To view a copy of the guide in Arabic, click here.
“There is strength in numbers.”
The adage summarizes precisely why civil society institutions should strive to build or join coalitions. In order to achieve goals that cannot be achieved alone, civil society organizations must take advantage of coalitions that can enhance the power and influence of individual organizations in advocating for policy change or reform. Coalitions can also serve as a bridge between various actors in a particular field, as evidenced by the increasingly important role that civil society organizations play in key partnerships with international development agencies and NGOs.
Nonetheless, building coalitions on the practical level can pose problems and challenges. It is therefore important to explain and simplify the characteristics of civil society coalitions and identify best practices for the effective management of a coalition. This guide will therefore seek to define and simplify the concepts of coalition-building and present the steps for building a successful coalition and ensuring its sustainability.
