Interviews

Featured

UN RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: ‘The climate crisis is a human rights crisis’

Interviews
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.
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SINGAPORE: ‘Being a human rights lawyer has had a huge personal cost’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate M.
Featured

GUATEMALA: ‘Judicial harassment and criminal prosecution have wearing effects’

Interviews
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.
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THE NETHERLANDS: ‘People are beginning to realise that we need real and systemic change’

Interviews
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.
Featured

UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘It is up to civil society to speak up for the public when their governments won’t’

Interviews
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.
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PAKISTAN: ‘They put a black hood over my face and took me to the airport’

Interviews
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.
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KENYA: ‘We have concerns about state functions being used to dictate and define morality’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about LGBTQI+ rights in Kenya and the criminalisation of activism with Ivy Werimba, Communications and Advocacy Officer at galck+.
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ISRAEL: ‘We dream of hundreds of thousands demonstrating for democracy, equality and human rights’

Interviews
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).
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UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘Human health and the environment must come first’

Interviews
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).
Featured

GREECE: ‘The criminalisation of solidarity has had a chilling effect’

Interviews
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.
Featured

EL SALVADOR: ‘Rather than a real security policy, what the government has is an electoral strategy’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the one-year state of emergency in El Salvador with César Artiga, founder and coordinator of the National Promoting Team of the Escazú Agreement and of the National Promoting Group for Resolution 2250 on the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda.
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MOLDOVA: ‘There are attempts to replace the pro-European government with a pro-Kremlin puppet regime’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about recent political changes in Moldova in the context of the global energy crisis with Victoria Nemerenco, coordinator of the Europeanization, Foreign and Security Policy Program at the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE).
Featured

BELARUS: ‘There is a pro-democracy civil society that opposes the war and advocates for democratic reforms’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Anastasiya Vasilchuk of Viasna about the escalating repression and criminalisation of civil society in Belarus.
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GEORGIA: ‘Civil society must be ready for any further regressive move the government attempts’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Georgian civil society’s successful campaign against the draft Agents of Foreign Influence Law with Nino Ugrekhelidze, co-founder of the CEECCNA (Central Eastern Europe, Caucasus, and Central and North Asia) Collaborative Fund, and Guram Imnadze, Director of the Democracy and Justice Programme of the Social Justice Center.
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BAHRAIN: ‘The government uses public relations to mask human rights violations’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Drewery Dyke of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (Salam DHR) about closed civic and democratic space in Bahrain as the state prepares to host the Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Featured

UN TAX CONVENTION: ‘People power is the major weapon we bring to the fight against inequality’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s work to tackle inequality from the ground up and discusses the prospects of a United Nations (UN) tax convention with Jenny Ricks, Global Convenor of Fight Inequality Alliance.
Featured

TURKEY: ‘It is just not possible to respond to such a large-scale disaster effectively without civil society’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Gözde Kazaz, Communications Officer at Support to Life, about the way Turkish civil society has responded to the recent earthquakes and the support it needs to provide an effective emergency response.
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MOZAMBIQUE: ‘The new NGO Law will be the death of the civic movement’

Interviews
Portuguese CIVICUS discusses the state of civic space and new restrictions being imposed on civil society in Mozambique with Paula Monjane, Executive Director of the Civil Society Learning and Capacity Building Centre (CESC).
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SRI LANKA: ‘Without international solidarity and support, our democratic hopes will soon be gone’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Sri Lanka’s protest movement and its repression with student activist Fathima Ashfa Razik.
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BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: ‘This treaty should not be negotiated behind closed doors’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the process to develop an international treaty on business and human rights and the role of civil society with Ivette Gonzalez, Director of Strategic Liaison, Advocacy and Public Relations at Project on Organising, Development, Education and Research (PODER).
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ZAMBIA: ‘The abolition of the death penalty is a victory for civil society calling for respect of the right to life’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Zambia’s recent abolition of the death penalty and the role played by civil society with Macdonald Chipenzi, outgoing Executive Director of the Governance, Elections, Advocacy, Research Services (GEARS) Initiative Zambia, a civil society organisation (CSO) that promotes democracy and electoral integrity.
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PHILIPPINES: ‘This victory belongs to everyone who supported and fought with us’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the recent acquittal of 10 human rights defenders in the Philippines with Maria Sol Taule, a human rights lawyer and member of the Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights.
Featured

WOMEN’S RIGHTS: ‘Violence against women is a global crisis that needs urgent attention’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s role in the fight against gender-based violence with Lina AbiRafeh, a feminist activist, women’s rights expert and Senior Advisor for Global Women’s Rights at the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University, where she served as Executive Director for seven years.
Featured

PERU: ‘Political and social instability has already cost dozens of lives’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the political crisis in Peru with Nadia Ramos, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Centre of the Americas and official spokesperson for the Hemispheric Network Somos Lideresas, two organisations that promote women’s leadership and empowerment in Peru and Latin America.
Featured

