OGP Launches the Democratic Freedoms Learning Network

Democratic freedoms and civic space are the underpinnings for open government. They allow people to think and speak freely, act in coordination, and advocate for change without fear of reprisal or violence. These freedoms, however, are in decline and under threat around the world. The latest Civic Space Monitor by CIVICUS states that 96.8% of the world’s population lives in countries with closed, repressed, obstructed, or narrowed civic space. In addition, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has further increased restrictions on civic space in many OGP countries. 

As part of OGP’s ongoing efforts to support governments and civil society to introduce open government reforms that protect and revitalize democracy, democratic freedoms, and civic space, we are establishing the OGP Democratic Freedoms Learning Network. The Network will bring together both government and civil society reformers, as well as global advocates, in an open space for dialogue on strategies to protect and enhance democratic freedoms and civic space, including upholding rights of assembly, association, expression, and privacy.

The Network builds on OGP’s regional and sub-regional peer exchanges, civil society workshops, multi-stakeholder convenings, research and learning, and support to specific countries on related commitments across this broad agenda. These convenings touched on everything from fundamental freedoms to frontier civic space challenges like surveillance and dealing with democratic backsliding. When convening multi-stakeholder conversations around these issues, OGP heard that the community would value a regular space for discussion and learning, and that OGP is well positioned to convene this space.