CIVICUS Civil Society Index’s contemporary challenges for civil society

By Hannelore Wallner, CIVICUS Civil Society Index Manager

The preliminary findings of the CSI study provide important insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by civil society around the world. This innovative action-research project highlights numerous issues, such as the changing forms of citizen participation (which privilege faith-based organisations and social movements, rather than NGOs); the importance of indigenous financial resources for civil society (vis-à-vis waning financial commitment of international donors); the critical relation with the state and policy-making; and the new phenomenon of corporate philanthropy and social responsibility.

For more information, see www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUSCivilSocietyIndexcountryreports.htm