Solidarity Action Network (SANE) – The International Civil Society Centre

Shaping the Future of Civil Society: Reflections from the YMCA Accelerator Summit

12th December 2024 by Myriam Ciza Gambini and Eva Gondor

In October, Myriam Ciza Gambini and Eva Gondor, had the opportunity to contribute to, and participate in the YMCA Accelerator Summit, taking place in Mombasa, Kenya. The Summit brought together over 450 people from 60 countries and aimed to accelerate YMCA’s Vision 2030, which serves as a roadmap for YMCA’s strategic objectives, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Like many of its peers, YMCA is grappling with existential questions about its future and relevance in the civil society landscape. This event marked the first of its kind for YMCA, designed to create spaces for exchange, discussion, and collaboration within the movement.

The Summit gathered YMCA delegates, international and local civil society partners, and private sector stakeholders to address key issues such as sustainability, youth employment, partnerships for impact as well as racial and youth justice.

YMCA Powershift panel — Myriam Ciza Gambini took speaking at the plenary panel “Powershift in the Agenda for a Just World”

Foresights Workshop

At the Summit, we facilitated a foresight workshop based on our recently published “Toolkit for tomorrow: Anticipating civil society futures,” exploring how to prepare for and shape possible futures. The session aimed to help participants understand the value of futures thinking and foresight, craft possible future scenarios, and identify practical actions to address them. Futures thinking invites us to imagine a range of possible futures, enabling us to anticipate upcoming changes and better prepare for them today. Strategic foresight takes this a step further by using these future possibilities to guide decision-making and planning. During the workshop, participants explored trends affecting the civil society landscape, identifying growing inequality and climate injustice as key issues likely to have a significant impact by 2030. They then developed future scenarios that reflected the interplay of these two trends. By the end of the session, participants outlined actions to address these scenarios, such as strengthening advocacy efforts, working more closely with local communities, and prioritising long-term goals over short-term gains. After the workshop, several attendees expressed an interest in experimenting further with futures thinking.

Powershift in the Agenda for a Just World

In addition, Myriam Ciza Gambini took part in the plenary panel “Powershift in the Agenda for a Just World,” alongside Sunita Suna, Executive Secretary for Programs, Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs and Mathias Shipeta, Rapid Response Officer at Haki Africa. The discussion focused on power dynamics in the sector, viewed through a Global North-South lens as well as a gender-inclusive, human rights perspective. Panellists explored how to foster an enabling environment for power shift, the role of citizen activism in changing the power hierarchy, and the opportunities it presents for social impact leaders. The panel was followed by a deep-dive session with the audience, discussing how organisations like YMCA can address internal power dynamics and contribute to a paradigm shift in the sector.

Myriam and panellists at YMCA Accelerator Summit — Myriam Ciza Gambini and plenary panel colleagues

Final thoughts: Strengthening Ecosystems.

Throughout the week, discussions also centred on how to connect grassroots initiatives and local partners with global movements in a meaningful and non-extractive way, fostering ecosystem strengthening. Several sessions explored how governance still represents a key challenge in ensuring the adequate representation of the communities that organisations like YMCA serve. It was inspiring to learn about their efforts to diversify boards and decision-making bodies.

The Summit gave us a unique opportunity to witness the scope and influence of the global YMCA movement. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with YMCA in their mission to empower communities and young people worldwide, building a just, sustainable, and inclusive future.

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.

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.

Navigating the Digital Landscape: Key Insights from the International Civic Forum 2024

12th December 2024 by Eva Gondor and Rachel Wilkinson

Every year, we bring together leaders from civil society and other sectors to discuss key civic space issues, build connections, and identify opportunities for collaboration at the International Civic Forum (ICF). This year we focused on how digital technology is transforming civic space and explored the implications of digital advancement for civic and civil society operating space.  

Collaborating with our partner, the Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN), with whom we run our Digital Dialogues event series, we built on synergies and teamed up for their annual conference Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF). At CTIF we hosted a masterclass on how strategic foresight can be applied by civil society to address misinformation and disinformation. The ICF took place immediately following the CTIF, fostering connections between the two events and providing a unique platform to share knowledge and insights.

During the ICF, we examined how digital trends – ranging from digital authoritarianism and disinformation to the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) – are reshaping civic space. Participants explored the challenges and opportunities that technology presents, shared experiences and best practices, and engaged in a foresight exercise to prepare for possible civic space futures.

