Guardians of the Public Square: Protecting Civic Engagement

Civic engagement is an essential antidote to inequality—yet around the world, billions of people remain excluded from systems that shape their lives. It is only through safeguarding civic participation that we can protect the right of all communities—especially those often overlooked —to have a voice and help shape the solutions we need.

We need to forge collaborative global frameworks that amplify voices from everywhere, especially the Global South, and center those closest to today’s most pressing challenges. By building international systems that prioritize people, not profits or institutions, we can protect and expand civic spaces where all people and communities can organize, speak up, and hold their leaders accountable. By elevating these voices in decision-making processes, we create a global order powered by those most knowledgeable of the issues, ensuring meaningful and sustainable systemic change.

Civic Advisory Hub

The Civic Advisory Hub: Elevating African Voices Across the World

African organizations are asserting their essential roles in building and maintaining sustainable civil society institutions. The Civic Advisory Hub is a research, advocacy, and capacity-building nonprofit based in Uganda that builds trust between communities and institutions while empowering local leaders to innovate their own sustainable solutions.

A group of people at a weaving resilience convening gathered around a table display, examining colorful patterned fabrics and handmade items at a conference or workshop in a bright, modern room.

Weaving a Stronger Civil Society in the Global South

Ford’s Weaving Resilience initiative supports civil society organizations throughout the Global South, with a focus on supporting local solutions and connecting them globally.

Grantees of the Creativity and Civic Space Initiative.

The Cultural Leaders Protecting Civic Space Worldwide

Meet the nine artists and organizations of Ford’s Creativity and Civic Space initiative who are working to protect and expand civic space around the world.

“Greater citizen participation in democratic processes is needed to fully realize a peaceful, inclusive democracy that empowers citizens to build a society that is more just, and that contributes to greater prosperity and a stable economy.”

– Darren Walker

A group of eight people, including men and women in formal and traditional attire, stand side by side indoors in front of a blue curtain and white chairs, posing for a group photo.

Foundations Launch New Collaborative Fund to Strengthen Democracy in West Africa

The West Africa Democracy Fund—launched by the MacArthur Foundation, Luminate, the Open Society Foundations, and Ford—will reimagine, renew, and strengthen democracy across the region.

Hilary Pennington has short hair with blond highlights and is wearing a multi-colored patterned top and sitting on an orange chair. Poonam Joshi has a black short hair hair, and is wearing a black top.

COVID’s Impact on Civic Space: Hilary Pennington With Poonam Joshi

Civic space is essential for democracy. Poonam Joshi, director of Funders’ Initiative for Civil Society, discusses the threats we must confront in its current landscape.

Transcript

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JOAN CARLING [an indigenous activist with salt and pepper hair wearing a traditional woven cloth from her tribe in Cordillera, Philippines, Executive Director, Indigenous Peoples Rights International]:

The world we want is one where there is peace based on justice, there is realization of rights, there is a protection of environment,and that we strive to work together in the spirit of solidarity and unity. It is essential to include Indigenous peoples, especially environment defenders, in combating climate change because we as Indigenous peoples maintain a harmonious and interdependent relations with nature.

So with that, we protect nature, the environment, against destruction and unjust exploitation. And by doing so, we are being criminalized, we are being attacked, or branded as terrorists or anti-development. It’s important for decision makers to understand that environment defenders are doing our work to protect the environment so that we can have effective solutions to climate change. We deserve to be respected and protected for the work that we do because we can contribute to change and improve the world for everyone.

End of transcript.

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