CIVICUS speaks about a recent court order protecting LGBTQI+ people in Kenya with the advocacy team of the Centre for Minority Rights and Strategic Litigation (CMRSL), a civil society organisation working for the equality and dignity of LGBTQI+ people and against discrimination and violence.
Media & Resources
Thirty-five years ago, the Chinese government turned weapons against their own people in Beijing.
CIVICUS speaks with Fabián Werner, president of the Centre for Archive and Access to Public Information (CAinfo), about a Media Law being discussed in Uruguay’s Congress.
CIVICUS speaks with Gürkan Özturan, media freedom monitoring officer with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), about the concerning implications of a proposed law on foreign agents in Turkey.
CIVICUS speaks with Thijs Berman, executive director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), about the human rights concerns raised by the strict asylum policy proposed by the far right on joining the new government.
CIVICUS speaks with Carlos Martínez de la Serna, Program Director at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), about the vital role of journalists in armed conflicts, including the current war in Gaza, their protection under international humanitarian law and the challenges they face in doing their jobs.
CIVICUS speaks about Mexico’s 2 June general elections with Luis Eduardo Medina Torres, professor and elections researcher in the Department of Sociology at the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico.
CIVICUS speaks with Johanna Cilano, Amnesty International's researcher for the Caribbean, about protests in Cuba and the challenges of activism in closed civic space.
CIVICUS speaks with exiled Chinese human rights defender Zhou Fengsuo on the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
CIVICUS, a global civil alliance and the Asia Democracy Network (ADN) are extremely disturbed by reports that seven people have been arrested under a new security law for alleged seditious intent, including imprisoned human rights defender Chow Hang-tung, who has been detained since September 2021.
CIVICUS speaks with Tim Prudhoe, a lawyer with Stanbrook Prudhoe, about a legal challenge brought against discriminatory legislation against LGBTQI+ people and the struggle for equal rights of same-sex married partners in Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).
Agenda Item 3 – Human rights situation in Africa (with a special focus on shrinking of civic space)
Delivered by Paul Mulindwa, Africa Advocacy Lead at CIVICUS
The global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, welcomes this opportunity to address the African Commission under Agenda Item 3: Human Rights Situation in Africa.
CIVICUS discusses the results of Panama’s recent presidential election with Olga de Obaldía, executive director of the Foundation for the Development of Civic Freedom.
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights held a panel on 24 May 2024 at its 79th Ordinary Session to discuss the draft Declaration on the Promotion of the Role of Human Rights Defenders and their Protection in Africa.
CIVICUS speaks with Jonathan Fowler of the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), about the agency’s role in Gaza and the challenges it faces.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance is disturbed by reports that a civil society forum on water rights in Bali has been disrupted with activists and organisers facing harassment and intimidation.
CIVICUS speaks with Manuel Páez Ramírez, lawyer with the Human Rights and Environment Programme of the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defence (AIDA), about the advisory opinion on climate emergency and human rights that Chile and Colombia have requested from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR).
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation (CIVICUS), Focus on the Global South, Front Line Defenders, Asia Democracy Network are profoundly saddened and outraged by the tragic death of Netiporn ‘Bung’ Sanesangkhom, a young activist who peacefully and courageously fought for justice and monarchy reform in Thailand.
CIVICUS speaks with Ivan Novosel, director of programmes at Human Rights House Zagreb, about the results of Croatia’s recent parliamentary election and the potential consequences of the entry of the far-right Homeland Movement (DP) into the ruling coalition.
By Ines Pousadela
Regional experts called it Panama’s most important election since the 1989 US invasion that deposed de facto president General Manuel Noriega.
We, the undersigned civil society organizations and human rights defenders, view with deep concern the creation of the Special Committee on Human Rights Coordination by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
CIVICUS speaks with Tessa Dooms, Programmes Director at Rivonia Circle, about the upcoming general election in South Africa.
CIVICUS speaks with Nino Samkharadze, policy analyst at the Georgian Institute of Politics, about the controversial ‘foreign agents’ law just passed in Georgia.
CIVICUS speaks with Evan Drukker-Schardl of Climate Defiance about the disruptive tactics the organisation uses to put climate change on the agenda.
CIVICUS speaks about India’s ongoing elections with Aakar Patel, board chair of Amnesty International India.
By Andrew Firmin is CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks with Shahindha Ismail, founder of the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), about the recent parliamentary election in Maldives, the implications of the country’s realignment with China and the impacts of the climate crisis.
CIVICUS speaks with Darko Duridanski, executive director of the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers, about the recent election in North Macedonia.
The UN Civil Society Conference took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 9th and 10th, 2024.
CIVICUS speaks with Regina Fonseca, coordinator of the Strengthening the Right to Decide programme of the Women’s Rights Centre (CDM), about the case the organisation took to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee in search of changes to the ban on abortion in Honduras.
A message from Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS
Dear CIVICUS members and allies,
In July 2022, CIVICUS started delivering on our revised strategic plan, focusing on one overachieving goal across the alliance: ‘to strengthen civil society and civic action for expanded civic and democratic space.
CIVICUS speaks about the erosion of international humanitarian law in the context of war in Gaza and other conflicts with Marco Sassòli, Professor of International Law at the Geneva University in Switzerland.
CIVICUS speaks about the challenges of Venezuela’s upcoming presidential election and the recent selection of an opposition candidate with Guillermo Aveledo, Dean of Legal and Political Studies at the Metropolitan University of Caracas.
CIVICUS speaks with Alicia Méndez Medina of the Junta de Prietas collective about the campaign for the legalisation of abortion and feminist, anti-racist and other rights struggles in the Dominican Republic.
CIVICUS discusses the growing repression of civil and political liberties and the consolidation of power by Mali’s military junta with a civil society activist who asked to stay anonymous for security reasons.
By Tara Petrovic, leads research on Europe and Central Asia for the CIVICUS Monitor.
CIVICUS speaks about struggles to access abortion services in the USA with Sheena Dooley, Gabriela Fuentes and Mazie Stilwell of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa (PPAI).
Portuguese
CIVICUS speaks about the rise of the far right in Brazil with Flávia Pellegrino, executive coordinator of the Pact for Democracy.
The second trial against the former head of the Office of the Special Prosecutor against Impunity (FECI) in Quetzaltenango, Lilian Virginia Laparra Rivas, will open on Monday May 6.
CIVICUS speaks with Noa Muhoozi Kainerugaba, team leader at Trans Refugee Initiative, about Uganda’s Constitutional Court’s recent ruling upholding the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act.
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks with Dr Elisabeth Stern, board member of KlimaSeniorinnen Switzerland (Senior Women for Climate Protection), a civil society organisation representing older Swiss women who recently won a climate litigation case against Switzerland at the European Court of Human Rights.
CIVICUS speaks with Vandita Morarka, founder and CEO of the One Future Collective, about AI-powered disinformation in the campaign for India’s current election.
CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s lawsuit to try to stop Germany’s exports of arms to Israel with Alexander Schwarz, a German human rights lawyer and deputy program director of the International Crimes and Accountability Program of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR).
CIVICUS speaks with Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, regional director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) in Turkey, about Turkey’s recent municipal elections that saw opposition parties gain ground.
CIVICUS speaks with Daryl Phillip, founder and coordinator of Minority Rights Dominica (MiRiDom), about a recent High Court ruling that decriminalised same-sex relations in Dominica.
CIVICUS speaks about the ‘Anti-LGBTQI+ bill’ recently passed in Ghana with Solomon Atsuvia, Programmes Manager at Rightify Ghana.
CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development and (FORUM-ASIA) and Asia Democracy Network (ADN), call on the Hong Kong authorities to immediately comply with recommendations of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) on the case of human rights defender Chow Hang-Tung and to release her immediately and unconditionally.
The curtailing of freedoms essential for people’s participation and arrests and criminalisation of activists paints a bleak outlook for a free and fair presidential election in Venezuela, warns CIVICUS.
CIVICUS speaks with Maverick Peter Seda, cofounder and coordinator of Youth for Change Solomon Islands (YFCSI), about civil society engagement in the country’s 17 April general election.
CIVICUS speaks with Eva Ekelund, Deputy Director of Act Church of Sweden, about the Swedish International Development Agency’s (Sida) decision to terminate their agreements with strategic partner civil society organisations (CSOs).
CIVICUS speaks with Rasmus Alenius Boserup, executive director of EuroMed Rights, about the recent deal signed between the European Union (EU) and Egypt and its implications for the rights of migrants and refugees.
By Safia Khan and Tarryn Booysen
On April 27, South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid, when we, South Africans, finally won the fight for all to be recognised as equal citizens.
CIVICUS speaks with Chris Jones, executive director of Statewatch, about the European Union’s (EU) Prüm II regulation and its implications for human rights and civic freedoms.
CIVICUS speaks about recent protests against femicides in Somalia with Ilyas Adam, a Center for Victims of Torture fellow, award-winning human rights journalist and senior consultant at the Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD).
CIVICUS speaks with Amina Hersi, head of Gender Rights and Justice at Oxfam International, about women’s rights activism and anti-gender backlash at the 68th session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), the main UN forum promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
CIVICUS speaks with Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, chair of the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF), about the response to the earthquake that Taiwan experienced in early April – the strongest in 25 years.
CIVICUS speaks with Julio Armando Morón Pulido of CIVILIS about the threat posed by a draft law against fascism currently in discussion in Venezuela’s congress.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is concerned about the slow progress on reforms to protect civic space as well as efforts by Prime Minister James Marape’s government to stifle the media and freedom of expression.
CIVICUS speaks about Chad’s upcoming presidential election with Remadji Hoinathy, senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies’s (ISS) Regional Office for West Africa.
CIVICUS speaks with Mahad Wasuge, executive director of Somali Public Agenda (SPA), about recent constitutional change and its implications for Somali civil society.
CIVICUS speaks with Brendan Gilligan, a legal fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s (EFF) civil liberties team, about the US government’s initiative to ban TikTok or force its sale.
Amid a significant liquidity challenge at the United Nations arising from overdue membership dues, civil society emphasises the importance of Member States meeting their financial commitments to ensure the continuation of vital human rights endeavors.
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States once every 4.
CIVICUS speaks with activist Jeff Okoroafor about Nigeria’s security situation, including the trend of kidnappings of schoolchildren by rebel groups.
CIVICUS speaks with freelance journalist Nancy Roc about the increase in gang violence and the political situation in Haiti.
CIVICUS speaks with Floriane Volt, Director of Public and Legal Affairs at the Women’s Foundation (Fondation des Femmes), about recent changes to the French Constitution to include the right to abortion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second term in power was sustained by a pattern of repression to undermine democracy and civic space, the global civil society alliance CIVICUS said today.
By Andrew Firmin
The heat records keep tumbling – 2023 was the hottest year in recorded history.
CIVICUS speaks with Sinéad Murray, Communications, Membership and Information Officer at Treoir, about Ireland’s recent unsuccessful Family and Care Referendums.
CIVICUS speaks with Bahati Rubango, country coordinator at the Women’s International Peace Centre (WIPC), about conflict in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
CIVICUS speaks about the war in Sudan and its repercussions for women and civil society with Reem Abbas, a Sudanese feminist activist, writer and fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP).
CIVICUS speaks with Ousmane Miphal Lankoandé, Executive Secretary and Coordinator of the governance and citizen mobilisation programme at Balai Citoyen (‘Civic Broom’) about human rights and civic space in Burkina Faso.
The 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) began on 26 February in the context of ongoing and unfolding human rights crises and grave human rights violations and abuses.
CIVICUS speaks with Tatiana Luján, Materials Systems Lead at ClientEarth, about a lawsuit filed in collaboration with 15 other civil society organisations (CSOs) against a plan to open a huge plastics plant in Belgium, known as Project One, by petrochemicals giant INEOS.
CIVICUS speaks with Vibe Klarup, Secretary General of Amnesty International Denmark, about the joint civil society lawsuit brought against the Danish state to stop Danish arms exports to Israel.
The failure of States to pay their membership dues to the United Nations in full and in time, and the practice of conditioning funding on unilateral political goals is causing a financial liquidity crisis for the organisation, the impacts of which are felt by victims and survivors of human rights violations and abuses.
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report
The fact that Senegal’s election took place on 24 March was in itself a triumph for civil society.
CIVICUS speaks about Niger’s recent decision to suspend military cooperation with the USA with Dr Boubacar N’Diaye, Emeritus Professor of Pan-African Studies and Political Science at the College of Wooster, international consultant on security sector governance and former chair of the African Security Sector Network, a pan-African think tank focused on security governance issues in the continent, and particularly in West Africa.
CIVICUS speaks with Malick Ndome, senior policy adviser and board member at the Council of Non-Governmental Organisations in Support of Development (CONGAD), about the recent election in Senegal.
Protests banned on grounds of protecting ‘public order’ and ‘security’
Authorities have resorted to excessive force in multiple countries, including the use of pepper spray, kettling and the deployment of police dogs
Palestinian flags and scarves also widely banned
European and international NGOs urge the Commission to act on restrictions
The European Civic Forum, Civil Liberties Union for Europe, CIVICUS, European Network Against Racism and Solidar are calling on the European Commission to address at the highest political level the unlawful restrictions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression imposed by member states since the dramatic escalation of violence in Israel and Palestine last year.
CIVICUS speaks with Myriam Correa, director of Collective Aid, about the situation of migrants across the Balkan migration route.
Arabic
In November 2023, Majority World actors and community-based organisations published a letter to international partners outlining five principles to make convenings on locally-led development more inclusive.
CIVICUS speaks with Michal Piško, Director of Transparency International Slovensko, about Slovakia’s recent first-round presidential election and the upcoming runoff.
Delivered by Gyan Kothari
Mr.
PORTUGUESE
CIVICUS speaks with Simão Tila, executive director of the League of NGOs in Mozambique (JOINT), about the increase in violence in northern Mozambique, its causes and civil society’s efforts to help resolve the situation.
Statement delivered at the UN Human Rights Council's 55th session
Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on the Democratic Republic of Congo
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
While we laud the promulgation of the law on the protection and responsibility of HRDs, concerns persist on ongoing violations against HRDs, notably intimidation and arbitrary arrests of defenders.
Statement at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
General Debate Item 7
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
Mr President,
The already challenging and brutal civic context in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) continues to be exacerbated by the escalating conflict.
CIVICUS speaks about the potential approval of a Law on Foreign Representatives that would further restrict civil society in Kyrgyzstan with Murat Karypov, Project Coordinator of the legal programme of Bir Duino Kyrgyzstan.
CIVICUS joins national and international non-governmental and civil society organisations in urging the Council's attention to the ongoing UN Joint Programme on Human Rights (UNJP) in the Philippines, concluding in 2024.
CIVICUS speaks about the passing of a new security law and the state of civic space in Hong Kong with Patrick Poon.
CIVICUS speaks with Eva Lia Colombo, Project Leader Climate & Gender at WO=MEN Dutch Gender Platform, about the state of the feminist movement in the Netherlands amid the rise of the far right and the cancellation of a feminist march on 10 March.
CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organisations and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) are concerned about the failure of the Bangladesh government in accepting key recommendations related to civic space as part of its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the UN Human Rights Council.
CIVICUS speaks about ongoing anti-government protests in Croatia with Oriana Ivković Novokmet, Executive Director of Gong.
CIVICUS speaks about recent restrictions on freedom of expression in Sri Lanka with Darshatha Gamage, Head of Programmes at Hashtag Generation.
CIVICUS speaks with Francesca Borg Costanzi, Advocacy Officer at the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation, about the recently adopted European Union (EU) Anti-SLAPP Directive and its importance in preventing abusive lawsuits against public watchdogs.
Statement at the 55th Session of the UN Human Rights Council General Debate Item 4Delivered by Sigrid LipottThank you Mr President,CIVICUS encourages the Council to play a more assertive role in preventing rather than reacting to human rights crises and serious crimes.
PORTUGUESE
CIVICUS speaks about the results of Portugal’s 10 March election with Ana Carmo of Akto, a Portuguese civil society organisation that promotes human rights and democratic values through advocacy, campaigning and education.
(20 March 2024) We, the undersigned civil society organisations, call for the immediate and unconditional release of Kashmiri journalist and human rights defender Irfan Mehraj.
Statement at the 55th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on Venezuela
Delivered by Marysabel Rodríguez
Thank you Mr.
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Officer - Evidence and Engagement at CIVICUS
U.
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks about press freedoms in Lesotho with Kananelo Boloetse, chairperson of the Lesotho Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Lesotho).
CIVICUS speaks about the prospects following the inauguration of a new government in Tuvalu with Kiali Molu, a PhD candidate in Politics and International Affairs at the University of Bergen in Norway and at the University of the South Pacific.
CIVICUS speaks with Wangechi Wachira, Executive Director of the Centre for Rights, Education and Awareness (CREAW), about recent protests demanding justice for femicide victims and policy changes to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in Kenya.
CIVICUS speaks with Anjali Bhardwaj, founding member of the Society for Citizen Vigilance Initiatives (Satark Nagrik Sangathan, SNS), about recent electoral reforms and civil society efforts to ensure the quality of India’s upcoming election.
Andrew Firmin is the co-author of the State of Civil Society report and Editor-in-Chief at CIVICUS, where he leads research into climate activism around the world.
Joint statement on the 10-year anniversary of ‘deadly reprisals’ against Chinese activist Cao Shunli
Today, we pay tribute to Cao Shunli, and all human rights defenders targeted by the Chinese government for their commitment to uphold the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
View full report here.
United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting on the conflict in Middle East at the UN headquarters in New York City on October 24, 2023.
View full report here.
Hypocrisy by powerful countries undermined the rules-based international order and repressions against human rights and climate activists stalled or reversed progress around the world, says the State of Civil Society Report by CIVICUS.
CIVICUS speaks with Mauro González, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Climate Science and Resilience, (CR)2, about fires that recently spread through Chile’s Valparaíso region.
CIVICUS, in collaboration with our esteemed partners at the GEARS Initiative, recently convened civil society actors in Zambia to delve into the intricacies of citizen-led advocacy aimed at expanding civic freedoms through legislative and policy reform.
CIVICUS speaks about the situation of human rights and women’s rights in Afghanistan with Ehsan Shayegan, founder and president of the Porsesh Policy Research Institute (PR).
At the 55th Session of the Human Rights Council, Article 19 delivered a joint intervention on behalf of CIVICUS and a group of organisations, expressing our concerns about the increasing hatred against individuals based on their religion or belief worldwide.
By Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS
The year 2024 is a bumper election year.
CIVICUS speaks with Access Now about their forensic investigation that exposed the use of Pegasus spyware to target activists and journalists in Jordan.
CIVICUS speaks with Karin Van Boxtel, Co Interim Director of Both ENDS, about the farmers’ protests happening across Europe.
On International Women’s Day, the undersigned organisations renew their call on Saudi Arabian authorities to release all women human rights defenders (WHRDs), women’s rights activists and their supporters who are detained in contravention of international human rights standards.
By Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS
Investing in inclusion requires more than electing and initiating women leaders.
The upcoming Summit for the Future, set for September 22-23, 2024, in New York City, marks a significant United Nations effort to tackle global challenges.
UN Human Rights Council – 55th sessionGeneral Debate Item 2Delivered by Sigrid Lipott, CIVICUSThank you Mr President,CIVICUS is convinced that the Council should play a more assertive role in preventing rather than reacting to human rights crises, and the rapid deterioration of civic space is the first early warning sign on which the Council should act.
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report
After almost two decades of civil society campaigning, Greece’s parliament has passed a law enabling same-sex couples to marry and adopt children.
CIVICUS speaks with Renate Schroeder, Director of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), about the European Media Freedom Act, the first integrated legislation that protects freedom of expression and media independence and pluralism in the European Union.
CIVICUS has submitted a report to the UN Human Rights Committee on the state of civic space in Indonesia ahead of its review of the state’s implementation of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on 11 March 2024.
