The Solidarity Action Network (SANE) brings together international civil society organisations (ICSOs) and their local partners to support each other when faced with undue threats and challenges to their operations or civic space restrictions more broadly. SANE enhances cooperative mechanisms for joint actions beyond public statements of solidarity to push back against clampdowns on civil society.
Further cross-cutting elements include digital and narratives dimension of the network. We explore digital dimensions of solidarity mechanisms as they form a tremendous potential as well as a significant shift in the nature of threats currently experienced around civic space restrictions (e.g. online surveillance, cyberattacks, restrictions on internet access, disinformation campaigns). We further examine a narrative dimension and explore how ICSOs can move from reactive to proactive narratives and how they can develop positive narratives for themselves and the sector as a whole. After strengthening exchange on best practices and supporting solidarity mechanisms at the global level, we will look at possibilities of connecting the initiative with the national (country) level to further involve ICSO partners in building resilient and solidary country coalitions.
The intensity and frequency of attacks on international civil society organisations combined with a shared value to protect and help one another gave rise to the Solidarity Action Network.
Through consultation at the Innovator’s Forum and interviews with ICSO staff members, we discovered a desire to actively support each other in solidarity when an organisation from the community is under undue pressure.