Interviews

#BEIJING25: ‘All efforts towards gender equality must be built upon intersectionality and power-shifting’

December 04, 2020

#BEIJING25: ‘All efforts towards gender equality must be built upon intersectionality and power-shifting’

For the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders and experts about the progress achieved and…

RUSSIA: ‘Human rights activism can be expected to increase in reaction to repression’

November 25, 2020

RUSSIA: ‘Human rights activism can be expected to increase in reaction to repression’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Leonid Drabkin, a coordinator with OVD-Info, an independent human rights civil society organisation (CSO) that documents and helps the victims of political…

UGANDA: ‘No candidate can possibly win the election without young people’s votes’

November 13, 2020

UGANDA: ‘No candidate can possibly win the election without young people’s votes’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Mohammed Ndifuna, Executive Director of Justice Access Point-Uganda (JAP). Established in 2018, JAP aims to kickstart, reignite and invigorate justice efforts…

SOUTH KOREA: ‘North Korean defectors and activists face increasing pressure to stay silent’

November 06, 2020

SOUTH KOREA: ‘North Korean defectors and activists face increasing pressure to stay silent’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ethan Hee-Seok Shin, a legal analyst with the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG), a Seoul-based civil society organisation (CSO) founded by…

ITALY: ‘The Sardines movement is all about building self-confidence in the progressive side of politics’

November 03, 2020

ITALY: ‘The Sardines movement is all about building self-confidence in the progressive side of politics’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Andrea Garreffa, one of the founders of the Sardines movement (Movimento delle Sardine), a grassroots political movement that began in November…

ARGENTINA: ‘Cultural change enabled legal change, and legal change deepened cultural change’

October 30, 2020

ARGENTINA: ‘Cultural change enabled legal change, and legal change deepened cultural change’

in Interviews

Ten years after the Equal Marriage Law, a milestone for Latin America, was passed in Argentina, CIVICUS speaks with LGBTQI+ leader María Rachid about…

COVID-19: ‘This is not just a health crisis but also a justice crisis’

October 28, 2020

COVID-19: ‘This is not just a health crisis but also a justice crisis’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Abigail Moy, Director of the Legal Empowerment Network, the largest community of grassroots justice defenders in the world. Convened by the…

MYANMAR: ‘Opposition parties complain that the election body censors their messaging'

October 15, 2020

MYANMAR: ‘Opposition parties complain that the election body censors their messaging'

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to award-winning journalist Cape Diamond (Pyae Sone Win) about the upcoming elections in Myanmar. Cape is a multimedia journalist based in Myanmar,…

UN75: ‘Civil society needs to be the conscience of the global community’

October 01, 2020

UN75: ‘Civil society needs to be the conscience of the global community’

in Interviews

To mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), CIVICUS is having conversations with civil society activists, advocates and practitioners…

LEBANON: ‘This crisis should be handled with a feminist vision’

September 23, 2020

LEBANON: ‘This crisis should be handled with a feminist vision’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Lina Abou Habib, a feminist activist based in Beirut, Lebanon, about the civil society response to the emergency caused by the…

KAZAKHSTAN: ‘The quarantine became a sort of cover for the government to persecute civil society’

September 22, 2020

KAZAKHSTAN: ‘The quarantine became a sort of cover for the government to persecute civil society’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Asya Tulesova, an environmental and civic rights defender from Kazakhstan. On 8 June 2020, Asya was arrested and detained after taking…

POLAND: ‘The crisis of democracy and human rights will deepen’

September 15, 2020

POLAND: ‘The crisis of democracy and human rights will deepen’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Małgorzata Szuleka about Poland’s recent presidential elections, held under the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ruling party’s use of anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric to…

#UN75: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic showed that multilateral institutions are essential’

September 11, 2020

#UN75: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic showed that multilateral institutions are essential’

in Interviews

To mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), CIVICUS is having conversations with civil society activists, advocates and practitioners…

COVID-19: ‘We need a new social contract founded on rights and the principle of shared…

September 10, 2020

COVID-19: ‘We need a new social contract founded on rights and the principle of shared…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency measures on labour rights, and the civil society response, with Owen Tudor, Deputy…

SERBIA: ‘The political crisis will deepen as a large number of people lack representation’

September 08, 2020

SERBIA: ‘The political crisis will deepen as a large number of people lack representation’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ivana Teofilović about the causes of recent protests and the government’s reaction to them, as well as about the elections held…

CHILE: ‘This historic constituent moment was achieved by citizens’

September 04, 2020

CHILE: ‘This historic constituent moment was achieved by citizens’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Marcela Guillibrand De la Jara, Executive Director of the Chilean Volunteer Network (Red de Voluntarios de Chile) and General Coordinator of…

NIGERIA: ‘The global anti-racist protests renewed the call for police accountability’

September 02, 2020

NIGERIA: ‘The global anti-racist protests renewed the call for police accountability’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Nelson Olanipekun, a human rights lawyer and the founder and team lead of Citizens’ Gavel, a Nigerian civic tech organisation that…

POLAND: ‘We invented new forms of protest because we had to’

