Global crises highlight the urgent need for donor strategies that protect civic space. Existing systems, designed for extraction, require systemic reform led by marginalized communities, not “saviourism.” Donors must support genuine people power, foster accountability, and explicitly integrate civic space protection as a core objective. This means moving beyond traditional aid to truly empower civic actors and ensure inclusive, democratic change. Crucially, donor support must also extend to strengthening CSO accountability from within, fostering transparency and integrity among civil society actors themselves. This dual approach, external advocacy for an enabling environment and internal capacity building for robust governance, is vital for ensuring that civil society remains a credible and effective force for systemic change and the expansion of civic space in a world where it’s increasingly under threat. Read more here.
Source: Bond
