Is the trend to restrict civil society, visible in Russia and neighboring countries, getting worse?  In some of the countries of the former communist world, it has become more difficult for civil society to operate freely, while in others, civil society plays a strong role promoting reform and responding to regional challenges. These are just some of the divergent trends identified in USAID’s 2015 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (CSOSI*), which assesses the health of the civil society sector against key indicators in 24 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia.   

Practitioners and scholars will discuss these trends, what it means for civil society leaders and activists in these countries, and what can be done to put civil society in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia on a more secure and sustainable path.

*USAID, in cooperation with Management Systems International, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, and civil society partners in 24 participating countries, has released the 2015 CSOSI for Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. The index, now in its 19th year, assesses the sustainability of the enabling environment for civil society, focusing on key indicators in the legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure, and public image.