CIVICUS speaks with Carlos G Guerrero Orozco, a Mexican lawyer and co-founder and president of Human Rights and Strategic Litigation-Mexico (DLM Mexico), about a recent victory of Mexican civil society in defence of civic space.
UN Human Rights Council – 55th session
Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
Thank you, Mr.
CIVICUS speaks about Greece’s recent legalisation of same-sex marriage with Giorgos Keratsas, Communications Officer of Positive Voice-Greek Association of People Living with HIV.
UN Human Rights Council- 55th regular session of the Human Rights Council
Interactive dialogue on the report of the Group of Experts on Human Rights on Nicaragua
Delivered by Amaru Ruiz Aleman
Thank you, Mr.
Together with other human rights organisations, we've written to the F1 CEO expressing our concerns about Bahrain’s use of the F1 Grand Prix to “sportswash” the country’s dire human rights record.
CIVICUS speaks with Rizky Argama, Executive Director, and Violla Reininda, Programme Manager at the Centre of Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK), about the results of Indonesia’s 14 February presidential election – the world’s biggest single-day election, in which over 200 million people were eligible to vote.
CIVICUS speaks about struggles for LGBTQI+ rights and a recent legal setback in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) with Jeshua Bardoo, founder and Executive Officer of Equal Rights, Access and Opportunities SVG (ERAO SVG).
CIVICUS and other organistions including ForumAsia, DefendDefenders and Artcicle 19 have submitted a joint statement expressing their support for and appeal for a regular technical rollover of the upcoming resolution on "combating intolerance, negative stereotyping, and stigmatisation of, and discrimination, incitement to violence, and violence against, persons based on religion or belief.
Over 350 civil society organisations part of the #UNmute initiative have come together to issue a united call for inclusivity and participation in the preparatory process of the forthcoming Summit of the Future.
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine marked its second anniversary on 24 February.
CIVICUS speaks with Frank Slijper, Arms Trade project lead at PAX, about a recent court victory in a case brought jointly with Oxfam Novib and the Rights Forum against the Dutch government for exporting arms to Israel that are being used in the assault on Gaza.
CIVICUS speaks about the ongoing wave of executions in Iran with Asal Abasian, an Iranian journalist and queer feminist activist.
CIVICUS speaks with Mengistu Assefa, Program Manager at the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD), about a port deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland and the possibility of it escalating into an armed conflict with Somalia.
CIVICUS calls on the authorities in Equatorial Guinea to immediately release Anacleto Micha Ndong Nlang.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS are deeply concerned over the intensifying regression of Thailand’s civic space.
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report
Pakistan’s 8 February election has resulted in an uneasy compromise that few wanted or expected.
CIVICUS speaks about recent riots and the worsening human rights situation in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with Shirley Abriella Kaupa, Program Coordinator at Magna Carta PNG.
In the upcoming 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council (26 February to 05 April 2024) CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance with a mandate to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, will prioritise protecting civic space and fundamental freedoms, supporting civil society where they face grave risk, as well as bringing the voices of civil society and enabling the participation of civic groups and grassroots organisations to the Council.
CIVICUS, Global civil society alliance, welcomes Burundi President’s decision to review restrictions on media freedoms and journalists’ rights.
CIVICUS speaks with Neshan Gunasekera, an international lawyer from Sri Lanka, about the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the context of the case brought by South Africa against Israel under the 1948 Genocide Convention.
CIVICUS speaks with Abdou Aziz Cissé, Advocacy Officer at AfricTivistes, about President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the presidential election that was due on 25 February and its implications for democracy in Senegal.
Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council’s 55th session (HRC55, 26 February-5 April 2024), over 90 NGOs call on the Council to extend the mandate of the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS).
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS call on the Phnom Penh Municipal Court to dismiss the politically motivated defamation lawsuit against Soeng Senkaruna, deputy head of the Human Rights and Land Rights Section and Senior Human Rights Investigator of the Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), a member organisation of FORUM-ASIA.
Also available in Portuguese
CIVICUS speaks about early elections taking place in Portugal on 10 March with Ana Carmo from Akto, a Portuguese civil society organisation that promotes human rights and democratic values through advocacy, campaigning and education.
CIVICUS speaks about the progress being made toward legalising same-sex marriage in Thailand with Mookdapa Yangyuenpradorn, an LGBTQI+ activist and Human Rights Associate at Fortify Rights.
CIVICUS speaks with Sarah Tak, General Coordinator of Klimaatzaak (‘Climate Case’), about a recent ruling by the Brussels court of appeal mandating drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in Belgium by 2030.
CIVICUS speaks with Jasmin Ramsey, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), about the ongoing wave of executions as part of the Iranian regime’s effort to suppress dissent and discourage further protests.
CIVICUS speaks with Nafissatou Maiga, coordinator of the Association of Young People for the Development of Sangarebougou/Women and Initiatives for Development (AJDS/FID-MALI), about the state of civic space in Mali since the 2021 military coup.
Fås også på engelsk
Danmark må styrke indsatsen for at befri Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja på årsdagen for de pro-demokratiske demonstrationer i Bahrain
KØBENHAVN/LONDON/JOHANNESBURG - #FreeAl-Khawaja-kampagnen, SALAM DHR og den globale civilsamfundsalliance CIVICUS opfordrer Danmark til at gøre mere for at sikre løsladelsen af den fængslede dansk-bahrainske menneskerettighedsforkæmper Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja forud for årsdagen for de pro-demokratiske demonstrationer i Bahrain i 2011.
Also available in Danish
COPENHAGEN/LONDON/JOHANNESBURG – The #FreeAl-Khawaja Campaign, SALAM DHR and the global civil society alliance CIVICUS call on Denmark to do more to secure the release of jailed Danish-Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja ahead of the anniversary of Bahrain’s Arab Spring uprising.
CIVICUS speaks about the role of civil society in the drafting process of the European Media Freedom Act with Jordan Higgins, Press and Policy Officer at the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF).
CIVICUS speaks about the growth of the far right in Austria with Gabriela Greilinger, PhD Student at the University of Georgia, USA and co-founder and director Quo Vademus, a grassroots think tank publishing analysis by young writers and encouraging young people to engage with politics and current affairs.
CIVICUS speaks with Rebecca Shoot, Executive Director of Citizens for Global Solutions, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks about the implications of Laos chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Mary Aileen Diaz Bacalso, Executive Director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA).
CIVICUS speaks about the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the context of the case brought by South Africa against Israel with Thomas Van Gool, Project Lead Israel-Palestine at PAX.
CIVICUS speaks with journalist and human rights activist Jonathan Magoma about recent elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
French | Kirundi | Swahili
JOHANNESBURG - Global civil society alliance CIVICUS announced on Thursday that it has added jailed Burundian journalist Floriane Irangabiye to its Stand As My Witness campaign, which advocates for the immediate release of wrongly imprisoned journalists, activists, dissidents and human rights defenders around the world.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) are extremely concerned about demonstrations this week aimed at intimidating two human rights organisations in Indonesia for their human rights work.
CIVICUS speaks about the rise of the far right in Germany with Peter Anhalt, director of the right-wing extremism department, and Maximilian Ruf, director of the research department, at Violence Prevention Network.
Restrictions on free expression and the use of violence against protesters following Senegal’s President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the February 25 elections are against the government’s human rights obligations, global civil society alliance CIVICUS said today.
CIVICUS speaks about El Salvador’s recent general election with César Artiga, human rights defender and coordinator of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) in El Salvador, the National Driving Team of the Escazú Agreement and the National Coalition for the Right to Live in a Healthy Environment.
The military must have expected an easier ride.
CIVICUS speaks about El Salvador’s general election with Carolina Amaya, a Salvadoran freelance journalist specialising in climate crises and socio-environmental conflicts.
CIVICUS speaks about the upcoming general election in Indonesia with Muhammad Isnur, chairperson of the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) and Secretary of the Board of the Human Rights Working Group.
Historical report from the CIVICUS Monitor looks at seven key trends from 2019 to 2023:
Rise in the closure of civic space worldwide
Repression in Africa south of the Sahara and MENA
Civic space challenges in Europe
Detentions and arrests of protesters
COVID-19 pandemic and civic space
Prosecution of activists
Restrictive laws to silence dissent
READ REPORT
CIVICUS speaks about the links between the exploitation of fossil fuels and human rights violations in Azerbaijan with Kate Watters, Executive Director of Crude Accountability.
A model of Insein prison, where thousands of political prisoners have been detained, is seen at the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) office in Mae Sot, Thailand.
CIVICUS speaks about Pakistan’s upcoming election with Muhammad Mudassar, Chief Executive Officer at the Society for Human Rights and Prisoners’ Aid (SHARP-Pakistan).
By Andrew Firmin is CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks about the rise of the far right in Germany with Jakob Guhl, Senior Manager, Policy and Research at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD).
By Taís Siqueira, Local Leadership lab Coordinator
This quote represents what Shift the Power Summit was to me, a space to hear uncomfortable truths and to collectively reimagine solutions.
CIVICUS speaks with Rigoberto Lobo Puentes, founder of Promotion, Education and Defence of Human Rights (Promoción, Educación y Defensa en Derechos Humanos, PROMEDEHUM), about Venezuela’s NGO bill which, if passed, will further hinder civil society’s work.
CIVICUS speaks with Anja Olin-Pape, Head of Strategy at the Global Challenges Foundation, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
Photo credit: Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR)
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, and Asia Democracy Network (ADN) strongly condemn the conviction of Mongkorn ‘BusBas’ Thirakot, a 30-year-old activist and online clothing retailer from Chiang Rai.
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JOHANNESBURG / PRAGUE – The Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) and global civil society alliance CIVICUS call on Egypt to immediately free human rights lawyer Hoda Abdel Moneim from prison ahead of her 65th birthday on Sunday January 28.
CIVICUS speaks about the current crisis of violence in Ecuador with Mauro Cerbino, professor and researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Ecuador.
By Andrew Firmin and Inés Pousadela
It’s been a tumultuous year, and a tough one for struggles for human rights.
CIVICUS speaks with Martin Sveinssønn Melvær, Materials and Industry Lead at the Bellona Foundation, about the bill recently passed by Norway’s parliament to allow commercial-scale deep-sea mining.
