The Mapping and Needs Diagnosis Summary Report, Holding the Line: What Civil Society Needs to Stay Resilient Amid Democratic Backsliding, takes a closer look at these realities. It explores what civil society actors need to continue their work, strengthen their organizations, and respond to today’s challenges in practical and sustainable ways.
The report was developed as part of the Regional Support Mechanism EECA initiative, implemented by Metamorphosis Foundation and TechSoup’s Digital Activism Program team, in partnership with CIVICUS and under the Digital Democracy Initiative (DDI) that covers the Global South.
Coordinated by TechSoup’s Digital Activism Program team together with regional experts and researchers, the Mapping and Needs Diagnosis focused on civic space, organizational sustainability, communication capacity, digital inclusion, digital security, countering disinformation, AI adoption, and emerging opportunities for civic resilience.
The findings are based on desk research and semi-structured interviews with civil society actors, including CSO staff, activists, researchers, experts, and practitioners across 13 countries in the region.
What does the report explore?
The publication brings together insights from country reports across the Western Balkans, the Black Sea region, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. It covers Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.
It highlights shared challenges, local differences, and the kinds of support civil society actors say they need most. It also points to areas where resilience is already taking shape, from youth-led civic action and informal networks to cross-regional collaboration, digital practices, and new approaches to communication and community engagement.
Who is it for?
This report is for people and organizations working in and with civil society, including activists, CSO staff, trainers, researchers, practitioners, and experts, as well as philanthropists or donors.
It is for those of us who are navigating similar pressures in our own contexts or want to better understand civil society’s perspectives from Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
What are the next steps?
These findings will inform the capacity-building and other non-financial support activities run by TechSoup within the Regional Support Mechanism EECA initiative.
The report is therefore not only a summary of CSO gaps and needs. It is a step toward relevant training design, peer learning and networking, expert support, and practical educational resources built around what civil society actors in the region say they need.
👉 Read the full report and get all the insights from the region:
