SO 5: Build counter power with the most affected groups

CIVICUS supports solidarity actions through campaigns, networks and convenings that centre the leadership and experiences of those most affected by civic space restrictions and structural discrimination. Our approach includes:

• Campaigns and visibility initiatives: Our relaunched Solidarity Action – Make It Visible campaign highlights cases of civic space violations, implementing local actions and mobilising international support. Side events focusing on women HRDs and other groups at risk elevate their specific challenges and resistance strategies in global forums. The Nelson Mandela-Graça Machel Innovation Awards will recognise grassroots innovation, amplifying solutions developed by excluded groups.
• Networks and collaborative spaces: Through Membership and Networks engagement, we strengthen regional communities and create infrastructures for solidarity. Regular solidarity calls provide support to civil society actors under threat, maintaining connections across geography and themes. Our Digital Action Lab develops innovative tools for civic engagement and will host three regional hackathons to foster collaborative problem-solving. A new Communication for Civic Space Network will coordinate messaging and amplify marginalised voices.
• Regional hackathons: We will organise Regional Hackathons across six regions to co-create contextually relevant civic-tech solutions that respond to region-specific challenges. These hackathons will bring together local activists, technologists, and civil society actors to collaboratively develop practical tools that strengthen civic space, enhance participation, and advance accountability. By grounding innovation in local realities and fostering cross-sector collaboration, this initiative aims to surface scalable, people-powered solutions that reflect the unique needs, priorities, and opportunities within each region.
• Convenings and dialogue opportunities: Through training and workshops on enabling environments, we build capacity among excluded groups, enhancing their ability to defend their civic space effectively. Our Diplomats and Defender Dialogues will create spaces for direct engagement between civil society and decision makers. ICSW and its Youth Assembly will convene diverse civil society actors, fostering cross-regional learning and solidarity.
• Member-driven counter power: Our revised membership strategy responds directly to needs identified by members facing civic space challenges, while the Member Engagement Framework empowers members to be active participants in shaping CIVICUS’s work. CIVICUS Lens interviews highlight perspectives from excluded groups, ensuring these voices inform our understanding of civic space dynamics. Co-design approaches in all programme development processes ensure that initiatives reflect community priorities and build on existing strengths.
• Direct solidarity and advocacy: To enable direct representation of affected groups in international forums, we support members, including grassroots groups, to attend UNHRC sessions and facilitate their substantive engagement through targeted advisory. Our Elections work addresses democratic participation in critical contexts, promoting inclusive political processes that respond to excluded groups’ needs. We will conduct solidarity missions in Bangladesh, Rwanda, Togo and selected countries in Latin America, aimed at providing practical support while gathering insights for coordinated and targeted advocacy.

How we will measure progress

Learning question:

How is our counter power building work shifting power toward those most affected by civic space restrictions?

Indicators:

• CIVICUS Lens interviews featuring members of underrepresented groups – Target: 80%
• Membership growth in countries with closed, repressed or obstructed civic space – Target: 20%
• # of thematic reports – Target: 4