The chair of Beweging.net, Julie Hendrickx Devos, has called for stronger support for an autonomous civil society, describing it as crucial for a just and democratic society during her first New Year speech on Saturday.
Hendrickx Devos expressed concern over mounting pressure on civil society organisations. She criticised what she described as deliberate reductions in funding and space, warning that such actions threaten both the organisations and democracy itself. “Civil society is the DNA of our society. Attacks on it are attacks on all of us and on our democracy,” she said.
She pointed specifically to recent reforms in social policy, labour law, and taxes, noting that many of these measures impact vulnerable groups the most. Hendrickx Devos underscored the need for balance, saying, “It seems we increasingly have to ‘work to live’, but must we not be allowed to be more than just working individuals?”
The chair also highlighted the importance of caring for young people, who she believes are too often overlooked. “It takes a village to raise a child. But the village, the community we could rely on in difficult times, is disappearing.” She called for more focus on vulnerable children and a renewed network of support around the youth.
Saturday also marked Beweging.net’s first congress in ten years, attended by hundreds of representatives from its partner organisations, including ACV, CM, Familiehulp, Femma, KAJ, OKRA, Pax Christi, and Welzijnszorg. The organisation, which boasts 157,000 volunteers and over 4.5 million members, set its strategic vision for the coming years.
Beweging.net plans to prioritise four areas: empowering a strong civil society, fostering connections within neighbourhoods and communities, investing socially and encouraging societal innovation, and achieving a socially just climate transition.