CIVICUS speaks with Christopher Castillo, General Coordinator of Alternative for Community and Environmental Vindication of Honduras (Alternativa de Reivindicación Comunitaria y Ambientalista de Honduras, ARCAH), about progress made and pending issues after two years of Xiomara Castro’s presidency.
CIVICUS speaks with Morena Herrera, president of Citizens’ Group for the Decriminalisation of Abortion, about the struggle for abortion rights in El Salvador, which has some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world.
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The Egyptian authorities must immediately release Badr Mohamed, who was unjustly convicted in January 2023 in connection to protests and sentenced to five years in prison after a grossly unfair trial, said the undersigned civil society organizations.
CIVICUS, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), and SUARAM call upon states to use the upcoming human rights review of Malaysia at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to call out its ongoing failure to fully implement previous recommendations related to civic freedoms.
CIVICUS speaks with Mariela Belski, Executive Director of Amnesty International Argentina, about the potential human rights effects of changes introduced by Argentina’s new government led by President Javier Milei.
CIVICUS speaks with Marc Limon, Executive Director of the Universal Rights Group and former diplomat at the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, about the deficits of the global governance system and proposals for reform.
By Inés Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks about the results of Serbia’s recent elections and subsequent protests with Raša Nedeljkov, Programme Director of the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).
CIVICUS, a global human rights alliance and the Asia Democracy Network (ADN) call on states to use the upcoming human rights review of China at the UN Human Rights Council to call out its ongoing failure to fully implement previous recommendations related to civic freedoms.
Azerbaijan’s ongoing brutal crackdown of journalists must immediately stop and those illegitimately arrested must be freed, said CIVICUS global civil society alliance today.
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
Julieta Zurbrigg, Civic Space Research Advisor
Faith Pienaar, Impact and Accountability Officer
In the dynamic realm of data innovation, global challenges call for timely and impactful solutions.
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks with Dr Richard Ponzio, Director of the Global Governance, Security and Justice Programme at the Stimson Center, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks with Jorge Santos, General Coordinator of the Guatemalan Human Rights Defenders Protection Unit (UDEFEGUA), about the imminent inauguration of a new president, which comes after 100 days of mobilisation to demand respect for the election results.
CIVICUS speaks with Mariano de Alba, Senior Adviser at the International Crisis Group, about the recent referendum called by the Venezuelan government on the status of the Essequibo territory, disputed with neighbouring Guyana, and its possible implications for democracy in Venezuela and peace in the region.
CIVICUS speaks about the repression of civil society and human rights defenders and LGBTQI+ rights in Burundi with Carina Tertsakian, co-founder of the Burundi Human Rights Initiative (BHRI).
CIVICUS speaks with Stirling Dean, Chair and Executive Director of the United Institutions Foundation, about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks with Aria Danaparamita, Advocacy Director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
CIVICUS speaks with Elisabeth Pramendorfer, Geneva Representative, Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect (GCR2P), about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
By Clara Bosco (CIVICUS), Anita Kattakuzhy (Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD)) and Gunjan Veda (NEAR)
Over the last couple of years, we have seen an unprecedented number of commitments by funders and philanthropists to support locally-led development, increase direct funding to local actors and promote a more enabling environment for civil society.
The acquittal of prominent human rights defenders Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar by the East Jakarta District Court for defamation is a positive development and triumph of justice over repression said CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance today.
CIVICUS speaks with Francesca Restifo, Senior Human Rights Lawyer and UN Representative of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), about the deficits of the global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks with Iván Chanis Barahona, president of Fundación Iguales, about the situation of LGBTQI+ people and the struggle for equal marriage rights in Panama.
CIVICUS speaks about police violence in the USA with Abdul Nasser Rad, Managing Director of Research and Data at Campaign Zero (CZ).
CIVICUS speaks with Dr Mubashar Hasan about the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Bangladesh ahead of 7 January general elections.
CIVICUS speaks with Andreas Bummel, co-founder and Executive Director of Democracy Without Borders (DWB) and the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, about the deficits of the current global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks about the challenges of global governance with Carlos Quesada, founder and executive director of the Institute on Race, Equality and Human Rights (Race & Equality).
CIVICUS speaks with Kaisa Kosonen, Senior Policy Advisor at Greenpeace Nordic, about the outcomes of the COP28 climate summit and the vital role played by civil society in setting the agenda for fossil fuel phase-out.
HONG KONG: ‘We urge governments to protect exiled human rights defenders within their jurisdictions’
CIVICUS speaks with Anouk Wear, research and policy adviser at Hong Kong Watch, about recent district council elections held in Hong Kong amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent.
CIVICUS speaks about deteriorating civic space conditions amid political and security instability in Lebanon with Fadel Fakih, Executive Director of the Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH).
CIVICUS speaks with Julia Tinsley-Kent, Policy and Strategic Communications Manager of the Migrants’ Rights Network, about the UK’s new migration treaty with Rwanda, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving unlawfully in the UK to Rwanda for processing.
CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world.
CIVICUS speaks about the repression of civil society in Algeria with Nassera Dutour, a Franco-Algerian human rights activist and president of the Collective of Families of People Disappeared in Algeria (CFDA) and the Euro-Mediterranean Federation against Enforced Disappearances.
CIVICUS speaks with Nudhara Yusuf, Executive Coordinator of the Global Governance Innovation Network at the Stimson Center, about the deficits of the current global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks about ethnic violence and a humanitarian crisis in the Indian state of Manipur with Mangneo Lhungdim and Sulekha Thapa, Executive Director and Deputy Director of Oasis India.
CIVICUS discusses Taiwan’s upcoming presidential election with Brian Hioe, one of the founders of New Bloom Magazine.
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks with Jordi Surkin, conservation director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Bolivia, about recent fires in four of Bolivia’s nine departments.
CIVICUS speaks with Marina Kostylianchenko of Viasna about the closure of civic space and criminalisation of activism in Belarus.
15 December 2023: On the 11-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Lao civil society leader Sombath Somphone, we, the undersigned civil society organizations and individuals, strongly condemn the Lao government’s continued failure to provide necessary information as to his fate and whereabouts and reiterate our calls to the authorities to deliver truth, justice and reparations to his family.
CIVICUS speaks with members of the Collective for the Freedom of Kenia Hernández about the criminalisation of activism in Mexico.
CIVICUS discusses the situation in Niger since the July military coup with Clément Kocou Gbedey, National Coordinator in Niger of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
Open Letter raising grave concerns over the Human Rights Situation in Cambodia and serious democratic threats in the upcoming 2024 Cambodia Senate Election
To:
The European Union Parliament
The United States Congress
The Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of United Kingdom
The Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of Japan
Your Honors,
We, the undersigned civil society organiastions, are writing to express our grave concerns about the state of human rights and democracy in Cambodia.
CIVICUS speaks about the ongoing conflict in Gaza with Abdalaziz Alsalehi, senior researcher at the Social and Economic Policies Monitor (Al-Marsad).
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CIVICUS speaks about the far-right victory in the snap elections that took place in the Netherlands on 22 November with Niels Hoogerheijde, Policy Advisor at Partos, the Dutch membership body for civil society organisations (CSOs) working in international development.
CIVICUS speaks with Kaspars Zālītis, a human rights activist and board member of Mozaika, about the recent legalisation of same-sex civil partnerships in Latvia.
The year-long Human Rights 75 Initiative campaign culminates this week with the Human Rights 75 High-level event held on 11-12 December.
CIVICUS speaks about the recent TikTok ban in Nepal with Anisha, provincial coordinator for Gandaki Pradesh at Body and Data.
CIVICUS speaks with Spanish political scientist and political consultant Eva Silván about the recent re-election of Pedro Sánchez as Spanish prime minister at the head of a coalition with left-wing and pro-independence parties, in a country deeply divided by the Catalonia issue.
CIVICUS speaks about the ongoing repression of dissent in Algeria with Rachid Aouine, Director for SHOAA for Human Rights.
CIVICUS speaks about global governance challenges with Marta Benavides, a spiritual leader who has led numerous sustainable peace initiatives in and outside of El Salvador, for which she has had to go into exile several times.
BOLIVIA: ‘The minimisation of forest fires and the lack of response from the authorities is ecocide’
CIVICUS speaks with Andrea Barrientos, Senator of the Citizen Community (Comunidad Ciudadana) party for the department of Cochabamba, about recent fires in four of Bolivia’s nine departments.
A message from Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS
Dear CIVICUS members and allies,
As we bid farewell to a remarkable year, I am inspired as we reflect on the growth of the CIVICUS Alliance.
By Andew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
KOSOVO: ‘Civil society has done most of the effort when it comes to dealing with our recent history’
CIVICUS speaks about intensifying inter-ethnic violence in north Kosovo and civil society’s ongoing peacebuilding efforts with Bjeshkë Guri, coordinator of the ‘Dealing with the Past’ programme at Youth Initiative for Human Rights Kosovo (YIHR-KS).
This submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights was made to inform the mandate's priorities for the three-year term from late 2023 to 2026, concerning new and continuing thematic issues and geographic focus.
CIVICUS speaks about Yemen’s ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis with Radhya Almutawakel, co-founder and chairperson of Mwatana for Human Rights (Mwatana).
CIVICUS speaks with John Vlasto, Board Chair of the World Federalist Movement (WFM), about the deficits of the existing global governance system and civil society’s proposals for reform.
CIVICUS speaks about the move to expel Afghan refugees from Pakistan with Habib Malik Orakzai, president of Pakistan International Human Rights Organization (PIHRO).
CIVICUS speaks with Natalie Samarasinghe, Global Director for advocacy at the Open Society Foundations (OSF), about the need for global governance reform and the proposal for a civil society envoy within the United Nations (UN) system.
A year on from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim being sworn in as the 10th Prime Minister and forming a unity government, ARTICLE 19 and CIVICUS believe there has been a lack of progress in undertaking reforms to ensure better human rights protection.
We the undersigned are writing to you to raise concern regarding the decision by several European governments to suspend or review their funding to several Palestinian and Israeli civil society organizations.
