Posts with the tag
“LNOB”

Leave No One Behind in Times of Change: Navigating Crisis, Sustaining Inclusion

27th June 2025 by Claudemir da Silva

Civil society is facing one of its most critical moments in recent history. Major cuts to Official Development Assistance (ODA), agreed simultaneously by some of the world’s biggest ODA donors, as well as an increasing resistance to put issues like the inclusion or marginalised groups into the focus of development efforts, caused problems for many organisations in our sector. These changes are not just another cycle of budget tightening; they seem to represent a bigger change in how international aid is organised, with profound consequences for development actors – particularly for smaller CSOs who largely depended on foreign aid. The US government’s recent decision to publicly renounce the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, shows just how profound these changes are, leading into concerns that this is the start of a “post-aid world” in which prior agreed global development priorities no longer count, being replaced by a “my country first” philosophy. Considering this, the Centre’s Leave No One Behind partnership (LNOB), coordinated by the International Civil Society Centre, started a series of partner interviews earlier this year, to better understand the implications of this crisis, what it means for marginalised communities, and how best to deal with these challenges collaboratively. 

Women sitting in a circle at a focus group discussion in Nepal
Focus group discussion in Nepal lead by VSO International

The underlining competing pressures  

The conversations with country coalitions from Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria and Vietnam, alongside several international civil society organisations such as CBM Global, BRAC, Plan International, and Islamic Relief, revealed a distressing situation where there is a lot of uncertainty and far too few resources to manage it. Many partners said they had less money, fewer staff, and more pressure to compete for a smaller amount of money from donors. Several country partners said that although they do not depend on aid from the US or the UK, recent cuts have had a big effect on their planning and programming. Partners are worried about their organisations going bust, losing staff, and the increasing break down of long-term working relationships. Another worrying trend perceived is that issues like inclusion, diversity, and equality meet significantly less interest in politics and the media, at times even phasing open resentment. Some partners bemoaned that they see an increasing tendency from actors within and outside government to belittle the work of CSOs, or even openly discredit them. This makes it much harder for CSOs to do their work properly and safely and continue with their mission to support marginalised and underserviced populations.

Understanding right from wrong 

Despite these challenges, there was a strong commitment to continue supporting marginalised communities, and a certain sense of urgency and clarity about what is the right thing to dowith declining support and solidarity for groups that are already under pressure, inclusion work is now more important than ever. Partners emphasised that it is very important for governments to listen to what citizens are saying, especially when people’s freedom to speak and be heard is limited. This approach, created and improved through the partnership’s work to promote and support voices being heard and counted, was often described as a lifeline for keeping the partnership relevant and impactful. 

When persons with disabilities lead data collection, the solutions reflect their realities—and drive real change.

Vietnam Project Partner– Digital Voices: Ensuring Inclusive Digital Transformation for People with Disabilities in Viet Nam 

Focus on direct support 

In response to the current challenges facing our sector, the Centre’s Leave No One Behind partnership has shifted its priorities in 2025 to focus more directly on supporting our national partners. The Centre is now providing financial backing to coalitions in India, Nepal, Vietnam, and Palestine, through various projects enabling them to continue their vital work with citizen data and maintain their engagement with marginalised communities. These projects have a specific focus on the economic empowerment of marginalised communities, aiming to strengthen local advocacy, support inclusive policy dialogue, and ensure that the voices of those too often left out are made heard. We are continuing our efforts to mobilise additional resources and plan to extend support to more countries over the course of the year. 

Building on this support, the partnership is placing a strong focus in 2025 on exploring how citizen data can help advance the economic inclusion of marginalised communities. The newly funded projects in India, Nepal, Vietnam, and Palestine, are already engaging with this theme, aiming to identify barriers to economic participation and co-develop solutions that are grounded in lived experiences, relevant to local contexts. By connecting this work to national development priorities and social protection strategies, we aim to create opportunities for more inclusive policy dialogue and practical change. Alongside this, the Centre is prioritising knowledge exchange and capacity building to help national coalitions strengthen their financial resilience, including peer learning on local fundraising, alternative operational models, and solidarity mechanisms inspired by other programmatic initiatives led by the Centre.  

Data is power and in Nepal’s most marginalised provinces, we are using citizen evidence to demand equity, accountability, and real change.

