The online film festival gives Every Human Has Rights (EHHR) and Tri Continental Film Festival (TCFF) a new platform to raise awareness about human rights abuses. It's an innovative way to give voice to the oppressed and unite the global community to demand human rights for all.

JOHANNESBURG, 16 November 2011 - Tri Continental Film Festival in partnership with Every Human Has Rights is launching a commemorative International Human Rights Day online film festival on November 16, 2011, making them pioneers among human rights organisations in offering free access to award-winning documentary films. Users can screen the films at www.tcff.org.za from December 1-10, 2011.

 

• The clothes have no emperor
• Just how much can the state restrict a peaceful protest?
• Call for "Snapshots"
• TCFF and EHHR launch online film festival
• CIVICUS interview with Billy Mayaya
• Bill is a ‘shameful moment’ for Israel
• Palestinian civil society launches campaign to reform international aid to Palestine in run up to Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness

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The State of Civil Society 2011 is a new initiative of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and it will be the only annual report on the health and state of civil society, and the enabling environment for civil society, authored by the civil society sector itself.

From jailed human rights defenders in Belarus to anti-corruption campaigners in India to disaster relief workers in Japan and in East Africa to angry protesters in Tahrir Square to the activists involved in the Occupy Wall Street movement, we want to capture the tales of the individuals that witnessed, participated and commented on the events that defined 2011.

 

• Occupy: Reinventing leadership, governance and economic paradigms
• Promoting Human Rights in Uzbekistan - a Crisis Response Fund Appeal
• Nnimmo Bassey on what to expect from Durban climate talks
• On the road to Busan: Interview with Emele Duituturaga
• Third day of the trial against Ales Bialiatski: clear signs of a politically-motivated trial

And much more. Read the full issue here. Subscribe to future issues here.

 

Dear members and partners,

We would like to kindly remind you that CIVICUS, as Operating Partner of the NGO Major Group facilitating the Rio+20 process, is very much interested in receiving your contributions to the Zero draft of the Rio+20 outcome document by the November 1st deadline (5pm Eastern Standard time, close of business in New York).

 

CIVICUS is joining fellow civil society organisations to urge G20 leaders to put human rights norms and principles at the centre of their decision-making on financial regulation and climate change during their upcoming Summit in Cannes, France.

We invite you to consider adding your name to this call by endorsing the statement below.  To endorse as an organisation, please send the name of your organisation, the country, and the name and email address of a contact person to as soon as possible, but no later than 31 October 2011.

CIVICUS along with the Center for Economic and Social Rights, the Center of Concern, Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN), IBASE and Social Watch have already joined this appeal.

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We are writing to the Group of 20 Leaders, in advance of their upcoming Summit in Cannes, to remind them that even in the policies of a most eminently economic nature, their duties to respect, protect and fulfill the economic, social, cultural, civil and political human rights, including the right to development, do not cease, but should take primacy in every commitment they undertake.

In particular, we are demanding action on the following issues on the agenda of the G20:

 

Opening Plenary: The Global Context for Civil Society

by Ingrid Srinath

Where do we, civil society, find ourselves as we near the end of 2011?

The heady optimism of the 1990s following the fall of the Berlin wall and its promise of a global wave of democracy and freedom, and the growing power of citizen action symbolized by the protests at the WTO in Seattle were quickly followed by a decade of the “war on terror” used as an excuse by many governments around the world to restrict freedoms of information, expression, and assembly. Instead of the sweeping vision of the Earth Charter and the Millennium Declaration we settled, in the wake of 9/11, for the relatively minimalist, technocratic MDGs.

 

Uganda was reviewed recently by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. The government responded favourably to many of the recommendations made to strengthen freedom of expression, assembly and association in the country. Yet, barely a week later, was civil society once again under threat with a crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.

Uganda’s review was in the first cycle of UPR initiated under UNHRC, an inter-governmental body within the UN system made up of 47 States responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights in all 192 UN Member states. Uganda was reviewed on 11 October at the 13th meeting of the twelfth sessions conducted from 3-14 October 2011 in Geneva.

 

• People power for aid effectiveness
• CIVICUS Secretary General at Commonwealth People's Forum
• Joint Open Letter on Bahrain
• Cuba 'Ladies in White' founder Laura Pollan dies
• Bahrain: Repression against workers and attacks against Trade Union Rights are still going on
• G20 finance ministers face growing public anger for failing to reform financial system
• Civil Society at a Crossroads?

