Ariadne News & Events

ARIADNE’S GREAT RECONNECT 2022: Part conference; part open space; part kitchen, salon, and reunion: you’re invited to join Ariadne’s Great Reconnect in Lille (26–28 April 2022). After two years of working in isolation, our community of social change and human rights funders will reconnect in person for long-awaited conversations. Since our last meeting in Belfast in 2019, we have dealt with the challenge of a global pandemic, heard powerful calls for racial justice, and been faced with growing evidence of the urgency of addressing climate change. How have we faced these changes and challenges, as funders and individuals? What lessons will make us better funders for this decade? What urgent conversations do our field and partners expect us to have? These three days will reconnect us as colleagues, friends, and thought partners. Places are limited. Register now!

WE’RE HIRING! GRANTS AND ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, UK OR EUROPE: We’re looking for a Grants and Engagement Manager to support the network with grant writing and reporting, communications, and managing membership, including tracking membership contributions. The Grants and Engagement Manager is a critical member of the Ariadne team, helping to engage members through various communications tools, including our members-only online portal. We have recently moved to a new platform, and part of the Manager’s job will be to help encourage use of this new technology and manage further improvements to the platform. Ariadne’s income is drawn from a combination of membership contributions, conference fees, and core and project-based grants. The Manager will assist the Ariadne Director with grant writing and reporting, as well as tracking membership contributions and encouraging members to support the network. Click here for the full job description and person specification. The closing date for applications is 5pm GMT on 25^th February.

SOCIAL BASE BUILDING: A NEW APPROACH FOR CSOs TO BECOMING RESILIENT AND IMPACTFUL AMID SHRINKING CIVIC SPACE: Ariadne and Open Society Fund Prague invite you to join a discussion on the Stronger Roots and Social Base Building programmes implemented by Open Society Fund Prague, NIOK Foundation, and others, and supported by Porticus and Open Society Initiative for Europe since 2019. The programmes aim to increase the resilience of CSOs and their networks and strengthen their social capital in Central and Eastern Europe via a complex grant and capacity building support programme. The event will include a presentation of the learnings of Social Base Building in the Visegrad 4 area, followed by an open discussion about the state of and space for civil society in CEE and the ability of CSOs to reflect and represent the public interest and foster change by building on public support. Although the methodology was developed to address challenges facing CSOs in CEE, there are elements that could be replicated in other contexts, and we encourage funders active in other regions to participate. This is a space to share reflections and questions about this approach with a community of donors. Speakers: Ondřej Liška, Porticus; Eszter Szűcs, OSIFE; Robert Basch, OSF Prague. Click here to join us on Thursday 31^st March, 15:00-17:00 CET | 14:00-16:00 GMT | 09:00-11:00 EST.

ARIADNE’S PORTAL: We recently launched Ariadne’s new portal! If you haven’t yet logged in, please do so here (NB: your username is your email address). Need assistance? Take a look at our guide or email portal-help@ariadne-network.eu.

MICRO PORTAL TRAINING SESSIONS: Learn how to use the new Ariadne Portal in this 30-minute training session. Ariadne members are encouraged to join one of these micro training sessions, to find out how to make the most of our new site! To register, click here.

(DIGITAL POWER) OFFICE HOURS: MEET WITH MAYA: Maya Richman, the project lead of Ariadne’s digital power programme, would like to offer ‘office hours’ for Ariadne members. Are you interested in discussing issues related to technology and data and the intersection of human rights? Are you looking for resources to inform your grantmaking but don’t know where to start? Book a 30-minute conversation with Maya here.

*To register for Ariadne events, your institution must be a member organisation of Ariadne. For questions regarding your membership status, please contact us.

New Research, Articles and Judgements

The power of organising: Stories of community organising campaigns from across Europe: Community organising is building democratic civil society in Europe. In an era of intersecting and intensifying crises, it is a proven counterweight to the rise of reactionary forces and an essential ingredient for movements seeking to expand their social base and build the power to win. This study documents the findings of community organisers working in Central and Southeastern Europe, though its lessons are broadly applicable. The stories of organising documented in this report cover a diversity of struggles, from climate work in Poland to Roma rights in Slovakia. From LGBT organising in Romania to mothers building power to pass national legislation in Serbia.

