Interviews

NEPAL: 'The political system only moves when threatened directly'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Nepal's upcoming election with youth activist Anusha Khanal of the Gen Z Movement Alliance, a youth-led civil society coalition mobilising for democratic accountability and governance reform in Nepal.

VENEZUELA: 'An economically stable authoritarian model could become entrenched'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the situation in Venezuela following US intervention and the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro with Verónica Zubillaga, a Venezuelan sociologist who specialises in urban violence, state repression and community responses to armed violence.

BURKINA FASO: 'The dissolution of parties complicates the return to constitutional order'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the dissolution of political parties in Burkina Faso with a member of Burkinabe civil society, who has asked to stay anonymous for security reasons.

THAILAND: 'Electoral periods are particularly sensitive moments for civic space'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Thailand's recent general election and constitutional referendum with a representative of Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a civil society organisation that provides legal assistance and monitors rights violations affecting activists, human rights defenders and protesters.

AI GOVERNANCE: 'The debate is not only about transparency, but about data sovereignty'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses AI governance and data justice with Lobna Jeribi, an international senior public policy advisor with a PhD in Information Systems.

PHILIPPINES: 'Preventing similar cases requires dismantling the mechanisms that treat dissent as crime'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the criminalisation of dissent in the Philippines with Kyle A Domequil, spokesperson of the Free Tacloban 5 Network, a campaign supporting journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, human rights defender Marielle Domequil and their co-accused and advocating for their release.

OLYMPIC TRUCE: 'A call for states to exercise restraint and facilitate humanitarian access'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Hugh Dugan of the Truce Foundation, a civil society organisation inspired by the Olympic Truce that promotes Olympic values of excellence, fair play, respect and unity.

GAZA: 'Humanitarian aid matters for survival, but its dynamics diminish Palestinian agency'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about life in Gaza under Israel's ongoing military assault with Ali Abdel-Wahab, a data analyst and policy researcher with PalThink for Strategic Studies and the Social Developmental Forum.

PHILIPPINES: 'The government treats journalists as security threats rather than contributors to public debate'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the conviction of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and its implications for press freedom in the Philippines with Aleksandra Bielakowska, Advocacy Manager for Asia-Pacific of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a member of the #FreeFrenchieMaeCumpio coalition.

COSTA RICA: 'Institutions and democratic guarantees are being eroded in the name of security'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results of Costa Rica's recent election with Ilka Treminio Sánchez, a political science professor and researcher at the University of Costa Rica.

VENEZUELA: 'Although the repressive architecture remains intact, a small window of hope has opened'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society and the prospects for democracy in Venezuela with Luz Mely Reyes, co-founder and director of Efecto Cocuyo, a media outlet that reports on the reality and struggles of Venezuelan communities.

'After decades of denial and silence, the suffering of Rohingya people is being heard at the world's highest court'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the genocide case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with Mohammed Nowkhim of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace & Human Rights (ARSPHR), a civil society organisation led by Rohingya people born out of refugee camps in Bangladesh to document atrocities, preserve survivor testimony and advocate for accountability and justice.

UGANDA: ‘The Process Looks Democratic on Paper, but Genuine Competition is Systematically Undermined’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Uganda’s presidential election with Nalongo Nana Mwafrika, a Ugandan civic activist, human rights defender and former parliamentary candidate working on accountability, democracy and young people’s political participation.

GAZA: ‘Unless the Colonial Mindset is Dismantled, Gaza’s Political Future will Remain Externally Managed’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the future of Gaza with Karam Dana, interdisciplinary social scientist and professor at the University of Washington Bothell.

IRAN: ‘When International Attention Decreases, State Violence Often Intensifies’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Iran’s recent wave of protests and their repression with members of Hengaw Organisation for Human Rights (HOHR), a civil society organisation that documents and reports on human rights violations in Kurdistan and across Iran.

VENEZUELA: ‘We Are Seeing an Economic Transition, But No Democratic Transition’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the situation following the US intervention in Venezuela with Guillermo Miguelena Palacios, director of the Venezuelan Progressive Institute, a think tank that promotes spaces for dialogue and democratic leadership.

BRAZIL: ‘Femicide is the Culmination of a Cycle Rooted in the Normalisation of Control Over Women’s Bodies’

Interviews
Read in Portuguese CIVICUS discusses recent protests against gender-based violence in Brazil with Beatriz Souza, programme analyst at ELAS+ Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the rights of LGBTQI+ people and women.

MYANMAR: ‘Since the Coup, Factory Employers Have Increasingly Worked With the Military to Restrict Organising and Silence Workers’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks to the Business and Human Rights Centre (BHRC) about labour rights abuses in Myanmar’s garment industry since the 2021 military coup.

