by Cooperation Canada | Dec 6, 2023 | Civil Society, News, Resilient Societies
On November 30th, 2023, a series of events marked the launch of Resilient Societies, an emerging hub for activists and human rights defenders in exile. With Resilient Societies currently being incubated at Cooperation Canada, a morning brainstorming session was held at its offices in Ottawa, bringing together exiled activists to discuss the challenges of shrinking civic space. Later in the day, activities were held at the Global Centre for Pluralism, hosting a cross-sectoral roundtable discussion and the official launch featuring leading voices from civil society and government.
Resilient Societies
Resilient Societies is an activist-led hub providing support and creating safe spaces for grassroots networks of human rights defenders and democracy and civil society activists to collaborate, innovate, and advocate in ‘closing’ and ‘closed’ civic spaces. Resilient Societies builds on Canada’s culture of embracing diversity and pluralism and its generosity in supporting and welcoming at-risk activists and translates it into organic, innovative, and activist-centred programs and projects with impacts in the diaspora and activists’ countries of origin. By building resilience, enhancing voice and agency, and raising the credibility and relevance of civil society activists and human rights defenders from closed and closing spaces, Resilient Societies contributes to reversing global democratic backsliding and shrinking civic spaces.
Launch Day Highlights
Activist Brainstorming Session
The morning brainstorming session, hosted by Cooperation Canada, assembled a group of exiled activists from Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, and Ukraine. This was an opportunity for defenders of human rights and civic space to discuss the challenges of continuing their advocacy work whilst in exile. This included reflections on how communication technologies that previously facilitated linkages between exiled activists and those that remain in closing (or closed) civic spaces are increasingly co-opted by authoritarian regimes and the private sector, posing greater risks to activists and their socio-familial networks. Some argued that challenges related to status and acknowledgment were at play. They clarified that despite exiled activists typically receiving recognition for their efforts in their home country, they don’t enjoy the same esteem in Canada, which hampers their prospects of securing meaningful employment.
Cross-Sectoral Roundtable Discussion
In the early afternoon, activists were joined by members of civil society, government, and academia for a cross-sectoral discussion hosted by the Global Centre for Pluralism. The discussion was divided into two sessions. The first session, Shrinking Civic Spaces: Understanding the Context, presented an opportunity for activists and human rights defenders to share their experiences and perspectives with roundtable participants. Key points included the increasing extent of transnational repression and the unique vulnerability of certain groups engaged in civic space activism, notably women, racialized persons, and LGBTQI+. The second session, Reclaiming Civic Space: The Way Forward, opened the discussion towards a future-forward dimension. Participants across sectors raised the need to become more organized and coordinated in the defence of human rights, and that such rights are not segregated and shouldn’t be considered an ‘à la carte menu.’ Notably, there was broad agreement that Canada is not sheltered from the global trend of shrinking civic space, and that leveraging the insight and lived experience of activists in exile would be beneficial to current and future efforts towards the protection of democratic values and institutions.
Launch Event
The main launch event, again hosted by the Global Centre for Pluralism, was attended by leading representatives from civil society, academia, and government. Kicking off the event was Meredith Preston McGhie, Secretary General at the Global Centre for Pluralism, highlighting the importance of supporting efforts towards the preservation and protection of civic space. For the keynote address, Anita Vandenbeld, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, provided sobering words on the erosion of democracy worldwide. The message was clear: Defending democracy is urgently needed, and Canada stands to gain by being at the forefront of these efforts. This was followed by words shared by Kate Higgins, CEO at Cooperation Canada, reaffirming its commitment to playing a convening role in the field of international cooperation, and to incubating the important work of Resilient Societies. Maiwand Rahyab, a civic space expert from Afghanistan and founder and CEO of Resilient Societies, then outlined his vision for this initiative, positioning the unique role activists play in holding to account the global phenomena of shrinking civic space. The format then shifted to a panel discussion moderated by Sayed Madadi, esteemed activist-in-exile, non-resident Fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, and editor at KabulNow. The panel comprised of Muzna Dureid, a leading human rights activist from Syria, Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Julie Delahanty, President of the International Development Research Centre, and Tara Denham, Director-General of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion at Global Affairs Canada. The event was closed by Chris Eaton, Executive Director of World University Service of Canada, providing inspiring words of encouragement, underlining that initiatives such as Resilient Societies are deserving of attention and resources.
Cooperation Canada would like to recognize The Global Centre for Pluralism and World University Service of Canada for their generous contributions towards the launch event, and the International Development Research Centre for their initial funding contribution to Resilient Societies.
Nicolas Parent
Policy Analyst
by Cooperation Canada | Nov 29, 2023 | Civil Society, News, Press Release, Resilient Societies
November 29, 2023, Ottawa – At a time when human rights and democracy are under threat in many parts of the world, Cooperation Canada is proud to participate in the launch of Resilient Societies, a new activist-led hub that provides support and creates spaces for human rights and democracy defenders, civil society activists and practitioners worldwide to unite, innovate and advocate. The launch will take place on November 30, 2023, at the Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa.
