 |
 |
At the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2025 in New York City, the CIVICUS New York Hub, represented by Mandeep Tiwana and Jesselina Rana, played a central role in engaging with member states, UN officials, and civil society representatives from across the world. Through active dialogue and strategic networking, CIVICUS amplified critical concerns about the barriers to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
A key pillar of our advocacy was highlighting the link between restricted civic space and stalled SDG progress. Findings from the CIVICUS Monitor show that over 70 percent of the world’s population live under severely restricted conditions. Of the 35 countries undertaking Voluntary National Reviews at this year’s HLPF, just five have open civic space. Civic freedoms are being dismantled precisely when public participation is most urgently needed.
Civic space enables people to organise, mobilise, and voice their perspectives on political, social, and economic issues. Where it is restricted, communities face formidable barriers to advancing the SDGs, and activists exposing corruption, demanding accountability, or defending marginalised groups are often met with intimidation and threats.
To realise the SDGs, states must foster environments where civil society can operate freely and participate meaningfully in decision-making without fear of reprisals. The same patterns of restriction seen at the national level are mirrored internationally, where closed processes and limited access undermine the voices of civil society in global governance.
It is within this context that CIVICUS, alongside other civil society organisations, is advancing the 1 for 8 Billion campaign, calling for a fundamental reimagining of multilateral structures. This is not just another call for incremental reform or symbolic gestures, but a demand for systemic transformation of the United Nations — including accountability and transparency in the selection of the next Secretary-General. We are advocating for the appointment of a feminist woman Secretary-General who brings an intersectional lens, leads with courage, and speaks truth to power. The world cannot afford another 80 years of male-dominated leadership at the UN while women and excluded communities continue to bear the heaviest burdens of global crises. A transparent and inclusive selection process is essential to ensure leadership that truly reflects and responds to the realities of all people.
