WHAT'S NEW?
CIVICUS released its 2024 State of Civil Society Report. The report concludes that civil society is being tested like never before by a series of multiple and accelerating crises. But civil society still managed to hold the line and make a difference to many.
Read this new paper on how corruption is hindering public financial management for better health outcomes.
Civil society is leading the charge in Senegal's energy transition - a multi-stakeholder platform looks to mobilize and prepare stakeholders, including the media, to contribute effectively to going green.
With its campaigns against independent media outlets, governments of several countries in Latin America are threatening freedom of the press. Will more regimes replicate the extremes enforced by Nicolas Maduro and Daniel Ortega to block and shut media outlets?
Internews was founded back in 1982 to bridge information divides. But how is it adapting? Its new strategy offers insights. We are excited to see the strategy framed around elements of “healthy information ecosystems”. Compare to TAI’s framework for the same.
NDI looks at the role of parliament in public debt oversight in Zambia. The piece offers recommendations for strengthening transparency and accountability in public finance management.
The imprisoned founder of Guatemala’s El Periódico, which made its name by exposing corruption in the country’s ruling classes, is awaiting a new trial on money-laundering charges that press freedom groups call politically motivated. Similar calls are being made in India with the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi chief minister, who made his name railing against corruption.
Amidst devastation and turmoil, the people of Sudan have suffered repeated internet blackouts, as the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces are controlling information flows in areas held by the opposing faction. Access Now presents five on the human impact of these shutdowns.
Remembering the eighth anniversary of the murder of the activist and human rights defender, Berta Cáceres, we invite you to listen to the new episode of Las Guardianas, in which Indigenous women tell their stories of resistance defending their land. (in Spanish)
ESSENTIAL READING!
Reflecting on the twenty-year evolution of the open agenda, Warren Krafchik and Peter Evans consider how the field developed and what comes next given today’s global context with many headwinds. They argue that “Open needs a P-wave – a focus on power, political constraints, a systems perspective, and a commitment to solve real problems.” What do you think?
FROM OUR MEMBERS
FORD FOUNDATION: Introduces its newest board member: George Walker, chairman and chief executive officer of Neuberger Berman. Walker has long demonstrated a commitment to furthering equality within the workplace and across the financial services industry.
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS: Mary Fitzgerald, director at OSF, reviews Tom Burgis’s new book on how corruption and influence peddling work in financial centers today.
LUMINATE: Campaign and Media Director Alaphia Zoyab will moderate a panel with Nobel laureate Maria Ressa, who will speak to the growing threat of disinformation and generative AI on social media as it relates to democracy, polarisation, and social disconnection. Find more info here.
TOOLS AND TRENDS FOR FUNDERS - THE LOCALIZAITON EDITION!
Only 13% of international grant dollars from U.S. foundations go directly to organizations based in the country where programs are implemented. To help address this, Justice Funds has created a bi-weekly newsletter that aggregates grant funding opportunities for activists in the Global South.
Segal Family Foundation’s Equitable Giving Toolkit offers resources on why and how to find and fund locally-led organizations.
The Women Environmental Human Rights Defenders says funders must become and view themselves as our partners. They point to existing funding mechanisms reflecting this approach as environmental justice and women’s funds emerge from the movements they seek to support.
The Othering and Belonging Institute has a Research Toolkit designed for organizers to support change strategies using processes that center local community knowledge.
ESSENTIAL LISTENING!
Listen to Bukele, the lord of Dreams, the story of a publicist who managed to convince a society that the only way to solve their problems was by giving the president of El Salvador unlimited power. How do you get to the point where the promises of democracy no longer matter? (in Spanish)
FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK
“Democracy (remains) a slow process…”
The Third Democracy Summit convened in South Korea amid growing concerns over the global decline of democracy and the urgency for collective action to safeguard civic space. Against this backdrop, Doug Rutzen and others are warning about the looming "Great Repression". Similarly, Bronwen Maddox laments the scarcity of political leadership capable of navigating these turbulent waters effectively. Meanwhile, Richard Youngs points to a defensive turn in European Democracy Support, raising questions about its alignment with contemporary political and international dynamics.
The absence of substantial discussions on public debt at the Summit for Democracy was criticized for overlooking a vital aspect crucial for securing democratic dividends for posterity. Franklin de Vrieze emphasizes the nexus between public debt, democracy, and the well-being of future generations.
Grassroots movements, often led by women, offer glimmers of hope in pushing back against authoritarian practices worldwide. Saskia Brechenmacher, Erin Jones, and Özge Zihnioğlu delve into the motivations and methods driving women's mobilization for democracy, highlighting their indispensable role in shaping the future of governance, while Yanina Welp highlights the intricate dynamics shaping the will of the people.
JOBS
Anti-Corruption Technical Advisor - Anti-Corruption Center - USAID
Access Now - executive director
Director of Organisational Support and Development AND Head of Finance and Reporting - Tax Justice Network
Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer - Debt Justice - European Network on Debt and Development (EURODAD)
Consultancy to support the development and implementation of an open call for applications on economic justice - Robert Bosch Stiftung
Program Officer, RISE Together Fund - Proteus
Senior Policy Advisor - Wildlife Justice Commission
Fact-checkers - Code for Africa
Associate Director - Economic Security Project
Deputy Director - The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Executive Director - Mosaic
CALLS
New funding to support expert legal 'hub' organisations - The Baring Foundation
CALENDAR
Skoll World Forum, 9-12 April 2024 Oxford, UK
Third meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Escazu Agreement, COP3 (Santiago de Chile) - 22-24 April
Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) Global Conference 2024, 23-25 April 2024
Human Rights Funders Network 2024 Global Conference, 24-26 April 2024
2024 UN Civil Society Conference- 9-10 May 2024
Second Symposium on Supranational Responses to Corruption: Integrity in Climate Finance and Action, 9-10 May 2024
Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, GEO’s 2024 National Conference- 20-22 May
On Think Tanks Conference in Barcelona, 21 -23 May 2024
Open Gov Week, 27 - 31 May 2024
Philea Forum 2024 , 27-30 May 2024
7th Impacts of Civic Technology Conference (TICTeC), 12-13 June, 2024.
International Anti-Corruption Conference, Vilnius, Lithuania, 18-21 June 2024
Hispanics in Philanthropy Conference, 20-21 June 2024
International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFFE) Annual Conference, 3-5 July 2024
We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or