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WHAT'S NEW?
Supporting civil society, good news on BOT and the latest on tax
Common challenges affecting civil society space range from onerous donor or grantmaking requirements, excessive regulation from governments, and reprisals attacks – these are among responses from the Weaving Resilience gathering (hosted by TAI-member Ford Foundation).
Check out The Counter, an initiative to support civil society groups working to counter corporate power. A global help desk will provide pro bono advice and data on corporate finances and structures to support communities and activists campaigning for justice.
The Financial Action Task Force has finally adopted amendments to Recommendation 24 which will significantly strengthen the requirements for beneficial ownership transparency globally. This after two hard years of advocacy from many civil society groups (including many TAI member partners). Meantime, Swiss bankers have been indicted for ignoring the true identity of a bank account beneficial owner - a first.
Alex Cobham reflects on the relative merits of campaigning to influence global tax reforms shaped at the OECD.
The African Development Bank and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa launch a new project aimed at improving regional responses to stem illicit financial flows.
It’s Sunshine Week in the United States – meaning attention to open government across the country. That even extends to Texas with bipartisan support to strengthening state law for openness, including for greater contract transparency.
ACCOUNTABILITY VS AUTHORITARIANISM
We have created these visual cards summarizing insights from TAI Learning Days. You can find them on our website and also on LinkedIn and Twitter. We are also sharing a listing of related resources and you to share with us new materials that you come across or produce on the topic.
ESSENTIAL WATCHING
How to rebuild trust to reinforce democracy? The videos are now out from an OECD conference on that topic. Watch the session on protecting civic space and enhancing participation and representation. Speakers included Ford Foundation’s Vice President, Martin Abregu.
FROM OUR MEMBERS
OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS:
Soheila Comninos and Kristy Delgado join Cath Thompson of Peace and Security Funders Group to write about cultivating a culture of preparedness among funders as they increasingly face complex challenges to their programming strategies and funding operations.
FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE :
The United Kingdom’s new Integrated Review includes a commitment to, “Championing global efforts to make global tax systems fairer.”
FORD FOUNDATION:
In From Generosity to Justice: A New Gospel of Wealth articulates a bold vision for philanthropy in the 21st century.
LUMINATE:
Luminate will share its new learning framework at an event exploring new technical innovations in MEL for systems change.
ESSENTIAL READING!
Building on the recent Freedom House and V-Dem reports, now CIVICUS detail the state of civic freedoms around the world. 15 countries have been downgraded, only 10 upgraded.
TOOLS & TRENDS FOR FUNDERS
Loren McArthur shares 5 recommendations to save democracy: fund across geographies, be issue-agnostic, support organizing that bridges racial and ideological divides, invest in groups that are building and accountable to a deep base of active leaders and members, and nurture the financial independence of organizing groups.
Donors who view philanthropy solely through the lens of impact often neglect the ingredients of sustainable social change. This was made abundantly clear to Rona Peligal on a recent trip to meet with human rights activists in Morocco.
Read this new evidence review of the case for unrestricted funding.
FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK
MEDIA MAKERS UNDER THREAT
Paid operatives are being used to muddy media waters and challenge democratic processes around the globe. Case in point, an Israeli disinformation specialist hired to run covert dirty tricks campaigns hacked political advisers close to Kenya’s president, William Ruto, in the run-up to last year’s election.
Taking things a step further, the Venezuelan regime is now using AI generated avatars in place of real newscasters to spread pro-government disinformation.
Real journalists are left taking increasing risks. Carlos F. Chamorro reflects on the challenges of reporting amid a dictatorship in Nicaragua, while Rayan El Amine brings necessary attention to Egypt’s repression of its critics even as the economy crumbles. Three journalists, all women, from Mada Masr, arguably the last independent Egyptian news outlet, have gone on trial for supposedly offending members of parliament, following a corruption investigation.
Smearing journalists is another tactic. In Hungary, an award winning investigative journalism outift is targeted with claims of being “a criminal association of paid agents“ after the government is angered by reporting into how the government spends money to support Hungarians abroad.
