A/HRC/41/41/Add.2 18. Civil society organizations should be able to access such resources without prior authorization, without formal constraints to the process, without administrative burdens and with the possibility of tax benefits. Access to resources, particularly financial resources, is key to empowering civil society to effectively contribute to Sustainable Development Goal processes in various ways. 19. States should facilitate the efforts of civil society organizations to seek and obtain public funding for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda while preserving their independence. State funding schemes should be transparent, fair and accessible on an equal basis to all civil society organizations. Private donors should strengthen their financial support for the work of civil society organizations in Sustainable Development Goal processes. 5. Autonomy to operate 20. Financing arrangements should be sufficiently flexible to cover project expenses, as well as long-term support or core funding directed towards ensuring the sustainability of civil society organizations. 21. A balance between funding objectives defined by civil society organizations and those defined by donors is critical. Thus, civil society organizations should be respected as independent actors and should not be under pressure to adjust their objectives and activities to take advantage of the available funding. 22. In relation to funding for the Sustainable Development Goals, modalities should encompass not only funding for activities directed towards achieving the Goals, but also for activities carried out to support capacity-building, awareness-raising activities and monitoring of the achievement of the Goals. Such funding is crucial to extend the reach of civil society organizations to the most marginalized and at-risk populations and those in vulnerable situations. It would also help civil society organizations to effectively contribute to monitoring the progress of the implementation of the Goals. As such, funding should be accessible to informal groups, as well as groups that play supportive roles in achieving the Goals, such as research centres and libraries. 23. Funding should also be predictable in order to enable civil society organizations to plan activities in advance. 24. Enhancing the autonomy of civil society organizations more broadly would encourage the ability of such organizations to prioritize the representation of community needs more effectively. 6. Freedom of peaceful assembly 25. Members of civil society should be guaranteed the freedom to peacefully assemble, including in public spaces, in order to engage in public debate or carry out oversight activities related to the Sustainable Development Goals. Civil society should be able to mobilize the population and channel grievances and aspirations in order to influence public policy in a variety of ways, including through peaceful protests and demonstrations. 26. States must not require – either in law or in practice – organizers to obtain prior authorization to hold an assembly. Where a system of prior notification is in place, there is a presumption in favour of assemblies. In line with that principle, States must ensure that those participating in non-notified assemblies should not be arrested, detained or fined solely for their participation in such an assembly. 27. The criminalization of peaceful protest or other activities of civil society aimed at denouncing and reducing inequality, discrimination and corruption and at promoting good governance, accountability and human rights, including for minority groups, should be abolished. 7. Reprisals 28. A tolerant political culture that acknowledges civil society as having an intrinsic and instrumental value is necessary to ensure that the sector is valued, appreciated and 4