Interviews

IRAQ: 'Art is the only weapon that doesn't hurt or kill'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses public art, gender-based violence and censorship in Iraqi Kurdistan with Tara Abdullah, a multidisciplinary visual artist from Sulaymaniyah who is currently based in Oslo, Norway as part of the Safemuse – Safe Havens for Artists residency.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: 'The cyber-scam industry was never about computers. It's about people'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the cyber-scam industry in Southeast Asia with Judah Tana, founder and director of Global Advance Projects, an anti-trafficking organisation that has helped thousands of people escape scam compounds in the region.

MYANMAR: 'This is a historic moment and it needs to be recorded'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the risks and purpose of art under military rule with a Myanmar-based documentary filmmaker, multimedia artist and poet who asked to stay anonymous for security reasons.

PALESTINE: 'Art has proven itself the one thing that can reach the world and stir it into action'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the role of theatre in resistance and psychosocial support in Palestine with Iman Aoun, co-founder and artistic director of ASHTAR Theatre, a Ramallah-based theatre company that trains young Palestinians and produces socially engaged, internationally touring work.

FRANCE: 'Banning social media for children hides the problem without solving it'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses France's proposed ban on social media for children with Noé Hamon, co-founder of ctrl+alt+reclaim, Europe's first youth-led movement for digital rights and technological justice.

SUDAN: 'Crossing a border doesn't automatically mean you're safe'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Sudan's refugee crisis with Rawia Saad, a human rights defender and founder of Safe Steps Initiative, an organisation led by refugees and women that supports migrant and refugee communities and works to protect their rights and safety.

ETHIOPIA: 'Reporting on abuses shouldn't be treated as a threat to national interest'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses renewed conflict and a growing crackdown on independent media in Ethiopia with Yonas Kedir, Editor-in-Chief of the independent news outlet Addis Standard, who was recently abducted and detained by government forces.

SDGs: 'We already have quite an exhaustive list of goals and targets; the real issue is implementation'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development with Nelya Rakhimova, Voluntary National Review and Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator for the Major Groups and other Stakeholders at the HLPF, a network that mobilises civil society's engagement in sustainable development.

PHILIPPINES: 'Responding to disinformation can't mean giving the government a mandate to police truth'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the implications of the Philippines' proposed anti-disinformation bill with Josalee Deinla, Secretary-General of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers, a civil society organisation that defends civil liberties in the Philippines.

COSTA RICA: 'The defence of democracy must be a common cause'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses protests in Costa Rica with Raúl Silesky, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Institute for the Press and Freedom of Expression, a civil society organisation that defends freedom of expression and access to public information.

LIECHTENSTEIN: 'We have one of the strictest abortion bans in Europe'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses struggles for abortion rights in Liechtenstein with Gabriella Alvarez-Hummel, a journalist and reproductive rights activist who works with Fristenlösung für Liechtenstein, an organisation that campaigns for the introduction of a legal time-limit abortion model.

SWEDEN: 'The new migration laws are so vague that people don't know what might be used against them'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Sweden's new migration laws with John Stauffer, legal director and deputy executive director of Civil Rights Defenders, a Swedish civil society organisation that acts as a civil rights watchdog at home and supports human rights defenders in repressive contexts worldwide.

GUINÉ-BISSAU: 'Não basta convocar os cidadãos para responder sim ou não: é preciso garantir o debate público'

Interviews
A CIVICUS discute o referendo constitucional na Guiné-Bissau, marcado para 30 de agosto, com Bubacar Turé, presidente da Liga Guineense dos Direitos Humanos, uma organização da sociedade civil (OSC) dedicada à proteção dos direitos fundamentais.

GUINEA-BISSAU: 'It's not enough to ask citizens to say yes or no: public debate must be guaranteed'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Guinea-Bissau's 30 August constitutional referendum with Bubacar Turé, president of the Guinean League of Human Rights, a civil society organisation (CSO) dedicated to the protection of fundamental rights.

TUNISIA: 'People are taking to the streets because promises of social justice remain unfulfilled'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Tunisia with a member of the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights (FTDES), a civil society organisation (CSO) that defends human rights and combats inequalities.

ECUADOR: 'Criminalisation serves as a deterrent, seeking to discipline others'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the rapid erosion of civic space in Ecuador with Gabriela Panchana, an activist, communicator and founder of the En Voz Alta and Rumbo Plural digital platforms.