COVID-19 related state of emergency measures: Impact and responses: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, democratic and non-democratic countries have imposed states of emergency in declared and de facto forms. According to the International Center for Non-Profit Law’s COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker, 110 countries have declared a state of emergency since March 2020. The American Bar Association Center for Human Rights undertook this report to analyse the impact of COVID-19 emergency measures on HRDs and explore the responses of HRDs through strategic litigation and other actions to push back against disproportional restrictions related to COVID-19 states of emergency. This report captures the successes and challenges of such strategies.

Addressing possible gaps in the Racial Equality Directive: The European Commission has issued a public consultation as part of its assessment of the Racial Equality Directive, which seeks to identify any possible gaps in the EU legislation protecting people from racial and ethnic discrimination. The deadline for the  consultation is 11^th April.

Key concepts: Human rights and the economy: Human rights provide standards for the material conditions a society should guarantee to everyone. These standards, and the commitments that flow from them, can be leveraged to shift narratives about the economy and shift power in political debates. To help build a new story about what our economies are for and how they can be remade, the Center for Economic and Social Rights has created Key Concepts, a new series of primers made for anyone fighting for economic and social justice and in need of new inspiration and tools to catalyse change.

In search of protection, justice, and the truth: Journalists’ responses to impunity in Mexico and Honduras: This working paper from the University of York summarises a recent study offering a qualitative, comparative, bottom-up exploration of journalists’ responses to impunity for violence against journalists in two Latin American countries where this problem is particularly egregious, Mexico and Honduras.

How we talk about migration: The link between migration narratives, policy, and power: Metropolitan Group, the Migration Policy Institute, the RAND Corporation and National Immigration Forum researched prominent migration narratives in Colombia, Lebanon, Morocco, Sweden, and the United States. The research mapped salient narratives, identified differences, and analysed similarities in migration narratives in very different political and cultural contexts. The research found that the most dominant threat narratives across all five countries are driven by insecurity. Moreover, it found that migration narratives are manipulated and, in some cases, weaponised to advance a wide range of policy objectives that undermine democratic values. Yet, there is a significant gap in positive and effective narratives that can counter harmful and weaponised ones. The report is part of a project examining migration narratives, including why different ones resonate and under what conditions they shift.

Blogs and Other Sites of Interest

Dumitru Ochievschi

ARTICLE: Caring for the changemakers: Funders need to put mental health front and centre: Supporting mental health and emotional well-being for changemakers boosts resilience, retention, and social impact, suggests experience from The Wellbeing Project (co-created by Ashoka, Impact Hub, Porticus, the Skoll Foundation, and the Synergos Institute). This article forms part of Alliance Magazine’s upcoming issue on mental health philanthropy.

AWARDS: 2022 Ashden Awards: The Ashden Awards accelerate climate innovation, helping businesses, charities, governments, and others power up their impact in the UK and low-income nations. Ashden backs organisations that advance social justice while lowering emissions. Winners and finalists enjoy grants, publicity, and priceless new connections – as well as endorsement from globally-recognised climate experts. This year’s Ashden Awards will boost climate innovators transforming the world of work – those delivering roles and skills for the UK’s low-carbon transition and the spread of clean energy around the world or making every job a green job. Applications for the awards are open until 15^th March.

TRAINING SESSION: Learn GDPR: what it is and how to manage data in your charity: Catalyst has published a 2.5hr ‘watch and do’ training session covering GDPR principles, compliance and legal gateways, and tools and techniques for data management. Do it in your own time.

PODCAST: The openDemocracy Show: openDemocracy podcast series Killing the Truth explores the cases of four remarkable journalists who paid the ultimate price for their uncompromising pursuit of the truth. The second episode looks at the life – and death – of Gauri Lankesh, an Indian journalist who spoke out against the rise of right-wing Hindu extremism and stood up for the country’s marginalised people.

WEBSITE: Disability Justice Project: The Disability Justice Project is pairs newer professionals with lived experience of disability from the Global South with mentors/professional journalists in the U.S. In an exchange of ideas and experiences, fellows learn about digital storytelling, while mentors learn about the global disability justice movement from frontline activists – with the goal of incorporating that new understanding into their reporting. This website is the first platform of its kind dedicated to disability justice in the Global South. Its purpose is to build a sustainable media network of persons with disabilities, with collaborators from all over the world.

ARTICLE: Turkey’s broad definition of terrorism does nothing to halt radicalisation: In this article for openDemocracy, Nazlı Özekici and Hasret Dikici Bilgin write how, rather than tackling causes of violent radicalisation, Turkey takes a punitive approach that curtails individual freedom and doesn’t stop attacks.

Do you have a great blog post, case study or podcast you’d like to contribute? We would love to feature it. Contact us.

Grant-Making

Forgotten by funders: An exploratory report on the challenges of resourcing work with and for incarcerated women and girls worldwide: This new report highlights the underfunding of work with and for imprisoned and formerly imprisoned women and girls,  alongside a worrying increase in the global female prison population. The report draws from the survey responses of 34 organisations, most of which are based in the Global South and have women with lived experience of the justice system involved with or leading their work. Calling to donors that fund human rights, women’s rights and/or access to justice, the report concludes that this heavily gendered area of human rights tends to fall through the cracks of donor strategies, including recent Gender Equality Forum pledges. See also, Are funders overlooking incarcerated women and girls?

Healthy Planet, Healthy People: This briefing is for funders who want to better understand the links between human health and environmental issues, and what they can do to create positive benefits for both. It has been designed so funders can either read it as a whole or just focus on the challenges most relevant to them and includes sections on why the intersection between the environment and health matters; environmental challenges and their health impacts; and how to take action. The briefing was sponsored by CIFF and researched and written by New Philanthropy Capital as part of the Environmental Funders Network’s Healthy Planet, Healthy People series.

Do they still need our money? A wave of big-bet grants has left some funders asking whether recipient organisations still “need” their money. That’s always the wrong question, says this article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

The myth of risk: Learn to use conversations about risk to support grantee efforts rather than undermine them with ‘gotchas’, writes Satonya Fair, President and CEO of PEAK Grantmaking in this article for Candid.

Assifero virtual knowledge hub: Assifero has launched a virtual knowledge hub that encompasses a wide variety of resources on Italian, European, and international philanthropy. The centre focuses on several topics, including climate philanthropy, gender and human rights, impact investment, and data philanthropy. It is open to anyone interested in the philanthropic world.

FundAction: Five-year review: FundAction was founded in 2016 by a network of activists and funders to develop and deepen participatory grant-making across Europe. This document is a review of FundAction’s first five years.

Réveil Climat #11 – Carbone & Climat : La Coalition française des fondations pour le Climat organisait le 08 février 2022 son 11ème Réveil Climat “Carbone et Climat”.  Ce fut l’occasion de discuter du rôle central du carbone dans les bouleversements climatiques en cours et les leviers d’actions des fondations sur ce sujet. La Coalition a publié un vidéo de l’événement.

Jobs and Tenders

Advocacy Lead (EU) – Mozilla Foundation: Mozilla Foundation’s Advocacy team is seeking an EU-based campaigner to help design and implement campaigns that advance its goals in this region. Mozilla’s advocacy programme focuses on holding companies accountable for building trustworthy AI and offering users a safe and fair experience online. To do this, the team designs campaigns calling on specific product and policy changes and generates earned media of the organisation’s work to key audiences like policymakers. Location: Remote UK, Berlin Office, or Remote Germany. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Mozilla Foundation is also recruiting for an Advocacy Lead, U.S.

Knowledge & Digital Workplace Officer – Wellspring Philanthropic Fund: Wellspring is looking for a Knowledge and Digital Workplace Officer to deliver its vision for its information, knowledge, and digital workplace by driving engagement across the foundation, encouraging adoption of collaboration and document management tools, and ensuring an experience that is centred on user needs and abilities. Location: Once circumstances allow, staff will work full-time from the NY, U.S. office. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Project Manager, Continuous Improvement – Laudes Foundation: Laudes Foundation is looking for a Project Manager, Continuous Improvement to support the definition, planning and execution of change and improvement projects across the foundations, who are the end-users of our services. These projects aim to achieve an efficient, collaborative, and structured way of working. Deadline for applications: 26^th February.