Key Learnings and Reflections from the ICF 2024

1. Impact of digital technology on (shrinking) civic space

Civic space is increasingly under threat, with the rise of government surveillance, internet shutdowns, and restrictions on digital freedoms. Digital technology plays a dual role – it can contribute to the erosion of civic freedoms but also provide new tools for civil society to fight back.

For example, technology can help expose human rights violations, amplify voices, and facilitate global advocacy and coalition-building. However, it also opens the door for new forms of digital repression, such as targeted disinformation campaigns and government surveillance. As we move forward, civil society organisations must engage with technology critically and actively manage its risks, while recognising its potential to drive positive change.

2. The need to prioritise and upskill on cybersecurity

Civil society organisations are now among the most targeted groups for cyberattacks. Whether large or small, they must prioritise cybersecurity to protect sensitive data and safeguard digital infrastructures. They need to stay informed about emerging digital threats and continually upskill staff to address them. This is not just a technical issue – it’s a fundamental aspect of protecting the work we do and the communities we serve.

3. Bridging the digital divide and enabling accessibility

While digital technology offers incredible opportunities, we cannot overlook the global digital divide. Over 3 billion people remain offline, and many others face restrictions due to financial barriers or internet shutdowns. For civil society organisations looking to use technology to support and expand civic space, it is essential to ensure that digital solutions are inclusive and accessible. This includes offering offline versions of apps, ensuring data protection, and providing access to free tools like VPNs to overcome censorship.

4. Need for collective learning and collaboration

A central theme throughout the ICF was the importance of collaboration. Technology is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of emerging trends requires continuous learning and knowledge-sharing. This way, we can build on each other’s efforts instead of reinventing the wheel. From managing digital risks to understanding the impacts of AI, civil society organisations must take collective responsibility for building a more tech-savvy and resilient sector.

5. Artificial intelligence (AI) as a double-edged sword

AI has significant potential to support human rights and democracy, but it also comes with considerable risks. From privacy violations to the amplification of disinformation, the ICF underscored the need for vigilance. Civil society organisations must explore AI’s potential, for example for fact-checking and verifying information. At the same time, they must actively mitigate its risks, such as biased algorithms, and ensure that its deployment promotes fairness, inclusivity, and respect for human rights.

6. Anticipating possible futures for civic space

Strategic foresight helps civil society organisations anticipate and prepare for a range of future scenarios, allowing them to navigate potential changes in civic space more effectively. By exploring scenarios for 2030 – from civic space collapse to its transformation – participants identified first steps that civil society can take to respond to emerging digital trends. This proactive approach enables civil society organisations to strengthen resilience and adaptability, ensuring they are ready for multiple possible futures and can safeguard civic freedoms in an ever-changing environment.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, the ICF emphasised that civil society has a responsibility to engage with digital technology and critically assess its impact, both positive and negative, on civic space. The digital tools we engage with should be used to amplify voices, protect human rights, and strengthen civic space. By understanding the digital landscape, advocating for responsible use of AI, strengthening cybersecurity, and closing the digital divide, civil society organisations can ensure technology remains a force for positive change, rather than one that undermines civic space. Through ongoing exchange, upskilling, collaboration, and strategic foresight, civil society can adapt to the digital age and continue defending and expanding civic space for a fairer and more resilient future.

ICF participants 2024 — Participants at the International Civic Forum 2024

Photos by Zibusiso Manzini-Moyo

International Civic Forum 2024 Graphic Illustration Recording

Day 1

Click to view larger version

Day 2

ICF Graphic illustratotor in action Robert Dersley — Robert Dersley in action, graphic recording

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Rachel Wilkinson

Programme Manager – Futures and Innovation

International Civil Society Centre

Rachel leads the Futures and Innovation programme at the Centre. She is responsible for managing the portfolio of projects and events as well as leading and developing the Scanning the Horizon strategic peer learning platform. Rachel has more than 15 years of experience working in the third sector, on a national and international level, working for various ICSOs in international development and human rights in both London and Berlin.

Anticipate, Adapt, Act: Shaping a resilient future for civil society

13th February 2024 by Mareyah Bhatti, Eva Gondor, Patricia Mugenzi

It is widely understood that the civil society sector faces undue restrictions and threats to its operating space globally. To help strengthen the capacity of civil society actors, we need to develop the ability to anticipate the future and act in a proactive manner to shape the future. The International Civil Society Centre and Forum for the Future recently collaborated on this issue at the International Civic Forum (ICF) 2023, a two-day workshop in Brussels joined by 40 actors from across the civil society sector.