CIVICUS speaks with Patricia Reyes, director of Fundación Multitudes, about the process to develop a new constitution in Chile since a previous draft was rejected in a referendum in September 2022.
CIVICUS speaks with Andy Sumner about the prospects for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the underlying dysfunctions of the current global governance system.
CIVICUS speaks with Lea Schlenker, board member of Operation Libero, about the rise of right-wing populism in Switzerland’s recent elections.
The undersigned organisations, human rights groups, and defenders are calling for the Indonesian Government to end its judicial harassment against prominent human rights defenders, Fatia Maulidiyanti and Haris Azhar as well as to further protect all human rights defenders in the country.
CIVICUS speaks with Yanina Welp, researcher at the Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy, about the results of Argentina’s runoff presidential election, won by a far-right outsider.
CIVICUS speaks with Milica Andric Rakic, project manager at New Social Initiative (NSI), about intensifying inter-ethnic violence and deteriorating civic space in Kosovo.
The undersigned civil society organisations mark the conclusion of the UN General Assembly's (GA) 78th Third Committee session with the following observations on both thematic and country-specific outcomes.
CIVICUS speaks about snap elections taking place in the Netherlands on 22 November with Niels Hoogerheijde, Policy Advisor at Partos, the Dutch membership body for civil society organisations (CSOs) working in international development.
We, the undersigned organisations, call for the immediate and unconditional release of human rights defenders Khurram Parvez and Irfan Mehraj, who are currently being detained in Rohini jail in India.
Human Rights Council in Geneva.
CIVICUS speaks with Iranian activist Asal Abasian about the situation more than a year since the start of the protest wave triggered by Mahsa Amini’s killing by the morality police and the prospects for change in Iran.
CIVICUS speaks with Geetartha Pathak, president of the Indian Journalists Union (IJU), about the increasing violation of press freedoms in India.
CIVICUS speaks about Serbia’s upcoming parliamentary elections and civic space conditions with Vukosava Crnjanski, founder and director of the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to immediately and unconditionally drop charges against youth activist and stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya.
CIVICUS speaks with Rafael Uzcátegui, general coordinator of the Venezuelan Programme for Human Rights Education Action (Provea), about the results of recent opposition primaries ahead of the 2024 elections.
CIVICUS speaks with Alfredo Okenve, president of the Centre for Studies and Initiatives for the Development of Equatorial Guinea (CEIDGE), about the political context in which civil society operates in Equatorial Guinea.
CIVICUS, a global human rights alliance and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) call upon states to use the upcoming human rights review of Bangladesh at the UN Human Rights Council to call out its ongoing failure to fully implement previous recommendations related to civic freedoms.
By Sylvia Mbataru and Mawethu Nkosana
The Mauritius decision is part of a wider trend of Southern African courts protecting LGBTQIA+ rights following sustained strategic litigation and advocacy by activists and civil society organisations.
CIVICUS speaks about the current move to expel undocumented migrants from Pakistan with Muhammad Mudassar, Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Human Rights and Prisoners’ Aid (SHARP-Pakistan).
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With the start of COP28 in Dubai in a month, 346 civil society organisations call on the Emirati authorities, UN and State Parties to guarantee an inclusive COP and release jailed human rights defenders in the UAE.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) are gravely concerned about the use of disproportionate force during demonstrations led by the main opposition party in Dhaka on 28 October 2023.
CIVICUS speaks with Zaman Ashraf about the current pre-election crackdown in Bangladesh.
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The up-coming United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference 2023, also known as Conference of Parties (COP28), taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) should prioritise the rights of communities and people most affected by climate change.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on Hong Kong authorities to immediately end the repeated use of solitary confinement and free lawyer and activist Chow Hang-Tung.
CIVICUS speaks about the impacts of climate change and the response of climate activism with Ronan Renz Napoto, founder and executive director of Balud, a youth-led movement from the Philippines that promotes ecological consciousness by engaging with and empowering young people.
CIVICUS speaks with Daniel Lubin, co-founder of Na’amod (British Jews Against Occupation), about the UK government’s proposed anti-boycott bill that would prevent public bodies from using divestment as a strategy to meet human rights responsibilities and obligations.
CIVICUS speaks about Poland’s 15 October parliamentary election with Sonia Horonziak and Filip Pazderski, coordinator and head of the Democracy and Civil Society Programme at the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA).
CIVICUS and its partners have made UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Eritrea and Viet Nam.
On the margins of the 77th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) held in Arusha, Tanzania, CIVICUS, through the Consortium for Human Rights and Media in Sub-Saharan Africa (CHARM) project hosted a side event on Environmental Rights and Human Rights Defenders in Africa on 21 October 2023.
CIVICUS statement at the 77th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights
Agenda Item 3 (Human rights situation in Africa)
Statement on the situation of environmental human rights defenders in Africa
Delivered by Paul Mulindwa
Global civil society alliance CIVICUS and partners under Environmental Rights Legal Framework Coalition congratulate the Chair, on your re-election for the 2nd mandate as the chair of the Commission, and we commit to a continued collaboration.
Credit: Parti Sosialis Malaysia
ARTICLE 19 and CIVICUS are concerned by the arrests of three land rights defenders and a farmer for trying to block a forced eviction by the Perak state government on 24 October.
We, the undersigned digital and human rights organizations, join the open call for an immediate ceasefire to end the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza, to halt a humanitarian catastrophe, and to prevent further loss of innocent lives in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and beyond.
Long-term solutions must also be advanced to respect human rights
By CIVICUS Staff
An immediate ceasefire is needed to stop the slaughter of civilians in Gaza and enable full humanitarian access to supply the essentials a besieged population needs and is currently being denied.
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CIVICUS speaks about deteriorating civic space in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with Aida Daguda and Dajana Cvjetkovic, director and programme manager at the Centre for Civil Society Promotion (CPCD).
CIVICUS speaks about the role of civil society and its expectations for the upcoming COP28 climate summit with María Reyes, a young human rights and environmental activist from the Mexican state of Puebla.
CIVICUS discusses the results of the 15 October runoff vote in Ecuador’s presidential election with Humberto Salazar, executive director of Fundación Esquel.
CIVICUS speaks about the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh – the disputed territory within Azerbaijan that until recently was governed by ethnic Armenians – with Lida Minasyan, a feminist peace activist and Resource Mobilisation Consultant at the Central Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central and North Asia (CEECCNA) Collaborative Fund.
CIVICUS speaks with Najeeb Ahmad Fokeerbux, founder of the Young Queer Alliance (YQA), about the recent ruling by the Mauritius Supreme Court that declared the criminalisation of same-sex relations unconstitutional.
The 54th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council began on 11 September in the context of ongoing and unfolding human rights crises.
CIVICUS speaks about the civil society humanitarian response to the Azerbaijani blockade and military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh – the disputed territory within Azerbaijan that until recently was governed by ethnic Armenians – with Shushanik Nersesyan, Media and Communication Manager at People in Need (PIN) Armenia.
CIVICUS discusses the results of the 15 October runoff vote in Ecuador’s presidential election with Ruth Hidalgo, executive director of Participación Ciudadana (Citizen Participation).
ARABICJOHANNESBURG – Global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on the United Arab Emirates to immediately release human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor ahead of his 54th birthday on 22 October.
To: Member States of the United Nations General Assembly
CC: The United Nations Secretary-General
Open Letter: The UN General Assembly must take decisive action to hold the military junta accountable for atrocities in Myanmar
Your Excellencies,
We – 440 Myanmar, regional, and international civil society organizations – call on Member States of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to take immediate and decisive action to hold the Myanmar military accountable under international law through all possible avenues.
CIVICUS speaks about activism in the closed civic space of North Korea with Bada Nam, Secretary General of People for Successful Corean Reunification (PSCORE).
CIVICUS speaks about the struggle for LGBTQI+ rights in Botswana with Dumiso Gatsha, an LGBTQI+ activist and founder of Success Capital.
CIVICUS speaks with Peter Lewis, president of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR), about the recent defeat in a referendum of a proposal to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution and create a permanent institution so they can speak directly to government and parliament on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
JOHANNESBURG – Ahead of the third anniversary of the arrest of Mexican human rights defender Kenia Ines Hernandez, global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on the country’s authorities to release her without delay.
CIVICUS speaks about the role of civil society in the response to the recent earthquake in Morocco with Victoria Vrana, Chief Executive Officer at GlobalGiving.
CIVICUS speaks about the struggle for LGBTQI+ rights in Japan with Akira Nishiyama, Deputy Secretary General of the Japan Alliance for Legislation to Remove Social Barriers based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation, J-ALL).
Mandeep Tiwana, chief officer for evidence and engagement at CIVICUS and Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS
Let’s not beat around the bush: this year’s United Nations General Assembly was a letdown.
Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS expressly condemns the continued bombardment of civilians in the ongoing conflict in Gaza and calls on all parties to stop the violence to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe.
CIVICUS speaks about the human rights situation and the closure of the United Nations (UN) office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Uganda with Dr Livingstone Sewanyana, founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) and UN independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, calls on the Indian authorities to end the crackdown against NewsClick and release its editor and staff held under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
CIVICUS speaks with Céline Danhier, director of O’YES, about the recent conservative backlash to the implementation of a sex and relationships education programme in state schools in Belgium’s Walloon region.
Statement at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council Item 10 General DebateDelivered by Róisín Dunbar CIVICUS regrets that despite the technical assistance provided, lack of commitment to civic space by States continues to hinder full enjoyment of human rights.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with UN Special Rapporteur on CambodiaDelivered by Sigrid Lipott, CIVICUSThank you, Mrs.
President of the Republic of Guatemala Alejandro GiammatteiGuatemala CityGuatemala
From the International NGO Forum in Guatemala FONGI, composed of more than 30 organisations and the CIVICUS alliance, a global alliance of more than 10,000 civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists from 175 countries around the world, we write to express our deep concern about the escalating repression of peaceful protests and to ask you to act urgently.
On 10 October 2023, UN Member States will gather in New York to elect 15 new Members to the Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term.
Statement at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council
Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delivered by Róisín Dunbar
Thank you, Mr President,
CIVICUS welcomes the High Commissioner’s report, and we share your concerns on ongoing restrictions on civic freedoms in the DRC.
