STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES TO DRIVE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE
A young Egyptian leader participates in civic engagement and advocacy training.
Overview Civil society engagement fosters good governance and representative democracy. Many countries lack strong civil society organizations that represent the interests of citizens to government and aid in community development. At the same time, government institutions often need assistance to transition to effective and accountable systems that better
CIVIL SOCIETY AND GOVERNANCE
serve citizens and society. Strong cooperation between civil society and government is essential to solving complex issues such as poverty, conflict, human rights abuses, health crises, and social inequality.
Approach Over the last two decades, World Learning has built the capacity of and linked more than 10,000 civil society and governance institutions in countries as diverse as Angola, Burma, Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, and Romania. Our demanddriven approach is tailored to the local context through a highly-collaborative process that invites extensive and continual community input. Based on this information, World Learning provides custom education, policy advocacy training, technical assistance, and small grants support that empowers people and strengthens institutions. We also work directly with governments to promote transparency, accountability, and financial compliance at the local and national levels.
World Learning is a nonprofit organization that advances leadership through education, exchange, and development programs in more than 60 countries.
World Learning integrates rights-based
but in an active way. Thinking, how could I manage
approaches into all of our programming to
a solution for this problem on my own? Not just
promote fundamental elements of civil society
waiting for someone else to solve this problem—
engagement, such as freedom of assembly,
I can be an active person to work on my society!”
association, and expression. We work in author-
- Young Egyptian civic engagement and
itarian, transitioning, and democratic countries
advocacy training participant
to provide civic education and empowerment programs to ensure the voices of underrepresented populations—including women, youth, persons with disabilities, and minority groups—are heard within communities. Even in non-democratic countries, our programs advance the principles and practices of repre-
“THE MOST BENEFICIAL THING I GOT FROM THE PROJECT WAS HOW TO DETECT A PROBLEM IN A SOCIETY AND HOW TO REACT SEEING THIS PROBLEM—NOT IN A PASSIVE WAY BUT IN AN ACTIVE WAY.”
sentative governance and the promotion and protection of human rights.
“My organization will be able to analyze the issues we are working on and find out entry
World Learning believes strong collaboration with
points where we can get in and influence the
stakeholders and donors is essential to achieving
authorities for policy change.”
development objectives. Our partners have
- Civil society representative from Burma
included United States Agency for International Development Missions and Washington Bureaus,
“The Parallel Vote Count project was widely
the Department of State, multilateral institutions
accepted as a success of Albanian civil society
such as the World Bank and United Nations, host
because it fulfilled the need and the desire of
government ministries, civil society organizations,
public opinion for fast, complete, and credible
and private foundations and donors.
information on the election results.” - Ilirjan Celibashi, Executive Director of
Testimonials “The most beneficial thing I got from the project was how to detect a problem in a society and how to
Elections To Conduct, Albania
Contact
react seeing this problem—not in a passive way
civilsociety@worldlearning.org
1015 15th St, NW Seventh Floor Washington, DC 20005
It is the policy of World Learning to provide equal employment and educational opportunities for all persons regardless of age, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, physical or learning ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran’s status, or any other legally protected status.
Phone Fax Email
+202 408-5420 +202 408-5397 development@worldlearning.org
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