CIVICUS

We were established in 1993 and since 2002 have been proudly headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, with additional hubs across the globe. We are a membership alliance with more than 9,000 members in more than 175 countries.

Our definition of civil society is broad and covers non-governmental organisations, activists, civil society coalitions and networks, protest and social movements, voluntary bodies, campaigning organisations, charities, faith-based groups, trade unions and philanthropic foundations. Our membership is diverse, spanning a wide range of issues, sizes and organisation types.

At CIVICUS, our identity is informed by:

Our diverse global membership, with a strong presence in the global south.

Our clear mandate to defend civic space and promote civil society.

Our focus on strengthening citizen action and civil society writ large, working across issues, geographies and organisation types.

Our role as a trusted convener and thought leader on civil society issues and trends.

Our ability to amplify civil society voices and enable activists and organisations to speak truth to power.

Our commitment to standing in solidarity with actors across civil society.

Our capacity to incubate and support ambitious strategies and initiatives to improve civil society’s effectiveness and inclusivity.