In the difficult context of political uncertainty and violence, Libyan citizens groups remain committed to improve living conditions and foster a culture of dialogue, cooperation and institutional development at the local level.
On 3 and 4 July, the coalition of 12 civil society organisations from different regions of Libya met in Tripoli for the second time to exchange their experiences and to share ideas for future projects. Over the past months, the member organisations have gained extensive hands-on experience and knowledge in how to run their work, which ranges from local human rights promotion, democratic education, and empowering women in society, to local governance and transitional justice.
Apart from developing new individual activities, the coalition members discussed closer cooperation and the implementation of joint projects across the regions. Among the topics addressed was the use of (social) media for advocacy and outreach purposes and the possibilities of expanding public presence of civil society actors through TV. Notwithstanding the challenges, several organisations reported progress in building trust with municipal institutions.
The project is funded by the Dutch Foreign Ministry.