Objectives

Empowering Voices Across the Mediterranean: The Objectives of the Civil Society Facility for the Mediterranean (CSFM)

1. Enhancing Structured Dialogue: The primary objective of the CSFM is to support and enhance the structured dialogue process between the EU and civil society in the Southern Neighbourhood. By promoting regular, planned, and transparent engagement, the CSFM seeks to ensure that civil society can actively participate in shaping policies that affect their communities, enhancing the democratic fabric of societies across the Mediterranean.

2. Strengthening Civil Society’s Influence: CSFM significantly emphasises enabling civil society actors to have a tangible impact on policy and programming. Through structured dialogue efforts, the facility aims to ensure that CSOs are informed about EU policies and instruments, which enable them to engage effectively in EU public policy through the provision of input that enriches and guides EU decision-making processes.

3. Fostering EU and Civil Society Relations: One of the CSFM’s essential objectives is to build open and trusting relationships between EU institutions and civil society actors. By breaking down barriers and fostering mutual understanding, the facility encourages the EU to view civil society as stakeholders and essential partners in pursuing democratic governance and social justice.

4. Creating a Network of Change Agents: The CSFM is committed to connecting actors, exercising both formal and informal forms of civic engagement, with relevant expertise across the Mediterranean, facilitating the exchange of ideas and best practices. By establishing a vibrant community of practice, the initiative seeks to empower individuals and organisations to collaborate on shared challenges, leveraging their collective knowledge to drive positive change.

5. Promoting Inclusive and Effective Policy: A cornerstone of the CSFM’s objectives is to ensure that the structured dialogue process leads to inclusive and effective policy formulation. By integrating civil society insights and recommendations into EU strategies, the facility aims to make policies more responsive to the needs of diverse communities, enhancing the overall impact of EU cooperation in the region.

6. Advocating for Civic Space and Fundamental Freedoms: The CSFM recognises the critical role that a vibrant civic space plays in ensuring healthy democracies. Through its initiatives, the facility seeks to advocate for protecting essential freedoms and supporting civil society’s ability to operate freely and effectively as a cornerstone of democratic governance.