In recent years, the Asia-Pacific region has witnessed an alarming trend: the shrinking of civic spaces. This poses significant challenges not only at the regional level but also has far-reaching implications nationally. A recent press statement from the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM), along with insights from key civil society leaders, underscores the urgency of defending civic spaces to reclaim the development agenda for the people.
On February 26, 2025, over 140 civil society representatives gathered in Bangkok, Thailand for the Asia Pacific Peoples’ Forum on Sustainable Development. They adopted a collective statement titled Reclaiming the Development Agenda for the People, Advancing Development Justice in Asia and the Pacific. APRCEM, a key facilitator of civil society engagement, also participated in the 12th Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) and highlighted the crucial role and contributions of civil society.
In its press statement, APRCEM emphasized the need to defend civic spaces and resist censorship and reprisals at regional and global levels. It also called attention to the harassment and threats faced by human rights defenders at local and national levels.
One recent incident illustrates this repression: a side-event organized by Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), International Labour Organization (ILO) and APRCEM was requested to be canceled due to the use of human rights language. The event aimed to launch a regional report presenting evidence of 10 years of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation in Asia and the Pacific, including grassroots stories and a feminist accountability map.
April Porteria, Programme Officer from APWLD, shed light on the broader implications of such censorship. “The cancellation of our side-event sends a chilling message,” she said. “If member states can instruct the cancellation of events at the regional level, it heightens surveillance, threats and harassment at the national level,” she added.
“We pushed back against what we see as clear censorship. After consulting with our co-organizers, we decided to pull out of the side-event entirely. We refuse to hold the event under such conditions,” Porteria explained. She then added that they had been sending letters of concern to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) but had not received a clear and acceptable response.
“The implications are severe,” she continued. “The very reason APRCEM was created is because of the challenges people’s organizations face at the national level. Many are excluded from Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) or other processes. The regional platform is meant to elevate these voices. If even this space is threatened, it exacerbates repression at the national level,” she said.
Maria Jennifer Guste of the Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) highlighted how shrinking civic spaces undermine national-level civil society engagement. She noted that authoritarian governments, often backed by imperialist developed countries and local elites, suppress critical voices and curb civic spaces. “The attacks on civic spaces are not just a resurgence but a blatant assault, especially during economic and health crises,” Guste stated. She also pointed out the discriminatory impact on women, who form the majority of development workers. “These attacks on women as development actors are contrary to the goals of gender equality and non-discrimination,” she remarked.
Cham Perez from the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) emphasized the need for civil society to consolidate its ranks and push back against shrinking civic spaces. “Reclaiming development starts at the communities where we work,” she asserted. “It’s important to share what has happened here and consolidate our ranks at the regional level. We need to be ready for the lead-up to the High-Level Political Forum and other processes,” Perez stressed.
As APRCEM aptly reminds us, the UN Charter begins with We, the People. Civil society must claim its rightful space in shaping the development agenda.
In the face of multiple crises, governments must listen to grassroots and marginalized communities. Genuine sustainable development can only be achieved through democratic deliberations that recognize and address systemic barriers. Civil society organizations play a crucial role in this process and their engagement must be free from censorship, discrimination, or violence.
The shrinking of civic spaces in the Asia-Pacific region is a dire warning of the broader challenges faced by civil society at the national level. It is a call to action for governments to respect, protect and fulfill the rights of civil society and people’s organizations to participate in decision-making processes.
As we continue to advocate for development justice, it is essential to remember that change begins with us. By uniting and asserting our rights, we can reclaim our spaces and drive the genuine transformation needed for a just and sustainable future.
Development Justice Now! is not just a slogan but a clarion call for action.