Our work
At Central Asia Solidarity Groups, our overall aim is to encourage a democratic Central Asia with a strong, active, and inclusive civil society that contributes to human rights being respected and social justice achieved.
We work towards this aim through:
1. Long-term development cooperation.
Our approach revolves around establishing enduring partnerships with civil society actors across Central Asia. Working with the rights-based approach, we ensure that our initiatives are attuned to the aspirations and needs of the communities we work with. CAG’s goal is to offer lasting support to our partners while building their capacity required to be sustainable in the long-term. When working with local partners, we tailor our approach to the unique needs of each partner and strive to achieve a balance between institutional support and targeted interventions. Learn more about our development work by visiting this link.
2. Capacity building and organizational development.
Since the establishment of CAG, we have prioritized grassroots activists and individuals who may lack experience in project design, evaluation, or securing funding. Recognizing the need for specific skills and competencies, we work closely with local civil society to ensure they are equipped with necessary expertise in organizational management, thematic, methodological, financial, and security-related capacities. Our aim is to support local civil society in becoming more sustainable and resilient.
3. Information and advocacy work.
CAG is committed to addressing the prevailing lack of awareness about Central Asia in Sweden and on an international level. We strive to reshape perceptions and narratives surrounding the region and drive a positive change in attitudes and behaviors towards Central Asia through dedicated information and advocacy efforts. Our initiatives, including lectures, touring exhibitions, and production of media materials, target various stakeholders such as the general public, academics, grassroots movements, and decision-makers. By bringing together stakeholders from Sweden and representatives from Central Asia, our objective is to influence policy-making processes and foster greater engagement between Swedish civil society and civil society organizations and activists from Central Asia.
4. Exchange programs, residencies, internships, and volunteer service.
Since its foundation, CAG has created opportunities for young people, activists, and youth leaders, from Sweden, Central Asia, and Russia to participate in long-term volunteering activities, residencies, exchanges, and internships. These activities not only offer invaluable learning prospects, but they also strengthen our existing partnerships, as the residencies and internships have always been conducted in close collaboration with our partner organizations.
At the moment, we primarily work within these four thematic areas of activity:
- Democratic youth organizing
- Gender equality
- Security and resilience
- Environment and climate