The launch event will raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities facing human rights defenders and civil society activists in countries with closed and repressive civic spaces, highlight strategic opportunities for collaboration and engagement between diaspora activists from closed and repressive spaces now based in Canada with others around the world, and present the vision, ambitions and priorities of Resilient Societies.
The launch will bring together leading figures in the field of human rights and democracy, including Maiwand Rahyab, a civic space expert from Afghanistan and the founder and CEO of Resilient Societies, and Muzna Dureid, a leading human rights activist from Syria. They are both now based in Canada.
“By fostering the resilience, agency and collaboration of democracy and human rights activists from closed and repressive spaces, including those now based in Canada, Resilient Societies ultimately seeks to contribute to creating open, resilient and vibrant civic spaces free of fear and repression”, said Maiwand Rahyab, Resilient Societies’ Founder and CEO.
Other guest speakers at the launch include Anita Vandenbeld, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Meredith Preston McGhie, Secretary General at the Global Centre for Pluralism, Julie Delahanty, President of the International Development Research Centre, Tara Denham, Director-General of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion at Global Affairs Canada, Chris Eaton, Executive Director of World University Service of Canada, and Kate Higgins, CEO at Cooperation Canada.
“At a time when human rights and civic space are threatened in so many parts of the world, Cooperation Canada is humbled to be playing a small role in the launch of this ambitious initiative”, said Kate Higgins, CEO of Cooperation Canada. “As a coalition of civil society organizations, we believe in the importance of supporting human rights, civic space and democracy, and are excited to support the important work of courageous activists in Canada and around the world”.
About Resilient Societies
Resilient Societies (RS) is an activist-led hub providing support and creating spaces for grassroots networks of human rights defenders and democracy and civil society activists and practitioners to unite, innovate, and advocate to address closing civic space. RS builds on Canada’s culture of embracing diversity and pluralism and its generosity in supporting and welcoming at-risk activists and translates it into organic, innovative, and activist-centered programs and projects that supports the work of activists-in-exile, and activists in repressed civic spaces. By building resilience, enhancing voice and agency, and raising the credibility and relevance of civil society activists and human rights defenders from closed and closing spaces, RS contributes to reversing the backsliding of democracy and shrinking civic space.
Resilient Societies is hosted by Cooperation Canada for its incubation period.
About Cooperation Canada
Cooperation Canada brings together Canada’s international development and humanitarian organizations and advocates for them by convening sector leaders, influencing policy and building capacity. Together, we work with partners both inside and outside Canada to build a world that’s fair, safe and sustainable for all.
Press contact
Gabriel Karasz-Perriau
Communications Manager
Cooperation Canada
(514) 945-0309
[email protected]
by Cooperation Canada | Sep 1, 2023 | Civil Society, News
From July 31st to August 1st, the Civil Society Pillar (CSP) of the Community of Democracies (CoD) held its annual meeting in Panama City. The CoD is is an intergovernmental coalition committed to advance and protect democratic freedoms, strengthen democratic institutions, and expand political participation. As CSP national focal point, Cooperation Canada joined representatives from fourteen other countries to discuss the strategic vision of the CoD in light of ongoing threats on civic space and democratic institutions worldwide.
While the CSP is not a voting member of the CoD, it has historically endeavoured to represent the interests of civil society within the organization. For instance, the CSP voiced its disappointment over the renewal of Hungary’s membership to the Governing Council (GC) despite concerns about its non-compliance with the Warsaw Declaration, the founding document of the CoD. This conversation remains open within the CSP, where a strong Latin American presence in Panama City led to important discussions on the membership legitimacy of Argentina, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
In light of the worrying state of democracy, CSP representatives agreed that the GC fell short of achieving goals set out in its 2018-2023 Strategic Plan. While the plan committed to responding to democratic backsliding and the restriction of civic space, reforming GC processes, and expanding partnerships, the CSP emphasized that most efforts were centered on dialogue. Looking to the drafting of the of the forthcoming 5-year plan, to be released in 2024, the Pillar emphasized that proactive measures and actions must take greater focus.
The global trend towards democratic backsliding was a key area of concern to all civil society representatives. Within the civil society space, representatives agreed that the erosion of civil liberties, threats to freedom of expression, and weakening of rule of law have made their work more challenging and dangerous. A key observation was that authoritarian leaders and groups often gain power through democratic processes, only to shut down civic participation spaces once power has been consolidated.
