State of Civil Society Report by CIVICUS 2023

Civil society battles global human rights, governance and climate action failures - CIVICUS

The annual report by the global civil society alliance assesses activism around the world in 2023 and analyses the year’s events from a civil society perspective. The report is based on over 250 interviews and articles published by CIVICUS covering over 100 countries and territories.

Read the report here: https://www.civicus.org/index.php/state-of-civil-society-report-2024

Youth Action Lab Playbook

CIVICUS’ guide for organizations looking to build or strengthen their supporting mechanisms for young individual activists, non youth-led or focused unregistered collectives and grassroots groups.

Youth Action Lab Playbook

Freedom on the Net 2023 The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence

Freedom on the Net is Lifeline Consortium Partner Freedom House’s annual survey and analysis of internet freedom around the world. This cutting-edge project consists of ground-breaking research and analysis, fact-based advocacy, and on-the-ground capacity building. The hallmark of our analysis is the annual Freedom on the Net report. It features a ranked, country-by-country assessment of online freedom, a global overview of the latest developments, as well as in depth country reports.  See latest report

Relevant Sources of Law on Article 22 ICCPR - Right to Freedom of Association

In July 2023, Lifeline consortium partner ICNL and the European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) led advocacy efforts by a group of civil society and academic partners to urge the UN Human Rights Committee to develop a General Comment on the right to freedom of association – the only core civic freedom that has not yet been addressed by authoritative guidance from the Committee. As part of a continuing effort to sensitize Committee members to the need for a General Comment on association, ICNL and ECNL developed a comprehensive report summarizing UN sources of law relating to association, drawing on materials from the Committee, UN Human Rights Council, and UN Special Rapporteurs. We look forward to continuing to engage with the Committee and other mechanisms to develop and codify norms relating to the protection and exercise of associational rights.

Freedom on the Net 2022: Countering an Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet→

Freedom on the Net is Freedom House’s annual survey and analysis of internet freedom around the world. This cutting-edge project consists of ground-breaking research and analysis, fact-based advocacy, and on-the-ground capacity building. The hallmark of our analysis is the annual Freedom on the Net report. It features a ranked, country-by-country assessment of online freedom, a global overview of the latest developments, as well as in depth country reports. This year: At home and on the international stage, authoritarians are on a campaign to divide the open internet into a patchwork of repressive enclaves.

Call for Proposals: Countering Abusive Litigation through Effective Responses to SLAPPs in the Global South

The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) is pleased to announce a call for proposals to advance effective responses to strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPPs) in the Global South. Grant amounts are not fixed, but successful grant applications may range from $5,000 to $20,000. Proposals selected for support will receive funding through the Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund. Applications are due by October 31, 2020. More information here.

Protecting Activists from Abusive Litigation: SLAPPs in the Global South and How to Respond→

In Protecting Activists from Abusive Litigation: SLAPPs in the Global South and How to Respond, ICNL presents the first cross-regional survey of SLAPPs in the Global South, along with the first rigorous comparative analysis of anti-SLAPP policy responses undertaken in the Global North and the Global South. Their survey shows that SLAPPs pose a serious threat to the exercise of fundamental freedoms in the Global South, particularly for activists, civil society organizations, journalists, and community members who dare to criticize powerful entities. Their analysis also shows that there is a sizable body of experience regarding policies that can be implemented to effectively counter SLAPPs. The report offers key recommendations for how further anti-SLAPP responses in the Global South should be designed.

Subscribe Now! Keeping Democracy Healthy in a Pandemic→

In this unprecedented time, Freedom House is launching a newsletter called Keeping Democracy Healthy in a Pandemic to help everyone understand what the coronavirus pandemic means for democracy, and how we can all protect rights while protecting public health.

• Stay tuned for Freedom House’s own continuing analysis of the COVID-19 crisis, with stories from around the world about how states are responding

• Also featuring expert views about how to respond to emergencies without sacrificing rights

• Sample the first edition here. 

ICNL's COVID-19 Civic Freedom Tracker→

This tracker monitors government responses to the pandemic that affect civic freedoms and human rights, focusing on emergency laws.

Front Line Defenders - Global Analysis - 2019

Front Line Defenders’s 2019 Global Analysis documents the main trends facing human rights defenders at a global level. It pulls data from Front Line Defenders’ casework and protection grants programme to highlight the most common violations facing women and men defenders. It also reports on the killing of 304 HRDs in 2019; at least 40% of those were working on land, environmental and indigenous people's rights.

