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.
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 do: with 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.
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.