How do civil society organisations (CSOs) accustomed to fire-fighting crises imagine more adaptative and agile ways of preparedness and planning?

In mid-2023, we joined efforts to design a replicable methodology that offered a creative and engaging way to use future stories and scenarios leading to 2034. The purpose of this was to help CSOs design current and future strategic plans and inform their practices. The objectives offered participants a way to explore a range of possible futures and identify potential action areas to navigate those varied futures on three distinct levels: as individuals, organisations, and as a sector. We hoped to use the ICF 2023 to test the methodology and receive feedback on how it can be developed to support future planning for CSOs.

The sessions took the attendees on a journey… first immersing them in the present and exploring current trends, then travelling to alternative possible futures based on the set of trends, and finally bridging the gap between possible futures and their actions, resources and mindsets. While the workshop surfaced several sectoral actions, the sessions were designed to ensure a focus on the attendees present and their specific agency and role in driving the change needed.

How could they as individuals in their respective roles contribute to their organisation’s resilience? And how could their organisation work with others to reduce sector-wide vulnerability?

We designed the sessions to be generative spaces that led the group to bring their experience and expertise while stretching beyond what exists in the present and imagining more ambitious (yet tangible) actions for possible futures.

“As CSOs, we need to get used to ‘futurising’ as this informs current actions and helps us to avoid ‘routinising’.” ICF participant

The participants produced a range of ideas at the sectoral, organisational, and individual levels that we summarised below:

Sector-wide actions

We need to empower and involve local communities

Anticipation is about participation and if we want to build a better future, we need to listen to local communities, invest in community relations, and change approaches to collaboration. Local partners need to be involved from the beginning of processes; communities need to be turned into co-investors and co-designers rather than receivers.

The language we use needs to shift to remove barriers to involvement

As raised by a participant and echoed by many around the room, the language around development is “colonial-centric”. It is often in English, French, or Spanish and filled with jargon that can be difficult to interact with. How can we expect to involve people in decision-making and hear their voices, if the language or medium of conduct is inherently exclusionary? For communities – and the youth in particular – to be deeply involved, we need to think about access to such spaces and especially the language we use.

We need to apply a more holistic approach and deepen collaboration on intersectional problems

The challenges we face in the civil society sector are complex and interconnected, and therefore require intersectional approaches. Rather than approaching challenges in isolation, we can use a similar concept to the “whole child approach” or “one health approach” to recognise intersectional identities, needs, and experience.

We need to craft futures across the civil society sector and together with other sectors

Foresight needs to be ‘humanised’ and made approachable. It was viewed by many as a key skill to prepare for the future, and therefore needs to be done by a wider range of stakeholders. Thinking about the future is inherently a human act. Instead of approaching uncertainty with the usual sense of fear, foresight allows us to plan and stress test approaches against potential futures in a more informed manner.

“The process led to some ‘aha’ moments for me which will have a significant impact on my planning.” ICF participant

Organisational actions

The participants worked in pairs or peer groups to draft tangible organisational plans they can contribute to. The ideas revolved around two aspects:

Strengthening participation and inclusiveness in decision-making processes International and local CSOs need to invest more into co-creation, reflection, and exploration of alternatives with partners and communities.

Building foresight capacities and applying foresight within organisational activities
The participants left motivated to involve their colleagues, partners, and allies in further collaborative foresight processes and exercises.

Individual actions

Building foresight capacities and their application were further underlined in concrete individual actions that the participants expressed their interest in developing such as:

Promoting and prioritizing knowledge sharing about foresight to broaden perspectives
Planning a foresight exercise for colleagues to strengthen organisational capacities
Integrating futures thinking into existing processes and upcoming strategies

The individual actions identified during the ICF 2023 underscore the importance of fostering foresight at multiple levels — empowering local communities, shifting organisational language, and humanizing foresight for broader stakeholder engagement to ensure plans, projects, and strategies reflect our hopes for the future.

“Futures thinking is a systemic process and should be given due attention.”

So, what does this mean?