SOUTH AFRICA: 'Classifying gender-based violence as a national disaster was never the finish line, it was the starting point'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society's campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide with Sabrina Walter, founder and executive director of Women For Change, a South African civil society organisation that works to end violence against women and children.

VENEZUELA: 'We started clearing the rubble with our bare hands because we knew the state wasn't coming'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the state's response to Venezuela's 24 June earthquakes with volunteers who took part in relief efforts.

EUROPE: 'Repressive approaches to migration do nothing to address why people move in the first place'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the European Union's (EU) new Pact on Migration and Asylum with Chiara Catelli, Project and Advocacy Officer at the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), a civil society network of over 160 organisations that works to ensure human rights and justice for undocumented migrants.

AFGHANISTAN: 'Women's rights defenders and civil society organisations refuse to be silenced'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the rights of women and minorities under Taliban rule in Afghanistan with Rahima Danishyar, an Afghan independent civil society activist.

PHILIPPINES: 'Development should serve people's needs, not foreign capital's demands'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society's campaign against the Pax Silica hub in the Philippines with Cathleen de Guzman, National Coordinator of Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE), a Philippine environmental campaign group.

VENEZUELA: 'Now the emergency phase is over, the long-term needs are beginning'

Interviews
On 24 June, two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela.

ZAMBIA: 'A high turnout would show people still believe they have the power to shape their country's future'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Zambia's upcoming presidential election with Linda Kasonde, Founder and Executive Director of LCK Freedom Foundation, a Zambian civil society organisation working to advance constitutionalism, human rights and the rule of law.

DIGITAL RIGHTS: 'Platforms are designed to prioritise financial gain over their users' health'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses digital platforms and the rights of children and young people with Soledad Magnone, a Uruguayan sociologist and founder and director of Jaaklac, a civil society initiative that researches and promotes critical, human rights-centred digital education.

ITALY: 'Our beach concession system is no longer compatible with community rights and environmental protection'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society's campaign against beach privatisation in Italy with Danilo Ruggiero, Local President of Mare Libero, an organisation that advocates for free public access to Italy's coastline.

PARAGUAY: 'Transparency should strengthen democracy, not turn criticism of those in power into a cause for suspicion'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the challenges posed by Paraguay's 'anti-NGO law' with Hugo González, executive director of the Paraguayan Network of LGBTQ+ Artists (REPAR+), a civil society organisation (CSO) that promotes the rights of LGBTQI+ people, which has joined the constitutional challenge against this law.

ALGERIA: 'People no longer believe voting can change anything'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Algeria's recent parliamentary election with Zakaria Benlahrech, a lawyer and director of the Foundation for the Promotion of Rights, an Algerian civil society organisation committed to defending and protecting human rights.

INDIA: 'The Cockroach Janta Party brings together everyone who has been neglected for years'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses India's Cockroach Janta Party movement with Harshit Singh, a young activist, poet and storyteller who took part in protests in Delhi.

CHINA: 'The Ethnic Unity Law means there is one acceptable way to be Chinese'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about China's recently implemented Ethnic Unity Law with Gulchehra Hoja, a correspondent for Reporters Without Borders and a Uyghur activist and journalist known for her reporting on human rights abuses against Uyghur people in China.

AFGHANISTAN: 'The new law reduces women to a state of enslavement'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses women's rights under Taliban rule with a member of the Afghan section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), a global membership-based feminist peacebuilding organisation.

ALBANIA: 'Without protection, one of the last pristine ecosystem in Europe will be destroyed and replaced by an urban area'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the environmental threat posed by a luxury coastal resort project in Albania with Anouk Puymartin, Head of Policy for BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, a member of BirdLife International, the world's largest nature conservation partnership.

ARMENIA: 'Anti-LGBTQI+ discourse is increasingly tied to anti-democratic narratives'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses disinformation campaigns targeting the LGBTQI+ community in Armenia with Hripsime Kizogyan, Executive Director of Pink Armenia, a community-based organisation that defends the human rights of LGBTQI+ people and advocates for policy change.

TAIWAN: 'Protests are part of a rising wave, not an isolated event'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about protests against defence budget cuts in Taiwan with Brian Hioe, one of the founders of New Bloom Magazine, a regional online outlet that covers activism and youth politics across Taiwan and the Asia and Pacific region.

