Civil society groups must embrace flexibility as the world faces existential threats to democracy, a report has urged.

This year’s State of Civil Society report says that as the world faces “multiple and accelerating crises”, including existential threats to democracy, civil society groups must adopt a “movement mindset” and embrace flexibility.

The 14th annual flagship report was published by Civicus, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists with more than 17,000 members in 175 countries working to strengthen citizen action.

Its members include Amnesty International, Oxfam International, Greenpeace, Plan International and Save the Children International.

The report, which draws on hundreds of interviews from more than 120 countries, explores world conflicts, threats to democracy, the economy, the climate and environment, technology, gender rights, migrants’ rights and multilateralism. It also looks at the way ahead for civil society in the face of these challenges.

The report argues that due to rises in disinformation, right-wing populism, nationalism and autocratic and military rule, the world is facing a “crisis of democracy”, as checks and balances, the right to express dissent and the ability to scrutinise the powerful are “swept away”.

The report says civil society organisations play “vital roles” in supporting democratic processes, but adds that efforts should prioritise the protection of democracies against backsliding. 

To tackle the various crises outlined in the report and secure civil society’s future, the report urges civil society groups to adopt a “movement mindset”. 

It says: “Rather than functioning as rigid bureaucratic organisations, structured to suit funder requirements, civil society groups must embrace flexibility. 

“This means developing organisational forms that align with the changes civil society wants to see in the world and that make sense for the communities it serves.”

The report says the most successful civil society actions of recent years have “embodied movement characteristics”, such as distributed leadership, nimble decision-making, a focus on shared values, a willingness to listen and the ability to mobilise broad constituencies rapidly.

It also urges civil society to prioritise authentic community connections, particularly with those most excluded from power.

“This means going beyond traditional stakeholder consultations to develop genuine relationships with communities, including those outside urban centres, disadvantaged by digital divides or otherwise far-removed from decision-making processes,” the report says.

Civil society also needs to develop effective counter-narratives that move beyond problem diagnosis to “articulate compelling alternative visions to counter the seductive but dangerous narratives of populism, nationalism and authoritarianism”, the report says.

It also urges civil society to embed early warning systems for global challenges by “tracking key indicators of closing space, from regulatory changes that may be presented as benign to more overt attacks on activists and organisations”. 

The report says these systems must be linked to rapid-response mechanisms that enable co-ordinated national and international pressure when warning signs appear.

All responses must be “based on the galvanising principle of solidarity in resistance”, it adds.

The report says: “To enable its responses, civil society must build and improve the functioning of networks at every level from local to global and across the broadest possible range of civil society and allies. 

“Civil society’s resilience lies in its ability to build solidarity across issues, constituencies and geographies.”

Inés Pousadela, senior research specialist at Civicus and co-author of the report, said: “The world in 2025 is a dangerous place. But we also see courageous activists and communities carrying the torch of hope, proving that a more peaceful, just, equal and sustainable world is not only possible but already in the making through civil society and citizen action.”