Adjust, Resist, or Disband: How Does Civil Society Respond to Repression in Zambia?

Zambia has a large and active civil society, consisting of secular non-governmental organizations carrying out rights-based and development activities, in addition to church groups and trade unions. However, in recent years, the Zambian government has closed the political space for civil society actors, reflecting a wider downturn in national respect for political and civil liberties. How is this trend in increased political repression impacting domestic and international civil society organizations (CSOs) operating in the country? This paper investigates the effects of closing civil society space in Zambia, and reveals some of the strategies that CSOs employ to survive.