The results of the latest assessment of the state of Belarusian civil society have been released. The study was prepared using the international methodology of the Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index — a tool developed by USAID that has been tracking trends and challenges in the development of the civil society sector in Belarus and beyond for 25 years.
This study was prepared within the framework of the Ideas Bank open call for external researchers. This project is funded by the European Union.
The Index evaluates the situation across seven key dimensions:
- Legal environment
- Organizational capacity
- Financial sustainability
- Advocacy
- Service provision
- Sectoral infrastructure
- Public image
The report places particular emphasis on the transnational character of Belarusian civil society after 2020, as well as on the balance between security, visibility, and effectiveness.
In 2024, the overall sustainability score of the sector declined to 6.1 out of 7, indicating a deepening crisis. The space for CSO activity continued to shrink under the pressure of repression, forced liquidations, criminal prosecution, and Belarus’s international isolation. At the same time, the sector remained resilient and adaptive: organizations transformed their modes of operation, sought new funding sources, supported their target groups, and preserved their potential for long-term change.
Read the full analysis.
Download the study
Belarusian Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (PDF)
The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ideas Bank team.