ECNL has spent over a decade supporting civil society organisations (CSOs) and human rights activists operating in restrictive environments or forced into exile due to threats to their safety and freedom. A growing concern for these groups is how they can access financial services, from opening bank accounts to transferring funds or facing account closures.
To better understand these issues and explore possible solutions, ECNL conducted a comprehensive survey of CSOs’ and activists’ experiences with both traditional banks and alternative financial service providers (non-traditional banking and financial solutions, such as online payment systems or cryptocurrency). The results are presented in two reports. The first report focuses on CSOs' access to financial services, and this new report highlights key findings related to personal banking, the main challenges activists face, and recommendations for improving access to financial services for activists on the move.
Key takeaways and ways forward
The new report shows the complex reality faced by activists working in exile, especially since they often move to a different country than where their CSO is based or has relocated to. Other findings include:
- Traditional banking services appear to be less attractive for individuals than for CSOs in long-term relocation or exile. Based on our results, only 55% of activists attempted to open an account with a traditional bank, in comparison with 74% of the CSO respondents.
- Activists reported fewer challenges with opening a personal bank account than CSOs (27% of individuals in comparison with 52% of CSOs), but some issues still persist. Most commonly, they are connected with the eligibility requirements of the activists, often linked to their legal status in the country.
- Activists were more likely than CSOs to use other financial services to access, transfer, and receive funds: 75% of activists used these services, compared to around half of the CSOs.
- Many activists used other financial services because of the issues with traditional banking. The activists consider them to be a good alternative as they are easier to access and are more privacy-friendly, which is extremely important for activists' safety.
Moving forward, to support activists associated with CSOs in involuntary relocation and exile, it is key to follow the joint roadmap outlined in the report focusing on CSOs’ access to financial services. In particular, cooperation among decision-makers, bank associations and CSOs is essential. Equally important are resources to guide activists in exile or involuntary relocation to navigate the situation and find alternative scenarios to continue their work - including access to financial services.
We would like to thank all our partners who helped with consultations or sharing our survey, including International Partnership for Human Rights, People in Need, Open Society Foundations, International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Protect Defenders, Araminta Advisers, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, The Sigrid Rausing Trust, Ford Foundation, Front Line Defenders, Protection International, Oxfam, Human Security Collective, Charity & Security Network, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Apatride Network, and Justice & Peace Netherlands.