How do NGOs Navigate the Shrinking Civil Society Space?

The space in which civil society organisations operate is shrinking, with freedoms of association and assembly increasingly restricted. This webinar looks at how NGOs can navigate this shrinking environment as well as what other actors are doing to advocate for greater freedom. We also explore the role humanitarian organisations play in these efforts and where they need improvement.

How do NGOs Navigate the Shrinking Civil Society Space?...

An overview of current challenges and trends regarding civil society space and how NGOs and other actors are working to counter initiatives that shrink this space....
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Introduction

The webinar on “How do NGOs navigate shrinking civil society space”, was an opportunity to hear from NGOs and different actors’ on current challenges and trends regarding civil society space. The webinar provided an opportunity to have a broader discussion on how to connect and collaborate with other actors already working on shrinking space, possible counterstrategies, and ways forward.

This webinar was organized on 20 June 2019 by ICVA and PHAP with an aim to answer the following questions:

  • What measures are being put in place to restrict the operations of NGOs and how are humanitarian NGOs affected?
  • What are NGOs and other actors doing to navigate shrinking and changing space for civil society?
  • How can NGOs improve their engagement with other actors and partners and connect and collaborate?
How do NGOs Navigate the Shrinking Civil Society Space?

The webinar provided an overview of current challenges and trends regarding civil society space, including how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other actors are working to counter initiatives that shrink this space.

Podcast - How do NGOs navigate shrinking Civil Society Space?

Speakers

The event featured speakers representing a wide range of perspectives.

  • David Moore, Vice President – Legal Affairs, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), provided a broad overview of the issue, shared some of the trends and drivers of shrinking civil society space, and the work that his organization is carrying out in this area.
  • Emma O’Leary, Senior Humanitarian Policy Advisor, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), discussed the impact of counter-terrorism measures for NGOs working in humanitarian contexts.
  • Pius Ojara, Director of the South Sudan NGO Forum, shared his perspectives on issues faced regarding shrinking space in South Sudan and how the forum has been addressing them.
  • Thomas Nikolaj Hansen, Senior Policy Advisor, Team Leader for Civil Society Team, Department for Humanitarian Action, Migration and Civil Society, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
  • Thomas Thomsen, Senior Policy Advisor and Head of the Humanitarian Team, discussed what governments can do to improve support for civic space at the EU and the UN, and in bilateral relations with governments violating civic space.
Resources on How NGOs Navigate Shrinking Civil Society Space

ICVA Paper
24 June 2019
Scoping study: civil society space in humanitarian action
Subject/ Civil society space / Learning /
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2021-08-24_13-40-24
Description

The scoping study on civil society space in humanitarian action