Session
Organizer 1: Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Organizer 2: Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 1: Calderon Debora , Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Speaker 2: Shumaila Hussain Shahani, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Nenden Sekar Arum, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Shumaila Hussain Shahani, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Nenden Sekar Arum, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Format
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90-minute roundtable format works for this session as it allows inclusive and participatory participation among the stakeholders. This format is beneficial for voicing the multifaceted challenges faced by Global Majority CSOs. Since the roundtable format minimizes hierarchy, the setting maximizes all participants' opportunities to contribute their perspectives and expertise. It allows participants to exchange insights, share best practices, and collaboratively develop strategies to strengthen cross-border networks and actionable resilience plans.
Duration (minutes): 90
Format description: A 90-minute roundtable format works for this session as it allows inclusive and participatory participation among the stakeholders. This format is beneficial for voicing the multifaceted challenges faced by Global Majority CSOs. Since the roundtable format minimizes hierarchy, the setting maximizes all participants' opportunities to contribute their perspectives and expertise. It allows participants to exchange insights, share best practices, and collaboratively develop strategies to strengthen cross-border networks and actionable resilience plans.
Policy Question(s)
1 - Considering the weakening of the international rules-based order and funding reductions for human rights programs, what innovative funding mechanisms and collaborative strategies can be developed to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of digital rights CSOs in the Global Majority?
2 - How can cross-border cooperation, particularly South-South collaboration, be strengthened to protect Internet freedoms amidst geopolitical shifts and increasingly authoritarian cyber-sovereignty forces?
3 - How can governments, philanthropic organizations, and international bodies address the current challenges to ensure long-term sustainability of Global Majority CSOs working on digital rights?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants attending this session will gain valuable insights and explore practical strategies to navigate the complex landscape of Internet and tech governance amidst growing challenges. The workshop will bring together activists, civic technologists, and policy experts, creating a unique opportunity to identify key threats posed by techno-authoritarianism, authoritarian cyber-sovereignty, and geopolitical shifts that disproportionately affect CSOs in the Global Majority. An essential benefit will be the dedicated space for strategizing and planning collective action to address these threats effectively. Participants can expect to establish new connections with regional and international partners, fostering crucial cross-border networks for collaboration and information-sharing. Ultimately, attendees will leave with strategies to enhance their organization’s resilience against volatile geopolitical contexts threatening internet freedom and civic space. This focus on practical outcomes and network building will empower CSOs to more meaningfully participate in shaping internet and tech governance.
Description:
This workshop will examine strategies to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Global Majority as they confront the growing threats of techno-authoritarianism, authoritarian cyber-sovereignty, and geopolitical shifts. Shifts in global geopolitics and the weakening of the international rules-based order, combined with broader funding reductions for human rights programs, is further undermining the role of CSOs in Internet governance and tech governance more broadly. These changes have disproportionately affected CSOs working in repressive political contexts in Global Majority regions and have long faced harassment, persecution and retaliation. Survey data indicates that up to 80% of affected CSOs from the Global Majority are focused on pushing back against repressive regimes and authoritarian policies that threaten freedom of expression and privacy. In this challenging environment, these CSOs face mounting pressure in their efforts to defend human rights, promote transparency, and ensure multistakeholder tech governance.
This workshop will examine strategies to strengthen the resilience and sustainability of civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Global Majority as they confront the growing threats of techno-authoritarianism, authoritarian cyber-sovereignty, and geopolitical shifts. Shifts in global geopolitics and the weakening of the international rules-based order, combined with broader funding reductions for human rights programs, is further undermining the role of CSOs in Internet governance and tech governance more broadly. These changes have disproportionately affected CSOs working in repressive political contexts in Global Majority regions and have long faced harassment, persecution and retaliation. Survey data indicates that up to 80% of affected CSOs from the Global Majority are focused on pushing back against repressive regimes and authoritarian policies that threaten freedom of expression and privacy. In this challenging environment, these CSOs face mounting pressure in their efforts to defend human rights, promote transparency, and ensure multistakeholder tech governance.
Expected Outcomes
Strengthened Cross-Border Networks: Participants will establish new connections with regional and international partners, fostering collaboration and information-sharing to enhance their capacity to meaningfully participate in shaping Internet and tech governance.
Actionable Resilience Plans: Participants will gain insights for developing an action plan outlining strategies to enhance their organization’s resilience while facing volatile geopolitical contexts threatening Internet freedom and strengthening their capacity to defend civic space.
Developing a Policy Brief on Strengthening the Sustainability of Global Majority Civil Society Organizations: Based on the session discussion and additional documentation provided by the participants, the Atlantic Council's Democracy+Tech Initiative addresses the drivers of CSOs' long-term sustainability, South-South collaboration networks, and guidance for capacity building and implementing action plans.
Hybrid Format: To facilitate interaction between onsite and online speakers and attendees, on-site and online moderators coordinate for an even level of interaction. Both in-person and online attendees will be invited to present ideas and ask questions, with ample time dedicated to audience engagement.
We plan to utilize standard online meeting resources to increase participation and interaction. These include Q&A features for participants to submit questions, live translation if needed to ensure inclusivity, shared screens for presentations or collaborative activities, and polls to gather real-time feedback and encourage engagement.