Interviews

UN CYBERCRIME TREATY: ‘This is not about protecting states but about protecting people’

June 02, 2023

UN CYBERCRIME TREATY: ‘This is not about protecting states but about protecting people’

CIVICUS speaks with Stéphane Duguin about the weaponisation of technology and progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Cybercrime Treaty. Stéphane is an…

CAMEROON: ‘Communities must benefit from what comes from their land’

June 01, 2023

CAMEROON: ‘Communities must benefit from what comes from their land’

in Interviews

CIVICUS discusses the aspirations and roles of civil society at the forthcoming COP28 climate summit with Estelle Ewoule Lobé, co-founder of the Cameroonian civil…

ASEAN: ‘There is a lack of a consistent approach and political will to address the…

June 01, 2023

ASEAN: ‘There is a lack of a consistent approach and political will to address the…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Mary Aileen Diez-Bacalso, a globally recognised human rights advocate and the new Executive Director of the Asian Forum for Human Rights…

ITALY: ‘Accusing activists of vandalism is much easier than implementing renewable energy policies’

May 24, 2023

ITALY: ‘Accusing activists of vandalism is much easier than implementing renewable energy policies’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Gabriella Abbate of Last Generation about climate activism and its criminalisation in Italy, a country that has recently experienced both drought…

TURKEY: ‘The government does not tolerate opinions different from its own’

May 23, 2023

TURKEY: ‘The government does not tolerate opinions different from its own’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with lawyer Eren Keskin, chair of the Human Rights Association (IHD), about the Turkish government’s attacks on critical media and the state…

HUNGARY: ‘The government is masking anti-LGBTQI+ legislation under the narrative of children protection’

May 18, 2023

HUNGARY: ‘The government is masking anti-LGBTQI+ legislation under the narrative of children protection’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the Hungarian government’s anti-LGBTQI+ campaign with Imre Zsoldos of the Hungarian LGBT Alliance. Founded in 2009, the Hungarian LGBT Alliance is…

TURKEY: ‘All critical voices are repressed under the pretext of combating disinformation’

May 15, 2023

TURKEY: ‘All critical voices are repressed under the pretext of combating disinformation’

in Interviews

In the run-up to Turkey’s general election, CIVICUS speaks with Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief of Evrensel, about the state of press freedoms and the Turkish…

PARAGUAY: ‘Very tough years are ahead for civil society that promotes human rights’

May 09, 2023

PARAGUAY: ‘Very tough years are ahead for civil society that promotes human rights’

in Interviews

CIVICUS discusses Paraguay’s recent general election with Marta Ferrara, executive director of Seeds for Democracy (Semillas para la Democracia). Founded in 2006, Seeds for…

UN RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: ‘The climate crisis is a human rights crisis’

May 08, 2023

UN RESOLUTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE: ‘The climate crisis is a human rights crisis’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Hailey Campbell about the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the environment, which enables the International Court of Justice…

SINGAPORE: ‘Being a human rights lawyer has had a huge personal cost’

May 04, 2023

SINGAPORE: ‘Being a human rights lawyer has had a huge personal cost’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate M. Ravi about civic space, human rights and his activism against the death penalty in…

GUATEMALA: ‘Judicial harassment and criminal prosecution have wearing effects’

May 03, 2023

GUATEMALA: ‘Judicial harassment and criminal prosecution have wearing effects’

in Interviews

On World Press Freedom Day, CIVICUS speaks with Carlos Ernesto Choc, a Q’eqchi’ Mayan journalist with almost two decades of experience, about the criminalisation…

THE NETHERLANDS: ‘People are beginning to realise that we need real and systemic change’

April 24, 2023

THE NETHERLANDS: ‘People are beginning to realise that we need real and systemic change’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Sieger Sloot, an actor and climate activist from a Dutch branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR), about climate protests and the criminalisation…

UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘It is up to civil society to speak up for the public…

April 21, 2023

UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘It is up to civil society to speak up for the public…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Treaty on Plastic Pollution with Aidan Charron, End of Plastics and Canopy…

PAKISTAN: ‘They put a black hood over my face and took me to the airport’

April 20, 2023

PAKISTAN: ‘They put a black hood over my face and took me to the airport’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Syed Fawad Ali Shah, a writer and journalist from Pakistan, about the situation of journalists in his country and his experience…

KENYA: ‘We have concerns about state functions being used to dictate and define morality’

April 19, 2023

KENYA: ‘We have concerns about state functions being used to dictate and define morality’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about LGBTQI+ rights in Kenya and the criminalisation of activism with Ivy Werimba, Communications and Advocacy Officer at galck+. galck+ is a…

ISRAEL: ‘We dream of hundreds of thousands demonstrating for democracy, equality and human rights’

April 18, 2023

ISRAEL: ‘We dream of hundreds of thousands demonstrating for democracy, equality and human rights’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about current protests against judicial changes in Israel with Debbie Gild-Hayo, Director of Public Advocacy of the Association for Civil Rights in…

UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘Human health and the environment must come first’

April 12, 2023

UN PLASTICS TREATY: ‘Human health and the environment must come first’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the progress being made towards a United Nations (UN) Treaty on Plastic Pollution with Vito Buonsante, an environmental health lawyer and…

GREECE: ‘The criminalisation of solidarity has had a chilling effect’

April 06, 2023

GREECE: ‘The criminalisation of solidarity has had a chilling effect’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Melina Spathari, Director of Strategy and Programmes at HumanRights360 (HR360), about the prosecution of civil society activists working with migrants and…

EL SALVADOR: ‘Rather than a real security policy, what the government has is an electoral…

