2020 has been a year unlike any other, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing unparalleled health and economic devastation and shining an uncompromising light on social inequality around the world.
During these unprecedented times, civil society’s unique role and value has never been more evident. It has stepped up to plug critical gaps in the official response and proved unequivocally that it provides a lifeline and quality of life for millions.
The striking lack of recognition of the value of civil society has exposed three fundamental needs that we as a global community have to meet in the future, and that will be explored in this report:
- The need to champion emergency solutions that are global in scale, nuanced by local, regional and national need and that leverage, rather than sideline civil society organisations (CSOs)
- The need for collective advocacy of civil society and the invaluable role it plays in strengthening wider society
- The need to facilitate the giving that will support future civil society and enable us to emerge as a more united, responsive and compassionate world