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Dear Commonwealth Heads of Governments,

This letter follows an earlier letter on this subject that many of us jointly wrote to Commonwealth Foreign Ministers, prior to their meeting in New York on 22 September 2011. In the absence of any public pronouncement by Foreign Ministers on this issue we have to assume that no decision has yet been taken to put in place a process for assessing the suitability of Sri Lanka’s candidature for hosting the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). In this context, we recall your 2009 decision to defer Sri Lanka’s candidature as host and seriously urge you to consider a similar postponement at CHOGM 2011.

We reiterate that Sri Lanka continues to face allegations of human rights violations that are of an extremely serious nature. These allegations have been found credible by none less than a Panel of Experts appointed by the UN Secretary General. In addition to this, several other well grounded allegations exist about the lack of fundamental freedoms within Sri Lanka, which it is charged, has resulted in serious violations of freedom of expression, association and movement as well as entrenched impunity for past human rights violations. Together these make Sri Lanka one of the most acute human rights situations in the Commonwealth.

Read more

 

Opening Up Uganda’s Civil Society Space at the United Nations Human Rights Council

Together with our colleagues from Uganda, Civicus organized a side event at the United Nations Human Rights Council on October 10, 2011, focusing on Civil Society Space in Uganda. This was held the day before Uganda’s Universal Period Review (UPR) within the Human Rights Council. The Ugandan activists discussed the current challenges facing civil society in their country, and what steps the government needs to take to open up the space for civil society.

While the Ugandan constitution enshrines basic human rights such as the right to assembly and to form associations, the government does often not respect these rights, and many Ugandan laws inhibit civil society organizations from carrying out their missions. Mr. Festus Kahiigwa from the Uganda NGO Forum informed the audience about issues such as difficulties for CSOs to register, the need to ask permission from the government to work in rural areas, and the wide discretionary powers of the government to decide when, where and if demonstrations can take place.

Mr. Mohammed Ndifuna, CEO of the Human Rights Network – Uganda, and Mr. Patrick Tumwine, Advocacy Officer at Hurinet-U, further discussed violations of freedom of expression through a harsh law on the media, government crack downs on social media and the government banning some public demonstrations and the use of excess force at some public events. The speakers also touched on the proposed homosexuality bill, which would lead to even harsher sentences for homosexuality, including the death penalty.

The panelists were asked important questions from the audience on issues such as why the government has recently begun cracking down on civil society, the impact of this on women’s participation civil society, and how to increase the engagement of young people. In terms of the government’s consultations with civil society for the UPR process, the government did reach out to civil society somewhat, but it was not nearly enough and the CSOs were not provided the report until the last minute.

 

CIVICUS Secretary General Ingrid Srinath is travelling to Perth, Australia, from 25-28 October 2011, to take civil society messages to Commonwealth decision-makers. Following an opening ceremony featuring the Hon. Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia and H.E. Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary General, Ingrid will deliver a keynote address in the opening plenary on the topic “The Global Context for Civil Society”. The Commonwealth People’s Forum in Perth comes at a time of soul-searching for the Commonwealth, which is undergoing a process of internal reform, spearheaded by an Eminent Persons Group, designed to refresh its own relevance in a changing external environment.

What messages would you like to see Ingrid take to Perth to deliver on behalf of the CIVICUS constituency? Let us know and share your ideas with us by emailing by Friday 21 October 2011.

 

The Conference on Volunteer Action for Development will be taking place from the 17 – 19 of October at the FNB Learning Centre, Sandton, Johannesburg.

The conference is an initiative of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in partnership with Volunteer and Service Enquiry Southern Africa (VOSESA) and the following conference partners active in the region: Canada World Youth (CWY), the European Commission, FirstRand Volunteers Programme, FK Norway, loveLife, Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA), and VSO-RAISA. The conference is also supported by a Steering Committee of twenty organisations that promote volunteering and civic service in the region.

On Wedensday 19th October, CIVICUS will host some of the delagates of the conference at CIVICUS House to present a paper which draws on data gathered in eight African countries in the last phase of the CSI, held from 2008-2011: Guinea, Liberia, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia. Find out more about the site visits here and here.

 

Authoritarian regimes, co-opted institutions, the absence of enabling legislation and a persecuted civil society are some of the central factors holding back the fulfilment of the fundamental rights of freedoms of many an African citizen.  This does not mean that the continent has not made progress towards democratisation and participatory governance.   Despite the trying circumstances, and the challenges of working in constraining environments, African civil society and citizens have been able to achieve major successes in enhancing participatory governance through the implementation of gender budgeting policies, enactment of freedom of legislation, establishment of institutions  and support of social activism and volunteerism to name a few. These experiences need to be celebrated, shared and replicated albeit taking into account the different realities in each country.

 

• South Africa fails an ethical test: Dalai Lama cancels planned visit
• Q&A: Africa's legislated civil society crackdown
• Comments and proposals on the second draft of the Busan draft outcome document
• Civic Engagement Measurement System
• Bahrain medical staff sentenced for treating protesters
• Civil society comes of age in Jamaica
• World Bank-IMF annual meetings 2011
• Online Consultation on the CFS Global Strategic Framework

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Following the publication of the revised Busan Outcome Document (BOD), CIVICUS has raised several concerns regarding the  global trend of the increasing dis-enabling environment for CSOs that affects their effectiveness and role as independent development actors. This is the second draft of the Busan declaration released, and whilst some civil society feedback to the first draft version was incorporated, we still have a number of concerns raised to the Working Party on Aid Effectiveness.

 

• Trying to use a water pistol to stop a charging rhino
• IMF-World Bank civil society town hall meeting
• Joint letter to Secretary of State Clinton regarding Uzbekistan
• Busan CSO pre-event; Register now
• Africa's energy future heading down a dark tunnel
• Sentencing to prison of lawyer Moses Richards, a chilling message to the Gambian human rights community

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Cyril Ritchie*

The  world  is  today  a  poorer  place,  following  the  immensely  regretted  death  of  Wangari  Maathai,   an  outstanding  woman,   an  outstanding  humanist,   an outstanding  innovator,   an outstanding  civil  society  activist,   an  outstanding  leader.   And  an  outstanding  mother   to  outstanding  children,  to  whom  I  convey  my  emotional  solidarity  and  support.

I  met  Wangari  in  Nairobi  in  1975  when  I  was  the  first  Chair  of  the  Environment  Liaison  Centre  International  (ELCI),  a  post  in  which  Wangari   later  succeeded  me.

 

Remarks by Laila Iskandar, Chairperson, CID Consulting (a social enterprise in Cairo, Egypt), Board Chair, Spirit of Youth NGO in Cairo (situated in the garbage collectors’ neighbourhood of Manchiyet Nasser), and Member, Global Recyclers without Borders Network

Thank you for the invitation to this Town Hall meeting.  From the global CSO community we bring you news of our work with millions of people on six continents. 

 

• Defining civil society
• CIVICUS call for papers: 10th International Society for Third Sector Research conference, Siena, Italy 
• Sign the petition to free Ales Bialiatski
• MDGs: Time to get it rightWhen the road to democracy gets hijacked
• Aid transparency campaigners welcome new ‘open-government’ initiative

And loads more!

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By Mr Letshego Mokeki, National TISDA Coordinator, Transparency International (TI)

Following up on findings of their research report, TI is currently undertaking two campaigns in South Africa to strengthen civil society and capacity in financial management in primary education.

The research, conducted as part of the Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Africa programme (TISDA) shows that good governance, and especially accountability and integrity, are critical in the delivery of basic services and learner performance in general. The South African education system has consistently failed to deliver the results. The dismal performance of Grades 3 and 6 learners in the Department of Basic Education’s Annual National Assessment (ANA) is a case in point. Only 35% of Grade 3 learners were found to be able to read and write. These results are particularly worrying given the high levels of poverty and unemployment. Furthermore, the fact that the South African government allocates the single largest portion of its budget to education, about 5 per cent of GDP in 2011, does not seem to be having the desired effect. As a group of students from Washington University put it, the South African education system is experiencing ‘less bang for their buck’.

 

The 10th International Society for Third Sector Research (ISTR) on the theme “Democratisation, Marketisation and the third sector’, will take place during July 10-13, 2012 in Siena, Italy.

In this context, CIVICUS, as an organiser of three panels at the 10th ISTR conference, is seeking abstract submission from researchers and practitioners for the Siena event. 15 papers will be selected for panel discussion.

According to the ISTR rules, abstracts should be sent to the panel organisers, in this case CIVICUS, to be reviewed by them. After the internal review and selection process, CIVICUS will submit panel proposal(s), along with the abstracts that were selected to be presented at the conference. The final decisions about acceptances to the conference will be made by the ISTR after submitting the panel proposal.

Read more

 

The special issue of the e-CIVICUS, highlighting happenings, news and opinions from the just concluded CIVICUS World Assembly in Montreal.

Click here to read online.

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Civil society is undergoing its most significant crisis and change for a generation. Many established civil society organisations (CSOs) are struggling under the weight of multiple economic and political challenges, but are also shown to be disconnected from many citizens, and particularly from new and informal forms of participation and activism.

 

The dialogue stretches beyond Montreal!

The spirit of the CIVICUS World Assembly is reaching far beyond the Palais Des Congres in Montreal. Around the world, civil society activists are taking part in the discussion and you TOO can share the World Assembly experience with them.

 

This is the final instalment of our conversation with Ms. Makoma Lekalakala, Programme Officer of Earthlife Africa, Johannesburg. Ms. Lekalakala spoke with CIVICUS about the role of the South African government in the COP17 negotiations, the citizen push for accountability and the future of the local climate justice movement after the COP has left Durban. You can read the first instalment of the interview here.

 

On Friday 2 September in Johannesburg, CIVICUS will  launch  our new report on the health of civil society, Bridging the Gaps: citizens, organisations and dissociation. The report comes at the end of a mammoth three year research project, the CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI). Literally thousands of people have been involved in this: between 2008 and 2011, the CSI sought the views of over 45,000 members of the public, over 4,000 CSO representatives and over 1,000 external experts on civil society to build up a comprehensive picture of the strengths and weaknesses of, and the challenges and opportunities for civil society.

 

Français

From 2010 to 2012, the CIVICUS World Assembly is being co-hosted by the Institut du Nouveau Monde (INM) in Montreal, Canada. In 2013 CIVICUS is aiming to organise its 12th World Assembly in a country from the Global South, with a strong preference for a Francophone country. CIVICUS is inviting bids from interested organisations to partner with CIVICUS in co-hosting the World Assembly in 2013, also in partnership with INM. 

We invite cities/countries to express their interest to host the 2013 CIVICUS World Assembly and Youth Assembly. We invite candidates to participate in the 2011 World Assembly in Montreal in September to meet the organising committee and learn more about the selection process of the next co-host.

 

 

Mario Lubetkin is Secretary General for Inter Press Services (IPS), a communications institution with a global news agency at its core and is dedicated to raising the voices of the South and of civil society. In this piece, written in advance of the CIVICUS World Assembly next week, he reflects on the importance of communication for achieving civil society’s goals and the challenges the sector faces in this regard.

Civil society faces multiple challenges to strengthen its communications and increase its space in the global information system. Those challenges must be addressed clearly and frankly requiring us to understand civil society’s own limits and mistakes, as well as the system’s characteristics and potential for the immediate future.

 

Ales Bialiatski, a prominent civil society activist in Belarus, was arrested on 4 August 2011.

Belarus is referred to as the last dictatorship in Europe and its human rights situation has long been dire, yet the arrest of one man has signalled even darker times ahead for local civil society. 

On 4 August 2011, Aliaksandr (Ales) Bialiatski, a prominent human rights defender in Belarus, was detained and his house searched. Later charged with tax fraud and still languishing in jail, Bialiatski’s arrest came after months of harassment and a crackdown on civil society in the country. This crackdown followed protests against what were viewed as fraudulent presidential elections last December that saw Aliaksandr Lukashenka, president of Belarus since 1994, remain in power. Yet, while the initial protests resulted in over 700 arrests, Bialiatski’s detention and subsequent charge of tax fraud has struck a particularly hard blow to Belarusian civil society, one tainted by betrayal and fear.

In order to understand the current situation in Belarus and why this single arrest had such an impact on Belarusian civil society, Jessica Hume, CIVICUS Communications Manager, spoke with Konstantin Baranov of the Committee for International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus  to get his thoughts. 

 

Social activist, Makoma Lekalakala*, recently sat down with Elizabeth Hira, of CIVICUS’ Policy Unit, to discuss climate change from the perspective of South Africans, the task of mobilisation, and the role of women in climate justice.

Can you give us a bit of background on Earthlife?

Earthlife Africa Johannesburg is a voluntary environmental justice organisation founded in 1988 during the Apartheid era. Earthlife has six projects: the sustainable energy and climate change partnership (which I work for as a Programme Officer) and the other projects are, zero waste, anti-nuclear, biodiversity, animal rights, and acid rain drainage. The last project has resulted from this issue cropping up in the last few years around residue from the mines, because most of the mines were not decommissioned, so some of the chemical residues are eating pipes and the water is getting polluted, the primary mission of the organisation is to educate, create awareness and lately to build a movement on environmental justice issues.

 

CIVICUS recently joined several international civil society organisations in writing to the Government of Angola to draw attention to a number of concerns and to present urgent requests with regard to the humanrights situation in Angola. We called on the Government of Angola to ensure the full implementation of thehuman rights principles in respect of which the commitment of the Government was confirmed at the 16th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Read the letter.

 

Melita Steele has been with Greenpeace Africa as a climate and energy campaigner for a year and a half. Ms. Steele holds a Masters degree in Environmental Science and worked as an environmental consultant before coming to Greenpeace. This is the second instalment of her conversation with CIVICUS (you can read the first here).  She speaks to CIVICUS about the coalition of civil society organisations working together towards COP17 (C17), how advocacy actually happens at the Conference of the Parties, and what the day after COP17 looks like for South Africa.