March 27, 2023

EL SALVADOR: ‘Rather than a real security policy, what the government has is an electoral…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the one-year state of emergency in El Salvador with César Artiga, founder and coordinator of the National Promoting Team of the…

MOLDOVA: ‘There are attempts to replace the pro-European government with a pro-Kremlin puppet regime’

March 23, 2023

MOLDOVA: ‘There are attempts to replace the pro-European government with a pro-Kremlin puppet regime’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about recent political changes in Moldova in the context of the global energy crisis with Victoria Nemerenco, coordinator of the Europeanization, Foreign…

BELARUS: ‘There is a pro-democracy civil society that opposes the war and advocates for democratic…

March 22, 2023

BELARUS: ‘There is a pro-democracy civil society that opposes the war and advocates for democratic…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Anastasiya Vasilchuk of Viasna about the escalating repression and criminalisation of civil society in Belarus. Founded in 1996, Viasna (‘Spring’ in Belarusian)…

GEORGIA: ‘Civil society must be ready for any further regressive move the government attempts’

March 16, 2023

GEORGIA: ‘Civil society must be ready for any further regressive move the government attempts’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Georgian civil society’s successful campaign against the draft Agents of Foreign Influence Law with Nino Ugrekhelidze, co-founder of the CEECCNA (Central…

BAHRAIN: ‘The government uses public relations to mask human rights violations’

March 03, 2023

BAHRAIN: ‘The government uses public relations to mask human rights violations’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Drewery Dyke of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (Salam DHR) about closed civic and democratic space in Bahrain as the…

UN TAX CONVENTION: ‘People power is the major weapon we bring to the fight against…

March 02, 2023

UN TAX CONVENTION: ‘People power is the major weapon we bring to the fight against…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s work to tackle inequality from the ground up and discusses the prospects of a United Nations (UN) tax convention…

TURKEY: ‘It is just not possible to respond to such a large-scale disaster effectively without…

March 01, 2023

TURKEY: ‘It is just not possible to respond to such a large-scale disaster effectively without…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Gözde Kazaz, Communications Officer at Support to Life, about the way Turkish civil society has responded to the recent earthquakes and…

MOZAMBIQUE: ‘The new NGO Law will be the death of the civic movement’

February 20, 2023

MOZAMBIQUE: ‘The new NGO Law will be the death of the civic movement’

in Interviews

Portuguese CIVICUS discusses the state of civic space and new restrictions being imposed on civil society in Mozambique with Paula Monjane, Executive Director of…

SRI LANKA: ‘Without international solidarity and support, our democratic hopes will soon be gone’

February 16, 2023

SRI LANKA: ‘Without international solidarity and support, our democratic hopes will soon be gone’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Sri Lanka’s protest movement and its repression with student activist Fathima Ashfa Razik. Fathima used to be a university student and…

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: ‘This treaty should not be negotiated behind closed doors’

January 24, 2023

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS: ‘This treaty should not be negotiated behind closed doors’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the process to develop an international treaty on business and human rights and the role of civil society with Ivette Gonzalez,…

ZAMBIA: ‘The abolition of the death penalty is a victory for civil society calling for…

January 23, 2023

ZAMBIA: ‘The abolition of the death penalty is a victory for civil society calling for…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about Zambia’s recent abolition of the death penalty and the role played by civil society with Macdonald Chipenzi, outgoing Executive Director of…

PHILIPPINES: ‘This victory belongs to everyone who supported and fought with us’

January 20, 2023

PHILIPPINES: ‘This victory belongs to everyone who supported and fought with us’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the recent acquittal of 10 human rights defenders in the Philippines with Maria Sol Taule, a human rights lawyer and member…

WOMEN’S RIGHTS: ‘Violence against women is a global crisis that needs urgent attention’

January 11, 2023

WOMEN’S RIGHTS: ‘Violence against women is a global crisis that needs urgent attention’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about civil society’s role in the fight against gender-based violence with Lina AbiRafeh, a feminist activist, women’s rights expert and Senior Advisor…

PERU: ‘Political and social instability has already cost dozens of lives’

January 10, 2023

PERU: ‘Political and social instability has already cost dozens of lives’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the political crisis in Peru with Nadia Ramos, CEO of the Women’s Leadership Centre of the Americas and official spokesperson for…

GUATEMALA: ‘Criminal law is being used as a weapon of political persecution’

December 23, 2022

GUATEMALA: ‘Criminal law is being used as a weapon of political persecution’

in Interviews

CIVICUS discusses corruption in Guatemala and the criminalisation of anti-corruption activism with Claudia González, former member of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala…

TANZANIA: ‘The new administration is committed to ending discriminatory policies that undermine girls’ rights’

December 22, 2022

TANZANIA: ‘The new administration is committed to ending discriminatory policies that undermine girls’ rights’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Prudence Mutiso, Legal Adviser at the Center for Reproductive Rights-Africa about the Tanzanian government’s policy on pregnant and married girls in…

AUSTRALIA: ‘Repressive laws have been introduced to limit people’s ability to protest against climate injustice’

December 21, 2022

AUSTRALIA: ‘Repressive laws have been introduced to limit people’s ability to protest against climate injustice’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the challenges faced by climate activists in Australia with Nelli Stevenson, head of communications and investigations at Greenpeace Australia Pacific. Greenpeace…

MALTA: ‘People should be able to access abortions locally without the risk of criminalisation or…

December 19, 2022

MALTA: ‘People should be able to access abortions locally without the risk of criminalisation or…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the struggle for abortion rights and the anti-rights backlash in Malta with Break the Taboo Malta. Break the Taboo Malta is…