BANGKOK, Nov 2 (IPS) – Speaking to IPS on the sidelines of International Civil Society Week in Bangkok (1-5 November), Amitabh Behar, Executive Director of Oxfam International and a passionate advocate for human rights, highlighted his concerns about rising inequality, growing authoritarianism and the misuse of AI and surveillance. Still, he expressed optimism that even as public spaces shrink, young people across Asia are creating meaningful change. He also shared his vision of a just society – a society where power is shared and grassroots movements take the lead.
Excerpts from the interview:
IPS: Well, yes civil society (CS) means to you personally in the current global context?
mustIn an era of grotesque and increasing global inequality, civil society is made up of ordinary people who challenge the elites and the governments elected to serve them. It is the engine that ensures that democracy is not just a formality that takes place in a ballot box every four years.
IPS: What was the role of CS society in the past? How did it evolve? How do you see it in the next decade?
mustDuring Asia’s economic miracle, governments invested in public services, while civil society worked with unions to defend workers’ rights and stand up for communities. Today, with austerity and rising authoritarianism around the world, civil society is stepping in where governments should be but are currently failing. It manages food banks, builds local support networks and defends citizens and workers, even as fundamental freedoms and the right to protest are increasingly under attack.
IPS: What do you see as the biggest challenge facing CS today?
mustA small elite not only controls politics, the media and resources, but also dominates decisions in capitals around the world and manipulates economic policy in their favor. Rising inequality, debt crises and climate disasters make survival even harder for ordinary people, while repressive governments actively silence their voices.
IPS: What is the biggest challenge activists face when it comes to democracy, human rights or inclusion?
must: Authoritarian governments crush dissent and protests with laws, surveillance and intimidation. AI and digital tools are now being used to track and illegally detain protesters, widen inequality and accelerate climate breakdown, while activists risk everything to defend democracy and human rights.
IPS: How can civil society remain resilient in the face of shrinking public spaces or restrictive laws?
must: From protests in Kathmandu to Jakarta, from Dili to Manila, one encouraging theme emerges: the courage, inspiration and resistance of young people. Generation Z-led movements, community networks and grassroots campaigns are creating real change, raising wages, defending workers’ rights, improving services and forcing action on climate disasters. Despite the enormous odds, we will not be silenced. This is our Arab Spring.
IPS: Can you give examples from the past few days that show CS’s work is making a difference? Was the outcome (good or bad) surprising?
mustIn cities across Asia, Generation Z-led protests are raising wages, defending workers’ rights and forcing local authorities to respond to youth unemployment and climate threats.
IPS: In your experience, what makes partnerships between civil society actors most effective?
must: Partnerships work when civil society groups trust each other and put the people most affected at the center. When local networks, youth groups and volunteers work together around community leadership, as in the cyclone responses in Bangladesh for example, decisions are made faster, resources reach the right people and the work makes a real difference.
IPS: How can civil society work with government and the private sector without losing its independence?
must: Civil society can work strategically with governments and businesses if it actually strengthens rather than erodes people’s rights. But when politicians or companies try to co-opt, stage-manage or greenwash their work, civil society can be in danger. Real change only happens when communities set the priorities, not politicians or CEOs.
IPS: What are the biggest strategic choices that civil society organizations now have to make in this increasingly shrinking social space or increasing opposition?
must: When governments are eroding rights across the board, from reproductive freedom, to climate action, to the right to protest, civil society cannot remain in the background. It must fight strategically, defend civic space, support grassroots movements and concentrate power, time and resources where they matter most. The core struggle is inequality, the root of almost every form of injustice. Addressing it head-on is the most strategic way to advance justice across the board.
IPS: What types of alliances (across sectors or regions) do you think are most important for expanding citizen action in the coming years?
must: The alliances that matter are the ones that actually shift power and resources away from the elites. Young people, women, indigenous communities and workers connecting across countries are showing governments and companies that they cannot ignore them. When those on the front lines connect to the wider world, people’s movements are no longer small and they begin to change the rules for everyone.
IPS: How can marginalized voices actually be involved in collective action?
must: Marginalized voices are not there to check a box or make up the numbers. At venues like this year’s COP in Brazil, they should take the lead. Indigenous peoples, women and frontline communities suffer the consequences of rampant inequality every day in every conceivable way. It’s time we put them at the table and let them make the decisions that affect their lives.
IPS: Do emerging technologies or digital tools shape the work of CS? How? Mention both the opportunities and the risks.
must: Across Asia, Gen-Z activists are leading protests against inequality and youth unemployment, using digital tools to mobilize, amplify and organize. But AI and intrusive surveillance now track every post and monitor every march, giving governments even more powers to violently pressure civil society.
IPS: How do you balance optimism and realism when faced with current social and political challenges?
must: I am optimistic because I see that ordinary people, especially young people, refuse to accept injustice. They strike, protest and build communities that protect each other. But we must also be realistic about the challenge. Obscene levels of inequality, worsening climate disasters and repressive governments make change difficult. But time and time again, when people rise up together, they begin to bend the rules in their favor and force the powerful to take action.
IPS: What advice would you give to young activists entering this space?
must: Keep your fire, but keep an eye on yourself. Fighting for justice is exhausting and the challenges can seem endless. Take care of your mental health, lean on your community, and celebrate the small victories that energize you for the next challenge. The fight is long, and by staying strong, rested, and connected, you can continue to make a difference.
IPS: If you could summarize your vision for a just and inclusive society in one sentence, what would it be?
mustA just and inclusive society is one in which the powerful cannot manipulate the rules, the most vulnerable set the agenda, and justice runs through every policy.
IPS UN office report
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