Civil society plays a vital role in defending human rights, protecting fundamental freedoms, and promoting democratic participation. Open civic space is essential for a functioning democracy, it allows citizens to organize, express their views, and influence decisions that affect their lives. Despite a long history of resilience and solidarity, CSOs in the MENA region are now navigating an increasingly hostile environment marked by overlapping crises and restrictions.

Under the Civic Horizons project, Human Security Collective conducted an online consultation with civil society organizations across Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon to better understand the dynamics of shrinking civic space in the region. The findings of this consultation were compiled in our report Operating in Unsettling Times, which sheds light on how the successive crisis impact everyday practices of civil society, how these are then topped by the restrictions CSOs face from governments and banks, as well as the growing administrative and compliance demands from donors and leads to a state of survivalism. The report also describes the ways organizations adapt, build trust, and pursue resilience.

Building on that work, we have now developed an interactive resource that brings together the insights, experiences, and reflections shared by some of the organizations that took part in the consultation. The organizations stressed the importance of sharing methods and knowledge, learning from one another, and offering mutual support. The interactive report is a way to begin doing just that, and to encourage others to join in.

Explore the interactive report below to learn more about the current civic space dynamics in the MENA region, the pressures arising from increasing donor requirements,  and the pathways civil society is forging toward resilience.