DFF Student Fellowship – Digital Freedom Fund: The Digital Freedom Fund is looking for a Student Fellow to join its team for a period of 6-8 weeks between 15^th March and 15^th May 2022. This is an opportunity for a current student or recent graduate to improve their skills and knowledge about digital rights while helping DFF to foster social change in the digital context. The Student Fellow will work closely with the legal team and the racial and social justice team to promote the aims and impact of DFF’s work in the digital rights field. Location: Remote. Deadline for applications is 22^nd February.

Traineeships at the FMO – EEA and Norway Grants 2022-2023: The Financial Mechanism Office (FMO) is the secretariat of the EEA Grants and Norway Grants and is affiliated to the European Free Trade Association in Brussels. The FMO is looking to fill 11 traineeship positions. Candidates will be eager to work on overall objectives of the grants to reduce economic and social disparities in the European Economic Area and to strengthen bilateral relations between the Donor States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) and the 15 Beneficiary States in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. Location: Brussels, Belgium. Deadline for applications is 1^st March.

Programme Director – Trust for London: Trust for London is recruiting for a Programme Director who will play a crucial role in setting the future direction of the Trust by co-leading the development of its next five-year funding strategy. The successful candidate will be joining at a time of significant change at the Trust. After the retirement of several long-standing members of staff, the Trust is embarking on the next phase of its journey with a new Chief Executive and Senior Management Team. The Trust is making changes to its systems to enable them to be more efficient, agile, and digital – all with the aim of improving the grantee experience. They are also looking at how they manage their endowment, so that it better supports and reflects its mission. Location: Remote, with around 40% office presence in London, UK. Deadline for applications is 7^th March. Trust for London is also recruiting for a Communications Officer.

Grants Assistant, Education and Learning through the Arts – Paul Hamlyn Foundation: Paul Hamlyn Foundation is looking for a Grants Assistant to work with its Education and Learning through the Arts team, to build and support relationships with a diverse network of grantees, partners, and supporters. The post holder will be the first point of contact for the Arts-based Learning and Teacher Development Funds, including handling and scheduling enquiries calls and updating material as well as provide wide ranging administrative support to the grant making process. Location: Remote, with 40% office presence in London, UK. Deadline for applications is 18^th February.

Project Assistant, Empowering Women in Digital Rights Advocacy – Media Defence: Media Defence is hiring for a Project Assistant to support the organisation in administering the Empowering Women in Digital Rights Advocacy project, which develops legal communities, in particular women lawyers, to defend, promote and strengthen freedom of expression online. The successful candidate’s main responsibilities will be focused on ensuring the smooth organisation and logistics for the litigation surgeries and networking events, which will take place both online and in person. Location: London, UK. Deadline for applications is 20^th February.

Global Grant Administrator – Porticus: Porticus is looking for a Grant Administrator, Global to ensure the quality of the organisation’s grant-making processes and provide support to its grant managers during the entire life cycle of a grant, while maintaining excellent communication and relations with all relevant stakeholders. Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands. Deadline for applications is 20^th February. Porticus is also recruiting for a UK Grant Administrator.

Traineeship for Grant-making Support, Eastern Partnership – European Endowment for Democracy: The European Endowment for Democracy (EED) seeks a trainee for a twelve-month traineeship for its grant-making support (eastern partnership). The trainee will assist in the EED grant-making contractual, financial, and administrative process. Proficiency in Russian language required, in addition to English (proficiency in Ukrainian language would be an asset). Location: Brussels, Belgium. Deadline for applications is 6^th March.

