March 2011
Issue: 58

• Resources and Publications
• Civil Society Watch Alerts & Analysis
• Country Updates
• CSW Online
• Eurasian network updates
  
• Interview with a Civil Society Activist
• Good News

Welcome to Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin, an e-newsletter of updates and analyses concerning civil society's rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression around the world. The Bulletin is compiled by the staff at Civil Society Watch, a programme of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Please feel free to forward the Bulletin to friends and colleagues. We welcome your comments and contributions!

CIVICUS Report on the Challenges Faced by Women in Civil Society in Africa
Click here to download

Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections: Independent Observation Report on the Election of the President of Belarus
Click here to download

Open Forum for CSO Development Effectiveness: Development Effectiveness of International Civil Society Organizations Thematic Group Report
Click here to download

Third Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Margaret Sekagayya focusing on the situation of Women Human Rights Defenders
Click here to download

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an international movement of civil society with members and partners in over a hundred countries. CIVICUS nurtures the foundation, growth and protection of citizen action throughout the world especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened. The Civil Society Watch Project of CIVICUS seeks to mobilise quick, principled and effective responses to events that threaten civil society fundamental freedoms of expression, association and assembly.

The Eurasia Network has organised multiple engagements for the 16th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council. On the issue of the post-election crackdown in Belarus, CIVICUS has organised and co-sponsored a side event in Geneva together with HRW, FIDH and the Human Rights House Foundation. Speakers at the side event include a representative from the civil society driven International Observation Mission in Belarus. To read more about the work of the Committee on International Control of the Situation on Belarus click here. In addition, CIVICUS has also arranged for private dialogues between UN Special Rapporteurs and civil society representative from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to share direct information on the challenges that threaten civil society in their respective countries.

UN Women officially launched as powerful driver of women’s equality
Read more

 

Highlights

CIVICUS co-hosts workshop on Public Participation and Peaceful Protest: Rights and Responsibilities of Civil Society in a Globalised World.
Read more

CIVICUS launches online platform to combat threats to civil society
Read more

CIVICUS releases report on the Challenges faced by Women in Civil Society in Africa on the occasion of Women's Day
Read more

CIVICUS calls upon Zimbabwean government to end arrests and free detainees
Read more

CIVICUS, GCAP and Amnesty International South Africa lament that African governments are failing citizens of Libya and all Africans
Read more

CIVICUS urges UN to invoke 'Responsibility to Protect' to prevent unlawful killings in Libya
Read more

CIVICUS Secretary General's message of solidarity with civil society colleagues in Egypt
Read more

CIVICUS statement urging the international community to take action on Egypt
Read more

CIVICUS and others call for a Human Rights Council resolution on Belarus
Read more

Analysis piece by CIVICUS partner, Sukhrobjan Ismoilov: 'Egyptian Syndrome under Uzbek Realities'
Read more

Analysis piece by CIVICUS Policy Manager, Mandeep Tiwana: 'Libya: Will African members of the UN Security Council Step Up?'
Read more

BAHRAIN: Security forces open fire in brutal attack on peaceful protestors at Pearl Roundabout
Read more 

BRAZIL: Body of activist investigating police excesses found buried at farm bearing signs of torture
Read more

CHINA: Foreign journalists assaulted in a sign of paranoia over Middle East protests
Read more

Three prominent lawyers arbitrarily detained 
Read more

COTE D' IVOIRE: Increased threats against human rights defenders
Read more

DJIBOUTI: President of leading human rights group arrested
Read more

ETHIOPIA: Licenses of four NGOs revoked under controversial Charities and Societies Law
Read more

INDONESIA: Peace Brigades International closes operations due to challenges and constraints in protecting human rights defenders
Read more

IRAN: Human rights lawyer convicted and banned from the practice of law
Read more

RWANDA: Opposition leader sentenced to four years imprisonment under questionable charges
Read more

SUDAN: Pro-democracy protestors attacked
Read more

Arbitrary arrest and continued detention and torture of human rights defenders
Read more

TURKEY: Activist and journalists made to stand trial for criticising judicial decisions
Read more

OCSE Media representative expresses concern about persecution of journalists
Read more

UGANDA: Journalists attacked during mayoral elections in Kampala
Read more

USA: Nationwide conferences organised to spotlight threats to political activism
Read more

ZIMBABWE: Civil society groups lament escalation of political violence and persecution of activists
Read more

Former CIVICUS Board Member and Director of Arab NGO network, Ziad Abdel Samad speaks about democratic change in the Middle East spurred by the successful revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. He feels the events have already been a catalyst for widespread democratic change in the Arab region and there is no going back.
Read more