The CoD has been chaired by Canada since 2022, with the country represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. There is no certainty as to whether Canada will renew its term as CoD President. We encourage the Government of Canada to consider the CSP recommendations , namely 1, 2, 3 and 7. Cooperation Canada deems the drafting of a new strategic plan a crucial moment for Canada to voice its commitment to human rights and demonstrate its global leadership on the matter. Canadian CSOs, including those participating in the upcoming Universal Periodic Review of Canada led by the UN Human Rights Council, stand as active allies and agents of change.
Nicolas Parent
Policy Analyst
by Cooperation Canada | Jul 4, 2023 | Civil Society, News
Cooperation Canada partnered with Dignity Network Canada to present a virtual learning session on “SOGIESC Inclusion in International Cooperation Organizations” on June 14, 2023. The event featured remarks by Vaisnavi Gnanasekaran, SRHR Specialist at Oxfam Canada, Libertad Benito Torres, Senior Gender Consultant at Equitas, Lina Marcela Gomez Nunez, Gender and Social Inclusion Manager at Cuso International, and Nasya Razavi, Co-Manager at Inter Pares.
These organizations have embarked on a journey to be more inclusive in their international work on issues of sexual orientation, gender identity & expression and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC).
Panellists were asked a series of questions regarding SOGIESC inclusion, intersectionality and solidarity with 2SLGBTQI+ organizations most notably in the Global South.
Successful SOGIESC inclusion in international cooperation organizations means taking cues from the groundbreaking work in the Global South. Establishing connections, creating collaborations and cooperation between North-South organizations is key to this work.
Intersectionality is paramount to SOGIESC inclusion. Whether the work pertains to SRHR, gender equality, anti-racism and anti-oppression, it’s crucial that a decolonized approach is taken. Representation needs to be emphasized throughout the entire organization. All voices need to be heard & promoted by the organization and consulted as a priority.
Amid growing backlash against the 2SLGBTQI+ community globally – due in part to religious fundamentalism and conservative governments – the panellists remained hopeful. While there are many progressive countries with robust protections, there remain increased threats & discrimination against 2SLGBTQI+ human rights.
Althea Branton
Director of Ops and Member Relations, Dignity Network
by Cooperation Canada | Apr 12, 2023 | Civil Society, News
What is the Summit for Democracy?
In December 2021, US President Joe Biden hosted a Summit for Democracy focussed on the important themes of defence against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and respect for human rights. On March 29-30 of this year, the second Summit for Democracy was held, co-hosted by Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, the United States and Zambia, and revisiting the themes from the first Summit. Following a virtual welcome to leaders the Summit included in-person meetings with representatives from civil society, government, and the private sector. The plenaries were designed to highlight key issues and challenges facing democracy today and explore solutions to strengthen democratic institutions and values around the world. Opening remarks were given by leaders of all participating nations, as well as the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Why does the Summit matter?
The Summit came at a time when democracy faces significant challenges and threats around the world. Authoritarianism, populism, disinformation, and other factors are eroding democratic values and institutions, making it more important than ever to promote and defend democracy. Given the intensifying struggles in these areas, the Summit turned out to be one of the most important gatherings of democratic leaders and advocates in recent history. It brought together leaders and civil society representatives from around the world to discuss ways to strengthen democratic institutions and values, defend human rights, and promote prosperity for all by addressing these challenges head-on, fostering cooperation and sharing best practices among democratic leaders and advocates. Importantly, the Summit also culminated in the Declaration of the Summit for Democracy, of which Canada is a signatory.
The Declaration of the Summit for Democracy outlines 17 commitments in the effort to protect and strengthen democratic societies. These 17 commitments are in addition to the 35 actions that Canada committed to at the 2021 Summit for Democracy. In the spirit of these engagements, the Government of Canada instituted a mechanism to track progress for each of their commitments, open to the public online. Together with holding the presidency of the Community of Democracies since September 2022, Canada is actively committed to advancing democratic values.
What is Cooperation Canada’s role on issues of civic space and democracy?
Cooperation Canada’s engagement with democracy and civic space starts with its partners and members, both on the domestic and the international scene, with the aim of creating an enabling environment for democratic values to be upheld in Canada and around the world. By playing a liaison role between civil society and the government on important democracy initiatives, Cooperation Canada aims to promote progress and accountability on Canada’s commitments. Indeed, Cooperation Canada:
- Serves as the focal point of Canada’s presidency of the Community of Democracies, as well as the Civil Society Pillar focal point.
- Co-chairs the Civil Society Policy Advisory Group.
- Hosts an annual dialogue with Global Affairs Canada.
- Contributes to global reports around the theme of civic space, such as the Progressing National SDGs Implementation report, and global initiatives such as the Civil Society 7.
- Aims to reinforce partnerships with civil society through participation in partner networks’ important work, such as Forus.
Cooperation Canada advocates for meaningful civil society engagement across government consultations and engagement processes and pushes the government to advance democratic values in an equitable and coherent manner.
Darron Seller-Peritz
Policy Analyst and Program Officer
