Shrinking or Shifting? – the closing of civil society space in five countries in Southern Africa

By Ronald Wesso

The paper Shrinking or shifting gives an overview of the research process and findings of an investigation in 2017 into the shrinkage of space for civil society organisations (CSOs) in five countries in Southern Africa, namely Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The study was commissioned by Africa Groups of Sweden (AGS), a Swedish CSO focusing on mobilising solidarity and support in Sweden for CSOs and popular movements in Southern Africa. The work of AGS and its partners has therefore provided the framework for the study. It was completed in December 2017.