CIVICUS speaks with Jerusalem Girmay, Chief Communications Officer of Omna Tigray, about the state of emergency imposed in Ethiopia and its implications for the Tigray region.
CIVICUS speaks about the activism of North Korean escapees with Greg Scarlatoiu, Executive Director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK).
CIVICUS speaks about Syria’s ongoing civil war and human rights crisis and its prospects for democratic change with Fadel Abdul Ghany, founder and Executive Director of the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR).
JOHANNESBURG – Global civil society alliance CIVICUS urges the immediate release of journalist and human rights defender Samira Sabou who unidentified men arrested unlawfully from her home on 30 September.
CIVICUS speaks with about civil society work in Eritrea’s context of closed civic space with Helen Kidan, chairperson of the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights (EMDHR).
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights CouncilAdoption of the UPR Outcomes – United Arab EmiratesDelivered by Róisín DunbarThank you, Mr President,CIVICUS, the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Centre and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights welcome the government of the UAE’s engagement with the UPR process, and especially its support for 19 UPR recommendations related to civic space.
The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78) saw CIVICUS, a global alliance for civil society, at the forefront of discussions and interventions aimed at bolstering civic space, human rights, and sustainable development.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Human Rights -- Outcome Adoption for Burundi
Delivered by Pierre-Claver MBONIMPA , Association Burundaise pour la Protection des Droits Humains et des Personnes Détenues
Thank you, Mr President,
Association Burundaise pour la Protection des Droits Humains et des Personnes Détenues (APRODH) and CIVICUS welcome the government of Burundi’s engagement with the UPR process.
CIVICUS speaks about the recent Supreme Court ruling decriminalising abortion in Mexico with Brenda Rodriguez, communications coordinator of Information Group on Reproductive Choice (GIRE, Grupo de Información en Reproducción Elegida).
CIVICUS speaks about recent arrests of leading environmental activists in Vietnam with Penelope Faulkner, President of Quê Me: Vietnam Committee on Human Rights (VCHR).
CIVICUS speaks about the closure of the United Nations (UN) office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Uganda with Robert Kirenga, Executive Director of the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders-Uganda (NCHRD-U).
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
General Debate Item 4
Delivered by Róisín Dunbar , CIVICUS
Thank you, Mr President,
The new CIVICUS Monitor Watchlist, highlights serious concerns regarding the rapid decline in respect for civic space in Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates.
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Johannesburg/Brussels - As the eighth anniversary of the unjust detention of Tajikistan human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov approaches, global civil society alliance CIVICUS and the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) call on the country’s authorities to immediately release him and unconditionally drop all charges.
THE NETHERLANDS: ‘Restrictions on the right to protest should be the exception rather than the rule’
CIVICUS speaks with Sieger Sloot, an actor and climate activist from a Dutch branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR), and Marjolein Kuijers, policy officer on the right to protest at the Dutch section of Amnesty International, about the government’s reaction to climate protests in the run-up to parliamentary elections in the Netherlands in November.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights CouncilInteractive Dialogue on written update of the High Commissioner on the human rights situation in MyanmarDelivered by May Thiri Khin, Burma Human Rights Network Thank you, Mr.
CIVICUS speaks with Alba Adriana Jiménez Patlán, director of the Network for Sexual and Reproductive Rights in Mexico (ddeser), about the historic ruling of the Mexican Supreme Court decriminalising abortion at the federal level.
CIVICUS discusses Indigenous peoples' environmental activism and civil society's hopes for the upcoming COP28 climate summit with Fausto Daniel Santi Gualina, a leader of the Indigenous Sarayaku people of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Debate with the Special Rapporteur on Burundi
Delivered by Agnès Ndirubusa
Thank you, Mr President,
CIVICUS and independent Burundian civil society organisations thank the Special Rapporteur for his report and continued work.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Debate on the report of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia
Delivered by Róisín Dunbar, CIVICUS
Thank you, Mr President,
CIVICUS and its partners in Ethiopia welcome the work of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, particularly reports and statements highlighting the state of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country.
ARTICLE 19 and CIVICUS are concerned by recent attempts by the police to harass protesters and restrict peaceful protests.
CIVICUS speaks with Isabel Abella Ruiz de Mendoza about the systemic macho violence faced by women in sport, evidenced in a recent case of abuse of power by the highest authority of the Spanish football federation.
CIVICUS speaks with Eleonora Giovio, sports editor of the Spanish newspaper El País, about the systemic abuses faced by women in sport, evidenced in a recent case of abuse of power by the highest authority in the Spanish football federation.
CIVICUS discusses the military coup in Gabon with Pepecy Ogouliguende, expert in human rights, governance, gender and peace mediation and founder and president of Malachie.
CIVICUS speaks about the situation of political prisoners on hunger strike in Bahrain with Jawad Fairooz, founder and director of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (Salam DHR).
By Secretary General, Lysa John and Chief Officer of Evidence and Engagement Mandeep Tiwana
Defending people power and striving to promote excluded voices — this is the mission of CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world.
CIVICUS speaks about the ongoing repression of dissent in Egypt with Ahmed Attalla, Executive Director of the Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR).
CIVICUS speaks about Zimbabwe’s August general election and its aftermath with Obert Masaraure, national president of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and spokesperson of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, which brings together 84 Zimbabwean civil society organisations (CSOs).
Photo credit: Odhikar
Leaders of Prominent Rights Group Convicted on Trumped-Up Charges
Bangladesh authorities should immediately release human rights defenders Adilur Rahman Khan and ASM Nasiruddin Elan, quash their convictions, and end all reprisals against them for their legitimate human rights work, said 72 organizations today.
CIVICUS speaks with Sohrab Razaghi, executive director of Volunteer Activists (VA), about the situation in Iran on the anniversary of the anti-regime protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of morality police.
CIVICUS speaks about climate change, global inequality and the need for redistribution with Adrien Fabre, a France-based climate economist and founder of Global Redistribution Advocates (GRA).
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council General Debate on the High Commissioner’s updateDelivered by Humberto Mendez RamosThank you, Mr President, This 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR75), the High Commissioner has described civic space as the best indicator of a state’s commitment to upholding the aspirations of the Declaration.
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Officer for evidence and engagement + representative to the UN headquarters at CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance
This September, world leaders and public policy advocates from around the world will descend on New York for the UN General Assembly.
JOHANNESBURG/NEW YORK - As world leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly this September, global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on UN leadership to use this year’s summit to prove its value to solve the world’s compounding crises.
NAMIBIA: ‘We have seen some progress on LGBTQI+ rights, but there is a lot of work still to be done’
CIVICUS speaks about recent moves to ban same-sex marriage in Namibia with Kevin Wessels, a young activist and a seasoned consultant and social entrepreneur working to advance human rights in Namibia.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Debate on Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)'s Report on Nicaragua
Delivered by Róisín Dunbar, CIVICUS
Thank you, Mr President,
CIVICUS welcomes the report by OHCHR on the human rights situation in Nicaragua, which documents the systematic repression of civic space as also reported by CIVICUS.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Debate on OHCHR report on Afghanistan
Delivered by Horia Mosadiq, Safety and Risk Mitigation Organization (SRMO)
Thank you Mr.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Office of the High Commisioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Sri Lanka
Delivered by Róisín Dunbar
Thank you, Mr.
CIVICUS discusses the military coup in Gabon with Georges Mpaga, National Executive President of the Network of Free Civil Society Organisations of Gabon (ROLBG).
The General Assembly is the main policymaking organ of the United Nations.
Statement at the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue on the report of Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar
Delivered by May Thiri Khin, Burma Human Rights Network
We thank the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) for their recent report.
As citizens of the Maldives prepare to cast their votes in presidential elections scheduled for 9 September 2023, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation call upon all candidates and political parties to pledge their commitment to upholding and safeguarding civic freedoms as an integral part of their electoral mandates.
To: Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council
RE: Human Rights Council should adopt meaningful resolution to address spiralling rights crisis in Cambodia
Excellencies,
We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are writing to alert your government to the worsening human rights crisis in Cambodia, and to appeal to you for your support for a resolution strengthening and extending scrutiny of the situation to be adopted at the 54th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council (the “Council”).
Russian
With Tajikistan marking its Independence Day on 9 September 2023, global civil society alliance CIVICUS and the Brussels-based International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR) call on Tajikistani authorities to immediately release imprisoned human rights defender Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov, and other activists and journalists detained for their human rights activities.
As a global civil society alliance with a mandate to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, CIVICUS’s key priorities and recommendations ahead of the 54th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (11 September - 13 October) relate to protecting fundamental freedoms and supporting civil society where they face grave risk.
Realising commitments to civil society space and partnerships are essential to progressing on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inclusive, resilient, and green growth, says CIVICUS, ahead of the New Delhi G-20 meeting.
CIVICUS speaks with Ana María Diez, president of Coalition for Venezuela, about the humanitarian crisis of Venezuelan migrants trying to reach the USA by land.
CIVICUS speaks about the state of civic space and the rights of excluded groups in Bangladesh with Shahanur Islam, founder secretary general of JusticeMakers Bangladesh (JMBD) and founder president of JMBD in France.
JOHANNESBURG - Ahead of Eswatini’s 55th Independence Day on 6 September, global civil society alliance CIVICUS and the Eswatini rights organisation Foundation for Socio Economic Justice (FSEJ) call on the country’s authorities to immediately release from prison pro-democracy activists Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube.
CIVICUS speaks with Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan about the human rights situation in the Philippines since the start of Ferdinand Marcos Junior’s government.
CIVICUS speaks with Monim Haroon, Emergency Communications Manager at the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), about the situation of Sudanese migrants in Chad’s refugee camps and civil society’s work to support them.
CIVICUS speaks about ongoing repression in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and the international response to Israeli aggression with Susan Power, Head of Legal Research and Advocacy at Al-Haq.
CIVICUS speaks with Cristina Palabay, Secretary General of Karapatan, about the human rights situation in the Philippines since the start of Ferdinand Marcos Junior’s government.