SINGAPORE: ‘The Ceasefire Remains a Temporary De-Escalation, Not Stable Peace’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the Cambodia–Thailand peace process with Dr Eugene Mark, Fellow and Co-coordinator of the Thailand Studies Programme at the Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘The Global System Works Against Petty Corruption, But Collapses When Corruption Becomes Grand, Political and Organised’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Ruth Kolevsohn, Executive Director of Good Governance Africa, about recent anti-corruption protests across Africa and calls for an International Anti-Corruption Court.

BELARUS: ‘Freedom Always Returns – but Only If We Hold Fast to Our Values and Sustain the Struggle’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Belarusian activist, blogger and journalist Mikola Dziadok about his experiences as a two-time political prisoner and the repression of dissent in Belarus.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘For 30 Years We’ve Addressed Climate Change Without Confronting its Root Cause Fossil Fuels’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the campaign for a global fossil fuel treaty with human rights advocate Kumi Naidoo, president of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, co-founder of the Global Artivism Initiative and Global Ambassador of Africans Rising.

NETHERLANDS: ‘LGBTQI+ People, Sex Workers and People Who Use Drugs Are Most Affected by HIV and Suffer the Most Criminalisation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about HIV response in Africa with Samuel Matsikure, Key Populations Lead at Aidsfonds.

DRC: ‘Behind the Rhetoric of Peace and Stability, Economic and Strategic Interests are Prolonging the War’

Interviews
Read in French CIVICUS discusses the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with Crispin Ngakani, a Congolese civil society activist and member of Aid Life Learn Environment (ALLEN), an organisation that works for community protection, the defence of human rights and humanitarian action.

GREENLAND: ‘Greenland is Not for Sale: Greenlanders are the Only Ones Who can Decide Their Own Future’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the US government’s renewed calls to annex Greenland with Rachael Lorna Johnstone, Professor of Law at the University of Akureyri, Iceland.

CHILE: ‘The Election Result Opens up Uncertainty for Democracy and Civic Space’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Flavia Liberona, executive director of Fundación Terram, about the results of Chile’s presidential election.

BENIN: ‘Loss of Trust in Democratic Systems has Become a Major Risk Factor’

Interviews
Read in French CIVICUS discusses an attempted coup in Benin with Aisha Dabo, programme coordinator at AfricTivistes, a pan-African network committed to democracy, human rights and citizen participation in the digital age.

IRAQ: ‘The Election Felt Like a Formality Because it Took Place in a Context Hostile for Dissent, Pluralism and Rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civic space and democratic participation in Iraq with Iraqi human rights defender Hasan Ibrahim.

UNITED KINGDOM: ‘When Critical Thinking isn’t Welcomed, Art Offers Alternative Ways of Speaking’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks to Daria Cybulska about her 2024 Churchill Fellowship field research in Central Asia, where she explored how civil society uses art, creativity and informal organising to survive, self-organise and push for change under increasing repression.

DENMARK: ‘Civil Society Should Not Just be Heard; it Should Influence Agendas, Priorities and Practice’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the outcomes and limitations of the Annual CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding with Sweta Velpillay, co-director of Conducive Space for Peace (CSP), an international civil society organisation (CSO) that works at the intersection of civic agency, global collaboration and peacebuilding.

UGANDA: ‘Refugees are being pushed into a legal limbo as international support collapses’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a crisis for refugee protection in Uganda with Fabian Kagimu, founder of Prism Empowerment and Development Initiative, a trans-led feminist humanitarian organisation that supports refugees, internally displaced transgender women, gender-diverse people and young people living with HIV.

KAZAKHSTAN: ‘This anti-LGBTQI+ bill can still be blocked – but only with sustained international pressure’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Kazakhstan’s anti-LGBTQI+ bill with Temirlan Baimash, activist and co-founder of QUEER KZ youth initiative, a Kazakhstani LGBTQI+ organisation.

ZAMBIA: ‘Constitutional Changes in an Election Period Tend to be Driven by Political Expediency Rather than the Public Interest’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent constitutional changes in Zambia with Gideon Musonda, Executive Director of the Advocates for Democratic Governance Foundation, a Zambian civil society organisation.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘Declaring Gender-Based Violence and Femicide a National Disaster Creates a Mechanism for Faster Action’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses South Africa’s recent declaration of gender-based violence (GBV) as a national disaster with Cameron Kasambala, student and spokesperson for Women for Change, a South African civil society organisation that works to raise awareness of violence against women and children.