LNOB Nepal Project Partner– Making Voices heard and Count: Social Rights & Economic Empowerment of Youths in Nepal 

Fostering exchange to find joint solutions 

This commitment to resilience and innovation was further reflected in a virtual strategic exchange hosted by the International Civil Society Centre in May, which brought together members of the Centre’s Solidarity Action Network (SANE) and LNOB. The event examined the ways in which civil society organisations are coping with mounting political and financial pressures, including shifts in donor funding and shrinking civic space. Participants shared their experiences and insights during breakout discussions on funding cuts, localisation and restrictions to civic space. Key takeaways included the need for greater solidarity, a rethink of power dynamics and the advancement of locally led, participatory approaches to civil society work in an increasingly challenging global landscape. A follow-up event focusing on alternative finance mechanisms and partnership models is planned for September. 

People sitting at a table with cards and pens writing ideas
Citizen Generated Data group discussion with participants from the Project on Supporting Women-led Green Initiatives (PWG), Vietnam

Making everyone heard and count  

Looking ahead, the partnership will remain focused on supporting country partners directly, both technically and financially; concentrating on delivering practical tools, guidance, establishing contacts with potential donors directly at the national level, and provide transitional funding that can help ensure that the local partners are capable of continuing some of their inclusion work while going through a slump. The Centre will continue to convene donors and partners through virtual platforms to jointly explore alternative financing mechanisms. While the context has shifted dramatically, the mission of the partnership remains unchanged. If anything, the current crisis has reaffirmed the need for our work and the importance of standing together in solidarity. In the words of one partner, “Inclusion is not a luxury, it is a necessity.”

In these times of uncertainty, the Centre’s Leave No One Behind partnership continues to hold a space for community voices to work towards a future where everyone counts. 


Find out more about LNOB and the benefits of joining as a partner in our new brochure

Leave No One Behind_Benefits of becoming a member

Find out more about the partnership in general in our new ‘About us’ brochure

Leave No One Behind – About us 

 

Claudemir da Silva

Executive Assistant

International Civil Society Centre

Claudemir, Executive Assistant at the Centre since December 2023, holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. He was awarded the DAAD Helmut Schmidt Scholarship in 2020, which led to a Master’s degree in Democratic Governance and Civil Society at the University of Osnabrück. His master’s thesis focused on water policy and the SDGs in Brazil. Before joining the Centre, Claudemir contributed to the education sector in Brazil and worked in international cooperation with the UN and GIZ.


New – 2023 events and programme flyer, find out what’s on and what we are doing

2nd January 2023 by Adriana Sahagún Martínez

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

Adriana Sahagún Martínez

Communications Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Adriana is responsible for developing and implementing the Centre’s communication strategy. Prior to joining the Centre, Adriana worked at ShareTheMeal, an initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), where she developed and implemented multiple global marketing campaigns. Before that, she worked for six years in the private sector, where she held various positions in Corporate Social Responsibility and Integrated Marketing Communications.


Inclusive Data as a Strategic Tool for Building Back Better After the Pandemic.

29th August 2022 by Chandani Lopez Peralta

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to deepen inequalities around the globe and threaten the overall progress of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, this year’s High Level Political Forum (HLPF) brought together contributors from diverse backgrounds and geographies to highlight different impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across all Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and reflect on the actions required to build back better from the pandemic. 

On July 12, the Centre co-hosted a virtual side event at the 2022 HLPF together with the German Development Agency (GIZ)with the support of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) to explore inclusive data practices in communities (which are mostly overlooked in high level policy discourses) as a strategic tool for building back better after the pandemic. 

The insights from the speakers and panellists not only reaffirmed the fact that there is a massive lack of high quality and relevant data on Persons with Disability (PWD) and other marginalised groups, but the discussions further highlighted the important role Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) can play in filling the existing data gaps, especially during emergency situations like COVID 19. Through Community Driven Data (CDDs) and other forms of inclusive data, CSOs and OPDs help bring innovative perspectives on certain population and their needs, issues and trends.  

Read reflections from the LNOB Partnership’s virtual side event at the 2022 HLPF 

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


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


    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


    A Growing Partnership: New Coalitions in Malawi and Denmark & HelpAge International Joins as Global Member

    10th November 2021 by Colette Rose

    The Leave No One Behind partnership is growing at both the country and global level. The partnership has launched coalitions in two new countries: Malawi and Denmark. At the global level, the partnership is excited for HelpAge International—a worldwide alliance standing up for the rights of older people— to join as a global member organisation.

    In Malawi, a cross-sector coalition including the national planning commission is co-led by three civil society organisations: CARE Malawi, the Centre for Social Accountability & Transparency (CSAT) and Plan International Malawi. The coalition is currently finalising plans for their first data project. The country team’s inaugural project aims to make young peoples’, girls’ and women’s voices heard and count in Malawi.