Civic Freedoms Are Under Attack. What Can Be Done?

Civic space—the fundamental freedoms that allow people to gather, communicate, and take part in groups to influence society and politics—is the bedrock of any democracy. Analysis by Saskia Brechenmacher, Thomas Carothers, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, in to what is the value of civic space and why is it important to protect? Including interesting recommendations on how the international responses be strengthened?

CIVICUS Monitor Report People Power Under Attack 2019

“TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN REPRESSED COUNTRIES COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO”

The CIVICUS Monitor released People Power Under Attack 2019, a new report showing that the fundamental freedoms of association, peaceful assembly and expression are backsliding across the world. In the space of a year, twice as many people are living in countries where these civic freedoms are being violated: 40% of the world’s population now live in repressed countries - last year it was 19%. The report, which is based on data from the CIVICUS Monitor, a global research collaboration, shows that civil society is under attack in most countries. In practice, this means that just 3% of the world’s population are now living in countries where their fundamental rights are in general, protected and respected – last year it was 4%. The report rates and tracks respect for fundamental freedoms in 196 countries.

Uncalculated Risks: Threats and Attacks Against Human Rights Defenders and the Role of Development Financier→

Defenders in Development Campaign launched a new report “Uncalculated Risks: Threats and attacks against human rights defenders and the role of development financiers.” With 25 case studies from around the world, the report exposes the risks of megaprojects and ill-planned development on those who work to defend human rights, their livelihoods, and the environment.. “Uncalculated Risks” shows how human rights defenders face increasing threats and attacks in the context of development activities, explores the nature of risks faced by defenders in development, examines the role of development finance institutions in exacerbating or mitigating those risks, and recommends better ways to ensure development respects human rights and safeguards those who defend them.

Freedoms Under Threat: The Spread of Anti-NGO Measures in Africa

Freedom House released a report outlining actions against nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) by governments across Africa. Entitled Freedom Under Threat: The Spread of Anti-NGO Measures in Africa, the report finds that 12 African countries have passed laws that improperly constrain NGOs in the last 15 years, while six more have anti-NGO measures pending. In six countries, restrictive legislation has been abandoned by executives, rejected by legislatures, or invalidated by courts, often in the face of push-back from civil society.

Closing Academic Space

ICNL’s new report, “Closing Academic Space: Repressive State Practices in Legislative, Regulatory and Other Restrictions on Higher Education Institutions” seeks to understand the ways in which governments are repressing university autonomy and closing academic space. The authors identify the scope of restrictive practices around the world and make recommendations to help stakeholders in their efforts to reduce government interference and maintain university autonomy.

Laws Designed to Silence

Amnesty International’s new report on the global crackdown on CSOs highlights obstacles that organizations face in exercising their right to freely associate, including difficulty registering, excessive administrative burdens, state interference, and limits on foreign funding. In particular, it demonstrates the manner in which “unacceptable voices”, especially those representing marginalized communities are targeted.

Human Rights Defenders Action Plan

In October 2018, human rights defenders convened in a global summit. The summit resulted in a plan of action with concrete proposals and calls for commitments from States for the protection and promotion of HRDs and their work in the years to come.

Handbook on Registering Civil Society Organizations in 10 Countries

The European Center for Not-for-Profit Law & The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law in partnership with Dentons and DLA Piper published a 160 page handbook for CSOs to register and acquire legal personality in ten countries across Eurasia and the MENA region: Belgium, Czechia, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Ireland, Lebanon, Sweden, Tunisia and Turkey. The handbook is a practical guide, highlighting the complexity of tax laws, challenges of registration procedures, and more.

FoAA and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

In August the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly submitted a report to the Human Rights Council on the linkages between civic freedoms and the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The special rapporteur stressed that it is not possible to achieve the SDGs without freedom of association and assemble. The report draws a variety of linkages between the rights of assembly and association and how the SDGs can be achieved.

The State of Civic Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa

The State of Civic Freedom in the Middle East and North Africa released its annual report which noted a diversity of trends in civic space across the region, with a focus on Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, Lebanon and Tunisia. The report notes that the challenges faced by CSOs vary greatly depending on the country. For Instance, in Morocco and Jordan most CSO stakeholders citied that the price of registering an organization was most significant obstacle to establishing an organization, while in Tunisia, Kuwait, and Lebanon the most significant obstacle was governments not responding to their registration applications. However, cross regional trends include fear the state security forces will violently retaliate against demonstrations, and the belief that the legal environment discourages civic involvement.