Op-Eds

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EU leaders must pay attention to threatened civic freedoms in Slovenia

Op-Eds
By Aarti Narsee, civic space research for CIVICUS Monitor Janša was once branded a national hero, having played an important role in leading his country to the path to independence: an independence formally recognised by the European Union 30 years ago, on January 15, 1992.
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NGOs and the Future of Trust

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By Lysa John and Mandeep Tiwana  Despite a percentage point decline in trust in NGOs in the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer, these institutions actually delivered a strong performance during the COVID-19 pandemic — especially in comparison with the well-documented failures of many governments and businesses in dealing with the crisis.
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Spare a thought for those who are fighting for and dying to protect human rights across the globe

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By David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns lead at CIVICUS International Human Rights Day 2021 on 10 December is commemorated at a time when being a human rights defender in many countries is risky and, for many, a matter of life and death.
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Can the Summit for Democracy deliver?

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By Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Research Officer at CIVICUS, Susannah Fitzgerald, Coordinator of UK Anti-Corruption Coalition & Karla Mclaren, Government and political relations manager at Amnesty International UK The US-led Summit for Democracy, taking place on the 9-10 December 2021, promises to kick off a year of action to reduce corruption, defend against authoritarianism and protect human rights that will end in an in-person summit in December 2022.
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Two years on, escalating assault on freedoms by the administration

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By Josef Benedict, Civic Space Researcher at CIVICUS Two years on from the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President of Sri Lanka, the state of civic freedoms in the country continues to regress.
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Activists Fuel Global Movement to Fight Violence Against Women

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By Aarti Narsee, civic space researcher at CIVICUS This year marks 30 years of fighting to live free of gender-based violence through the 16 Days of Activism campaign, which commences every November 25 on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
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How women are suffering for human rights in Poland

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By Aarti Narsee, civic space research at CIVICUS & Camille Butin Advocacy Advisor at International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF) In its latest politically motivated ruling, Poland's Constitutional Tribunal last week ruled that the Polish Constitution was not subject to EU law.
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From “We the Peoples” to “Our Common Agenda”, the UN is a Work in Progress

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer Although, people around the world generally hold positive opinions about the UN, its ability to respond to global crises remains constrained by state-centric bureaucratic impulses and the assertion of narrow interests by powerful countries.
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The twin tests facing the UN in Afghanistan and Myanmar

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By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS Following the negotiated departure of international security forces and overthrow of the internationally backed government in Afghanistan, the Taliban ominously claimed freedom and sovereignty.
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9/11’s legacy: How anti-terrorism laws have become anti-human rights laws

Op-Eds
By Kgalalelo Gaebee, Communications Officer at CIVICUS & David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead for CIVICUS As the global community commemorates the two decades since the abhorrent attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, it should also be time to reflect on the impact of what followed on human rights and rule of law in Africa.
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It’s time to change the future of funding for youth action

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By Vanessa Stevens, Elisa Novoa, Freya Seath, and Sonya Friel This year’s International Youth Day provided an opportunity to recognize how young people have endured the pandemic and to celebrate their actions for community recovery and resilience.
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Pandemic and protests show the essential value of civil society

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By Andrew Firmin, Editor-in-Chief at CIVICUS Economic inequality soared while the super-wealthy cashed in.
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10 world-changing protests you should know about

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By Andrew Firmin, Editor-in-Chief at CIVICUS Protest works.
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Fighting for democracy from afar: Myanmar activists in the diaspora

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In Myanmar, thousands of pro-democracy supporters have taken to the streets since February to demand an end to the military coup.
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Tracking 10 years of protests: here’s what we’ve learned

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By Andrew Firmin, Editor-in-Chief of CIVICUS Protests have been rebuffed, brutally, by states.
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#BLM beyond the US: Anti-racist struggles in Latin America

Op-Eds
By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist at CIVICUS In the year that has passed since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has circled the globe.
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People Power: Why mobilisations matter even in a pandemic

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS Major political transformations in modern history have been catalysed through largely peaceful protests.
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Fightbacks led by the young offer hope for democracy in Africa

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By Andrew Firmin, Editor-in-Chief of CIVICUS Elections should offer opportunities for citizens to make demands of their political leaders, debate alternatives and express dissent.
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Why are African countries undermining the rights bodies they created?

Op-Eds
By David Kode, Advocacy & Campaigns Lead at CIVICUS The 68th Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) has just concluded.
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Press freedom vital in the fight against the pandemic

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Freelance journalist Hopewell Chin'ono.
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What Oscar-nominated film ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ tells us about protest rights

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Source: Open Democracy By Susan Wilding, Head of CIVICUS' Geneva office The Trial of the Chicago 7’ is up for six Oscars at the Academy Awards, to be announced on 25 April.
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Chad elections: President Déby seeks a sixth term in a region for old men

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President Idriss Déby of Chad has been in power since 1990.
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Five human rights trends in South Africa

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Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images By Mawethu Nkosana, LGBTQI+ Advocacy and Campaigns Lead at CIVICUS & Safia Khan, Innovation and Communications Officer at CIVICUS From the rise in student activism to the rise in levels of xenophobia in South Africa, Mawethu and Safia list five human rights trends since COVID-19 took over.
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We are tired, so we must take turns to rest: Women's advocacy during crisis

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Source: Wikicommons By Masana Ndinga-Kanga, the Crisis Response Fund Lead and Advocacy Officer for the Middle East/North Africa region at CIVICUS In recognising how moments of crisis heighten already existing inequalities, it is worth reflecting on how women activists have been able to conduct advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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CIVICUS calls on social media platforms, govt to address 'hostile virtual environment for women'

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Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Reseacher at CIVICUS spoke to JacarandaFM about the challenges faced by women human rights defenders, activists, feminists and journalists when online.
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Harassment goes virtual: Women activists and journalists speak out

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  Women journalists, feminists, activists, and human rights defenders around the world are facing virtual harassment.
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Is the USA fit to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council?

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By Emily Standfield, CIVICUS Member and data volunteer A month into Joe Biden’s presidency, the U.
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The advocate championing citizen action and organizing to enable change

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Champions of Change is an initiative started by the Pathfinders to highlight advocates who have made an impact in their communities and have helped to create peaceful, just and inclusive societies (SDG16+).
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Angola decriminalises homosexuality

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Angola has officially decriminalised same-sex relationships and prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation.
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Saudi activist, Loujain Al-Hathloul spends 1000+ days in prison: Masana Ndinga-Kanga

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Prominent Saudi female activist, Loujain al-Hathloul, who campaigned for women's right to drive, was sentenced to more than five years in prison in December 2020, after having already spent two years in detention.
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Abortion Law | Mass protests across Poland

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Protests against new abortion laws have erupted across Poland.
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Europeans’ right to protest under threat

Op-Eds
By Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Researcher for Europe and Central Asia at CIVICUS The year 2020 tested democracy and civic freedoms in many ways.

Shaping post-pandemic politics

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The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted politics and power for years to come, pushing the boundaries of political systems, impacting or delaying election outcomes and fuelling popular movements.
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Another Republic Day, another mass protest and another year of repression?

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS It’s an anathema that in the 21st century when humanity claims to have made great progress in cultural and technological spheres that we should still have prisoners of conscience.
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Imprisoned Saudi activist and other rights defenders seek justice in 2021

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS Two events generated significant interest and global solidarity in the final days of December 2020.
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How to create a UN that listens

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By Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS & Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS The UN was conceived as a ground-breaking experiment in global cooperation and people-centred multilateralism.
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What is the Health of SDG Targets on Civic Freedoms after 2020?

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By Emily Standfield, Data Volunteer with CIVICUS & Matthew Reading-Smith, Communications Coordinator at CIVICUS The events of 2020 accelerated the decline of civic freedoms.
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Fundamental civic rights have deteriorated across Africa in 2020 - CIVICUS report finds

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Advocacy and Campaigns Head at CIVICUS David Kode explains to SABC News the several drivers of civic space violations in Africa including mass protests that were met with violent repression, and electoral processes, mostly presidential elections.
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USA Downgraded as Civil Liberties Deteriorate Across the Americas

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By Débora Leão, Civic Space Researcher at CIVICUS and Suraj K.
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People power under attack as world celebrates International Human Rights Day

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is 72 years old, but still the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights it protects remain fiercely contested, with 87% of the world's population living in countries with very poor civic space conditions.
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Africa: Civic rights were eroded across Africa in 2020

Op-Eds
By Sylvia Mbataru and Ine Van Severen, Civic Space Researchers at CIVICUS Fundamental civic rights, including freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression, deteriorated across Africa in 2020.
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Civil society fights back as smears and vilification intensify

Op-Eds
By Andrew Firmin and Inés Pousadela The pattern is now clear.
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Women’s groups fight back as gender-based violence surges during the pandemic

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By Inés Pousadela Barely weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns arose about the safety of women trapped indoors with their abusers, and data showing spikes in gender-based violence (GBV) quickly reached the news headlines.
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CIVICUS report documents how states need civil society as second wave of COVID-19 hits worldwide

Op-Eds
By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist and Andrew Firmin Editor-in-Chief at CIVICUS Covid-19 has unleashed a multi-dimensional, once-in-a-generation crisis.
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Amid COVID-19, what is the health of civic freedoms?

Op-Eds
By Marianna Belalba Barreto, Civic Space Research Lead at CIVICUS and Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Research Officer More than half a year after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, governments are continuing to waste precious time and energy restricting human rights rather than focusing on fighting the virus.
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With targeted attacks on civil society, the future of democracy hangs in the balance in Tanzania

Op-Eds
By Sylvia Mbataru, Civic Space Research at CIVICUS Elections in East Africa have faced a wave of recent problems.
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Access to information during a pandemic: a matter of life or death

Op-Eds
By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist No year could be more appropriate than 2020 for the world to celebrate its first International Day for Universal Access to Information (September 28).
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High stakes and pent up tensions in Côte d’Ivoire’s presidential election

Op-Eds
By David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead As Côte d’Ivoire’s much-anticipated 31 October elections approach, voters are facing a familiar sequence of events.
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At 75, is the UN still fit for purpose?

Op-Eds
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS This 75th anniversary offers a unique opportunity to examine the UN’s failings and reflect on ideas to improve its functioning.
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COVID is no reason to obstruct democracy

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By Andrew Firmin, Editor-In-Chief of CIVICUS On the International Day of Democracy, it’s time to say that elections can be held under the pandemic.

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