The World Movement, in partnership with the Georgian Foundation for Strategic International Studies (GFSIS), will facilitate a meeting in October 2017 to help civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Eurasia region defend themselves from charges that their work undermines social cohesion and moral order. It will reflect on cultural and historic contexts within the countries represented at the meeting; consider how these contexts co-opted by authoritarian regimes; and identify counter narratives that promote democracy based traditional and local values. 

Background:

In authoritarian countries throughout the world, democracy and human rights are presented by anti-democracy influencers as being opposed to “traditional values.” This perceived conflict is exploited by governments to brand pro-democracy activists and human rights defenders “foreign agents” who seek to destroy the moral and cultural underpinnings of their societies. They do so to silence independent voices and illuminate political competition. This is particularly evident in Eurasia, where Russian-backed efforts systematically co-opt notions of traditional and local values to suppress calls for inclusive, accountable and equitable governance.

Such fears are unfounded. For democracy to succeeded, in fact, it must be rooted in local culture and institutions and must have popular support. It is therefore important for democrats to reconcile this perceived tension and demonstrate that democratic norms are compatible with the values of their communities. They must also incorporate traditional values in their programs to ensure they are credible and impactful. By developing counter narratives that reconcile these tensions, civil society will more effectively push back on authoritarian regimes that exploit “local values” for their own narrow purposes.