    Denmark is the first country from the Global North joining the Leave No One Behind partnership, in a coalition led by ActionAid Denmark. This marks an important milestone for the project since the Sustainable Development Goals are often perceived as primarily being relevant for countries in the Global South. However, some marginalised communities in northern countries, such as older people, refugees and people with disabilities, can also be left behind due to underreporting—resulting in public policies and services that do not account for the needs of marginalised populations.

    HelpAge International was a collaborator on the report An Unequal Pandemic earlier this year and now formally joins the Leave No One Behind partnership. Official data on older people is often sparse or ignored in the design of policies and programs, including most recently in pandemic response planning. Civil society organisations focusing on the rights of older people work to fill these gaps, including many of the members of the HelpAge Global Network spanning 86 countries.

    The newly formed coalitions in Malawi and Denmark, and HelpAge International’s expertise on older people’s needs will undoubtedly enrich and further diversify the Leave No One Behind partnership’s work to make voices heard and count.

    Colette Rose

    Project Manager

    International Civil Society Centre

    Colette joined the Centre in September 2021 as Project Manager for Making Voices Heard and Count, a project of the Leave No One Behind partnership. Before joining the Centre, she lived in New York for over a decade, where she most recently led strategic communications at the Guttmacher Institute for its international research on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Previously, at Physicians for Reproductive Health, Colette trained doctors in advocacy communications for evidence-based health policy. She has worked as a policy researcher, editor, writer and project manager with OutRight Action International, Amnesty International, Oxfam Germany and the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions. Colette holds a BA in international relations from Connecticut College and an MSc in political sociology from the London School of Economics.


    Call for Proposals – Consultancy for Developing an Animated Video

    1st November 2021 by Elizabeth Parsons

    The Centre is looking for an experienced videographer with expertise in animation and storytelling to develop a short (1-1,5 minute) animated video that introduces the Leave No One Behind (LNOB) partnership and its Making Voices Heard and Count (MVHC) project to international stakeholders who are not yet familiar with our work.

    MVHC is a unique collaborative project of the LNOB partnership, which is hosted by the Centre. The partnership was launched in late 2017 by 12 international civil society organisations. It brings together international and national civil society organisations (CSOs), civic networks and platforms with the ambition to bring about a scalable solution for filling data gaps on marginalised groups in the monitoring and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    The Centre is commissioning a consultant to:

    • Develop and produce a short animated accessible video suitable for use on various social media platforms introducing the work of the LNOB partnership and MVHC project.

    Find the full tender and how to apply here

    The Centre invites qualified individuals or organisations (“Offerors”) to submit a proposal for the requested services. The application needs to be submitted by 10 November 2021.

    If you meet the selection criteria, please submit your application to Colette Rose including:

    • Proposal Narrative
    • Resume or CV of individual or principals, in the case of a consulting firm
    • A list of prior clients and links to earlier produced animated videos as demonstration material
    •  A detailed budget in Euros (EUR).

    Proposals, including any attachments, should be sent electronically in PDF format to: crose@icscentre.org. Please ensure to include in the subject line: “Call for proposals – Video Animation”.

    Communications Manager

    International Civil Society Centre


    Joint Side Event at the UN World Data Forum

    24th September 2021 by Peter Koblowsky

    Bringing alternative data to official use: cross-sector partnerships to leave no one behind in SDG monitoring and review

    SDG monitoring and review is key to ensuring effective planning and implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Yet, this is a field in which states face numerous challenges, not least related to the production, communication and use of data. Data partnerships which promote the use of complementary data (e.g. citizen-generated data, human rights data or administrative data) have the potential to strengthen SDG monitoring and review and can help fill data gaps and ensure that no one is left behind. This is particularly relevant as countries strive to build forward better from the Covid-19 pandemic.  

    This event will discuss the experiences of our Leave No One Behind Partnership and the Inclusive SDG Data Partnerships project, an initiative promoted by the Centre, Partners for Review/GIZ and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

    The online session format is dynamic, including short presentations of good practices, lessons learned, progress made and ways forward from the participating countries. There will be the chance for the audience in the room and in the virtual space to interact with our country speakers.

    This event aims to generate a constructive exchange of practices to inspire the ongoing collaboration efforts in these countries and in others. Speakers will reflect the diversity of the country groups, with representatives from government, civil society, National Human Rights Institutes and National Statistics Offices.

    Register for the event here!