CIVICUS speaks about the upcoming presidential election in Maldives with Shahindha Ismail, founder of the Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN).
CIVICUS speaks about recent developments involving the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project and civil society’s efforts to stop it with Zaki Mamdoo, Campaign Coordinator of Stop EACOP.
CIVICUS speaks about the general election in Zimbabwe and the role of civil society with Wellington Mbofana, former director of the Civic Education Network Trust (CIVNET), a civil society organisation (CSO) that recently shut down due to lack of funding, and a former board member of several Zimbabwean CSOs.
We, the undersigned civil society, and human rights organizations are alarmed by your recent decision1 to prematurely terminate the mandate of the Commission of Inquiry into the situation in the Tigray Region of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia (CoI).
Global civil society alliance, CIVICUS has pointed out that the overwhelming majority of the newly admitted members of the BRICS alliance have troubling records of upholding civic freedoms and a history of quashing democratic dissent which does not augur well for multilateralism or people-centred decision making.
By David Kode, CIVICUS' Advocacy and Campaigns Lead
Mohamed Bazoum’s ascension to the presidency in 2021 in a rare political transition was a major boost for Niger’s democracy.
CIVICUS speaks about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) for civil society’s work with Omran Najjar, Kshitij Sharma, Leen D’hondt, Nasilele Amatende and Petya Kangalova of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT).
CIVICUS, the global alliance of civil society organisations, condemns the decision by the governments of Benin and Burkina Faso to suspend media outlets over their coverage of the recent coup in Niger.
We, the undersigned organisations, are in solidarity with human rights defenders (HRDs) in the Philippines.
CIVICUS speaks with Victoria Petrova, Communications and Development Director at the Bulgarian Fund for Women (BFW), about civil society’s struggles to end domestic and gender-based violence in Bulgaria.
ATTN: Representative of G20 member countries, guest countries and invited international organizations
We, the undersigned organizations, would like to bring to your attention serious concerns regarding human rights violations occurring in Indian-administered Kashmir (IAK) including the unlawful detention and persecution of human rights defenders and journalists.
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with climate justice activist Disha Ravi, founder of India’s branch of the youth-led climate movement Fridays for Future.
CIVICUS discusses the recent military coup in Niger with Clément Kocou Gbedey, Niger’s National Coordinator of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP).
CIVICUS speaks with Mauricio Alarcón Salvador, executive director of Fundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo (Citizenship and Development Foundation, FCD), about the elections that will be held in Ecuador on 20 August, the eruption of political violence and organised crime and the implications for civil society and the future of the country.
Arabic
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) should release all those unjustly imprisoned in the country before the start of COP28, which will be held at Expo City Dubai between 30 November and 12 December 2023.
The prominent Danish-Bahraini human rights defender and prisoner of conscience Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja, who has been arbitrarily detained in Bahrain since 2011 after leading peaceful protests calling for fundamental freedoms and rights in Bahrain, began a hunger strike on Wednesday 9 August.
CIVICUS speaks about the deterioration of civic space in the run-up to next year’s elections in Senegal with Sadikh Niass, Secretary General of the African Meeting for the Defence of Human Rights (Rencontre Africaine pour la Défense des Droits de l’Homme, RADDHO), and Iba Sarr, Director of Programmes at RADDHO.
On 15 August 2021, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan and unleashed a systematic assault on civic space.
CIVICUS speaks about the restrictive conditions for civil society in Kyrgyzstan with Tolekan Ismailova, founding president of the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society and director of the human rights movement One World-Kyrgyzstan (Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan, BDK).
10 Years of Reprisals Against Odhikar Officials for Documenting Violations
The Bangladesh authorities should cease their continued criminalization and harassment of Bangladesh human rights group, Odhikar, 21 human rights groups said today.
Without civil society, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would not be possible.
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Harlee Richards, strategist at Follow This.
CIVICUS speaks with Mitch Rose, a volunteer activist with Just Stop Oil, about climate activism and its criminalisation in the UK.
CIVICUS speaks about 2023 Pride and Polish LGBTQI+ rights organisations’ response to the conservative backlash against LGBTQI+ rights with Annamaria Linczowska, advocacy and litigation officer at Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH).
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Guillaume Kalonji, a youth climate activist and founder of Rise Up Movement DRC.
Lao authorities have reportedly arrested and detained well-known Chinese human rights lawyer Lu Siwei since 28 July 2023.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance and the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) are extremely concerned about reports of arbitrary arrests and excessive force against opposition activists around mass sit-in protests in Bangladesh.
CIVICUS speaks with Sanjay Sharma, Programme Director of Nepal’s Blue Diamond Society, about the recent Supreme Court’s order to register same-sex marriages and civil society’s role in advancing LGBTQI+ rights in the country.
CIVICUS makes UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) submissions on civil society space in Chad, China, Malaysia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, and Senegal.
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace Compound
P.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation condemn the pattern of intimidation and retaliation against media workers, civil society, and political opponents in the run-up to, during, and after elections in Cambodia.
CIVICUS speaks with Nadia Benaissa, legal policy advisor at Bits of Freedom, about the risks artificial intelligence (AI) poses to human rights and the role civil society is playing in developing a legal framework for AI governance.
A message from Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS
Dear CIVICUS members and allies
At the close of our 2017-2022 Strategic Plan period, we committed to review the most significant outcomes achieved and lessons learnt from its implementation.
CIVICUS speaks about the situation of LGBTQI+ people in the context of Spain’s election with Emilio de Benito, spokesperson for Health and Seniors of the LGTB+ Collective of Madrid (COGAM).
Ahead of the second round of the presidential elections scheduled for 20 August 2023, the global civil society alliance CIVICUS calls on the Guatemalan authorities to respect the rule of law and democratic values to prevent a political crisis.
CIVICUS’ key priorities and recommendations during the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council focussed on the protection of fundamental freedoms and support to civil society where they face grave risk.
We welcome the resolution put forward by the OIC to ensure the full implementation of the United Nations database of businesses facilitating Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as well as the recent publication of the partial update to the database issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on 30 June 2023.
CIVICUS speaks about the persecution faced by Hong Kong activists in exile with Anouk Wear, research and policy adviser at Hong Kong Watch.
CIVICUS speaks about 2023 Pride and the civil society response to the Turkish government’s anti-LGBTQI+ campaign with Damla Umut Uzun, international relations and fundraising officer at Kaos Gay and Lesbian Cultural Research and Solidarity Association (Kaos GL).
Introduction
The state of civic space globally and the environment for civil society continues to deteriorate.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation are deeply concerned over Singapore’s recently passed Online Criminal Harms Act.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Adoption of the UPR report of Pakistan
Delivered by Gulalai Ismail
Thank you, Mr President.
Widespread arrests, attacks and legal restrictions facing LGBTQI+ activists across Africa finds new report
Johannesburg | 4 July, 2023
Same-sex relations criminalised in at least 27 countries south of the Sahara
Organisations shut down and offices raided for their work on LGBTQI+ rights
Widespread bans on the publication of information on gay rights
Anti-LGBTQI+ laws and practices disproportionately impact other excluded groups including women, children and victims of abuse
From Uganda to Cameroon, LGBTQI+ activists face significant restrictions due to the prevailing social, cultural and legal attitudes towards homosexuality and gender identity.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Adoption of the UPR report of Sri Lanka
Delivered by Tharindu Jayawardhana
Thank you, Mr President.
King of Bahrain, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
8 July 2023
RE: Free Dr.
By Andrew Firmin CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
PORTUGUESE
CIVICUS discusses the state of civic space and the new restrictions being imposed on civil society in Angola with Emilio José Manuel, focal point for Angola of the Lusophone Platform for Human Rights and founding member of the Working Group for Human Rights Monitoring in Angola (GTMDH).
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue on written update of the High Commissioner on Myanmar
Delivered by Kyaw Win
Thank you Mr.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Adoption of the UPR report of Benin
Delivered by Cristina Figueira Shah
Thank you, Mr President.
Statement at the UN Human Rights Council – 53rd Session
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Burundi
Delivered by Sigrid Lipott
Thank you, Mr.
Declaración Oral: Consejo de Derechos Humanos – 53° período de sesiones y aprobación del Informe EPU
Entregada por Humberto Mendez Ramos
Saludos desde la Asociación por los Derechos Humanos (APRODEH).
CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s role in the recent legalisation of same-sex marriage in Estonia with Kelly Grossthal, head of strategic litigation at the Estonian Human Rights Centre (EHRC).
CIVICUS speaks about Finland’s new government with Silla Ristimäki, development policy specialist at Fingo.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue on High Commissioner report on Venezuela
Delivered by CIVICUS and Espacio Público
Thank you Mr President,
In Venezuela, persecution against government critics continues.
CIVICUS speaks with Evelyn Recinos Contreras about Guatemala’s general elections – where a candidate promising reform has surprisingly made the second round of the presidential race – and the prospects for democratic change and opening up civic space.
CIVICUS speaks with Zoe Ruge of Last Generation about climate activism and its criminalisation in Germany.
CIVICUS speaks with David Mejia-Canales, senior lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC), about anti-protest legislation being introduced in states across Australia and its impact on civil society activism.
PORTUGUESE
CIVICUS discusses the state of civic space and the new restrictions being imposed on the work of Angolan civil society with Godinho Cristóvão, a jurist, human rights defender and executive director of the association Movimento de Defensores de Direitos Humanos de Angola (Movement of Human Rights Defenders of Angola, KUTAKESA).
CIVICUS speaks with Jordán Rodas Andrade about Guatemala’s general elections – where a candidate promising reform has surprisingly made the second round of the presidential race – and the prospects for democratic change and opening up civic space.
CIVICUS speaks about Sierra Leone’s 24 June general election with John Caulker, founder and executive director of Fambul Tok.
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Gideon Abraham Sanago, Climate Coordinator with the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organizations’ Forum (PINGOs Forum).
We, the undersigned organisations, express grave concern over the recent arbitrary arrest, detention, and silencing of several environmental human rights defenders (EHRDs) speaking out against harmful business operations supported by the government.
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Caroline Owashaba, an eco-feminist and gender inclusion specialist and Executive Director of Action for Youth Development Uganda (ACOYDE).