Deputy Director Funding Strategy/Dirprwy Gyfarwyddwr y Strategaeth Ariannu – National Lottery Community Fund: The National Lottery Community Fund is looking for a Deputy Director, Funding Strategy to join its Funding Strategy Directorate Senior team, leading the organisation’s funding across its UK portfolio. This role will have 3 direct reports and a wider team of circa 30 people. The post holder will have accountability for the UK Portfolio’s day-to-day operational delivery and longer-term strategic direction; positively leading the team into its next chapter of growth and development. Location: UK based (flexible). Deadline for applications is 20^th February.

Consultancy (Property Purchases, Effects Framework) – Dreilinden gGmbH: Dreilinden gGmbH invites proposals for a consultancy to develop an effects framework for its property purchase grant portfolio. Over the last three years, Dreilinden has supported property purchases by LGBTQIA* civil society organisations in Bulgaria, Georgia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. The organisation is seeing growing interest from civil society organisations across the Global South and Global East to purchase their own properties. The goal of the consultancy is to develop an effects framework through a participatory process to identify relevant indicators that are useful to grantees and are movement owned. The framework will serve as the primary tool for Dreilinden and other funders to identify the effect on the purchasing organisations and the ecosystem at large. Deadline for applications is 28^th February.

*For more jobs, see the ‘Career Opportunities’ section on the landing page of the Ariadne portal. To address pay gaps in the charity sector, we strongly encourage you to #showthesalary in your job adverts.

Public Meetings

BARCELONA, SPAIN

30^th May – 1^st June
Philea Forum 2022: The night is darkest just before the dawn. Against the backdrop of the greatest crisis faced since World War II, and with just eight years to go to meet the targets set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, there has never been a more opportune time for philanthropic institutions and national associations of donors and foundations to come together as one – with each other and with other sectors. Only by working together can we see the dawn of a new era with sustainable solutions to the complex and interconnected challenges we face regarding health, climate, culture, and inclusion. The Forum will be the first to be organised as a “converged” event, involving foundations and national associations alike. As 2022 marks the Year of European Youth, the Forum will engage participants in a conversation around three overlapping strands, while ensuring the voice of and focus on young people remains a constant throughout: one planet, one health; united in diversity; and culture and creativity catalysing change. This event will take place in Barcelona from 30^th May to 1^st June.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

14^th March
Beyond taboos: How young changemakers are leading the conversation through action: In a world defined by change and uncertainty, talking about health has become primordial, and engaging people in tackling taboo topics, a necessity. Young people around the world are at the forefront of this movement. You are invited to join this event to listen to four empowering young Changemakers – Noor (who works on mental health), Anaïs, Shahad and Caroline (who work on period poverty) – who are creating solutions for the good of all, while pushing others to join in. By going beyond taboos, they are stepping up to shape the conversation on what tomorrow’s world should look like. This event will take place in Brussels on 14^th March.

LISBON, PORTUGAL

21^st – 22^nd April
Philea Research Forum Conference 2022: Foundations, science, and equality – what are the key elements for success? Inequalities in the field of science are on the rise, and the Covid-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the disparities affecting scientists in all disciplines. Across the globe, inequalities are widening, opportunities for those who come from more disadvantaged backgrounds are decreasing and, as a result, research has a reduced pool of people and talent to draw upon. Moreover, inequities come in different forms, depending on gender, geography, or socio-economic backgrounds, making it ever more complex to fully grasp the roots and consequences of this phenomenon. The Research Forum is focusing its biannual conference on this topic, with the aim of fostering an open discussion between the philanthropic players in the field and universities, research institutes, public authorities, and any other stakeholders in this ecosystem. This event will take place in Lisbon from 21^st to 22^nd April. 

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

16^th March
An evening with Vee Kativhu and Malala Yousafzai: At this Guardian Live event, activist Vee Kativhu will discuss her new book, Empowered, with fellow activist Malala Yousafzai. A graduate of both Oxford and Harvard universities, Vee uses her YouTube platform to share tips and advice to help underprivileged and underrepresented people from across the world recognise their own talent and potential. Through her organisation, Empowered By Vee, she works to bridge the gap between academic ability and self-belief. In her new book, Vee draws on the obstacles she has overcome in her own life to inspire and empower other young people. You are invited to join these two inspiring activists, as they talk about the importance of education, equal access and opportunity, and how young people can change the world. This event will take place in person in London, United Kingdom or online on 16^th March.

