Resilient Societies

What Resilient Societies does

Resilient Societies is a Canadian-registered nonprofit, founded in November 2023 by Maiwand Rahyab and incubated under Cooperation Canada in Ottawa. It serves democracy activists and human rights defenders operating in closed or closing civic spaces, with explicit programmatic focus on Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Ukraine, Turkey, and Georgia alongside a Canadian diaspora constituency. The organization's value proposition is grounded in the founder's lived exile experience and a board that includes internationally recognized figures such as Dr. Sima Samar, positioning it as activist-led rather than externally imposed.

Its core programs comprise research (including the "Struggle Across Borders" publication), advocacy, capacity building, and convening. The flagship operational products are the Resilience Network (launched in Toronto in December 2024) for cross-border connection among diaspora and frontline actors, the Vision 2035 global civic space roadmap, the inaugural Ottawa Civic Space Summit planned for April 2026, and the "Advancing Research from the Frontlines of Repression" grant initiative running November 2025 through March 2026. Technology is human-coordination intensive; no proprietary digital platform or AI/ML capability was disclosed.

The business model is nonprofit grant-funded. Confirmed inflows include a multi-year $300,000 CAD grant from the Euphrosine Foundation (announced November 2025) and approximately $64,000 CAD from IDRC for research projects, with Cooperation Canada providing fiscal sponsorship and operational infrastructure. Distribution occurs through institutional partnerships (Equitas, Journalists for Human Rights, IDRC, Euphrosine Foundation) and convening events, with no commercial pricing, service fees, or transaction-based revenue.

Name

Resilient Societies

Legal name

Resilient Societies

Website

https://rsocieties.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Resilient Societies is a Canadian nonprofit that supports democracy activists and human rights defenders from closed or closing civic spaces through research, advocacy, capacity building, the Resilience Network, and the Vision 2035 roadmap.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Space Protection and Human Rights Advocacy

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPADAGAD

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Human Rights, Democracy & Governance

SECONDARYBPAGAFAJ

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYBPADAFAL

Post-Conflict Recovery, Reconciliation & Social Cohesion Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Peacekeeping, Conflict Resolution & Security Cooperation

Keywords

• Civic space protection
• Human rights advocacy
• Democracy support
• Activist capacity building
• Civil society research

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Resilient Societies receives multi-year grants from foundations to advance its mission. In November 2025, a $300,000 multi-year grant was announced from the Euphrosine Foundation to strengthen Canada's civic space and democratic ecosystem.
2. Strategic Incubation Support: During its incubation phase through Cooperation Canada, the organization receives administrative support, technical assistance including fundraising support, and access to networks within civil society, international cooperation, and Canada's policy context.
3. Research Grants: Funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the organization conducts research on civic space and exiled activists, including grants of up to CAD 8000 per research project for the 'Advancing Research from the Frontlines of Repression' initiative.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Resilient Societies is an activist-led nonprofit hub that empowers democracy activists and human rights defenders from closed and closing civic spaces to rebuild agency, voice, and relevance. It delivers a portfolio of programs including research, advocacy, capacity building, the Resilience Network for exiled advocates, the Ottawa Civic Space Summit, and the Vision 2035 global initiative, connecting activists across borders with allies, resources, and policy influence.

