ICNL works with partners across 26 countries in Africa to advance civic freedoms, encourage public participation and philanthropy, and support civil society in the face of threats.
Our partners include civil society leaders, activists, government officials, lawyers, media workers, and academics. Together, we have helped develop progressive norms that expand civic space throughout the region.
Be sure to browse our Focus Areas, Country Overviews, and Key Resources.
Since 2020, at least 15 countries in Africa have introduced or enacted laws restricting civic freedoms online. To help civil society push back, ICNL and its partner CIPESA helped create Digital Rights Alliance Africa, which brings together experts to champion digital civic space.
In Tanzania, our partner JamiiForums drafted a model bill on data protection with technical assistance from ICNL. That bill served as the basis for Tanzania’s first ever data protection law, passed in May 2023.
In March, ICNL convened 50 civil society leaders from 17 countries in Africa to discuss growing concerns about shrinking funding and increasingly restrictive environments. Participants also exchanged ideas on innovative ways to ensure the sector’s sustainability.
Ninety-two percent of participants said they were affected by recent US cuts to development assistance. But many expressed hope that they could fill some of this gap by diversifying funding streams beyond traditional donor grants. Promising models include social enterprise, private sector partnerships, digital fundraising, and more. For more information on the meeting outcomes and our work in the region, please contact us at africa@icnl.org.
This practical guide helps civil society organizations in Zimbabwe navigate recent changes to the Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act, which governs all PVOs in Zimbabwe. Amendments to the law came into effect in April 2025. The guide describes eight actions PVOs can take to strengthen their resiliency to continue operating under the law.
This toolkit provides National Human Rights Institutions in Africa with practical information that will assist them to better document, analyze, and report on digital rights topics in their countries. It includes an introductory primer on the most salient digital rights topics, as well as links to resources which explore the topic in more depth.
Election periods in Africa are frequently marred by increased restrictions on civic space, hindering the ability of CSOs and others to ensure that elections are free, fair, and credible. In July 2024, ICNL organized an online consultation to learn from local partners about challenges for civic space in Africa before, during, and after elections and to identify promising strategies to counter these threats. This outcome document provides an overview of the session, which included opening remarks from former UN Special Rapporteur Clément Voule.
ICNL is pleased to share two checklists developed to help people use the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa. The ACHPR adopted the Guidelines in 2017 to deepen understanding and compliance by States and other stakeholders with their obligations to promote and protect these rights. View the checklists here.
ICNL works with civil society and governments to promote legal frameworks that protect the freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression.
We track and analyze legislation across Africa, support stakeholder convenings and learning initiatives, and produce tools to aid legal implementation, compliance, and advocacy.
Civic space is just as important online as it is in the physical world. We work to ensure that the regulation and use of digital technologies respects and protects civic freedoms.
States have a legitimate interest in fighting terrorism and money laundering, but their efforts should not degrade civic freedoms.
We work with partners to shape effective standards that do not over-regulate the non-profit sector, such as the contribution to positive revisions of the Financial Action Task Force’s standards for regulating non-profits.
Meaningful participation in decision-making is a crucial component of civic space.
ICNL supports its partners in advocating for accessible and inclusive public participation, such as in Kenya, where the Kisumu County government recently adopted a public participation policy that enhances engagement and information-sharing with local communities.
We work with regional and global institutions to develop progressive norms while promoting domestic compliance and accountability.
In 2024, our consultation on election-related challenges in Africa informed a the work of UN Special Rapporteurs and led to an increased focus on elections and civic space at the ACHPR.
ICNL conducts innovative research on the laws and trends shaping civic space in Africa. We also collaborate with local partners from diverse sectors to produce context-specific knowledge products.
See the Key Resources section below for some of our recent research.
These two checklists help people use the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Guidelines on Freedom of Association and Assembly in Africa. They provide a simple way to monitor State compliance and identify where issues might arise.
This handbook helps lawmakers and law reform advocates assess whether national laws comply with international legal standards on the right to the freedom of expression. It features an easy-to-use checklist format, asking users a series of questions and directing them to best practices.
The 2022 study by the East Africa Philanthropy Network surveys the landscape for philanthropy in Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. It examines models which are working, identifies opportunities to grow local resource mobilization, and identifies gaps. Published with the support of ICNL.
In partnership with the Council on Foundations, ICNL documents developments in 34 countries to help U.S grantmakers undertake equivalency determinations for foreign grantees. In Sub-Saharan Africa, reports are available for Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda.
The Civic Freedom Monitor provides up-to-date information on civil society law in more than 50 countries and eight multilateral organizations. In Africa, we track developments in the DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Click below to see country-specific resources.
