The West Africa Civic Space Index, developed under the CiviConnect platform (www.civiconnect.org), represents a significant endeavor to assess and measure the state of civic space across ten countries in the West African region. The countries involved in this project are Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo. This initiative is driven by the imperative to provide a nuanced understanding of the environment in which civil society organizations, activists, and ordinary citizens operate, with a particular emphasis on empowering and promoting the active engagement of youth-led organizations in civil society activities. This aligns with the overarching goals of the CiviConnect platform, which seeks to foster a collaborative environment that upholds and promotes civic freedoms, particularly with a focus on the meaningful participation of youth-led organizations in shaping the civic space landscape.

The project is underpinned by a commitment to fostering an environment that upholds and promotes civic freedoms, including the active engagement of youth organizations in civil society activities. Leveraging a multi-faceted approach, the West Africa Civic Space Index integrates a set of 12 main indicators, each comprising specific component measures and constituent factors. These indicators collectively shed light on the health of civic space, freedom of expression, association, and assembly in the region, aligning with the CiviConnect platform's mission to facilitate meaningful civic engagement and participation.

The West Africa Civic Space Index, in alignment with the CiviConnect platform, seeks to not only evaluate the state of civic space but also to advocate for and inspire citizen engagement, particularly among youth-led organizations, in efforts to expand and safeguard civic space in the region. This initiative resonates with the broader global discourse on the importance of civic space and the imperative to address challenges to civic freedoms, making it a pivotal component of the CiviConnect platform's mission to promote inclusive and participatory civic environments. The platform seeks to connect different actors interested in societal challenges, whether from civil society, the media, academics, or individual activists, to foster information sharing and the creation of alliances. It showcases information about campaigns and mobilizations in West Africa, facilitates collaboration and dialogue between civil society, media, and academics, fosters learning and information sharing on civic space developments and trends in the region. Additionally, the platform aims to increase joint strategic action and advocacy efforts on issues both at national and regional levels and engage influential policy actors, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The findings and insights generated by the West Africa Civic Space Index can be instrumental in driving positive change and improvement in the civic space landscape of the project countries. Indeed, the West Africa Civic Space Index can provide critical assessments of the issues that civil society faces in the region. By utilizing a comprehensive framework and a multi-dimensional approach, the index has the potential to identify areas for improvement and highlight trends in civic space developments, thereby informing strategic action and advocacy efforts at both national and regional levels.

The West Africa Civic Space Index was developed with a robust methodology and data collection strategy to comprehensively assess the state of civic space across ten countries covered by the initiative. The methodology relied on a multi-faceted approach, utilizing a variety of tools to capture the state of civic space in the region. These tools included surveys and questionnaires, interviews, document analysis, crowdsourcing and open-source data, and social media analytics.

Surveys and questionnaires were utilized to engage various stakeholders, including civil society organizations, activists, academics, and the press to gather quantitative data on key indicators related to civic space. This approach allowed for the systematic collection of structured data, providing insights into the perceptions and experiences of individuals and organizations operating within the civic space.

Interviews with experts, activists, academics, and other stakeholders provided valuable qualitative insights and perspectives, enriching the understanding of the state of civic space in the region. These interviews facilitated in-depth discussions and the collection of qualitative data, offering nuanced perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within the civic space landscape.

Document analysis involved the review of key legal documents, policies, reports, and news articles to gather relevant information, especially concerning laws, regulations and latest developments affecting civic space. This method allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework and its impact on civic freedoms, providing a deeper understanding of the regulatory environment within which civil society operates.

Crowdsourcing and open-source data were leveraged to access and aggregate existing data relevant to the indicators. This included data from human rights organizations, research institutions, government reports, and other already available in the public domain ensuring a comprehensive and diverse dataset for analysis.

Social media analytics provided real-time insights into public discourse and complemented the understanding of civic space dynamics in the digital sphere. By monitoring trends, discussions, sentiments, and data related to the indicators on social media platforms, the project gained valuable insights into the evolving public discourse and its implications for civic space.

The comprehensive approach to data collection ensured that both quantitative and qualitative data on key indicators related to civic space were captured. This multi-faceted strategy allowed for a holistic understanding of the state of civic space in the West African region, providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by civil society organizations, activists, and ordinary citizens.

Burkina Faso grapples with significant challenges in its civic space, despite pockets of progress in recent years. The analysis, informed by data from interviews, surveys, and various sources, underscores major restrictions on fundamental dimensions such as freedom of assembly, expression, association, rule of law, and human rights protections. This paints a stark picture of obstacles impeding the realization of civic freedoms.

Ghana stands out as one of the more stable democracies in West Africa, boasting a history of peaceful power transitions and a commitment to civil liberties. However, data from interviews, surveys, and other sources signal persistent challenges in civic space. 

Guinea is a West African nation that has faced political instability and authoritarian rule for much of its history since independence in 1958. The country has experienced two military coups since 2020, further destabilizing its politics. In September 2021, a military junta seized power from President Alpha Condé, who had been controversially elected to a third term in office amid violent protests. The coup leaders dissolved the government, suspended the constitution. Civic space and human rights protections, already strained, faced exacerbated challenges in this tumultuous environment.

Insights from interviews and data unveil that Ivory Coast's civic space encounters some constraints, although advancements have unfolded since the resolution of the political crisis in 2011. Evaluation of 12 vital indicators suggests that Ivory Coast's civic landscape can be labelled as "challenged," exhibiting impediments to freedoms alongside prospects for heightened engagement.

Liberia has navigated strides in rebuilding civic space since the cessation of its civil wars in 2003, yet interviews and surveys signal substantial persisting challenges.

Assessment based the indicators portrays Liberia's civic space as "challenged," embodying hurdles to freedoms alongside potential avenues for heightened engagement.

Mali has faced significant instability and conflict over the past decade, taking a toll on civic space and human rights. Responses from interviews and data indicate Mali's civic space is highly restricted.

Nigeria, the economic and demographic giant of Africa, grapples with formidable challenges in realizing an open civic space, as revealed through interviews and surveys. A detailed examination of the key indicators delineates Nigeria's civic space as " Constricted," marked by severe constraints on the freedoms of assembly, expression, association, and political participation.

Senegal, acknowledged as one of West Africa's enduring democracies with a history of peaceful power transitions since gaining independence in 1960, confronts persistent challenges in its civic space, as illuminated by responses from interviews and surveys.

 Responses from interviews and surveys indicate that civic space in Togo faces severe restrictions and can be characterized as " Constricted ".