civicus

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, commonly referred to as CIVICUS, is a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists. It works to strengthen civil society and enable citizen participation in governance by facilitating advocacy, research, and capacity-building, and by promoting freedom of association, peaceful assembly, and expression.

Founded in 1993, CIVICUS operates as a membership organization with thousands of civil society groups, networks, and individuals around the world. Its headquarters are in Johannesburg, South Africa, and the organization maintains regional offices and partnerships to engage on global and local issues.

Its programs include the CIVICUS Monitor, which tracks the space for civil society in countries and provides a public dataset on restrictions and risks faced by activists. CIVICUS also conducts research, publishes analysis on democratic governance and human rights, and campaigns for policy changes at national and international levels. In addition, it offers capacity-building and peer-learning opportunities to strengthen civil society actors.

Through its advocacy and learning work, CIVICUS aims to defend civil space, promote accountability and transparency, and support inclusive participation in public life. The alliance collaborates with other civil society groups, funders, and multilateral institutions to advance these goals.