Civic Advisory Hub

✨ Highlights of Our Time at the 14th NGO Directors’ Retreat 2024! 📽️Unveiling Preliminary Findings from our Securitization of Civic Space in Africa Study: Key Trends, Emerging patterns, and Impact. 🚀T2R Launch: Talk To Your Regulator - Zimbabwe, a forum for dialogue and engagement between NGOs and their regulators. 🤝🏾Networking and Learning: Sharing insights and building stronger connections within the NGO community. Thank You to the organisers, fellow partners and all participants for an impactful event! !

It was very informative to take part to Sub-Saharan Africa CSO Conference on CFT While Safeguarding Civic Space organized by SPACES FOR CHANGE Civic Advisory Hub and HAKI Africa in Kampala, Uganda, on August 5-6. The event brought together more than 120 regional and national regulation bodies and civil society actors from 22 African countries. From the discussions, it is clear that more efforts must be made to ensure that civil society does not pay the heaviest price by being the most affected by the collateral effects of the fight against terrorism and the financing of terrorism in our sub-Saharan African states. #2GETHERCFT

In the pearl of Africa, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association was privileged to participate in the Sub Saharan Conference on countering the financing of terrorism while safeguarding civic space convened by Civic Advisory Hub and the Defenders Protection Initiative. My key take-away from this important interface, was that African governments should view us CSO's as equal partners in the fight against terrorism financing and not as threats. In most African countries, governments have weaponized the law to clampdown on CSO's under the guise of fighting terrorism financing. This is the case with the PVO Bill here in Zimbabwe. The net effect of this has been shrinking civic space. I submitted that, collaboration, coordination, and trust building between government and CSO's is a crucial point of departure in addressing terrorism financing. Governments should also ensure that security and counterterrorism laws do not suppress fundamental freedoms and human rights. In essence, in line with the Kampala Declaration , counter-terrorism operations—whether of a kinetic or non-kinetic nature— should not collide with civic freedoms, especially the right to speak, participate, organize, associate and assemble freely, both physically and (in this digital age) virtually, to propagate and realize their common aspirations.

The UN Secretary-General emphasises a shift towards a Human Security approach—strengthening national peace, regional cooperation, and global collaboration to address today's pressing challenges. #HumanSecurity 

Excited to share the #2GETHERCFT 2024 Report. Together, we tackled the financing of terrorism while safeguarding civic space in Sub-Saharan Africa. Key insights and recommendations from our esteemed speakers and delegates. Read more: [https://lnkd.in/dYd9YSDs]

In the pearl of Africa, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association was privileged to participate in the Sub Saharan Conference on countering the financing of terrorism while safeguarding civic space convened by Civic Advisory Hub and the Defenders Protection Initiative. My key take-away from this important interface, was that African governments should view us CSO's as equal partners in the fight against terrorism financing and not as threats. In most African countries, governments have weaponized the law to clampdown on CSO's under the guise of fighting terrorism financing. This is the case with the PVO Bill here in Zimbabwe. The net effect of this has been shrinking civic space. I submitted that, collaboration, coordination, and trust building between government and CSO's is a crucial point of departure in addressing terrorism financing. Governments should also ensure that security and counterterrorism laws do not suppress fundamental freedoms and human rights. In essence, in line with the Kampala Declaration , counter-terrorism operations—whether of a kinetic or non-kinetic nature— should not collide with civic freedoms, especially the right to speak, participate, organize, associate and assemble freely, both physically and (in this digital age) virtually, to propagate and realize their common aspirations.

It was very informative to take part to Sub-Saharan Africa CSO Conference on CFT While Safeguarding Civic Space organized by SPACES FOR CHANGE Civic Advisory Hub and HAKI Africa in Kampala, Uganda, on August 5-6. The event brought together more than 120 regional and national regulation bodies and civil society actors from 22 African countries. From the discussions, it is clear that more efforts must be made to ensure that civil society does not pay the heaviest price by being the most affected by the collateral effects of the fight against terrorism and the financing of terrorism in our sub-Saharan African states. #2GETHERCFT

Day One of the Sub-Saharan Africa CSO Conference on Countering Financing of Terrorism is happening in Kampala Uganda. Participants from over 20 countries have converged to discuss on issues inclusivity, openness and transparency in Regional Economic Communities frameworks of countering Terrorism Financing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Here are the highlights of Day One @YonaWanjala noted that CSOs are seen as peripheral contributors and not core stakeholders in countering terrorism financing During his submission he added that Governments cannot fight terrorism alone. Governments continue to pass laws passed are not explained to the consumers and this has led to mistrust between governments and entities like CSOs SCP Waswa David notes that Terrorism financing has taken on new forms from the use of digital currencies to more complex forms. This has seen the enactment of new laws amendment of the old to catch up with how fast terrorism financing is changing. He adds that across the continent Specialised units and bodies have been created, entities restructured. Protocols have been signed and Ratified, all to deal with terrorism that has still found ways to thrive. Henry Muguzi from the Alliance for Finance Monitoring on the other hand notes the regulatory misfits in the countering of terrorism financing. Despite the plethora of regulations and laws, we are still seeing increasing terrorism. In Africa there is an over reliance on the security apparatus to deal with terrorism financing and a disregard of the political economy and this leaves loopholes in other sectors which can be exploited Dr. Martha Njiri Our laws on the continent are deficient in regard to fighting terrorism funding and we have to increasingly rely on international laws. There has been a lot of copying and pasting of the Anti Money Laundering Laws without adapting them to each country’s needs.

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