DENIVA is a member of HoACS Forum which is a regional network of Civil Society Organisations that are working to monitor and expand civic space in the countries in which the network operates. The forum is composed of representatives from ten(10) countries; Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda.
The HoACS Forum was founded in March 2016 in response to the diminishing civic space for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Greater HoA region and the repressive legislative environment that characterises almost all the countries represented in the Forum. This particularly impacts those CSOs that are actively working to promote good governance, respect for human rights and democracy in their respective countries.
HoACS Forum is governed by a steering committee that is made up of representatives of CSOs from each of the countries.
The Objectives of the Forum are to:
- Undertake advocacy and lobbying at national, regional and international levels.
- Produce the “Horn of Africa Watch,” a periodic bulletin that provides information on civic space in the region
- Engage in solidarity campaigns with civil society in the region
The Secretariat is hosted by Al Khatim Adlan for Enlightenment and Human Development (KACE). KACE is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation. It undertakes research and campaigns on issues pertaining to peace, human rights and democratic transformation. KACE was based in Khartoum, Sudan until it was shut down by the Authorities in 2012 and is now operating in the region.