ONLINE

21^st February
Using human rights as a tool for social justice: Just Fair’s policy and Social Rights Alliance team will host a free interactive online workshop for organisations and activists to explore social justice as a human rights issue and how a human rights – specifically economic, social and cultural rights – based approach can be a powerful tool in campaigning. This event will take place online on 21^st February.

22^nd February
Human Rights and HIV in the digital age: What role for the UN and governments? You are invited to an in-depth discussion on the role of the UN and governments in driving rights-based use of digital technologies for HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights and hear reflections from young people. The Covid-19 pandemic exposed deep-rooted inequalities and systemic weaknesses in health systems. While the potential of digital technologies to support health systems has become evident during the pandemic, access to technology is not equitable, and safety is not a given. For people living with HIV, key populations, women and girls, the online world brings new risks of cyberbullying, extortion, marginalisation, and discrimination. The Digital Health and Rights Project is investigating these issues through in-depth social science research and has new findings from the first country in the study, Kenya. This event will take place online on 22^nd February.

22^nd February
Reforming the Human Rights Act: What does it mean for data? This workshop will explore the proposed changes in the UK government’s Human Rights Act Reform: A Modern Bill of Rights consultation. The Human Rights Act (1998) is a piece of legislation that defines and protects many of our most basic rights and civil liberties today – from the right to life, to freedom from torture. Many pieces of legislation, such as the Equalities Act 2012 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation 2018, are underpinned by the Human Rights Act, so any changes will have potentially far-reaching implications regarding how data is used. This workshop will help participants consider ‘Article 8’ of the Human Rights Act – the ‘right to respect for your private and family life’ – its influence on current data practice and how any changes could affect this, both positively and negatively. The workshop will: highlight relevant questions within the consultation; offer a forum for people to discuss the impacts of the proposed changes; and guide people through responding to the consultation process. This event will take place online on 22^nd February.

23^rd & 24^th February
New authoritarianisms in the contemporary world: A spectre is haunting the world – the spectre of new authoritarianisms. From Brazil to Hungary, from Poland to the Philippines, from India to the United States, a new wave of authoritarian leaders, parties and movements has been undermining democracy from within and threatening its existence. Until quite recently, authoritarianism was a phenomenon identified with the South. Today, however, authoritarian ideologies, movements, and parties, and the threat they pose to democracy, are also very much a feature of politics in the West. This workshop will bring together interested graduate students and post-docs to explore this phenomenon from multiple disciplinary and methodological perspectives. This event will take place online on 23^rd and 24^th February.

ONLINE

24^th February
Logistical lives, humanitarian borders: Managing populations in South-South circulations: Carolina Moulin is Professor at the Center for Regional Planning and Development, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. Professor Moulin works on refugee and migration issues, particularly in South America, and teaches on security, IR theory and global migrations. During this webinar, she will share her paper, which investigates the growing connection between logistical thinking and humanitarian responses in current strategies of managing population movements and organising humanitarian space, particularly in the context of South-South circulations. The paper is based on research conducted between 2018/2021 on lives in displacement and the situation of Venezuelans in Brazil, including fieldwork, qualitative interviews and surveys conducted with agencies and people of Venezuelan origin living in Brazil. This event will take place online on 24^th February.

24^th February
Data on philanthropy – by us, for us: There has been substantial progress towards gathering more complete national data on philanthropy across Europe, and philanthropic organisations are getting a better handle on filling the data void. Philea, in collaboration with the European Research Network on Philanthropy, will host the first webinar of a new series focusing on data on philanthropy in Europe, and how we use it. The webinar will feature national case studies from Ukraine and Serbia. This event will take place online on 24^th February.

24^th February
Participatory grantmaking and when it all hits the fan – Part 2: You are invited to join the Participatory Grantmaking Community of Practice and Maff Potts of Camerados in this session which seeks to allow people to have honest and open conversations about what has gone wrong, normalising failure, and learning from it. Participants will hear and share examples around three questions: What went wrong? What was learnt? What would you do differently next time? This online event will take place on 24^th February. See the Participatory Grantmakers website for other upcoming events.