Being a systemic process, futures thinking should be approached comprehensively, considering all interconnected aspects. In essence, it means recognising the need for a thorough strategy when addressing global challenges in the civil society sector. By practicing futures thinking, we take a proactive stance in tackling the complex issues faced by the sector, while fostering resilience, collaboration, and inclusivity. It is about developing the capacity to not only monitor trends but also to envision, through a participatory approach, how they might unfold providing us with a powerful tool to break away from conventional crisis management practices. Futures thinking urges us to be strategic, forward-looking, and adaptable in our approach, ensuring a more effective response to the evolving landscape of the civil society sector.

Find out more

The ICF 2023 was part of a wider three-year initiative “Anticipating futures for civil society operating space” (2022 – 2025) led by the International Civil Society Centre. The initiative aims to strengthen anticipatory capacities and future readiness of civil society professionals who are working to defend and expand civic and civil society operating space. Check out this website to find further information and resources from this initiative and possibilities of involvement.

Mareyah Bhatti

Change Designer

Forum for the Future

Mareyah is a Change Designer at Forum for the Future, with an academic background in medical geography and personal passion for food systems and their cultural significance. She works closely in the Food and Futures teams at Forum, managing and delivering their programmes. She was recently seconded to Singapore for the 'Protein Challenge Southeast Asia,' a runner-up for the esteemed Food Planet Prize. Beyond this, Mareyah contributes to Forum’s Future Centre platform as an editor, identifying emerging signals and authoring blogs on topics from the future of protein to human rights in the fashion supply chain.

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Patricia Mugenzi

Strategic Foresight

International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC)

Patricia is the coordinator for Strategic foresight (Africa Region) at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). She helps IFRC’s National societies explore possible futures to address upcoming challenges. Before joining the IFRC, Patricia served in various positions in both international and governmental organisations, including the Government of Quebec. In this role, she provided invaluable insights and guidance on geopolitical matters, playing a pivotal role in shaping government policies and strategies.

Global Perspectives 2023 – Moments of Truth

22nd November 2023 by Miriam Niehaus

Prolonged humanitarian crises, the rise of generative artificial intelligence, the use of disinformation to polarise societies and manipulate elections, the suppression of civil society from state and non-state actors and decreasing funding… are just a few of the ever-growing challenges that social justice, humanitarian, and development organisations must contend with. As progressive and rights-based civil society organisations – from local to international level – are grappling with these crises of the past few years, the International Civil Society Centre once again had the honour of curating our yearly conference, Global Perspectives on these topics. “Global Perspectives – Moments of Truth” happened on 9 November and brought together hundreds of online participants across five different sessions to not just ponder these challenges but provide concrete examples and explore ideas on how we can collaboratively tackle them.

Though each session was independently curated, three overarching themes emerged.

The Future of Civic Space is Now
Anticipating the factors that will constrict our civic space a decade from now demands our attention today. Civic Space has been in decline and is likely to continue on this trajectory. Are we adequately addressing the issues that will likely shape our societies in the next decade, impacting our civic engagement? In the session titled “Learn From and Engage on Futures Scenarios for Civic Space” participants learned about the outcomes of the Centre’s “A History of Civic Space 2024-2034”, exercise, where representatives from 15 civil society organisations collaborated to develop possible future scenarios for civic space. Session participants engaged in the scenarios and identified actionable steps to either advance or prevent undesirable outcomes. For example, a likely scenario of artificial intelligence (AI) first enabling a lot of good work at scale and then backfiring on civil society as “obstacles to progress”, highlighted the urgency to get into the AI game now. Later in the day at the “Digital Dialogue – AI: Solution or Threat to Mis-/Disinformation?” drove the point home: two scholars Liz Orembo from Research ICT Africa and Admire Mare from the University of Johannesburg, called on civil society organisations to address AI now, as governance advocates, watchdogs, as well as helping to increase media literacy. This is especially needed as there are a number of key elections coming up next year where we will likely see sophisticated disinformation campaigns. Henry Parker from Logically, informed us that there is a lot of potential to use AI to identify disinformation campaigns and reprimand the actors responsible. During “A Sector Conversation”, Stéphane Duguin from CyberPeace Institute warned us that we need to create a comparable countermodel if we wish to increase our capacity to oppose disinformation campaigns. Read their approach to responsible use of artificial intelligence here and watch this space as we are launching our Sector Guidance on Mis-, Dis-, and Mal-information: Insights and Foresights in early 2024.

