From Crises to Collective Action: Reflections from the Fourth  International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) 

By Arjun Bhattarai | NGO Federation Nepal

From 30 June to 3 July 2025, world leaders, policymakers, civil society organizations (CSOs),  and development actors gathered in the bustling corridors of the Fourth International  Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). As someone who has long been engaged  in civil society advocacy around economic justice and inclusive financing, I had the honor  and responsibility to represent grassroots voices in this global space one that continues to  shape how development is financed and whose voices are heard in doing so.

Laying the Groundwork: National Engagement and Pre-FfD Mobilization

Our engagement began well before FfD4 convened in person. In Nepal, recognizing the importance of preparation and ownership, I co-organized a National Conference in Kathmandu on 24 June 2025. The event was designed as a platform for cross-sector  dialogue, involving civil society, government representatives, youth, and marginalized  groups. Our primary aim was to ensure that Nepal’s engagement at FfD4 would not be a  top-down exercise but one that integrated local priorities and grassroots perspectives. 

This pre-conference dialogue helped galvanize national momentum and sharpen our  common messaging, particularly around the themes of inclusive financing, accountability,  and community ownership of development resources. 

Feminist Economics and Intersectional Justice: The Feminist Forum 

Before the formal opening of FfD4, I participated in the Feminist Forum held from 27–28  June. This powerful gathering brought together feminist economists, grassroots women’s  movements, and gender justice advocates from around the globe. The discussions focused  on gender-responsive financing, structural inequalities in the global financial system, and  the urgent need to center care work and unpaid labor in economic policy. 

The forum reaffirmed that economic justice must be intersectional rooted in a recognition  of how gender, caste, class, and ethnicity intersect to shape financial exclusion and systemic inequities. These conversations deeply informed my interventions throughout the  conference. 

Before Civil Society Advocacy in Action: CSO Forum and Leadership 

From 28–30 June, I actively engaged in the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Forum on FfD4.  This space was both strategic and dynamic, a place to collectively draft positions, align  advocacy strategies, and ensure that civil society voices were well-coordinated and  effectively represented. 

I contributed to key consultation sessions and supported mobilization efforts to engage in a  broad and diverse civil society constituency. One of the most memorable moments was  the closing session of the CSO Forum, where Nepal’s Prime Minister, Honorable KP Sharma  Oli, addressed the gathering. His participation signaled a notable recognition of CSOs’  roles in development dialogues. 

I was honored to be part of the national coordination efforts that led to this engagement.  The Prime Minister’s remarks reflected Nepal’s growing commitment to participatory  processes, and I remain hopeful that this will translate into sustained collaboration beyond  international conferences. 

Inside the Conference: Official Sessions and Strategic Side Events 

During the official opening and closing of FfD4, I witnessed firsthand the high-level  deliberations among governments and multilateral institutions. While much of the  discourse was state-led, civil society made its presence felt challenging, advocating, and  holding space for alternative visions of development financing. 

One of the highlights of my engagement was speaking at the official side event titled  “Crises to Collective Action” on July 3rd. Here, I shared reflections on the shrinking civic  space globally, the importance of accountability mechanisms, and how CSOs are adapting  to the evolving financing landscape. The dialogue was rich, informed by case studies from  different regions and infused with urgency around climate financing, debt justice, and post crisis recovery. 

Throughout the conference, I participated in numerous side events that deepened my  understanding of global financing dynamics and innovative CSO strategies—from tax  justice and climate resilience to public-private partnerships and digital accountability.

Back Home and Moving Forward: National Reflection and Action 

Upon returning to Nepal on July 8th, I led a national-level reflection and planning workshop  with CSO leaders and development partners. The session was not merely a debrief it was  an active strategy session designed to translate global commitments into national  priorities. 

We analyzed the FfD4 outcome document, shared insights from the various engagements,  and developed follow-up plans that focus on advocacy, policy dialogue, and citizen  accountability. The workshop reinforced the importance of building coalitions and ensuring  that civil society remains engaged beyond symbolic consultations. 

Acknowledgments and the Road Ahead 

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Transparency, Accountability, and  Participation (TAP) Network for their invaluable support logistical, technical, and moral.  Their partnership enabled me to fully engage with the FfD4 process and represent our  shared values on justice, transparency, and civic engagement. 

