In 2008, at the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra, governments acknowledged CSOs as independent development actors in their own right and commited to provide an enabling environment that maximises CSOs’ contributions to development. Nevertheless, today many CSOs worldwide experience worsening conditions. For example, human rights defenders face criminalisation or the freedom of the press and access to foreign funding is restricted.

Global Responsibility, the Austrian Platform for Development and Humanitarian Aid, and the Catholic Women’s Movement (KFB) therefore invited to a workshop on enabling environment for CSOs. The aim of the workshop was to exchange experiences of Austrian CSOs and their partners with conditions they face and to learn about components, aspects and global trends of enabling environment. This knowledge should support Austrian CSOs in their cooperation with partners in the Global South.

Documentation
Presentation of Oli Henman, Civicus
Minutes of the workshop

Further reading
IGO, NP; Civicus: Civil Society Index – Rahmenbedingungen für die Zivilgesellschaft in Österreich, 2014

actalliance, CIDSE: Space for civil society – How to protect and expand an enabling environment
Civicus: State of Civil Society Report 2014  – Reimagining global governance, 2014
Civicus: Enabling Environment Index 2013