TAI Weekly

TAI Weekly|World in Turmoil: Building Resilience

By TAI (Role at TAI)

WHAT'S NEW?

Sustainability-linked finance (SLF) is a significant market, but most incentives have been tied to borrowers’ environmental commitments – the “E” in ESG. In TAI's latest blog authors argue that there is untapped potential to encourage companies to be more ambitious on the “G.” The blog also looks at the market and presents six promising areas that could lead to governance indicators in future deals. Stay tuned for a second blog detailing these six areas.

The intersection of rights, environment and crime was the theme of North-South Center Lisbon Forum. Serena Ibrahim, Founder of Youth Against Corruption tells us: "When we initiate education on integrity issues and climate from a very young age, we can foster a community of citizens who are more responsible and aware.”

TAI will be attending a discussion of dirty money’s role in the Amazon's destruction this week. Jorge Santos warns: “If we don’t stop the endless extraction of natural resources, the environmental and climate destruction will continue, and we’ll see more and more authoritarianism because criminalisation and violence are in the DNA of this economic model.” The Guatemala-based watchdog head argues we are at a dangerous moment globally.

“For genuine climate justice, these processes must center a human rights-based approach to climate action and promote accountability for harms caused.” Read Global Witness's urgent call for putting people ahead of polluters as we head toward COP28.

The INTOSAI Working Group on Environmental Auditing stresses the role of supreme audit institutions in strengthening green budgeting, a budgetary planning strategy which evaluates the impact of environmental costs and benefits.

Recent research delves into the role of corruption and societal norms in the context of infrastructure investments and site planning decisions, impacting conservation outcomes.

In a cross-border project, the Government Accountability Project, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and more than a dozen media partners have investigated fugitives, alleged criminals, and politically connected people who purchased citizenship and passports in the Dominica.

Award-winning investigative journalist Sam Cooper reveals the links between Canada’s big banks and Middle East organized crime cells.

Research from Civic Futures is the first comprehensive study of the supply of surveillance technology to African countries, revealing the scale of citizen surveillance and documenting suppliers of the surveillance technology enabling it.

States must urgently take action together against SLAPPs, says the PACE committee.

ESSENTIAL READING

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy is the oldest continuous democracy in the world and the model for the U.S. Founding Fathers in creating the United States Constitution and its representative form of government. A lesser-known and powerful story is that the Haudenosaunee were also the source of inspiration for the Founding Mothers of the Suffrage, movement that sparked the light for women’s rights around the world.

FROM OUR MEMBERS

LUMINATE:

They are seeking proposals for a Regional Partner Support Consultant who will co-design and maintain a program that offers innovative solutions for assessing and delivering support to their Latin American partners. Apply by 30 October.

OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS:

President Mark Malloch-Brown states: “This is the moment for the United Nations Security Council to discover its relevance and save lives. We are on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.”

FORD FOUNDATION:

In places like Brazil, Mexico, and Uganda, in-region technical experts are helping civil society harness the power of technology while mitigating its harms. Learn how groups like Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa, Instituto Nupef, SocialTIC, and other Global South groups are advancing justice through the new Digital Resilience Network.

HEWLETT FOUNDATION:

Is looking for a Program Associate to join their Environment team to support our Western Conservation grantmaking.

TOOLS & TRENDS FOR FUNDERS

In Africa, attacks on women human rights defenders, fueled by anti-gender, transphobic, and homophobic narratives, are pervasive. Leila Hessini & Tsitsi Marylin Midzi urge African philanthropy to stand up for feminist agendas, foster partnerships, and invest in initiatives across the continent.

Dr. Stigmata Tenga, Executive Director of the Africa Philanthropy Network, discusses the challenges faced by CSOs and philanthropic organizations. Difficulties tend to go from registration hurdles to taxation, resource mobilization, government oversight, and policy engagement.

“Feminist activism works”. A new literature review highlights the work of feminist groups in their communities and the importance of supporting these movements.

What’s happening in the world of think tanks internationally? Check out the most recent state of the sector report curated by On Think Tanks.

TOOLS FOR FUNDERS DATABASE

ESSENTIAL LISTENING!

Watch the panel discussion on "An End to Debt Déjà Vu: Building Domestic Accountability" This conversation from the sidelines of the recent IMF/World Bank Annual meetings looks at how to develop a new vision for domestic accountability for public debt.

FOCUSED TOPIC OF THE WEEK

To deal or not to deal with emerging autocracy: The key is “how”

Reflecting on last week’s surprise Polish election result, Anne Applebaum thinks that “nothing is inevitable about the rise of autocracy or the decline of democracy”. She recommends “investing your time in political or civic organization if you want to create change, because sometimes it works”.

For many authors not engaging with authoritarian states is not an option for democratic governments today. International cooperation and coordination are required to deal with many of today’s biggest challenges. But while they may not have a choice about whether to engage, democracies can choose how to, so Nic Cheeseman and Marie-Eve Desrosiers call for a new vision for engagement.  

Why and how do authoritarian regimes look to build dominance in capital cities? Controlling the Capital: Political Dominance in the Urbanizing World is an open-access book looking at how authoritarians deliberately seek to head off potential urban resistance. In related vein, Adrian Gurza Lavalle looks at the role of social control and participation in Brazil.

Senior experts warn that instability driven by climate change could threaten democracies in the future, even though representative governments are best equipped to provide solutions. While current forms of democracy have proven to be ill-equipped to advance effective climate action, eco-authoritarianism is not the answer either. So, what changes are needed to our democratic institutions and processes to solve the crises?

For some good news, USAID, in partnership with Humanity United, awarded a grant of up to $45 million over five years to launch the Powered by the People (PxP) initiative to strengthen the agency, resilience, and efficacy of organizers and citizen-led social movements advancing human rights, social justice, democracy, and inclusive development around the world.

HAVE YOU SEEN OUR PREVIOUS WEEKLIES?

TAI RECOMMENDS!

On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program hosted a conversation with President-Elect Arévalo on how he is navigating the presidential transition and the challenges of corruption and organized crime in Guatemala.

We’d love to hear from you on how we can further improve TAI Weekly to better serve your needs in program management on the transparency, accountability, improved grantmaking and civic space. Please direct your feedback to [email protected] or

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