civil society and your constituencies; and be transparent. |
Background to our Pilot Solidarity Playbook Case Studies
This case study is one of six that reviews best practices, challenges, and lessons learned for both ICSO internal mechanisms and coalition responses to scrutiny and attacks. They show positive outcomes and new practices that were initially triggered by an undue threat or attack.
Written by Sarah Pugh and Deborah Doane, these case studies first appeared in an In-house study called “Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny” presented at the International Civic Forum in Addis Ababa in October 2019.
Thanks go to our case study partners for making their learnings available to a larger readership.
The presented case studies reflect the status of when they were first written up in October 2019. Naturally, the political situation as well as the organisations’ and coalitions’ learnings have since evolved and are constantly evolving.
Eva Gondorová
Project Manager
International Civil Society Centre
Eva coordinates the project Solidarity Action Network (SANE) which aims at strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors.
Solidarity Playbook: Discover and Learn from our Pilot Case Studies
Solidarity and collaboration are among strongest tools we have to push back against clampdowns on civil society. These pilot case studies – initiated by the Solidarity Action Network (SANE) – showcase best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from organisational resilience mechanisms and coalition responses to scrutiny and attacks. They show positive outcomes and new practices developed by civil society organisations and coalitions.
There is clearly a need to move from reactive mode – responding to clampdowns – to a more formal prepared footing. Our strength will be in building on these case studies and ensuring that there are stronger organisational and sectoral responses as a whole.
Also, read: Key Learnings for Civil Society Coalitions and Key Learnings for International Civil Society Organisations.
Click on the pictures for a case study summary or find each complete case study to download below.
Case Studies on Coalition Responses
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Case Studies on Organisational Resilience Mechanisms
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Background to our Pilot Solidarity Playbook Case Studies
Written by Sarah Pugh and Deborah Doane, these case studies first appeared in an in-house study called “Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny” presented at the International Civic Forum in Addis Ababa in October 2019.
We sincerely thank our case study partners for making their learnings available to a larger readership.
The presented case studies reflect the status of when they were written in October 2019. Naturally, the political situation as well as the organisations’ and coalitions’ learnings have since evolved and are constantly evolving.
Click on the buttons to read a complete case study.
Eva Gondorová
Project Manager
International Civil Society Centre
Eva coordinates the project Solidarity Action Network (SANE) which aims at strengthening resilience of and solidarity among civil society actors.
