Championing Democracy by Uniting for Political and Civic Participation: Interview with Mr. Hans Joppen

Conversation with TED Network Working Group 2 Co-Chair , Mr. Hans Joppen (The interview was conducted in his personal capacity as Co-chair of the TED WG2 and reflects solely his own views)
Interview by Ellen Van Uytvanck

What were the biggest achievements for TED Working Group (WG) 2 in 2024?

In 2024, the WG2 reached several milestones, with the following being most notable:   

1. Together with ECDPM, WG2 published a Policy Report on EU and Member States’ approaches and options to addressing the shrinking of civic space in partner countries. 
2. WG2 organised a webinar on “Strengthening Local Democratic Resilience - Entry Points for Supporting and Engaging with Local Communities and Actors in Fragile Contexts” on the 4^th of October 2024.

Drawing from data, case studies and TED Network member consultations, the report showcases best practices in supporting civic space offline and online. It also identified opportunities and gaps, suggesting operational options to improve programming and policy implementation, including through joint actions and the TED approach. The exercise highlighted the potential of TED’s approach in supporting addressing democratic regression and the closing of space for civic engagement. 

This analysis aligned closely with Belgium’s interest and prioritisation in safeguarding human rights, particularly in protecting civic space for civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, Caroline Gennez, launched in early 2024 (February), a Civic Space initiative to financially support local, Belgian and International CSOs active in Belgian partner countries. With 10 million euro, organisations in 8 pilot countries - Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Palestine - gained support in protecting human rights defenders, preserving civil and political freedoms, promoting fair elections, ensuring the rule of law and combating impunity and corruption. 

The event gathered WG2 members and representatives from the EU and Member States but most importantly it provided a space to hear from local partners. Thematic leads ALDA and Platforma channelled voices from their local partners and EUDs [Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Haiti] joined sharing the programming challenges they faced as well as opportunities in supporting local actors in ensuring service delivery during crises. 

Participants recommended small-scale, minimally intrusive initiatives, grounded in local realities, emphasising inclusive governance and trust-building through active participation by community leaders, women and youth in decision-making. Having these local perspectives and recommendations included in TED activities is of a great advantage, also for us, as European democratic practitioners, to get a better understanding of the realities on the ground and adapt our programming to them. It also gives TED’s theoretical work a more operational feel. 

In the coming weeks, the WG2 shall focus on deepening the discussion, in ‘Labs,’ on two main entry points with the aim to facilitate the development of joint actions: through mainstreaming democratic values into sector interventions that support local governance and public service delivery on the one hand; and enhancing and evaluating civic space in fragile contexts on the other. 

What are currently the most pressing challenges democratic societies are facing? 

Democratic norms are under attack with governments increasingly consolidating power and bypassing democratic procedures. Electoral manipulation, judicial interference and concentration of media ownership are often tools used to weaken democratic institutions and attack human rights defenders. Governments worldwide have implemented restrictive laws that limit the freedom of assembly, expression and association. Under the pretext of national security, public health, or combating disinformation, authorities are silencing dissent and shrinking the space available for civic engagement. Civil society organisations often face increasing barriers to operate, including legal restrictions, funding limitations and direct harassment. In authoritarian or semi-authoritarian contexts, CSOs are branded as foreign agents or subversive actors. 

The digital sphere, once a platform for free expression and organisation, is also increasingly weaponised. Governments employ surveillance, internet shutdowns and online disinformation campaigns to stifle dissent and monitor activists. Strangely Orwellian. [George Orwell's novel 1984].

Thus, the objective of TED is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices, as well as to promote joint actions to address the aforementioned trends. So, the stronger the synergies we create, like between the TED working groups, the greater the impact we can achieve. 

How can democratic societies respond effectively?

Democracies can counteract shrinking civic space by providing resources, capacity-building and financial support to CSOs and local partners. This also should include enabling secure digital communication, media integrity and creating coalitions to protect human rights defenders at risk. Encouraging civic participation and educating citizens on their rights can strengthen grassroots movements and resilience against authoritarian tendencies. Robust legal frameworks and institutions that safeguard fundamental rights and freedoms are essential and necessary in the fight against democratic backsliding. 

Hence, the growing need for more Team Europe approaches, especially in partner countries.

Through the TED initiative, we aim to not only exchange on experience but also find and build, strategic partnerships with fellow Member States and European institutions. These synergies highlight the potential for a more harmonised Team Europe approach, avoiding fragmented Member State actions. TED plays an important role in mapping and bringing these initiatives forward, allowing us to see possible pathways to joint actions. 

What are the key topics regarding shrinking civic space today?

The WG2’s analysis and dialogue on strengthening civic space highlights the growing issue of shrinking civic space and its detrimental effects on democratic processes. It outlines several key themes that demand coordinated attention to enhance the impact of interventions and support in the field. 

They include: 

• Gender-based challenges for women activists. Women activists face barriers, particularly those advocating for gender equality and minority rights. These activists are often subjected to gender-based violence and harassment, online and offline, which undermines their ability to push for change and politically engage. 
• The role of young activists. Young activists are portrayed as crucial in resisting democratic backsliding. They are leading the charge in various movements such as climate justice, anti-corruption efforts and human rights campaigns, showing a strong commitment to confronting global challenges. They are also agile users of different mediums – such as social media, slam poetry, theatre and art – tools used for self-expression, social commentary and protest. These voices should be given a safe platform to be expressed and heard. 
• Decline in press freedom. The decline of press freedom is acritical indicator of shrinking civic space and public awareness. Journalists increasingly face threats, censorship and violence, making it harder for them to report independently and hold governments accountable.
• Criminalisation of dissent. Laws that criminalise protests, dissent, or criticism of the government represent an alarming threat to democratic freedoms. Such laws effectively stifle citizens’ ability to voice opposition or engage in peaceful activism.
• Technology and social media. The role of social media, surveillance and artificial intelligence in both enabling and limiting civic engagement is an emerging area of concern. While technology can amplify voices and organise movements, it can also be misused by authoritarian regimes to monitor and suppress activists or contribute to disinformation campaigns. This also extends beyond borders, exporting tactics to control dissidence in other countries.

Hence the responsibility of the TED approach and specifically WG2’s work, on civic space and good local democratic governance, in providing a unified response in addressing these interconnected challenges, supporting local actors and strengthen the protection of the fundamental rights that underpin democratic governance. 

Conclusion 

It’s clear that TED is of added value. Through coordinated efforts between the EU, Member States, local civil society and the international community democratic values are actively championed and human rights defenders are empowered with a space to amplify their voices and protect their work. However, to ensure lasting impact, we must remain critical of our own approaches, asses the effectiveness of our democratic support programming and refine the narrative of democracy to make it more inclusive and relevant, especially in fragile contexts. By prioritising and listening to marginalised and local voices we can better align our actions with the realities on the ground. 

WG2 is committed to advancing these priorities through continued exchanges in the coming year, aiming to strengthen coordination and encourage joint actions among the EU, Member States and other key actors in the field.