    Peter Koblowsky

    Senior Partnership Manager - Leave No One Behind

    International Civil Society Centre

    Peter joined the Centre in January 2013, back then as a trainee. He completed the traineeship in the advocacy & campaigning office of World Vision Germany. Peter now coordinates the Leave No One Behind project and contributes to the development and implementation of various other strategic formats. Before joining the Centre, Peter worked for various organisations and think tanks in the development sector, being an expert in multi-stakeholder processes. He studied at the University of Bonn and graduated with an MA in Political Science with a focus on multi-actor advocacy for climate policy.


    Call for Applications, Project Consultant Tender

    30th July 2021 by Elizabeth Parsons

    The Centre is looking for an experienced consultant with expertise in EU funding to identify concrete opportunities among the portfolio of EU funding mechanisms to support the Leave No One Behind Partnership and its Making Voices Heard and Count project.

    Making Voices Heard and Count is a collaborative project of the Leave No One Behind partnership, which is hosted by the Centre. It brings together international and national civil society organisations (CSOs), civic networks and platforms with the ambition to bring about a scalable solution for filling data gaps on marginalised groups in the monitoring and review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thereby, the project aims to make a key contribution towards fulfilling the Agenda 2030’s universal pledge to leave no one behind. The project fosters an inclusive model of SDG monitoring, supporting the collection, analysis and dissemination of community-driven data and giving a stage to data produced by the local target groups themselves – helping to make their voices heard and count.

    As an advocacy partnership, we aim to foster an enabling political environment for the inclusion of marginalised communities in the SDG process, working in close exchange with key government entities and local decision makers in our action countries. At the global level, we work with multilateral agencies and global platforms to amplify and reinforce our political messaging.

    Our overall goal is to make sure that:

    • Country SDG priorities are inclusive of the voices of those at risk of being left behind.
    • SDG strategies and policies are informed by community-driven data, complementing other official data.

    For this purpose, the Centre is commissioning a consultant to:

    • prepare an inception report for an assessment of EU fundraising opportunities;
    • scan available funding opportunities offered by the various EU funding mechanisms and instruments, and identify one or more applicable concrete opportunities for the Leave No One Behind partnership;
    • advise on needed administrative and financial capacities and required due diligence to apply for and administer potential grant amounts;
    • identify partner organisations within the Leave No One Behind partnership who are best suited to take on the lead applicant role.

    Find the full tender and how to apply here

    The Centre invites qualified individuals or organisations (“Offerors”) to submit a proposal for the requested services. The application needs to be submitted by 25 August 2021.

    If you meet the selection criteria, please submit your application to Peter Koblowsky including:

    1. Proposal Narrative, no more than 5 pages, including:

    • A brief description of the offeror’s experience and expertise in the field that illustrates overall qualifications, capabilities, and suitability
    • A brief description of the offeror’s understanding of the scope of services and proposed methodology for the work
    • A brief outline of the methodology to be used to assess the partner(ships) capacity, i.e. by conducting interviews/ sharing questionnaires or a fundraising audit

    2. Resume or CV of individual or principals, in the case of a consulting firm

    3. List of Past and Current Clients and successful EU funding applications the offeror has been involved in either as an adviser or co-writer

    4. Cost Requirements

    5. The Offeror should include a detailed budget

    Proposals, including any attachments, should be sent electronically in PDF format to: pkoblowsky@icscentre.org. Please ensure to include in the subject line: “Call for proposals – EU Funding”. 

     

    Communications Manager

    International Civil Society Centre


    Joint learning report: “Inclusive SDG Data Partnerships”

    13th July 2021 by Peter Koblowsky

    Our new joint learning report gathers knowledge and recommendations from the Inclusive SDG Data Partnerships initiative, which is co-organised by Partners for Review (P4R/GIZ), the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), and the Centre in its role as the secretariat of the Leave No One Behind Partnership. The initiative aims to advance data partnerships for the SDGs and strengthen multi-actor data ecosystems at the national level.

    Goal is to meet the SDG data challenge by improving the use of alternative data sources, particularly data produced by civil society and human rights institutions, and complementary to official statistics. This report aims to capture and share the key lessons learned from the first part of the initiative, which took place between October 2020 and March 2021.

    Read our report “Inclusive SDG Data Partnerships”

     

    Peter Koblowsky

    Senior Partnership Manager - Leave No One Behind

    International Civil Society Centre

    Peter joined the Centre in January 2013, back then as a trainee. He completed the traineeship in the advocacy & campaigning office of World Vision Germany. Peter now coordinates the Leave No One Behind project and contributes to the development and implementation of various other strategic formats. Before joining the Centre, Peter worked for various organisations and think tanks in the development sector, being an expert in multi-stakeholder processes. He studied at the University of Bonn and graduated with an MA in Political Science with a focus on multi-actor advocacy for climate policy.