Representation Matters
Two sessions, “The Truth is in the Telling” and “Exploring Personal Realities (of Marginalisation)”, delved into the importance of representation. Insights from individuals working with and identifying as members of marginalised communities underscored the need for more direct dialogue with those in power. Nana Afadzinu from WACSI emphasised in “A Sector Conversation” the need for introspection and acknowledgement of systemic inequity. Festus Odingo from the SDG Kenya Forum emphasised the significance of partnerships as a key force for change, emphasising how they may broaden the scope and effect of community-based initiatives. Representation of course also happens through communication pieces – donor reports, flyers, fundraising advertisements and much more. Undeniably, communication about Global North-financed Global South projects has been a big part of manifesting white saviourism and entrenching power imbalances. By now, several organisations have begun to examine this reality and make changes. The Ethical Story Telling Guideline, a toolkit that PATH and Metro Group DRC contributed to, was presented by the speakers. It can assist companies in determining how to, for instance, become more ethical by making concrete adjustments to the planning process. Communication audits, such as the ones conducted every two years by CARE International, can be useful in holding teams accountable and providing incentives for improvement. As part of its bottom-up strategy to alter various communication channels, CARE has made significant efforts to maximise informed consent and minimise unconscious bias. Yet, there are still incredibly difficult dilemmas when organisations must weigh communication subjects’ agency against their safety, for example when portraying female CSO workers in Afghanistan. The emphasis is on respect. A key takeaway from our sessions is to aim to do no harm but failing forward is inevitable as we push one another to improve and recognise ethical storytelling as a fundamental component of power shifts within the industry.

Weathering a Perfect Storm
Our speakers highlighted this year a shrinking civic space, humanitarian crises piling up and worsening, colonial structures still fostering inequity, and growing cybercrime and disinformation adding to the complexity. All of this is happening in the face of a challenging global economy with a sharp decline for our causes. Are we experiencing a perfect storm? Yet, for most in the sector, there is a firm resolve to plough on despite difficult circumstances. There is no alternative. It has been inspiring to see among others, leaders from ICVA, CIVICUS, WACSI and the CyberPeace Institute sharing resources, knowledge and honest invitations to collaborate more, helping each other to overcome our deficiencies and capitalise on our respective expertise and strengths.

To continue surviving the storm, the International Civil Society Centre will keep bringing attention to the incredible innovations that are being developed in the field. As Mirela Shuteriqi from ICVA said in her closing statement, we must also transform ourselves. We must encourage a culture and bring about changes at the UN level, using this as a chance to collaborate and tackle social justice issues. We remain dedicated to facilitating dialogue, sharing innovations, and fostering collaboration within the sector. It is through collective determination, thoughtful introspection, and ethical storytelling that we can face the challenges that lay ahead, transform ourselves, and forge a path towards a more just and equitable future. The journey is ongoing, but together, as a united force, we embark on it with unwavering resolve.

Special thanks to all our speakers – Jennifer Abomnger, Nana Afadzinu, Stéphane Duguin, Patrick Gathara, Arnold Gekonge, Eva Gondor, Heather Hutchings, Wolfgang Jamann, Lysa John, Hussam Joudah, Admire Mare, Shalini Moodley, Patricia Mugenzi, Levis Nderitu, Nana Nwachukwu, Festus Odingo, Elizabeth Orembo, Henry Parker, Neha Rayamajhi, Mirela Shuteriqi, Clare Spurrell, David Verga, and Rachel Wilkinson.

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Miriam Niehaus

Head of Programmes

International Civil Society Centre

Miriam leads the Centre’s programmes. She started at the Centre as Executive Assistant in 2014 and then, as Project Manager, developed and implemented the Centre’s projects on civic space between 2016 and 2019. Prior to joining the Centre Miriam worked for VSO International and GIZ in the Palestinian Territories. She holds a BA in Islamic Studies and Social Anthropology from the University of Freiburg and an MA in Near and Middle Eastern Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies.

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.

: Got a question? Email us: mail@icscentre.org

Download 2023 Flyer

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.

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

Solidarity Action Network (SANE)

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Solidarity Playbook Case Study

18th June 2020 by Eva Gondor

Think you might have a case study to share?

Then let us know what your case study is about by answering the questions below. Brief answers to all questions – also not required ones – would be very helpful for us to get a better idea of your case. After submitting this form, we will get in touch with you.