Despite the promising discussions, FfD4 fell short in fully recognizing or supporting  community-led financing mechanisms. Much of the language remained state-centric and  market-driven, with limited commitments toward systemic transformation. 

But our resolve has only deepened. 

As civil society actors, we must continue to advocate for financing frameworks that are  just, inclusive, accountable, and rooted in human rights. We must push for policies that  redistribute power not just resources and ensure that no one is left behind. 

The road ahead demands resilience, collaboration, and courage. And I remain committed  to walking hand in hand with communities, allies, and movements across borders.  

Recommendations for Advancing Inclusive and Accountable Financing 

Based on my engagement at FfD4 and ongoing work in Nepal and globally, I propose the  following key recommendations for governments, development partners, and civil society  stakeholders: 

  1. Institutionalize Civil Society Participation: Governments and international institutions must move beyond tokenistic engagement and  establish formal, well-resourced mechanisms to ensure consistent and meaningful civil  society participation in financing processes—from policy design to monitoring and review.
  2. Prioritize Gender-Responsive and Community-Led Financing : Financing frameworks must explicitly recognize and support feminist and community-led  models of development. This includes integrating gender budgeting, care economy  investments, and financing mechanisms that are accessible to women, Indigenous  peoples, and other marginalized communities.
  3. Ensure Accountability and Transparency in Resource Allocation: Governments should strengthen domestic accountability systems such as independent  audit bodies, parliamentary oversight, and open budgeting platforms to ensure that  financial commitments translate into equitable outcomes. International actors must also  support transparency in aid and climate finance flows.
  4. Reform Global Financial Architecture: Multilateral institutions, including the UN, IMF, and World Bank, must democratize  decision-making processes and promote fair representation of Global South countries.  Debt cancellation, tax justice, and ending harmful conditionalities should be central to any  reform agenda.
  5. Enhance Capacity Building for Local CSOs: There is an urgent need for sustained investment in the capacity of local civil society  organizations, especially in low-income and fragile contexts. Donors and international  NGOs should prioritize long-term partnerships over short-term project cycles, enabling  local actors to lead development processes.
  6. Integrate Climate Justice into Financing for Development: Financing strategies must align with climate goals, emphasizing adaptation and resilience  for vulnerable communities. Climate finance must be predictable, grant-based, and  directly accessible to frontline communities.
  7. Foster Multi-Stakeholder Platforms for Policy Dialogue: Governments, CSOs, private sector actors, and academia should co-create regular  national and regional platforms to deliberate on financing priorities and monitor progress  on the FfD commitments. These spaces should be inclusive, accessible, and action oriented.

My FfD4 Take-aways  

Governments, CSOs, private sector actors, and academia should co-create regular  national and regional platforms to deliberate on financing priorities and monitor progress  on the FfD commitments. These spaces should be inclusive, accessible, and action  oriented. 

Participating in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4)  was both a humbling and empowering experience. It reaffirmed the critical role civil society  plays in shaping global development discourse—especially when it comes to advocating  for inclusive, rights-based, and accountable financing frameworks. 

One of my strongest takeaways is that transformative change cannot be achieved through  high-level commitments alone. While FfD4 provided valuable space for dialogue and  exchange, the path toward equitable financing still demands persistent advocacy, cross sector collaboration, and bold political will especially from governments and global  financial institutions. 

The conference also highlighted the growing momentum around intersectional  approaches, such as feminist financing and community-led development models. Yet  these frameworks remain underfunded and under-recognized in mainstream financing  mechanisms. We need to challenge systemic barriers and ensure that development  financing serves people first, especially those historically marginalized. 

On a personal level, FfD4 strengthened my resolve to bridge global processes with  grassroots action. It also deepened my commitment to fostering inclusive civic spaces,  where diverse voices especially from the Global South can meaningfully influence how  development is funded, implemented, and monitored. 

Ultimately, the fight for just and inclusive financing is a shared one. It calls for solidarity  across borders, for listening and learning from communities, and for reimagining  development not as charity or charity-driven investment, but as a collective responsibility  rooted in justice, dignity, and human rights.