Civicus World Alliance For Citizen Participation Inc

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA:THE CHARM-AFRICA PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN OCTOBER 2019, WITH THE OVERARCHING OBJECTIVE OF PROMOTING AND ENHANCING HUMAN RIGHTS, CIVIC SPACE AND MEDIA IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. THE CONSORTIUM CONSISTS OF SIX PARTNERS, NAMELY: CIVICUS, CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENDERS, DEFEND DEFENDERS, FOJO MEDIA INSTITUTE, HUB AFRIQUE AND WITS JOURNALISM, WHICH RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL ROLE PLAYED BY A FREE, VIBRANT MEDIA AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN BUILDING HEALTHY DEMOCRACIES AND FOSTERING NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN RECENT YEARS, THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN LANDSCAPE HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY INCREASING MEDIA AND CIVIC SPACE RESTRICTIONS, AS STATE REPRESSION AND DEADLY CONFLICTS CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ACROSS THE REGION. AS A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER CONSORTIUM, CHARM-AFRICA SEEKS TO CONTRIBUTE TO ADDRESSING THIS CHALLENGE BY STRENGTHENING THE EFFECTIVENESS AND RESILIENCE OF JOURNALISTS, MEDIA PRACTITIONERS, SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT PRODUCERS, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS, AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS, WHILE PRIORITIZING KEY MARGINALIZED GROUPS, INCLUDING WOMEN, LABOUR LGBTI, ENVIRONMENTAL AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS ACTIVISTS.THE CONSORTIUM BELIEVES THAT, THROUGH SUPPORTING AND STRENGTHENING ADVOCACY EFFORTS, PROMOTING INCLUSIVE COUNTER-NARRATIVES, BUILDING COALITIONS, MAINSTREAMING GENDER AND INCLUSION AND DEVELOPING THE CAPABILITIES OF A BROAD RANGE OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND MEDIA ACTORS, IT WILL HELP CREATE MORE DEMOCRATIC AND FREE SOCIETIES ACROSS THE CONTINENT.

NETWORKS:THE CIVICUS NETWORK IS A VIBRANT ALLIANCE OF MORE THAN 11,000 INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN 175 COUNTRIES. THE CIVICUS SECRETARIAT ENGAGES THIS NETWORK THROUGH A VARIETY OF STRATEGIC APPROACHES, INCLUDING THE FACILITATION OF COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE LIKE CIVICUS YOUTH AND THE AFFINITY GROUP OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS, AND REGULAR CONVENINGS THAT ALLOW MEMBERS TO EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCES, AND LEVERAGE THE COLLECTIVE SKILLS, RESOURCES, AND POWER OF THE ALLIANCE. IN ADDITION, THE CIVICUS SECRETARIAT CURATES PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS (E.G., EMERGING CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERS AND ACTIVISTS) AND TO ADDRESS THE KEY PRIORITIES AND NEEDS (E.G., CIVIL SOCIETY RESOURCING) OF THE ALLIANCE.

CIVIC SPACE MONITOR:THE CIVICUS MONITOR IS AN ONLINE TOOL THAT AIMS TO TRACK CIVIC SPACE DEVELOPMENTS IN 197 COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES. TOGETHER WITH MORE THAN 20 REGIONAL RESEARCH PARTNERS WE DOCUMENT ON AN ONGOING BASIS THE STATE OF CIVIL SOCIETY AROUND THE GLOBE AND PROVIDE QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION FOR EACH COUNTRY WITH THE GOAL TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE CONDITIONS FOR CIVIL SOCIETY WITHIN COUNTRIES AND OVER TIME. THE CIVICUS MONITOR WAS LAUNCHED IN 2016 AND HAS BECOME A GO-TO SOURCE FOR CIVIC SPACE ISSUES AMONG CIVIL SOCIETY, ACADEMIA AND OTHERS.