Briefing: The New Civil Space Program, January 2020 – November 2024
Briefing: The New Civil Space Program, January 2020 – November 2024
In early 2023, the Public Policy Institute assumed leadership of the New Civil Space Program (NCSP) from YouthTEO, continuing the mission of enriching the public sphere with knowledge. This effort specifically targeted youth-focused or youth-led groups and organizations, utilizing a rights-based methodology to monitor the socio-political context and power dynamics. The program observes political processes and interactions, providing recommendations to maximize stakeholders’ contributions to civil and developmental entitlements.
The June 30, 1989 regime established a short-term governance model that suppressed the constitutional and human rights of local communities. This approach fostered a hostile environment for freedom of expression and organization, leading to a significant decline in civil society’s role. Advocating for a long-term social contract between citizens and the state—centered on full citizenship—was often met with severe human rights violations.
The program sought to bring transformative change to emerging civil society organizations by helping them develop structures aligned with their visions. It adopted a flexible methodology, efficiently accommodating internal and external contextual changes. The ultimate aim was to align civil groups and organizations, particularly youth-oriented ones, with the priorities of local communities.
To achieve these ambitious goals in an unstable, uncertain environment, the Institute developed a contextual monitoring model and an adaptive framework for civil engagement initiatives under the program. Collaborating with partners, it produced reports to support sustained, structural reforms. Experts from the Institute engaged dynamically with initiatives to maintain agility and effectiveness.
As a result, over 200 civil engagement initiatives across Sudan experienced notable improvements in their operational performance. These initiatives positively influenced the public sphere, creating valuable interventions for local communities. The program has elevated the professionalism of many organizations, helping them refine their activities and strategies.
One leader of a beneficiary institution stated:
“We used to watch the news about our fate; now we shape our future.”
Organized advocacy for citizenship rights, led by local intermediary leaders, significantly reshaped the new civil space. This progress also played a vital role in preventing societal disintegration following recent upheavals.
The program revealed the transformative potential of intermediary leadership and their deep-rooted connections to local communities. These lessons are critical for Sudan’s political future, particularly given the country’s current fragility. Excluding such capacities from the political process would be a grave oversight.
The program’s success hinged on the contributions of local and international partners, especially Friends of Sudan in the region. These partnerships laid the foundation for achieving the program’s goals on time. Looking ahead, humanitarian contributors are expected to play a decisive role in the project’s second phase (2025–2030).
This initiative emerged during a pivotal period in Sudan’s national movement history. Initially launched in 2020 by the Youth Training and Employment Organization, a dedicated think tank later evolved into the Public Policy Institute – Sudan, embodying the program’s vision and mission.
Operations Manager
Public Policy Institute – Sudan
Date: November 30, 2024