A Shrinking Space for Participation? Measuring the Participation of Civil Society Organisations in Abkhazia

Abstract

In the literature, civil society organisations (CSOs) are often considered to be a crucial bridge between the state and citizens, ensuring that diverse voices are heard while the government is held accountable. However, little is known about CSO participation in contexts of prolonged contested statehood, as exemplified by the case of Abkhazia. Research has primarily focused on internal and external (geo)political dynamics related to Abkhazia, often overlooking the extent to which Abkhazian Civil Society Organisations (ACSOs) engage in decision-making and contribute to governance through activist or service-provision work. Our article addresses this gap by assessing ACSO participation using the Council of Europe Index on Civil Society Participation, which categorises engagement on a scale from low to high across four levels: information, consultation, dialogue, and partnership. We surveyed 32 ACSO representatives, enabling us to examine the current-day agency, impact, and influence of ACSOs. Combined with interviews and archival research, this approach provides a time-sensitive perspective on the evolution of CSO participation in Abkhazia, while also accounting for sectoral differentiation. Our study contributes to the body of literature on civil society participation in governance structures, highlighting the factors, extent, and evolution of this participation. The findings show that Abkhazian CSOs do not engage equally in participation, with most involvement confined to the ‘information‘ stage, implying limited cooperation with authorities amid a shrinking space for participation.