The dilemmas of supporting local partners in situations with shrinking civic space

Can Sustainable Development Goal 16 offer some assistance to our efforts?

On the other hand, can Northern partners play a crucial role by putting an issue on an international agenda and /or putting pressure on relevant governments and international institutions?

A core question is therefore: Are we doing enough or too much as Northern organizations in defending CSO space in the South?

Linking the civic space agenda to the SDGs: The SDGs are a new framework and may be useful when rethinking the future. Especially SDG 16 is key as an instrument when working to promote the influence of partners in countries with shrinking space. With this workshop we want to explore this further. We will therefore also explore how SDG 16 might also give some leverage to our effort in addressing shrinking space issues.

The workshop gives Global Focus member organisations the opportunity to discuss approaches and solutions to the cases with panelists:

• Maina Kiai (UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association)
• Andrew Firman (Editor-in-Chief CIVICUS' State og Civil Society Report)
• Helle Munk Ravnborg (DIIS – Senior Researcher on Natural Resources and Development)

Case presenters:

• Patrick Tumwine, Hurinet Uganda
• LGBT Denmark on their work in Uganda (TBC)

The panelists will introduce with their take on the core question.

Program will follow.

Participants: The meeting is for civil society organisations

Language: The workshop will be held in English

For questions, please contact Andreas Dybkjær-Andersson [email protected] or Kamilla Lindgren [email protected].

Registrate here no later than November 14

To participate in the conference from 12.30-16.00 Promoting and Respecting Civic Freedoms: Serious Business for Sustainable Development, separate registration is needed via this link.