Roundtable Discussion on Prospects for Cooperation Between BRICS Civil Societies Held in Moscow

On May 14, the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation hosted a roundtable discussion organised by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia entitled "Forming a platform for civil society interaction in BRICS countries: institutional mechanisms, best practices, and prospects for joint projects". Held under the auspices of the Civil BRICS Council, the event brought together representatives of the expert community, researchers, and specialists from the non-profit sector.

The central focus of the meeting was the development of a sustainable platform for interaction among BRICS civil societies, the identification of practical mechanisms for cooperation, and the discussion of prospects for joint initiatives. During the roundtable, participants addressed contemporary challenges facing the non-profit sector across BRICS countries, as well as the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in social, economic, and humanitarian development.

In her remarks, Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Russian W20 Sherpa, and Co-Chair of the Russian Chapter of Civil BRICS Council, emphasised the growing role of civil society in shaping the humanitarian and social agenda of BRICS. She also outlined the key priorities for preparations for the 2026 BRICS Civil Forum in India. Particular attention was given to the principles of people-centred development, the localisation of solutions, and the strengthening of horizontal ties between communities across BRICS countries.

Elena Topoleva-Soldunova, Chair of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation Commission on the Development of the Non-Profit Sector, in turn highlighted the importance of fostering sustainable international ties between civil society organisations across BRICS countries and stressed the need for continuous expert dialogue.

The roundtable also featured the presentation of the study "Non-Profit Organisations in BRICS Countries: Sector Structure and Development Trends", prepared at the initiative and with the support of the Civil BRICS Council. The authors analysed open-source data, statistics, specialised publications, and interview materials with representatives of non-profit organisations from BRICS countries.

Ivan Klimov, Senior Research Fellow at the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research at HSE University and Associate Professor at the Department for the Social Institutions Analysis, Faculty of Social Sciences, HSE University, presented the study’s key findings and discussed the comparative analysis of the non-profit sector across BRICS countries. He noted that civil society organisations are becoming increasingly important contributors to social and economic development while simultaneously facing challenges related to financial sustainability, legal regulation, and human resources.

Alexander Zabolotsky, a postgraduate researcher at the Institute of Asian and African Studies of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Head of the Asian Studies Group, and Analyst at the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research at HSE University, dedicated his presentation to the specific features of the development of China’s non-profit sector. He presented data on the scale of the sector, employment levels, and existing institutional constraints, while also identifying promising areas for international cooperation among BRICS organisations.

Anna Ocheret, a Master’s student in the Evidence-Based Education Development programme at HSE University and an expert at the International Laboratory for Applied Network Research, presented the case of India, focusing on the structure and characteristics of the country’s non-profit sector. In her presentation, she highlighted the scale of India’s civil society sector, which includes more than 451,000 active organisations, as well as its growing contribution to the national economy. Ocheret emphasised that the development of Indian civil society is closely linked to the country’s cultural and historical traditions, including the concept of seva—selfless service to society—and Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas of collective social responsibility. Among the priority areas of activity for Indian non-profit organisations, she highlighted education, rural development, healthcare, environmental initiatives, and employment support.

Nikita Anisimov, First Deputy Chair of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation Commission on Sovereignty, Patriotic Projects, and Veteran Support, delivered a presentation on the potential for strengthening relations with non-profit organisations in foreign countries, drawing on examples from Civic Chamber projects. He spoke about existing formats of international engagement, humanitarian and civic initiatives, and underscored the importance of direct contacts between civil society organisations.