Sted Online
Kontakt
Time: 08:00–09:30 ET / 14:00–15:30 CET / 16:00–17:30 EAT / 18:30–20:00 IST
Organizer: Conducive Space for Peace (CSP)
Participants: Open to those attending the December CSO-UN Dialogue in Geneva as well as others interested in its themes.
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BQRtaIMuSMyZIPj8dSYqgQ
Background
Civic space continues to narrow worldwide, even as UN human rights and peacebuilding architectures struggle to offer adequate protection and support. At the same time, global cooperation is fragmenting, demanding new forms of collaboration with civil society to uphold legitimacy and deliver on core mandates. The 2025 CSO-UN Dialogue takes place at a pivotal moment, with UN reform efforts advancing amid growing volatility and new pressures on multilateralism. Civil society remains a vital force for peace and inclusion, yet faces unprecedented challenges in resourcing, trust, and access.
The exchange
Conducive Space for Peace (CSP) invites participants in the 2025 Dialogue, organisations supporting CSO participation and those interested in its themes to an informal, virtual Chatham House–style exchange ahead of Geneva. The session offers a reflective, forward-looking space to explore how civil-society roles and UN collaboration can evolve in response to emerging global realities. Rather than a consultation or formal input process linked to the Dialogue, it will be an informal, creative discussion aimed at expanding shared understanding and alignment among civil-society, UN, and member-states aimed at strengthening the collaboration between CSOs and UN peacebuilding and human rights architecture mechanisms.
Value for Participants
- Shared insight & strategic alignment: Gain alternative perspectives on current shifts in peacebuilding and the role of civil society in shaping system-wide reform and rrefine how your work connects with wider discussions in Geneva.
- Collaborative networking: Connect with peers in an open, informal setting ahead of the Dialogue to exchange experiences and explore potential synergies.
- Consolidated exchange summary: Receive a concise, non-attributed summary of the exchange to inform collective reflection and shared learning across the Dialogue.
Please note: this is an informal exchange organised independently by CSP and is not part of the official CSO-UN Dialogue programme or official side event. Any questions about the official CSO-UN Dialogue agenda, modalities or participation should be directed to the Dialogue Organisers.
Areas of Reflection and Exchange
The exchange will move through three connected areas of reflection. It will begin by scanning emerging trends shaping the future of civic space and multilateral cooperation, considering how shifts in power, technology, and legitimacy may redefine the operating environment for peacebuilding and human rights (RESPACE Initiative). From there, participants will reflect on how civil society leadership and alliances can evolve to sustain inclusion, accountability, and collective agency in a changing global landscape (Civil Society as Collective Freedom, Sep 2025). Finally, the discussion will look ahead to how the UN’s peacebuilding and human-rights architectures could better enable and accompany these roles, including by strengthening protection pathways, ensuring meaningful access to decision spaces, expanding responsive funding, and deepening trust between states and citizens (Charting Tomorrow, Mar 2025). Together, these threads will inform a shared conversation on how to shape a more grounded, future-ready UN-civil-society collaboration.
Indicative Agenda
Framing & Focus
Introduction & framing
Collective Exchange Space
Facilitated discussion on three guiding threads:
- What are the futures and shifts emerging that could reshape how civic actors engage in peace and human rights work?
- How is the role of civil society evolved over time and continue to evolve, and what capacities or solidarities will matter most?
- What forms of partnership or support from the UN system could best enable civic leadership at every level?
Plenary Exchange
Collaboration with the UN: what is needed for our work
Open dialogue linking threads from the exchange back to participant planned Geneva contributions and the broader question of future CSO-UN collaboration.
Closing
Summary and wrap up.
CSP will synthesize a summary note of the discussion to be shared with online event participants ahead of the 10–11 December Dialogue in Geneva. The session will be held in English.cIf you have any questions about this exchange, please reach out to Jasper Peet-Martel, Programme Manager (
