Our Rights Our Future Programme

Our Rights, Our Future! is a global initiative led by ForumCiv, in partnership with COSPE and CCPR, and funded by the European Commission. The project empowers youth, especially from marginalized communities, to safely and meaningfully engage in civic and political spaces, defending the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly across Latin America, Africa, MENA, and Southeast Asia.

Our Rights, Our Future! is a global initiative led by ForumCiv, in partnership with COSPE (Italy) and Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR, Switzerland), funded by the European Commission. The project aims to strengthen the capacities of youth-led and youth-focused civil society organisations (CSOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), and informal groups to actively and safely participate in civic and political spaces, with a focus on defending the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly. 

The project seeks to Strengthen civil society’s capacities and opportunities, particularly targeting youth from marginalized and oppressed groups, to participate safely, effectively, and meaningfully in civic and political spaces, while promoting and protecting freedoms of association and peaceful assembly globally. 

Target Regions & Countries 

The intercontinental design of the project focuses on 4 regions with 9 initial target countries experiencing severe civic space restrictions:  

  • Latin America: Brazil, Colombia
  • Africa: Kenya, Senegal, Eswatini
  • MENA: Tunisia, Palestine
  • Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Sri Lanka 

What is the goal of the programme? 

Strengthen civil society capacities and opportunities to participate safely and effectively in civic and political spaces, with a focus on youth-led or youth-focused and human rights advocacy in contexts of repression and democratic constraints. Strengthening inclusive governance and democracy.
General objective 

Rights bearers, particularly marginalised youth, are better able to participate actively, safely and meaningfully in civic space as drivers of change to promote and defend fundamental freedoms, democracy and human rights locally and globally. 

Specific objective 

Youth-led or youth-focused movements, grassroots community and civil society organisations (CSOs) are able to promote an enabling environment and transformative actions to exercise and protect the right of peaceful assembly and association, particularly for marginalised and discriminated groups, in key countries in four regions of the global South (Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America). 

The specific objectives include:

  1. Empower 600 youth activists (aged 18-29) from marginalized communities.
  2. Promote the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
  3. Strengthen global, regional, and local civil society networks for coordinated advocacy.
  4. Expand access to UN and international protection mechanisms.
  5. Support over 100 youth-led civic initiatives annually via subgrants.

Main Outcomes 

Outcome 1: Strengthened Youth-Led Civic Movements 

  • Transformative capacity building for CSOs, CBOs, informal groups.
  • Enhanced management, advocacy, and digital skills.
  • Creation of an online resource centre for civil society tools. 

Outcome 2: Improved Protection Mechanisms for Activists 

  • Risk assessments and safety & security training.
  • Establishment of activist risk mitigation systems.
  • Monitoring and documentation of violations of assembly and association rights.
  • Creation of a digital map on activism and rights violations. 

Outcome 3: Amplified Civic Voice in National, Regional, and Global Advocacy 

  • Engagement with UN Human Rights mechanisms (e.g., shadow reports).
  • Strategic advocacy towards national authorities and stakeholders.
  • Regional and global Speak-Up Campaigns to highlight youth civic action.
  • Creation of a global social media campaign amplifying local actions.

Outcome 1: Strengthened Youth-Led Civic Movements 

  • Transformative capacity building for CSOs, CBOs, informal groups.
  • Enhanced management, advocacy, and digital skills.
  • Creation of an online resource centre for civil society tools. 

Outcome 2: Improved Protection Mechanisms for Activists 

  • Risk assessments and safety & security training.
  • Establishment of activist risk mitigation systems.
  • Monitoring and documentation of violations of assembly and association rights.
  • Creation of a digital map on activism and rights violations. 

Outcome 3: Amplified Civic Voice in National, Regional, and Global Advocacy 

  • Engagement with UN Human Rights mechanisms (e.g., shadow reports).
  • Strategic advocacy towards national authorities and stakeholders.
  • Regional and global Speak-Up Campaigns to highlight youth civic action.
  • Creation of a global social media campaign amplifying local actions. 

Project overview 

Project name: Our Rights Our Future!  
Programme goal: To Strengthen civil society capacities and opportunities to participate safely and effectively in civic and political spaces, with a focus on youth-led or youth-focused and human rights advocacy in contexts of repression and democratic constraints. Strengthening inclusive governance and democracy;  

Project budget: EU funding: 5.000.000 € - partners co-funding: 263.169 
Project period: 3 years (January 2025 - December 2027)  
Funded by: EU – Partners co-funding SIDA