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2012 and looking forward: What does the picture look like for civil society?

2012 and looking forward: What does the picture look like for civil society?. Key sources for this analysis. 2011 State of Civil Society report 2008-2011 Civil Society Index Civil society self-assessment (35 countries)

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2012 and looking forward: What does the picture look like for civil society?

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  1. 2012 and looking forward: What does the picture look like for civil society? www.civicus.org

  2. Key sources for this analysis • 2011 State of Civil Society report • 2008-2011 Civil Society Index • Civil society self-assessment (35 countries) • Gathering views of the public (45,000+), CSOs (4,500+) and external stakeholders (1,200+) • Civil Society Watch – reports of attacks and restrictions on civil society • World Assembly • Networks and partners www.civicus.org

  3. CSI definition of civil society “The arena outside the family, state and the market, which is created by individual and collective actions, organisations and institutions to advance shared interests.” www.civicus.org

  4. 2008-2010 • Increasing inequality • Emergence of BRICS / IBSA superpowers • Collapse of the financial system • Economic crisis fuels political and social crisis • Climate crisis • Crisis of global governance www.civicus.org

  5. 2011: Crisis spills over • Economic drivers of crisis • Austerity hits home in US, Europe • Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself alight… • Unexpected • Climate crisis persists, with global leaders making limited progress at COP17 in Durban www.civicus.org

  6. 2011: Re-writing the social contract • Austerity measures reached new extremes • Most marginalised hit the hardest • The social contract between government, citizens and business is being rewritten, whether we like it or not. • Global policy decisions on aid, development, finance, climate change and the future of institutions: in whose interest? And who decides? www.civicus.org

  7. The social contract: key questions • What should a new social contract look like? How can civil society lead the development of a new social contract? • How can a link be made between sustainable development and the new social contract? • How can civil society demonstrate its right and legitimacy to be involved in renegotiating the social contract? • What new resistance and negotiation strategies can be applied? • How can a global civil society alliance help offer solutions to these questions? www.civicus.org

  8. The rebirth of activism • Great strides made for democracy • Apathy to Anger to Action • Viral: protest as brand, and process • Transnational: towards a connected global alternative? • Seizing ground to renegotiate the social contract • Technology: organising protest and spreading solidarity • Redefining success www.civicus.org

  9. A participation deficit in CSOs? • Participation in CSOs is low • CSOs are distant from people and seen as part of the elite • Social vs. political participation • However informal participation and volunteerism is high • Online activism is bypassing the organisation www.civicus.org

  10. What this means for civil society • Supporters of the sector need to look beyond CSOs • CSOs need to connect with informal traditional activism and new online activism • CSOs need to offer new participation routes • Civil society supporters need more mapping, more analysis, need to foster process www.civicus.org

  11. A disenabling environment • More protests – more pushback • Tactics include arrests, illegal measures, bad laws • A new target: internet monitoring, attacks on bloggers • Illegal restrictions • Attacks in political rhetoric and laws • Selective and superficial dialogue www.civicus.org

  12. Emerging global trends • Post MDGs – looking towards the SDGs – how do help define them? • Climate crisis – what happens if we hit a point of no return? • The continuing changing dynamics of the rise of BRICS/IBSA but also new regional powers (Indonesia, Turkey...) – how do we engage? • Continuing multilateral economic, social, environmental silos – how can we challenge? www.civicus.org

  13. Key questions in 2012 • What is most needed to support civil society and civic action in the current national sites of contestation and negotiation? • How can international connections of solidarity and support best assist in such contexts? • How can the momentum of new globalised protest movements be sustained? • How can an enabling environment for civil society be advanced? www.civicus.org

  14. Key questions in 2012 • How can global institutions be strengthened to protect civil society actors? • How can civil society seize ground to influence a serious debate on the reform of global governance? • How can a global civil society alliance help offer solutions to these questions? www.civicus.org

  15. An existential crisis for CSOs? • Falling funding – expenditure vs. income • Very small resources • Donor dependence and vulnerability to switches • Heavy reliance on volunteering • Rapid staff turnover www.civicus.org

  16. Impact • High social impact • Limited policy impact • Gap between policy activity and policy impact • Low public trust is a limitation, but trust in civil society is normally higher than in other institutions www.civicus.org

  17. Living values? • Internal democracy – formal or functional? • One man shows • Challenging intolerance and suspicion? • Poor labour, gender rights • Environmental mainstreaming? www.civicus.org

  18. CSO connections • Present and widespread for CSOs • Organic vs. donor-driven networks • Competition between networks and members? • A segmented, disconnected civil society • Urban vs. rural • Limited international networking www.civicus.org

  19. CSOs in crisis – key questions • In what ways does civil society need to change to address the new challenges and opportunities? • What civil society strengthening initiatives are needed? • What alliances with actors outside civil society are needed? • How can a global civil society alliance help offer solutions to these questions? www.civicus.org

  20. What are the specifics in this context? • Which aspects of this global analysis apply particularly in your context? • What are the specific national and regional need? • In the light of this how can a global civil society alliance best add value to and advance national and regional civil society work? www.civicus.org

  21. Find out more From 6 April 2012, download the 2011 State of Civil Society Report Download all the CSI country reports and the overview report, Bridging the Gaps at www.civicus.org

  22. Given these global dynamics - and local differences - what does this picture suggest we need to do to strengthen civil society in the next 5 years? www.civicus.org

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