25^th February
Freedom in the World 2022 report briefing: Global freedom is under threat. Around the world, illiberal actors are accelerating and reconfiguring their attacks in all types of regimes. Join Freedom House for the launch of the new edition of its annual flagship report, Freedom in the World. Since 1973, the Freedom in the World report has assessed the condition of political rights and civil liberties globally. It is now composed of numerical ratings and supporting descriptive texts for 195 countries and 15 territories. This online event will take place on 25^th February.

2^nd March
Peng Shuai and women’s rights in China: You are invited to join Guardian journalist Devika Bhat, joint deputy head of international news, as she chairs a panel to discuss Peng Shuai’s allegation of sexual assault and women’s rights in China. Tennis champion Peng Shuai’s allegation of sexual assault against a former senior leader – and the ongoing uncertainty about what has happened to her since – have cast new light on China’s #MeToo movement, feminism more broadly, and the challenges those face. China’s educated urban women are demanding more, with an energetic feminist movement developing in recent years. But in a system where only men have ever reached the top of politics, and where there is growing official concern about a plummeting birth rate, women face new difficulties: from punitive divorce laws to growing pressure to get married and have children. And with the limited space for dissent and activism continuing to shrink, feminists have been silenced, detained, and disappeared. This event will take place online on 2^nd March.

15^th to 17^th March
Civil Society Days 2022: This year’s civil society conference from the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will bring together citizens, organised civil society and European institutions in an inclusive process to address the major societal challenges the EU faces in shaping its future. Under the overarching topic of The EU as a driver of shared prosperity – civil society for an economy that works for people and the planet, participants will explore how to make Europe more resilient and how to boost the transition towards a more social, green, and digital European economy. Only a just transition can ensure that these processes will benefit the people and the environment, and at the same time increase European prosperity. Such a transition should also defend and promote the EU’s fundamental rights and principles: solidarity and human rights, democracy, social justice, and equality. As advocates, change makers and guardians of the common good, civil society organisations play a crucial role in defending those values. This event will take place online from 15^th to 17^th March.

21^st March
Human rights, pesticide poisoning, and vulnerable populations: Highly hazardous pesticide (HHP) poisoning is a common risk for many in agricultural communities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), affecting people’s lives, health, and human rights. Globally, close to 385 million cases of unintentional pesticide poisonings with 11,000 fatalities happen annually, in addition to 110,000-168,000 intentional fatal pesticide poisonings. Several equality factors make it difficult for people working and living in rural areas in LMICs to protect themselves from HHP poisoning. The negative impact of HHP use on vulnerable communities make a strong case for the human rights-based approach to pesticide management that would result in the application of precautionary principle and the ban of HHPs responsible for poisonings and deaths. This webinar will be dedicated to human rights, pesticide poisoning, and obligations of States and pesticide manufacturers to prevent them. This event will take place online on 21^st March 2022.

18^th to 22^nd April
Data equity boot camp: Are you looking to optimize your understanding and practical ability to assess and improve the equity in data, research, evaluation, analysis, and data products? If so, you are invited to join We All Count for one week of in-depth, hands-on, interactive data equity training. Participants will move from talking about data equity to embedding equity in their data work. This event will take place online from 18^th to 22^nd April. See the website for information on their full range of courses.

VIENNA, AUSTRIA

23^rd to 25^th February
Zero Project Conference 2022: This year, ZeroCon22 will be centred around the theme of Accessibility. As outlined in Article 9 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), accessibility is about ensuring access for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. In line with the UN CRPD definition, ZeroCon22 will be featuring different tracks covering innovations and insights from public transport systems to financial inclusion, corporate strategies to national action plans, and more. 76 Zero Project Awardees of 2022 from 35 countries will be highlighted and recognized for their work in creating and improving Accessibility for all. In addition, key accessibility leaders from Civil Society, Business, ICT, and the Public Sector will share and discuss good practices that help in moving towards a world with zero barriers. This event will take place in Vienna, Austria and online from 23^rd to 25^th February.