What are the Forus working groups? 

The Forus network relies on the collective knowledge and expertise of its members to create a more effective civil society around the globe. For this reason, the network currently runs various working groups on issues that have been identified as key to civil society organisations - such as the promotion of an enabling environment for civil society, local power, communications, financing for sustainable development, digital governance and the Agenda 2030.

Meetings are regularly enriched by guest experts, activists, journalists and partners, sharing their experiences on issues ranging from digitalisation and how be effective on social media, to strategies on civil society funding and much more. All meetings have professional simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish provided by the Forus Interpreters & Translators Pool in order to "communicate across borders" and to enable the active participation & inclusion of all members. Forus working groups are safe spaces for members only, with the exception of ComsForUs which is open to all. Are you a Forus member and want to join a working group?

Agenda 2030  

The Agenda 2030 working group provides Forus members with an opportunity to engage in peer exchange and to develop their capacities to monitor and implement the SDGs at national & regional levels. The working group also invites external experts to advise on how to provide effective inputs into Voluntary National Review processes and Civil Society Shadow/Parallel Reports. The discussions of this group also help to guide Forus members on how engage more effectively with important international and regional forums such as Regional Sustainable Development Forums and with the UN High Level Political Forum. This working group also helps to support the development of an annual Forus SDG 17 advocacy publication.  

Enabling Environment 

The Enabling Environment working group brings together Forus members who are interested in learning more about how to promote and protect an enabling operating environment for civil society at local, national, regional, and global levels. It promotes peer exchange between members and invites external speakers - such as other civil society organisations, grassroot movements and activists - to share their experience and knowledge. Issues covered include civic space - both online and increasingly more offline - as well as the creation of alternative narratives on the work of civil society. This working group also looks at sustainable & predictable funding for civil society organisations, access to high quality capacity development, overall relations with governments and opportunities for civil society organisations to have a seat at the decision-making table at local, national, regional & global levels. This working group also helps to support the development of Forus advocacy publication and to share knowledge and strategies from the EU SEE project of which Forus is a consortium partner and with several members involved. Funded by the European Union, the program brings together civil society organisations from 86 countries to monitor their civic space, give early warnings of restrictions, and identify opportunities.

Financing for Development 

The Forus Financing for Development working group brings together members interested in influencing the international financial architecture to better support poverty eradication, social justice, climate action and more sustainable models of development. These working group meetings promote peer exchange & learning and support members to identify important national regional and international policy & advocacy moments which they can positively influence. External experts are invited to address meetings and help to raise member awareness about important international Financing for development processes including Finance in Common, World Bank & IMF processes, G20 & G7 Summits, ODA trends, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, amongst others.  

ComsForUs  

This Forus working group brings together members and communication experts interested in sharing resources, experiences and ideas on the ever-changing world of communication. The objective of the ComsForUs workshops is to share experiences and develop capacities in order to find synergies within and beyond the Forus network. Topics that are explored in the working group meetings range from the creation of digital & multimedia content to the development of communication strategies and much more. We rely on the knowledge of the network, and we invite journalists, creators, activists and communications professionals to share tips and innovative practices.  

Local Power

The Local Power Working Group brings together Forus members dedicated to challenging and transforming power dynamics within civil society. This group creates new forms of collaboration and solidarity between Global North and Global Majority platforms to promote locally-led development and equitable partnerships. Members work collectively to identify systemic challenges and co-create strategies that shift powers to local actors, ensuring their leadership in decision-making and resource allocation. The group also serves as a space to share practical tools, exchange experiences, and develop actionable solutions that support a more balanced, inclusive, and sustainable approach to global cooperation. Through regular discussions enriched by case studies and external expertise, the Local Power Working Group drives efforts to decolonise development, support local voices, and advance meaningful, locally-driven change.

Digital Governance and Rights

As part of the CADE (Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment) project and it's #Let's Talk Digital campaign, Forus actively engages in promoting digital rights and creates opportunities for its members and partners to participate in digital governance and influence policy development. This Working Group supports members' capacity in digitalisation and governance, facilitates knowledge exchange, and addresses shared challenges across the network. Activities include webinars on emerging technology, internet governance forums event preparation, and guided learning, with outputs such as contributions to multi-stakeholder digital policy processes, reports, campaigns, member-led articles.