Case Study Submission Form

Got a question?

Then get in touch with Project Manager Eva Gondorová.

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Call for Solidarity Playbook Case Studies

18th June 2020 by Eva Gondor

The Solidarity Action Network (SANE) is looking for case studies to include in its Solidarity Playbook, to be published later this year. We are looking for examples of strategies and resilience mechanisms of international civil society organisations (ICSOs) and coalition responses to civic space restrictions that demonstrate how solidarity can work in practice. These strategies and responses may have come as a result of an undue threat or attack, equally they relate to the operating environment, for example a new law making it harder for CSOs to operate.

Continue reading if you are interested to learn more or have an example to share.

Solidarity Action Network and Solidarity Playbook

The Solidarity Action Network (SANE) brings together international civil society organisations (ICSOs) and their local partners to support each other when faced with undue threats and challenges to their operations or civic space restrictions more broadly. The network collects and shares knowledge and best practices, inspires collaborative actions and explores new solidarity mechanisms beyond public statements of solidarity.  

The Solidarity Playbook is an integral part of the Solidarity Action Network. It collects case studies and best practices to help other civil society organisations respond to undue scrutiny and challenges, and to enable learning on how to act in solidarity with civil society actors, particularly local partners. A set of six initial Solidarity Playbook case studies has already been published and we would like your help in building this collection.

Show solidarity – share your case study with peers!

We are looking for more examples that capture best practices on:

1) Strategies and resilience mechanisms of ICSOs

We want to hear about strategies and resilience mechanisms of different ICSOs developed to respond to undue scrutiny and attacks such as legal restrictions, bureaucratic clampdowns, financial constraints, media and misinformation/disinformation attacks or digital and cybersecurity risks. We are particularly interested in learning from ICSOs which might not be an obvious target but have had to adapt their strategies due to the consequences of civic space restrictions.

2) Coalition responses to civic space restrictions that demonstrate how solidarity can work in practice

We want to look at coalition responses at different levels (local/national/regional/global level) and map how civil society organisations support each other, show solidarity and respond to threats and challenges with a unified voice. We are particularly interested in looking at connectivity between these levels, coalitions uniting different kinds of civil society organisations and cross-sector collaborations.

Got a question?

Then get in touch with Project Manager Eva Gondorová.

Think you might have a case study to share?

Case Study Submission Form

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny: Key Learnings for Civil Society Coalitions

9th June 2020 by Eva Gondor

Presented below are key learnings for civil society coalitions from our Solidarity Playbook pilot case studies, authored by Deborah Doane and Sarah Pugh. The case studies review best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from three ICSOs’ internal mechanisms and three coalition’s responses to scrutiny and attacks. The key learnings for coalitions focus on best practices and challenges. You can also view the key learnings for international civil society organisations.

The civil society coalition case studies analysed in Solidarity Playbook pilot case studies show clear patterns of challenges and lessons to consider when working in coalition:

BEST PRACTICE

Trust – CSOs are, in some contexts, coming together for the first time to act in coalition across thematic sectors. There are differences in approach, agenda, appetite and attitude, and it takes time to overcome those differences and learn to work together. Principles such as ‘one member – one vote’ and ‘everyone contributes according to their capacity’ can help in allowing for organisations of all size and style to feel comfortable within a coalition, and can help to build trust and good working relationships.
Clear governance and structures – setting out the protocols, processes, membership criteria and mandate of the coalition helps groups to work together. For example, having clear guidelines on how decisions are made helps to maintain trust.
Coordination – information-sharing is useful in and of itself, but it is vastly elevated when there is a coordination function that can synthesise information and identify gaps and opportunities. A dedicated coordination mechanism, whether that entails staff within an independent entity or dedicated staff time from member organisations, drives the work of a coalition forwards. Good coordination can enable bi-lateral connections between members and enable formalised joint work and projects.
Common ownership – individual organisations can struggle to feel comfortable signing up to ‘someone else’s coalition’; suspicion and concerns that the work will not align with their own mandate stalls collaboration. Avoiding the language of leadership, and instead working hard to find the common ground and concerns that resonate across organisations can create a sense of common ownership and buy-in that ensure the sustainability of the collaboration.

