How well does FCDO engage with and safeguard civil societies and activists?
The UK’s latest White Paper on international development emphasised the importance of civil societies the world over and set out the FCDO’s intent to improve “the enabling environment for civil society abroad so that citizens in low and middle-income countries can engage in public benefit causes that make their lives, and the lives of others in their communities, better.”
But civil society is under threat in many places around the world. One in six people are currently exposed to conflict and more than 114 million people are displaced globally. Conflict-related deaths are at their highest in decades, with civilian casualties up 62% in 2023, while global military spending rose a record $2.2 trillion. Fully 72% of the global population lives under authoritarian regimes.
The CIVICUS global alliance calculates that 30.6% of people live in countries with “closed” civic space, with only 2.1% of people living in countries classed as having “open” civic space. The UK itself is assessed as having “obstructed” civic space.
Meeting details
In the first oral evidence session of this inquiry the IDC will hear from in-country leaders of civil society organisations and from senior representatives of civil society umbrella organisations - all recipients of UK ODA funding, gaining insight into the UK Government’s approach to funding, supporting and safeguarding civil society organisations.
The session will explore:
- The FCDO’s funding approach and engagement with civil society organisations
- The FCDO’s approach to safeguarding civil society activists
- The accessibility or not of the application process for FCDO funding
- The UK’s upcoming “Open Societies” strategy
- What these organisations think of the UK approach to civil societies set out in the international development White Paper
- How well local need and expertise are utilised and reflected in UK aid spending