Product overview

Resilient Societies is an activist-led hub providing support and creating spaces for grassroots networks of human rights defenders and democracy activists. The organization operates through a portfolio of interconnected programs: Vision 2035 (a global initiative for civic space roadmap development), the Ottawa Civic Space Summit (annual global convening platform), Research Program (credible research on civil society support needs), Advocacy Program (coalition-building platforms), Capacity Building Program (safe access to resources), the Resilience Network (support for exiled activists), and Publications (research reports). These programs work together to protect civic space, strengthen democracy, and empower human rights defenders from closed and closing environments worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vision 2035 A global initiative to develop a shared, forward-looking roadmap for civic space over the next decade, engaging civil society, funders, policymakers, and communities to anticipate emerging risks and identify strategies.
• Ottawa Civic Space Summit Annual global convening platform that brings together civil society leaders, civic space activists, governments, donors, media, academics, and private sector allies to defend, reclaim, and reimagine civic space.
• Research Program Conducts and disseminates credible research on civil society's support needs, examining activists and human rights defenders in closing and closed spaces.
• Advocacy Program Builds network and coalition-building platforms across multiple countries, regions, and themes to enhance the power and agency of activists in influencing policies for protecting civic space.
• Capacity Building Program Fosters resilience, agency, and relevance of civil society organizations and activists in closed and repressive spaces by enabling safe access to resources and expertise.
• Resilience Network A global initiative that empowers exiled democracy, civil society, and human rights advocates to continue their advocacy and civic engagement in a safe and supportive environment.
• Publications Research publications including the 'Struggle Across Borders' report on the experience and needs of exiled activists and human rights defenders, funded by IDRC.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Struggle Across Borders report provided insights from 27 civic space activists from 12 countries on adaptation needs, risks of activism, and capacity building requirements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, core/flagship and supporting.

• Journalists for Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Proud partner supporting the Toronto launch of the Resilience Network. JHR has seen firsthand the powerful impact of supporting international journalists to regain their ability to report on their countries of origin.
• Cooperation Canadacore/flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Strategic incubation partnership beginning in 2023. Cooperation Canada provides administrative support, technical assistance including fundraising support, and access to networks within civil society and Canada's policy context. RS operates as an independent entity while leveraging Cooperation Canada's infrastructure and expertise during its incubation phase.
• EquitascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the Resilience Network initiative. Equitas supports the network through human rights education and is committed to supporting exiled human rights defenders as they strive to strengthen community resilience.
• Global Centre for PluralismsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the official launch event of Resilient Societies on November 30, 2023. The Global Centre for Pluralism is recognized for its work in supporting efforts towards the preservation and protection of civic space.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Frontline Defenders: An Irish-based international organization that provides rapid response support, grants, and security assistance to human rights defenders at risk. Shares Resilient Societies' core focus on protecting activists in repressive environments.
• ProtectDefenders.eu: An EU-funded global protection mechanism for human rights defenders at risk. Provides emergency grants, relocation support, and capacity building — directly parallel to Resilient Societies' Resilience Network and Capacity Building programs.
• International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL): A global organization working to strengthen civil society and civic space through legal and policy expertise. Directly comparable in the civic space protection domain with a focus on enabling legal environments for civil society.
• International Service for Human Rights (ISHR): An international NGO that supports human rights defenders engaging with multilateral institutions. Comparable in the advocacy capacity-building space, particularly for defenders working in or from repressive contexts.
• Equitas: A Canadian human rights education organization that supports exiled human rights defenders and is also an active partner of Resilient Societies. Directly comparable in mission and beneficiary population, with a longer operational history.

Broad incumbents

• Open Society Foundations: One of the world's largest private foundations supporting civil society and democratic governance globally. Directly comparable in mission and donor-side role, though at vastly greater scale and as a funder rather than operator.
• Article 19: A global human rights organization focused on freedom of expression and information. Comparable to Resilient Societies' work on media freedom and digital rights components of its capacity building programs.
• CIVICUS: A global civil society alliance with 15,000+ members across 180+ countries that monitors civic space and convenes activists. Directly comparable to Resilient Societies' mission of defending and expanding civic space globally, though at much larger scale.
• Freedom House: A US-based organization that monitors democratic freedoms and civic space worldwide, producing widely-cited annual reports. Comparable mission to Resilient Societies' research and advocacy work, with longer institutional track record.

Regional players

• Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA): A regional human rights network across Asia working to protect and empower civil society. Comparable to Resilient Societies' exile-focused support model, particularly for Afghan and other Asian democracy activists.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ResSocieties
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resilient-societies

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Resilient Societies