PANDEMICS: 'In the absence of a binding treaty, the world remains unprepared and at risk'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses ongoing Pandemic Treaty negotiations with Alexandra Finch, Project Manager for the Panel for a Global Public Health Convention, an independent coalition that works to strengthen global outbreak prevention and response.

ALBANIA: 'The public only learns about these development megaprojects once construction machinery arrives'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses land grabs and environmental damage linked to a luxury coastal resort project with Eva Kushova, Director of Destination Management Organisation Albania, a civil society organisation that supports sustainable tourism in Albanian destinations, seeking to preserve culture and nature while maximising benefits for communities.

CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY: 'We make the gap between what companies promise and what they do impossible to hide'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses corporate accountability with Mansi Kabra, Engagement Lead for Civil Society Organisations at the World Benchmarking Alliance.

GUATEMALA: 'Criminalisation seeks to instil fear so no one dares question anything'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the criminalisation of human rights defenders and journalists in Guatemala with Mario Polanco, director of the Mutual Support Group (GAM).

LEBANON: 'Lasting peace requires far more than a temporary suspension of hostilities'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses ongoing war in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah and its impact on civil society with Ziad Abdel Samad, Executive Director of the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND), a regional network that promotes human rights, social justice and sustainable development across the Arab region.

LABOUR RIGHTS: 'International institutions can give meaningful answers to questions affecting millions of people'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on the right to strike with Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), a global organisation that defends workers' rights through international cooperation between trade unions, campaigning and advocacy with international institutions.

MEXICO: 'Defending sovereignty is no excuse for restricting rights'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent constitutional changes in Mexico with Leopoldo Maldonado, regional director of the Mexico and Central America office of Article 19, an international organisation that defends freedom of expression and access to information.

BOLIVIA: 'In times of crisis, civil society can provide the calm that politics and the streets have lost'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses political crisis in Bolivia with Daniel Moreno, a political scientist, sociologist and senior researcher at Ciudadanía – Comunidad de Estudios Sociales y Acción Pública (Citizenship – Community for Social Studies and Public Action), a civil society organisation that has been generating knowledge and promoting active citizenship in Bolivia for two decades.

INDONESIA: 'We hope that those who take part in Pride events elsewhere also march for us'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the criminalisation of LGBTQI+ people in Indonesia with Lini Zurlia, Advocacy Manager at the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a regional civil society organisation that advances the human rights of LGBTQI+ people in Southeast Asia.

ECUADOR: 'Defending rights should not be a high-risk activity'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the murder of human rights defender Monika Silva and its implications for civic space in Ecuador with Mauricio Alarcón, executive director of Fundación Ciudadanía y Desarrollo (Citizenship and Development Foundation), Transparency International's Ecuadorian chapter.

DJIBOUTI: 'Silence is the mechanism that makes authoritarianism possible'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the repression of press freedom in Djibouti with Zineb Haddaji, an exiled independent journalist who covers Djibouti and the Horn of Africa for international outlets and documents freedom of expression violations.

WORLD CUP: 'The US government is using the event to promote its mass deportations'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the USA's immigration crackdown in the context of the World Cup with Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, a global coalition of human rights and labour organisations that works to ensure sports bodies and governments uphold international human rights and labour standards in and around sport.

TURKEY: 'The world has not raised its voice sufficiently against arbitrary detentions'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the current crackdown on Turkish civil society and political opposition with Berna Akkızal, Director of the Civic Space Studies Association, an independent human rights organisation that works to protect and broaden civic space in Turkey.

SERBIA: 'Social media are more trustworthy than much of official media, a disturbing sign of state capture'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses media freedoms in Serbia with Marija Babić, a lawyer and researcher at the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), an organisation that monitors press freedom, journalist safety and threats to independent media.

MEXICO: 'The World Cup is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the crisis of enforced disappearances'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Mexico's enforced disappearance crisis with Angélica Orozco, a member of Fuerzas Unidas por Nuestros Desaparecidos en Nuevo León (FUNDENL), a collective of relatives of disappeared people and people who support them.

DEMOCRACY: 'We now have a playbook to stop authoritarians, and it starts with listening to people and their needs'

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about anti-authoritarian struggles and the Anti-Authoritarian Toolkit with Pedro Telles, Program Director at D-Hub.

HUNGARY: 'We expect the era of rights-stripping policies to end, in law and institutional practice'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses LGBTQI+ rights in Hungary with members of the organising team of the 2026 Budapest Pride Community Festival.

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