Civil Society Building workshop

Hivos in partnership with the Institute for Social Studies (ISS) are hosting a two day workshop (22 - 23 April) on knowledge sharing in Johannesburg, South Africa. The main aim of the workshop is to further develop the Knowledge Programme on Civil Society Building in the southern Africa region by exploring the main challenges around specific themes, and identifying future (research) partners.

The specific objectives of the meeting are to:
1.Identify and discuss the main challenges to civil society building in the southern Africa region within the framework of the Knowledge Programme.
2.Reflect on possible strategies to support civil society organisations and civic action.
3.Develop a network of interested partners and individuals linked to the Knowledge Programme on Civil Society Building to encourage exchanges between researchers and practitioners.

The long-term objective of the joint initiative on Civil Society Building of Hivos and ISS is to improve policies and programmes of civil society organizations and international NGOs in empowering marginalised or vulnerable people in their attempts to overcome the unequal balance of power in society. This will be done by identifying key knowledge needs and niches in cooperation with main partners in different regions in the world. In this way Hivos and ISS will start up a participatory process of knowledge development, dissemination, application and capacity building.

By bringing together key civil society actors and academics in a regional setting, the exchange of experience is promoted and the basis for a long-term programme of knowledge development is established. The specific thematic focus of the workshop in Southern Africa is on civic action for responsive governance, involving issues of civil society monitoring of the state, civic leadership, and conditions for civic action. With a large network of civil society actors and academics, these issues are turned in main research questions and are linked to participatory processes of knowledge development, dissemination and application.

For more information www.civilsocietybuilding.net