In May, the Action for Empowerment and Accountability Programme (A4EA) will release a new report, ‘Navigating Civic Space in a Time of Covid’. Based on ground-level research with partners in each country, the report examines the dynamics of changing civic space in Mozambique, Nigeria and Pakistan. It points to shrinking civic space in the face of new restrictions introduced under cover of Covid-19 emergency measures, as well as a dynamic and resilient response from civil society actors.

It is not alone in these findings. Over the last few months, a number of researchers, activists, and others have warned of the acceleration of already present trends of democratic backsliding, authoritarianism and closing civic space in many countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. This roundtable seeks to bring together key researchers, policy makers, donors and partners to ask:

What are the implications of these trends for civil society actors, donors and policy makers interested in protecting and expanding democratic governance?
How can we best collectively respond to the existing and new tactics that are being used to restrict civic space?
What emerging strategies offer most hope for protecting and strengthening civil society’s role in shaping a post-pandemic world?

Speakers:

Thomas Carothers, Interim President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Rosie McGee, Research Fellow, Institute of Development Studies

Koketso Moetsi, Executive Director, amandla.mobi

Nicola Nixon and Sumaya Saluja, Asia Foundation

Mandeep S. Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer, Civicus

Marisa von Bülow, Professor, Political Science Institute, University of Brasilia, and member of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Civic Research Network

Chair:

John Gaventa, Research Fellow and A4EA Programme Director, Institute of Development Studies