CHALLENGES:

Maintaining collaboration – civil society coalitions have crystallised in the face of direct attacks and restrictions, giving groups something concrete to coordinate around. Maintaining that coordination and collaboration during relatively quieter periods, when there is not a direct and immediate threat to resist, can be difficult. How can coalitions continue to shift between short term priorities of resistance and longer-term priorities for resilience, and ‘plan for peace times’?
Opening civic space – civil society is experienced in resisting restrictions and fighting back against scrutiny and attacks; however, it is less clear on how to coordinate a response to ‘opening’ civic space. When a country has been closed for some time and there is a sudden opening for civic action, how can ICSOs coordinate to support civil society in that context, to ensure space remains open and that opportunities are taken?

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny: Key Learnings for International Civil Society Organisations

9th June 2020 by Eva Gondor

Presented below are key learnings for international civil society organisations (ICSOs) from our Solidarity Playbook pilot case studies , authored by Deborah Doane and Sarah Pugh. The case studies review best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from three ICSOs’ internal mechanisms and three coalition’s responses to scrutiny and attacks. The key learnings for ICSOs focus on three layers, The Individual, The Organisation and The System. You can also view the key learnings for civil society coalitions.

Drawing out the common themes from Solidarity Playbook pilot case studies, we see that ICSOs must consider strategies across three linked layers when building their resilience in the face of increasing scrutiny.

The Individual – individual staff members and activists need safeguarding and capacity building. This requires:
- Training in order to better understand the civic space context that they are in;
- Information about what risks they may face and what protocols have been developed to mitigate those risks;
- Effective internal communication during times of crisis, to reassure staff and keep them safe;
- Support and coordination from international offices to national or regional offices.

The Organisation – the organisation’s resilience must be strengthened. Strategies for this include:
- Ensuring compliancy with all relevant legislation to avoid ‘back-door’ attacks to legitimacy and scrutiny over operations;
- Scenario-planning in order to understand organisational risks, so that contingencies can be mapped out;
- Ensuring that the infrastructure and resources required are available to enable any necessary contingencies, for example budgeting for rapid legal and lobbyist support;
- Mapping key stakeholders and investing in engagement, so that the organisation has good relationships with those individuals and groups who can in turn strengthen their resilience and act in solidarity.

The System – the systemic resilience of broader civil society, whether that be local, national, regional or international, must be strengthened. Strategies for this could include:
- Working collectively to create a unified sector voice, and to increase the reputational cost to those seeking to restrict CSOs;
- Adding a civic space lens or focus to programmatic work, for example by earmarking resources for supporting partners, activists or constituents targeted by restrictions, and factoring in coordination to bring different actors together on this topic;
- Ensuring that the organisation or sector’s mandate is relevant to society and to people’s needs, in order to build legitimacy and support;
- Raising awareness of the importance of civil and political space, and of why it should be defended and expanded;
- Mapping the risks that organisations cannot mitigate in isolation, and working in coalition with others to address those risks, e.g. bank de-risking and ALM measures.

Eva Gondor

Senior Project Manager

International Civil Society Centre

Posts with the tag “Solidarity Action Network (SANE)”

Shaping the Future of Civil Society: Reflections from the YMCA Accelerator Summit

Foresights Workshop

Powershift in the Agenda for a Just World

Final thoughts: Strengthening Ecosystems.

Myriam Ciza Gambini

Eva Gondor

Navigating the Digital Landscape: Key Insights from the International Civic Forum 2024

Key Learnings and Reflections from the ICF 2024

Final thoughts

International Civic Forum 2024 Graphic Illustration Recording

Day 1

Day 2

Eva Gondor

Rachel Wilkinson

Anticipate, Adapt, Act: Shaping a resilient future for civil society

Mareyah Bhatti

Eva Gondor

Patricia Mugenzi

Global Perspectives 2023 – Moments of Truth

Miriam Niehaus

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

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

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

oPt Scoping Study PDF

Eva Gondor

Solidarity Playbook Case Study

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Case Study Submission Form

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Eva Gondor

Call for Solidarity Playbook Case Studies

Solidarity Action Network and Solidarity Playbook

Show solidarity – share your case study with peers!

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Case Study Submission Form

Eva Gondor

Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny: Key Learnings for Civil Society Coalitions

Eva Gondor

Solidarity in Times of Scrutiny: Key Learnings for International Civil Society Organisations

Eva Gondor

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Posts with the tag
“Solidarity Action Network (SANE)”