ZAMBIA: ‘Zambia Has Environmental Laws and Standards on Paper – the Problem is Their Implementation’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses environmental accountability in Zambia with Christian-Géraud Neema, Africa editor at the China Global South Project, an independent journalism initiative that covers and follows China’s activities in global south countries.

HONDURAS: ‘The Human Rights Crisis is Structural and Will Not be Resolved by a Simple Change of Government’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Honduras’ 30 November presidential election, with no winner yet declared, with members of Expediente Público, the investigative journalism programme of the think tank Expediente Abierto, which focuses on issues of democracy, government transparency and human rights.

BULGARIA: ‘People Reacted to a System of Governance Shaped by Informal Powers and Personal Interests’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Generation Z-led protests in Bulgaria with Zahari Iankov, senior legal expert at the Bulgarian Centre for Not-for-Profit Law, a civil society organisation that advocates for participation and human rights.

EGYPT: ‘Without a Binding Agreement, Each Decision Upstream Carries the Potential to Become a Crisis Downstream’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses international water governance and the political implications of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam with Khaled AbuZeid, Executive Director of the Arab Water Council, a Cairo-based regional organisation that works to promote integrated water management, cooperation and sustainable development across Arab countries.

GUINEA-BISSAU: ‘The 26 November Coup was Staged to Disrupt the Electoral Process’

Interviews
Read in Portuguese  CIVICUS discusses Guinea-Bissau’s coup following its presidential election with Victorino Indeque, activist and coordinator of the Guinea-Bissau Human Rights Defenders Network, a coalition of over 30 organisations that works to protect activists, combat human rights violations and defend democracy.

HAITI: ‘The Control Exercised by Gangs has turned daily life into a constant struggle for survival’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Haiti’s worsening humanitarian and security crisis with Chaduc Louis, Secretary General of the Vialet Association of Progressive Youth (AJPV), a civil society organisation that defends human rights and helps displaced people.

ARGENTINA: ‘Milei Managed to Capture Social Unrest and Channel it Through a Disruptive Political Proposal’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Argentina’s legislative election with Carlos Gervasoni, director of the Department of Political Science and International Studies at Torcuato Di Tella University.

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘Environmental Rights are Enforceable and Communities Have the Right to be Consulted and Taken Seriously’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a landmark court ruling halting oil and gas exploration off South Africa’s coast with members of The Green Connection, one of the two civil society organisations that led the legal challenge.

INDIA: ‘When Civil Society is Constrained, it Cannot Challenge Power or Amplify Excluded Voices’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society challenges in India with Smarinita Shetty and Devanshi Vaid, co-founders of India Development Review (IDR), a knowledge platform that documents social impact and development across Asia.

TUNISIA: ‘Tunisia has Lost the Progress that Once Made it a Regional Example of Democracy’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses growing authoritarianism in Tunisia with a representative of the Africa Independent Commission of Human Rights.

LIBYA: ‘From the Moment They Enter Libya, Migrants Risk Being Arbitrarily Arrested, Tortured and Killed’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses migrants’ rights in Libya with Sarra Zidi, political scientist and researcher for HuMENA, an international civil society organisation (CSO) that advances democracy, human rights and social justice across the Middle East and North Africa.

PHILIPPINES: ‘The Government Funds Gender Programmes While Denying Women Control of Their Bodies’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses women’s rights in the Philippines with Nica Dumlao, researcher and consultant for Asia Democracy Network, a regional organisation that works for a community of equitable, just and sustainable democracies in Asia.

SERBIA: ‘We Haven’t Inherited Democracy, so We’ve Had to Reinvent it Ourselves’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Mihajlo Matković, a student activist and member of the CIVICUS Youth Action Team, about anti-corruption protests that have swept Serbia over the past year.

TUVALU: ‘We Need a New Global Legal Framework that Rethinks Sovereignty in the Context of Climate Displacement’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses climate displacement and Tuvalu’s future with Kiali Molu, a former civil servant at Tuvalu’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and currently a PhD candidate at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji and the University of Bergen in Norway.

JAPAN: ‘The New Prime Minister Signals a Shift Towards a Confrontational Approach that Risks Destabilising the Region’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Akio Takayanagi, professor and policy adviser at the Japan NGO Centre for International Co-operation, about Japan’s first female prime minister and what her rise to power means for the country and region.

UNITED KINGDOM: ‘The Crime and Policing Bill is one of the Most Far-Reaching Attempts to Curtail the Right to Protest’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the UK’s proposed Crime and Policing Bill with members of Liberty, the country’s largest civil liberties organisation, which campaigns for everyone to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect.

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