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society, is gravely concerned of increasing attacks and restrictions on democratic and civic freedoms in the wake of Guatemala’s 25th June presidential elections.
Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a prominent member of Bahraini civil society and well known human rights activist in the gulf.
CIVICUS speaks about new US immigration regulations with Aaron Nodjomian-Escajeda, policy analyst on asylum and human trafficking at the U.
In this letter to President Macron, CIVICUS joins civil society groups in expressing concerns over the welcoming of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to France and to the Élysée palace.
CIVICUS joins civil society organisations in urging the international community to ensure the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons including women and women human rights defenders in Sudan.
CIVICUS speaks about a new law enabling pushbacks of asylum seekers at the Belarus-Lithuania border with Mėta Adutavičiūtė, head of Advocacy at the Human Rights Monitoring Institute (HRMI).
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, urges the government of Sri Lanka to immediately release youth activist and stand-up comedian Nathasha Edirisooriya and drop the charges against her unconditionally.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea
Delivered by Helen Kidan
Thank you, Mr.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner's report on Sudan
At #HRC53's interactive dialogue on 🇸🇩#Sudan, we: -called on the government to cease hostilities & respect #humanrights -urged neighboring countries to temporarily waive entry visa requirements & grant prima facie refugee status to those fleeing the violence.
CIVICUS speaks about the status of LGBTQI+ rights and progress being made towards decriminalising homosexuality in Sri Lanka with Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, founder and Executive Director of EQUAL GROUND.
Statement at the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
Enhanced Interactive Dialogue with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls and the Special Rappoteur on Afghanistan
🇦🇫🇺🇳 The international community hasn't done enough to hold the #Taliban accountable for their rights abuses.
Indian authorities should immediately release Kashmiri human rights defender Khurram Parvez, a group of United Nations (UN) human rights experts has said.
CIVICUS speaks with Derya Beyatlı, Director of the Human Rights Platform, about the space for civil society in Northern Cyprus and the prospects for reunification in the context of the 2023 Cyprus and Turkish presidential elections.
CIVICUS speaks with Ian Tennant about the importance of safeguarding human rights in the ongoing process to draft a United Nations (UN) Cybercrime Treaty.
As a global civil society alliance with a mandate to strengthen citizen action and civil society throughout the world, CIVICUS’ key priorities and recommendations ahead of the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council relate to protecting fundamental freedoms and supporting civil society where they face grave risk.
CIVICUS discusses the hopes and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Ireen Twongirwe, a climate activist and CEO of Women for Green Economy Movement Uganda (WoGEM).
CIVICUS speaks about the 14 May election in Thailand with Yingcheep Atchanont, executive director of Internet Law Reform Dialogue (iLaw).
CIVICUS speaks with Stéphane Duguin about the weaponisation of technology and progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Cybercrime Treaty.
CIVICUS discusses the aspirations and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Estelle Ewoule Lobé, co-founder of the Cameroonian civil society organisation (CSO) Action for the protection of environmental refugees and internally displaced people in Africa (APADIME).
CIVICUS speaks with Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, a globally recognised human rights advocate and the new Executive Director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), on the state of civic space in the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the regional body’s response to the human rights situation in Myanmar.
In response to news on 17 May 2023 of the fatal shooting of Bounsuan Kitiyano, a 56-year-old Lao human rights defender and a refugee recognized the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in a border town in northeastern Thailand, we, the ten undersigned organizations, urge the government of Thailand to independently, effectively and promptly investigate this incident and ensure effective remedy to the victim’s family and loved ones.
CIVICUS joins calls for the release of Vietnamese climate leader, Dang Dinh Bach and stand in solidarity with civil society in the frontlines of Vietnam’s just energy transition
We, the undersigned climate justice and human rights advocates worldwide, call for the immediate release of prominent environmental lawyer, Dang Dinh Bach, who is serving a five year prison sentence in Vietnam on trumped-up tax evasion charges after advocating for the country’s movement away from coal.
CIVICUS speaks with Gabriella Abbate of Last Generation about climate activism and its criminalisation in Italy, a country that has recently experienced both drought and devastating floods.
CIVICUS speaks with lawyer Eren Keskin, chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD), about the Turkish government’s attacks on critical media and the state of press freedoms in the context of Turkey’s current elections.
Respect the Fundamental Rights to Freedom of Association and Expression
Bangladeshi authorities must end reprisals against Odhikar and its leadership and respect the fundamental rights to freedom of association and expression.
By Andrew Firmin CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
CIVICUS speaks about the Hungarian government’s anti-LGBTQI+ campaign with Imre Zsoldos of the Hungarian LGBT Alliance.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation strongly condemn Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC)’s decision to bar the Candlelight Party (CP) - the country’s main opposition party–from contesting in the upcoming general election in July 2023.
To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland)
Excellencies,
Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council’s 53rd session (19 June-14 July 2023), we, the undersigned non-governmental organisations, are writing to urge your delegation to support the development and adoption of a resolution that extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea for one year.
In the run-up to Turkey’s general election, CIVICUS speaks with Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief of Evrensel, about the state of press freedoms and the Turkish government’s attacks on critical media.
Sixteen human rights organisations today called on the Indian authorities to immediately stop the reprisals against human rights defenders and organisations in Jammu and Kashmir, especially Khurram Parvez, Irfan Mehraj, and the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS).
CIVICUS discusses Paraguay’s recent general election with Marta Ferrara, executive director of Seeds for Democracy (Semillas para la Democracia).
CIVICUS speaks with Hailey Campbell about the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the environment, which enables the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an advisory opinion on states’ obligations to address climate change.
Dear members and allies,
CIVICUS has just been recognised as the top-ranking organisation in the annual FAIR SHARE for Women Leaders Monitor.
By Andrew Firmin
Where will you be in 2040? For Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, the answer is: in the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace.
CIVICUS speaks with constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate M.
On World Press Freedom Day, CIVICUS speaks with Carlos Ernesto Choc, a Q’eqchi’ Mayan journalist with almost two decades of experience, about the criminalisation of journalism and the media in Guatemala.
On World Press Freedom Day, CIVICUS joins five other civil society organisations in expressing alarm over the increasing attacks against Bangladeshi journalists and online critics, exercising their right to freedom of expression.
By Deborah Mowesley, Innovation For Change InternIn recent years, words like “localisation” and “locally-led” have garnered significant attention.
It’s been a time of significant change in Fiji following the country’s December 2022 election.
TO PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES OF MEMBER AND OBSERVER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (GENEVA, SWITZERLAND)
Excellencies, In light of the unfolding human rights crisis in Sudan, and notwithstanding efforts to stop the fighting by the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other regional and international actors, we, the undersigned non-governmental organisations, are writing to urge your delegation to address the human rights dimensions of the crisis by supporting the convening of a special session of the UN Human Rights Council.
CIVICUS speaks with Sieger Sloot, an actor and climate activist from a Dutch branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR), about climate protests and the criminalisation of climate activism in the Netherlands.
CIVICUS speaks about the progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Treaty on Plastic Pollution with Aidan Charron, End of Plastics and Canopy Project Coordinator with EARTHDAY.
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report
On one side is the army, headed by Sudan’s current leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is extremely concerned about the Indian authorities’ latest investigation against Oxfam India for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States once every 4.
CIVICUS speaks with Syed Fawad Ali Shah, a writer and journalist from Pakistan, about the situation of journalists in his country and his experience of persecution, exile and deportation.
CIVICUS speaks about LGBTQI+ rights in Kenya and the criminalisation of activism with Ivy Werimba, Communications and Advocacy Officer at galck+.
By David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead at CIVICUS
Matiullah Wesa’s crime was to try to ensure young people got an education in Afghanistan.
CIVICUS speaks about current protests against judicial changes in Israel with Debbie Gild-Hayo, Director of Public Advocacy of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI).
The international community including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, Arab League and the United Nations should act in a timely manner to prevent a civil war in Sudan, global civil society alliance, CIVICUS, said today.
Since April 15, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias Hemedti – leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have, in their quest for power, engaged in deadly clashes across Sudan.
Representatives of the undermentioned civil society organisations are still reeling with shock over the brutal killing of Eswatini human rights defender, Thulani Maseko.
The 52nd session of the Human Rights Council was held over almost six weeks of debates, negotiations and events, drawing to a close on 4 April 2023 with 43 resolutions adopted by its 47 member states on a range of country situations and thematic issues.
CIVICUS speaks about the progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Treaty on Plastic Pollution with Vito Buonsante, an environmental health lawyer and technical and policy advisor at the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN).
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist
The uncertainty that’s the hallmark of a democratic election was absent on 26 March, the day Cubans were summoned to appoint members of the National Assembly of People’s Power, the country’s legislative body.
CIVICUS speaks with Melina Spathari, Director of Strategy and Programmes at HumanRights360 (HR360), about the prosecution of civil society activists working with migrants and refugees in Greece.
The abduction and detention of human rights defender and education campaigner, Matiullah Wesa, in Afghanistan is a clear attempt by the Taliban to curtail all opposition to their restrictions on the education of women and girls, global civil society alliance, CIVICUS said today.
Statement at the 52nd Sesssion of the UN Human Rights Council
Thank you President.
By Deborah Mowesley, Innovation For Change InternAs an intern at CIVICUS for the past two months, I have had the opportunity to gain valuable insight into the workings of civic engagement and participation.
Office of the PresidentRepublic of UgandaApollo Kaggwa RoadKampala, UgandaTel: 254881/6/343926Email: RegularLabs.
ARABIC
Civil society faces a world of challenges in 2023.
By Andrew Firmin and Inés M.
Statement at the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
UPR Outcomes Adoption – South Africa
Delivered by Nicola Paccamiccio
Thank you, Mr President.
Statement at the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
UPR outcome adoption - Poland
Delivered by Kinga Lozinska
Thank you, Mr President.
Statement at the 52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council
UPR Outcome Adoption – Brazil
Delivered by Maria Eduarda Pessoa de Assis
Instituto Igarapé and CIVICUS welcome the government of Brazil’s engagement with the Universal Periodic Review process.