What might strengthen journalist freedom? Strengthening media ownership transparency could be a start. Eva Simon wants the European Media Freedom Act to bring more transparency to the sector following a disappointing Court of Justice of the European Union ruling.
ESSENTIAL WATCHING!
In this video, Spaces 4 Change NIgeria discuss theenergy transition in Nigeria’s oil-rich communities. As the country marches towards a low-carbon future, women, young people, and members of communities affected by natural resource extraction seek a transition that is inclusive and equitable.
NEWS ROUNDUP. CLIMATE CHANGE: CORRUPTION, INFORMATION, LITIGATION
Cesar Gamboa says that the greatest enemies to addressing climate change in Peru have been corruption and negligence, but above all, how individual interests are prioritized over the collective interest
Climate Tracker presents eight measures to uncover and avoid climate-related misinformation, as well as digital tools that can help you in this mission
This compilation of articles highlights the opportunity that the Escazú Agreement represents for Latin America and the Caribbean to build better standards of open government, accountability, and more effective tools to participate in environmental decision-making
West Papuan (Indonesia) indigenous defender filed an environmental and land rights lawsuit challenging the plan by a Malaysian-owned palm oil company to clear tens of thousands of hectares of West Papuan forest
JOBS AT TAI MEMBERS
Job postings at Hewlett Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at MacArthur Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at Open Society Foundations - ONGOING
Job postings at Luminate - ONGOING
Job postings at Ford Foundation - ONGOING
Job postings at FCDO - ONGOING
Job postings at Skoll - ONGOING
JOBS LISTINGS
Program Manager, Fiscal Justice, Development and Climate Finance, Open Society Foundations
Program Manager, Fiscal Justice, Open Society Foundations
Finance Director, EarthRights International
Philanthropic Communications Advisor, Porticus
ACE Programme Manager and Deputy Director, University of Birmingham
CALLS / OPPORTUNITIES
2023 Milead Fellows Program for Young African Women Leaders. Application Deadline: Wednesday 22 March 2023
Investigative Journalism Fellowship 2023 - Signature Investigative Journalism Fellowship in Barbados. Virtual sessions April 14th and 18th and in-person sessions April 23rd - 25th. Topics include storyboarding, digital security, mobile journalism, paper trailing, verification techniques and more.
2023 Research Symposium, Data Foundation, deadline March 31, 2023
Video and fine arts competition 2023- Transparency International is calling on young people across the globe to join the anti-corruption movement by submitting a video or artwork on new ways to fight corruption.
Do you need help to launch or improve a participatory program? Apply for expert mentoring support from People Powered.
Oak Foundation seeks a consultant to scope intermediaries based in the Global South to ensure that grant funding gets to the frontlines and with critical grassroots organizations.
Open Society Foundations is looking for a consultant to help with a horizon scan for future work on corporate state capture, specifically on economic issues.
CALENDAR
#PhilanthropyForClimate Case Studies Launch, Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 17:00 CET
Community hangout: Championing the Escazú Agreement in the Caribbean, Thursday 23rd March, 2023, 11 am (Suriname time) | 10 am (Trinidad and Tobago time) | 9 am (Jamaica time) | 8 am (Belize time)
RightsCon, Costa Rica, March 31, 2023.
Ariadne Network’s '2033' Annual Meeting- March 28 – 30, 2023
OECD Global Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, 29-30 March, Paris, 2023
Summit for Democracy, 29-30 March (multiple locations)
Asia in 2050: What role will philanthropy play?” March 30, 2023 - 12:00 UTC (London)
Skoll World Forum, 12-14 April 2023
Open Gov Week 2023 - May 8-12
MyData Conference, May 31 - June 1, Helsinki
Rights Con 2023, June 5-8, 2023
EITI Global Conference, Dakar, June 2023
2023 #ShiftThePower Summit, Bogota, Colombia, December 2023
Michael Jarvis,
TAI's Executive Director
We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or