A core principle of democratic governance is that governments work on behalf of the people they serve, and that those people can engage with government.   

However, many governments do not hold up their end of the bargain. Members of ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ communities, refugees and migrants, and indigenous peoples, amongst others, face structural exclusion from society. For example, they are kept from accessing government, including the public services they need and deserve.  

In addition, too many people worldwide have been systematically and historically excluded from full and active engagement with government, for example by participating in governance, politics, and society. This is exacerbated by more and more governments who increasingly threaten to disempower those who challenge them, and to restrict the expression of dissent by individuals and civil society organisations. 

These dynamics do not exist in a vacuum but are caused and worsened by deeply entrenched unjust power structures which benefit people and institutions who have power, at the expense of those who do not. 

Questions of power, equity, and inclusion are at the heart of civic empowerment.  Luminate works to improve equitable access to effective public services, defend marginalised groups’ ability to be full and active members of society, and protect inclusive participation and dissent. Our work also seeks to challenge and break down the structural inequalities that cause injustice and discrimination.  

We do this by supporting non-profit and for-profit organisations that work in these areas, and that seek to achieve full and meaningful participation in governance, politics, and society by all, not just by a few. Our work focuses on defending and amplifying the voices of those who are excluded, marginalised, and underserved, as well as those actively working to ensure that governments work on behalf of the people they serve. 

With a global remit, we actively fund organisations in Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America,  Southeast Asia,  the United States, and Western Europe. The kind of work we support varies depending on the regional context in which we operate, as barriers to Civic Empowerment can differ from one context to another.