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

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.

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 Read this issue online.

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.