GUATEMALA: ‘Criminal law is being used as a weapon of political persecution’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses corruption in Guatemala and the criminalisation of anti-corruption activism with Claudia González, former member of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and Virginia Laparra’s defence attorney.
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TANZANIA: ‘The new administration is committed to ending discriminatory policies that undermine girls’ rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Prudence Mutiso, Legal Adviser at the Center for Reproductive Rights-Africa about the Tanzanian government’s policy on pregnant and married girls in schools.
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AUSTRALIA: ‘Repressive laws have been introduced to limit people’s ability to protest against climate injustice’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the challenges faced by climate activists in Australia with Nelli Stevenson, head of communications and investigations at Greenpeace Australia Pacific.
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MALTA: ‘People should be able to access abortions locally without the risk of criminalisation or stigmatisation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the struggle for abortion rights and the anti-rights backlash in Malta with Break the Taboo Malta.
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AFGHANISTAN: ‘Open-source monitoring reveals both the clampdown on women’s rights and the impact on their lives’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the situation of human rights and women’s rights in Afghanistan with Anouk Theunissen and Humaira Rahbin, researchers with Afghan Witness, and Meetra Qutb, Afghan Witness’s communications specialist.
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INDONESIA: ‘The new Criminal Code spells danger for civil society’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the new criminal code passed in Indonesia with Fatia Maulidiyanti, Executive Coordinator of KontraS/The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence.
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UNITED NATIONS: ‘Outstanding issues on the binding treaty on business and human rights are mainly political’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Fernanda Hopenhaym, chair of the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Business and Human Rights, about the process to develop a binding international treaty on business and human rights.
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LEBANON: ‘The world seems to be starting to forget Syrian refugees’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon with Serene Dardari, Middle East Regional Communications Manager, and Mahmoud Abdullah, Lebanon Bekaa Area Manager of American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera).
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SOUTH AFRICA: ‘We want to live in an environment that respects women and recognises our human rights’

Interviews
As part of the #16DaysOfActivism campaign, CIVICUS speaks with Amanda Nomnqa about civil society efforts to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa.
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EUROPE: ‘Delays in dealing with gender-based violence cost women, children and LGBTQI+ people their lives’

Interviews
As part of the #16DaysOfActivism campaign, CIVICUS speaks about civil society efforts to eradicate gender-based violence (GBV) with Eliana Jimeno and Charlotte Cramer of Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE).
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GLOBAL HEALTH: ‘On World AIDS Day we remind people that the HIV pandemic is not over’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Gastón Devisich, Head of Community Engagement of Fundación Huésped’s Research Department, about the role of civil society in the fight against HIV/AIDS, both at the community level and in global governance bodies.
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COLOMBIA: ‘Civil society is an important pillar in work with the migrant population’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Carmen Aida Faria, director of Fundación Manitas Amarillas (Little Yellow Hands Foundation), about the difficulties faced by Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and the work being done by civil society to facilitate their access to rights.
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COLOMBIA: ‘Lack of regular migration status imposes barriers to accessing rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Jessica Corredor Villamil and Lina Arroyave about the situation of Venezuelan migrants and refugees in Colombia.
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MEXICO: ‘Legal change on LGBTQI+ rights does not bring instant social change’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Erika Venadero about the recent extension of same-sex marriage rights to all of Mexico’s states and the ongoing campaign to realise LGBTQI+ rights in Mexico.
Featured

UK: ‘Women in ethnic minority communities are often treated like second-class citizens’

Interviews
As part of the #16DaysOfActivism campaign, CIVICUS speaks about gender-based violence and civil society efforts to eradicate it with Halaleh Taheri, founder and Executive Director of the Middle Eastern Women and Society Organisation (MEWSo).
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MALAYSIA: ‘Young voters could be Malaysia’s kingmakers

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Tharma Pillai, co-founder and Advocacy Director of Undi18.
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NAMIBIA: ‘There is only so much civil society can do when those in power support extractive companies’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Rinaani Musutua of the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) about thee resistance of communities in the Okavango River Basin in Southern Africa against oil and gas exploration by the Canadian company ReconAfrica.
Featured

CIVIL SOCIETY: ‘Music can be an entry point because it’s the last thing someone could take away from you’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Darcy Ataman, founder and CEO of Make Music Matter, a civil society organisation based in Canada that uses the creative process as a therapeutic tool to help empower excluded groups and people.
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CUBA: ‘The only options available are prison, exile, or submission’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Cuban activist  Carolina Barrero, who has been in exile in Spain since February 2022, about the circumstances driving increasing numbers of Cubans out of the country.
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QATAR: ‘Labour reforms need to continue after the World Cup is over’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the World Cup in Qatar with Vani Saraswathi, editor-at-large and director of projects at Migrant-Rights.
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TAIWAN: ‘China will do to us what it did to Hong Kong, and what it has long done to Tibetans and Uighurs’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the situation in Taiwan with Min-Hsuan Wu, known as ttcat, a social movement activist and campaigner and co-founder and CEO of a Doublethink Lab.
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EUROPE: ‘The Energy Charter Treaty is having a chilling effect on climate legislation’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Paul de Clerck, Economic Justice Coordinator at Friends of the Earth Europe, about the implications for climate action of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Featured

BAHRAIN: ‘This election is make-believe: its only role is to provide a veneer of democracy’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the election being held today in Bahrain with Jawad Fairooz, founder and director of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (Salam DHR).
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INDONESIA: ‘Communities have the right to have their opinions heard and considered’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the recent protests triggered by rising fuel prices in Indonesia with Kahar S Cahyono, vice president of communications of Konfederasi Serikat Pekerja Indonesia (KSPI), a trade union organisation that promotes social justice and the welfare of workers.
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NORTH KOREA: ‘Many women escape to experience the freedoms they are denied’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Kyeong Min Shin, researcher with Korea Future, about the situation in North Korea and the challenges faced by North Korean women in exile in South Korea.
Featured

COP27: ‘The participation of civil society is important because it represents the voices of communities’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s aspirations and roles in the upcoming COP27 climate change summit with Chibeze Ezekiel, coordinator of the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND).

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