The Commonwealth Organisation for Social Work (COSW) invites colleagues and partners to join its 2025 Annual Policy Forum on Saturday, 13 September 2025.
At the centre of this year’s forum is the launch of the new report From Fragility to Fortitude: Building Resilient African CSOs in the Wake of the US Government Funding Collapse, authored by Rose Maruru and David Barnard. Drawing on a survey of 364 African CSOs across 42 countries, the report highlights the devastating impact of funding cuts on social services and the urgent need for structural reform.
The survey found that many organisations lost over half of their funding following the collapse of US government support, with severe consequences for communities and essential services. The report outlines four strategic pillars for strengthening resilience: shifting to core funding, building ecosystem infrastructure, fostering co-creation in partnerships, and developing African-designed solutions.
The Policy Forum will feature one of the first global presentations of the report, with contributions from a pan-Commonwealth panel and an open microphone session for participants. The event will provide a unique opportunity to reflect on how social work can respond to global turbulence and ensure that local experiences inform Commonwealth-wide and international debates.
Event details:
📅 Saturday 13 September 2025
🕕 06.00–07.30 or 16.00–17.30 (UTC/GMT)
🌍 Online (Zoom)