September 01, 2020

POLAND: ‘We invented new forms of protest because we had to’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Klementyna Suchanow, an activist, author and researcher based in Warsaw, Poland, about the recent announcement by the Polish government that it…

HONG KONG: ‘The National Security Law infringes on freedom of expression and is intensifying self-censorship’

August 27, 2020

HONG KONG: ‘The National Security Law infringes on freedom of expression and is intensifying self-censorship’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Patrick Poon, an independent human rights researcher, on the human rights situation in Hong Kong after a new National Security Law…

#BEIJING25: ‘We are outraged at discrimination and are turning our claims into action’

August 23, 2020

#BEIJING25: ‘We are outraged at discrimination and are turning our claims into action’

in Interviews

In the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, due in September 2020, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders…

BURUNDI: ‘The election of new leaders is not synonymous with democracy’

August 19, 2020

BURUNDI: ‘The election of new leaders is not synonymous with democracy’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the recent elections in Burundi with a civil society activist who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. Presidential, parliamentary and…

SRI LANKA: ‘Media control gave the government a definite advantage’

August 18, 2020

SRI LANKA: ‘Media control gave the government a definite advantage’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Sandun Thudugala, Head of Programmes at the Law and Society Trust (LST), about the legislative elections held in Sri Lanka on…

COVID-19: ‘Refugees paid a heavier price during a crisis that many believed impacted on us…

August 14, 2020

COVID-19: ‘Refugees paid a heavier price during a crisis that many believed impacted on us…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the situation of climate refugees and increasing challenges under the COVID-19 pandemic with Amali Tower, founder and executive director of Climate…

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘We are part of a global anti-racist movement’

August 13, 2020

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘We are part of a global anti-racist movement’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Elena Lorac, coordinator of Reconoci.do, an independent and plural civic network made up mainly of young Dominicans of Haitian descent. Reconoci.do…

COVID-19: ‘We need public policies that reduce and redistribute unpaid care work’

August 12, 2020

COVID-19: ‘We need public policies that reduce and redistribute unpaid care work’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender inequalities and civil society responses with Gala Díaz Langou, director of the Social…

BOLIVIA: ‘The pandemic became a justification for tightening information control’

August 10, 2020

BOLIVIA: ‘The pandemic became a justification for tightening information control’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the Bolivian political landscape and upcoming elections in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic with Cristian León, programme director of Asuntos…

TURKEY: ‘If we withdraw from Istanbul Convention, it means we don't believe in gender equality’

August 10, 2020

TURKEY: ‘If we withdraw from Istanbul Convention, it means we don't believe in gender equality’

in Interviews

In the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, due in September 2020, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders…

MALAWI: ‘Civil society expects new gov. to place rights at the top of its agenda’

August 05, 2020

MALAWI: ‘Civil society expects new gov. to place rights at the top of its agenda’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Michael Kaiyatsa, acting Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), about the recent presidential election in Malawi,…

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘The times ahead may bring positive change’

August 04, 2020

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘The times ahead may bring positive change’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the recent elections in the Dominican Republic, held in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Hamilk Chahin, coordinator of the…

SINGAPORE: ‘Opposition parties were given unfavourable coverage by the state media and had difficulty accessing…

July 27, 2020

SINGAPORE: ‘Opposition parties were given unfavourable coverage by the state media and had difficulty accessing…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to human rights defender Jolovan Wham about the recent elections in Singapore, which were held in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.…

ARGENTINA: ‘We must stop attempts to go back to the injustices of the pre-pandemic era’

July 15, 2020

ARGENTINA: ‘We must stop attempts to go back to the injustices of the pre-pandemic era’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the COVID-19 crisis and civil society responses with Sebastián Pilo, co-director of Civil Association for Equality and Justice (Asociación Civil por…

HUNGARY: ‘Trans people are having our rights being taken away’

July 03, 2020

HUNGARY: ‘Trans people are having our rights being taken away’

in Interviews

A new law in Hungary, passed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, prevents trans people from legally changing their gender. CIVICUS speaks…

TUNISIA: ‘The official response has failed to consider the gendered aspects of the pandemic’

July 01, 2020

TUNISIA: ‘The official response has failed to consider the gendered aspects of the pandemic’

in Interviews

In the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, due in September 2020, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders…

COSTA RICA: ‘Once legal change achieved, public policy should continue to focus on structural exclusion’

June 30, 2020

COSTA RICA: ‘Once legal change achieved, public policy should continue to focus on structural exclusion’

in Interviews

On 26 May 2020, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to recognise same-sex marriage. CIVICUS speaks with Herman Duarte, a lawyer…

MEXICO: ‘Violence against women is a historical pandemic’

June 24, 2020

MEXICO: ‘Violence against women is a historical pandemic’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Wendy Figueroa, director of the Red Nacional de Refugios (National Network of Shelters), a Mexican civil society organisation (CSO) that has…

MALAWI: ‘Girls need protection against COVID-19, and against endemic violations of their rights’

June 22, 2020

MALAWI: ‘Girls need protection against COVID-19, and against endemic violations of their rights’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ephraim Chimwaza, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Concern and Development (CESOCODE), a Malawian reproductive health and women’s rights civil…