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The final day of #ICSW2025 is here, and the energy is still high as we head into the Final Plenary. Today’s session brings together reflections from across the programme, with a spotlight on one of the most forward-looking tracks: “Futures We’re Building: Youth, Climate and Intergenerational Justice.” The final day of #ICSW2025 is here, and […]

Young people are shaping civic futures — and they are doing it now. At ICSW2025, youth from across movements and regions have come together to launch the Youth Manifesto: a bold declaration of our vision for inclusive, just, and participatory societies. The manifesto calls for: -Protection of youth-led civic action -Recognition of informal movements -Access […]

In Pakistan, journalism is a risky profession—and the danger only intensifies if you’re a woman, young, and a freelancer, says 30-year-old Saba Chaudhry, a journalist from a village near Narowal, in Punjab province. “You have to be careful about what you write and who might read it—you can become the target of a malicious campaign […]

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Packed house for the opening plenary at ICSW: Civil Society’s Evolution Through Crises.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Participants gather for the session on Building Collective Narrative Power in Contested Spaces. This is a deep dive into how narratives can be used as tools to strengthen democracy, rights, and inclusion— especially in environments where civic space is under threat.

The case of jailed Thai human rights defender and lawyer Arnon Nampa was powerfully highlighted. Arnon is currently serving a 29-year prison sentence following multiple convictions related to his peaceful activism and public calls for democratic reform in Thailand. His case was presented by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, with Akarachai, a member of Arnon’s […]

Defending democracy and civic space plenary session has started. Today’s discussions will explore the global rollback of civic freedoms, the rise of authoritarian tactics — even in established democracies — and how we can coordinate legal and advocacy responses. Catch the livestream here:

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Packed house for the opening plenary at ICSW: Civil Society’s Evolution Through Crises.

On Saturday 1 November, nearly 1000 activists from around the world will gather in Bangkok, Thailand for International Civil Society Week 2025 (ICSW). The world’s largest civil society gathering begins Saturday 1 November in Bangkok, Thailand, co-hosted by global civil society alliance CIVICUS and the Asia Democracy Network (ADN). The five-day event includes over 120 […]

Packed house for the opening plenary at ICSW: Civil Society’s Evolution Through Crises.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

From the streets of Bangkok to power corridors in Washington, the civil society space for dissent is fast shrinking. Authoritarian regimes are silencing opposition but indirectly fueling corruption and widening inequality, according to a leading global civil society alliance.