For the latest annual CIVICUS report on the state of civil society, Naila Farouky (AFF) outlines the trends in Arab philanthropy the challenges of the region, and the impact on the philanthropic landscape:

In 2015, the landscape of philanthropy in the Arab region looks decidedly different than it did a mere four years ago. To be sure, the practice of philanthropy and charitable giving is not new to the region: in fact, it is so deeply embedded in the culture and fabric of the various societies that make up the 22 country-strong region that it would be difficult to find a point in the region’s history when philanthropy was not widely practised. However, the seemingly sudden surge of geo-political upheaval in the region in 2011, widely known as the ‘Arab Spring’ (although it appears to have a rather perennial momentum), essentially shocked the region into a new reality across all aspects of society, with the philanthropic sector certainly being no exception. Continue reading (PDF).

These 27 guest contributions commissioned by CIVICUS for the State of Civil Society Report 2015 focus on civil society resourcing. The guest inputs discuss a range of funding issues encountered by civil society organisations and activists, including official development assistance and other forms of support from governments, philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and non-financial resources.

Naila Farouky is the CEO & Executive Director of Arab Foundations Forum (AFF). Image via salzburgglobal.org. Download the full report from the WINGS Knowledge Center.