"A Matter of Principle"
The Federal Development Ministry’s cooperation with civil society
July 16th, 2025
Only about three per cent of the global population live in states where civil society can act independently and operate without restrictions. By contrast, 85 per cent live in counties where civil society is suppressed or only able to act within certain constraints. In an increasing number of countries, the scope for civil society activities is diminishing. We are seeing a shrinking space for civil society (Civil Society Atlas 2023).
A strong civil society is indispensable for Germany’s development policy. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) recognises civil society, in all its facets, as an independent actor. We support the many different roles played by civil society both in non-governmental and official development cooperation: as an advocate of universal human rights, a defender of democracy, a watchdog that monitors state institutions and policies, a global networker and implementer of development cooperation, both in countries of the Global South and in Germany. Depending on the political context and on the objectives and frameworks in place, the primary focus may be on strengthening civil society organisations per se or on their role as effective implementation partners that have adapted to challenging situations.
The BMZ sees cooperation with civil society as part of its mandate to drive forward the 2030 Agenda and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), all the more so during this period of setbacks and radical transitions, while ensuring that nobody is left behind. The BMZ takes responsibility jointly with civil society for understanding global issues, discussing these and hammering out possible solutions. The BMZ now intends to take a new stance on cooperation with civil society, encouraging and supporting partnership-based approaches even more strongly than before.
Feminist principles, actively listening to voices in the states of the Global South, and an honest dialogue based on mutual respect, trust and solidarity are all part of this new stance. Equally, we must consider in more depth the legacies of colonialism, so as to identify possible avenues for structural changes, and to dismantle coloniality in cooperation. Many civil society organisations have already begun work here, and have gained a wealth of practical experience. This paper will address the strategic framework for cooperation between the BMZ and institutionalised civil society, both in Germany and in the Global South. The principles underlying the BMZ’s support for individual civic engagement are laid out in the paper entitled “Engagement weltweit”.
It explains how the BMZ and civil society can persuade even more people in Germany to get involved in development. With the help of this strategy, the BMZ would like to open a new chapter in cooperation with civil society. The objectives and implementation steps set out below are intended to help strengthen civil society in Germany and in the Global South, making it more effective and increasing its independence. The BMZ will work to implement this strategy in the months and years ahead, in close consultation with civil society.
