A message from Interim Co-Secretary Generals, Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana
Dear CIVICUS members, partners and allies
A lot has transpired in the first few months of 2025. Even as authoritarian populists and their hardline supporters have made serious attempts to undermine the quest for peace, justice, equality, social cohesion and environmental sustainability, civil society resistance is hard at work. We may be living in times of hateful warmongering, unending greed and casual cruelty but history shows us that ultimately truth triumphs and might doesn’t make right.
Many of us in civil society have been negatively impacted by abrupt funding cuts and about turns in public policy. In response, CIVICUS has joined an open letter to allies and supporters urging support for local civil society actors, reimagining international development by addressing structural imbalances and building a new culture of global solidarity that recognises the contributions of civil society. The letter highlights how current international aid cuts are a part of a deeper crisis in the system that puts political cycles ahead of community needs and marginalises local leadership. The letter calls on decision makers to shift power and fund differently. Do sign the letter if you can.
In line with our members’ feedback, we are continuing our solidarity series on shifting resourcing landscapes. The series which began in March this year with reflections on the CIVICUS survey and the importance of non-financial resources, continued in April with a panel discussion on responding to funding cuts while exploring alternative models like community philanthropy. These monthly gatherings are open spaces for connection, idea-sharing and mutual support. Upcoming sessions are scheduled for 21 May, 18 June and 23 July. Join us and let’s build resilience together.
The 2025 State of Civil Society Report
The recently published 2025 State of Civil Society report paints a vivid picture of a world faced with deepening crises from the breakdown of the rules based international order amid the inhumanity of wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, state capture of institutions by oligarchs in the US and beyond, undermining of democratic norms and the rise of authoritarianism, attacks on sexual and reproductive freedoms by anti-rights forces and climate inaction driven by avarice. Against this backdrop of intensifying challenges, the report highlights how civil society continues to push for change through strategic litigation, mass mobilisation and international solidarity referencing events in places as diverse as Bangladesh, Greece, Guatemala, Kenya and South Korea. The report underscores the urgent need to reimagine civil society to better withstand contemporary challenges. It calls for adopting a movement mindset and enhanced focus on public facing narratives with a shift towards community engagement, shared leadership and authentically equitable partnerships.
Key updates from our Teams
We are excited to announce the launch of the Protest Lab, a new initiative under the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (FoPA) workstream aimed at reimagining and strengthening the right to peaceful protest. This global hub will bring together activists, artists, and changemakers. The Lab is open to members from the Global South, with a strong emphasis on youth and frontline actors. Read more here.
CIVICUS was also active at the 83rd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) from 2-22 May in Banjul. Our focus included defending civic space, supporting human rights defenders under the #StandAsMyWitness campaign, spotlighting the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe. We engaged with commissioners and co-hosting discussions on civic space monitoring. Read our advocacy priorities here.
The new Digital Democracy Initiative's synthesis report examines how civil society is negotiating the digital age in six different parts of the world, encountering both opportunity and oppression. From innovative digital participation in East Asia to censorship in Middle-East and North Africa (MENA), the report highlights the diverse realities shaping digital democracy today. It provides practical advice for enhancing inclusive democracy and bolstering civil society's digital capabilities.
ENSURED’s new research report co-authored by CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, Inés Pousadela and Researcher, Samuel King, examines the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and its support mechanisms, highlighting the growing challenges that threaten the Council’s credibility and impact. These include membership by persistent human rights violators, the lack of enforcement of human rights standards, reduction in access for civil society, and acute financial shortages.
As we count down to International Civil Society Week (ICSW) 2025, we do so with purpose and anticipation. From 1–5 November in Bangkok, ICSW will be a space to reconnect, celebrate citizen action, and co-create bold solutions for democracy, rights, and inclusion. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Citizen Action: Reimagining Democracy, Rights, and Inclusion for Today’s World,” encourages us to act on our aspirations. To help shape the event, we invite you to submit your session ideas here.
In solidarity and gratitude,
Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana
