Opinions & Features

Belarus: A Sham Election That Fools No One

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin,  Editor-in-Chief and co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-authors of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Kenya’s Shadow War on Activism

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Colombia’s Historic Child Marriage Ban

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela  Colombia has just marked a historic milestone in the global campaign against child marriage, with the Senate passing one of Latin America and the Caribbean’s most comprehensive bans on child marriage and early unions.

Civil Society Trends for 2025: Nine Global Challenges, One Reason for Hope

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin and Inés M.
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South Korea’s Democracy Defended

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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From Outrage to Action: Global Protests Against Gender-based Violence Resonate in Kenya

Opinions & Features
By Inés M.
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Local Action, Global Accountability

Opinions & Features
This speech was delivered at the "Local Action, Global Accountability" UNGA-Side Event on September 20, 2024, at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice in New York City, USA.
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Corruption in Uganda: A Barrier to Local Leadership and Aspirations

Opinions & Features
By Hannah Stacey Baluka.
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This Year Saw Most of the World Repressed – but in Civil Society there is Hope

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep Tiwana, Interim Co-Secretary General, CIVICUS.
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2024 in Review: Celebrating Civil Society’s Resilience and Impact

Opinions & Features
A message from Interim Co-Secretary Generals, Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana  Dear CIVICUS members, partners and allies   As a tumultuous 2024 draws to a close, we would like to celebrate the remarkable courage of civil society in the face of adversity.

COP29 Falls Short on Finance

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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International community: Speak up now about Israel’s atrocities against Palestinians

Opinions & Features
By Jesselina Rana, Human rights lawyer and UN adviser at the New York Hub of CIVICUS Every week, the evidence mounts that Israel is committing grave war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip that likely amount to genocide.
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Strengthening our alliance: Key Outcomes from Board Week, MEM2024, and Team Initiatives

Opinions & Features
A message from Interim Co-Secretary Generals, Claire Nylander and Mandeep Tiwana Dear CIVICUS members, partners and allies  Hope this message finds you well despite the turbulent times we are living in.
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Solidarity is the missing link to a stronger civil society ecosystem

Opinions & Features
Ecosystem is a widespread term today, having grown in popularity in recent years.
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When the truth becomes a lie: What Trump’s election means for the world as we know it

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep S.

Mohammad Yunus can go down in history as the architect of a new Bangladesh

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief of evidence and engagement and Representative to the United Nations at CIVICUS After mass protests forced long-term Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee the country in early August, Bangladesh found itself in a unique moment of opportunity to chart a path towards true democracy.

Can the UN Human Rights Council Protect Rights While Abusers Sit at the Table?

Opinions & Features
States with abysmal human rights records seek election to the UN Human Rights Council not to advance human rights but to block their realization.

Honduras: Environmental Defenders Still under Siege

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.

The UN Cybercrime Convention: A New Repressive Tool in Disguise?

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela,  Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.

Tunisia: A Hollow Victory in a Non-competitive Election

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin Tunisia’s 6 October presidential election did what it was designed to do: prolong autocratic incumbent Kais Saied’s stay in power.

The Future of Civic Freedoms: Lessons from My Time at CIVICUS

Opinions & Features
By Lysa John, outgoing Secretary General of CIVICUS.

Georgia’s Dangerous Anti-LGBTQI+ Law

Opinions & Features
Georgia’s ruling party has put LGBTQI+ people firmly in the firing line ahead of next month’s election.

A UN 2.0 Needs Robust People’s Civil Society Participation

Opinions & Features
By Jesselina Rana, UN advisor at CIVICUS and Mandeep Tiwana, chief of evidence and engagement at CIVICUS plus representative to the UN in New York A cascade of crises endangers our world.
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New Zealand: Māori Rights in the Firing Line

Opinions & Features
A New Zealand bill that would roll back Indigenous rights is unlikely to pass – but it’s emblematic of a growing climate of hostility from governing politicians.

Climate Activists Target Culture Greenwashing

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Rwanda: Authoritarian Leader Secures Another Term

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report No one can pretend to be surprised.
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Venezuela Struggles to Hold on to Hope

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.

LOCAL LEADERSHIP LABS’ REFLECTIONS & INSIGHTS: THE SOUNDING BOARD

Opinions & Features
By Taís Siqueira (Local Leadership Labs Coordinator) and Joanna Makhlouf (Local Leadership Labs Assistant) The Sounding Board (SB) played a crucial role in the inception of Local Leadership Labs (LLL) by advising on partner selection, identifying priority countries within the two regions, and sense-making the initial LLL framework.
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Cambodia’s Young Environmental Activists Pay a Heavy Price

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report It’s risky to try to protect the environment in authoritarian Cambodia.
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Eswatini: Jailing of Politicians the Latest Act of Repression

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report Two politicians have just been sentenced to long prison terms in Eswatini.

Kenya’s Protests: More than a Question of Tax

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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The UK’s Chance for Change

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report The political tide has turned in the UK – and civil society will be hoping for an end to government hostility.
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HLPF 2024: Protecting Civic Space Critical for SDGs Success

Opinions & Features
By Jesselina Rana, CIVICUS UN Advisor at UN Hub in New York City.

UAE Complicit in Sudan Slaughter

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Namibia: LGBTQI+ Rights Victory amid Regression

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela,  CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report In June, the Namibian High Court struck down two sections of the country’s Sexual Offences Act that criminalised consensual sexual relations between men, finding them unconstitutional.
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Myanmar: International Action Urgently Needed

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin,  CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report Myanmar’s army, at war with pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias, must know it’s nowhere near victory.
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Secretary General, Lysa John, transitions from CIVICUS

Opinions & Features
A message from Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS Dear CIVICUS members and allies, At the end of 2024, I will complete six years with CIVICUS.
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Thailand’s LGBTQI+ Rights Breakthrough

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report At the height of 2024 Pride season, decades of civil society campaigning came to fruition in Thailand.
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New Caledonia: Time to Talk about Decolonisation

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Haiti: Transitional Administration Faces Stern Test

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report There’s been recent change in violence-torn Haiti – but whether much-needed progress results remains to be seen.
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Venezuela’s Opportunity for Democracy

Opinions & Features
 By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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India’s Election: Cracks Start to Show in Authoritarian Rule

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Panama’s Elections: Has Impunity Prevailed?

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela Regional experts called it Panama’s most important election since the 1989 US invasion that deposed de facto president General Manuel Noriega.
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Solomon Islands: A Change More in Style than Substance

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin is CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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Introducing CIVICUS Impact Stories: Understanding our contribution towards expanded civic and democratic space

Opinions & Features
A message from Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS    Dear CIVICUS members and allies, In July 2022, CIVICUS started delivering on our revised strategic plan, focusing on one overachieving goal across the alliance: ‘to strengthen civil society and civic action for expanded civic and democratic space.
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EU’S ‘Foreign agent law’ is misguided

Opinions & Features
By Tara Petrovic, leads research on Europe and Central Asia for the CIVICUS Monitor.
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Civil Society Scores LGBTQI+ Rights Victory in Dominica

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela,  CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report.
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South Africa’s post-apartheid democracy is sustained by protest

Opinions & Features
By Safia Khan and Tarryn Booysen  On April 27, South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid, when we, South Africans, finally won the fight for all to be recognised as equal citizens.

The Climate Alarm Is Ringing – It’s Time to Stop Silencing It

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin The heat records keep tumbling – 2023 was the hottest year in recorded history.
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Senegal’s Democracy Passes Crucial Test

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report The fact that Senegal’s election took place on 24 March was in itself a triumph for civil society.

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