News

Belarus: More than 7000 peaceful protesters arrested and hundreds injured

September 20, 2020

Belarus: More than 7000 peaceful protesters arrested and hundreds injured

Statement at the 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Urgent debate on Belarus Madame President, We have watched with horror as riot police…

At 75, is the UN still fit for purpose?

September 16, 2020

At 75, is the UN still fit for purpose?

in Op-Eds

By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS This 75th anniversary offers a unique opportunity to examine the UN’s failings and reflect on ideas…

Reaction to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights update

September 15, 2020

Reaction to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights update

in Geneva

Statement at the 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Thank you, High Commissioner for your update, which takes place in a difficult…

COVID-19 has presented opportunities and challenges for civil society

September 15, 2020

COVID-19 has presented opportunities and challenges for civil society

in Geneva

Statement at the 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on COVID-19 Thank…

POLAND: ‘The crisis of democracy and human rights will deepen’

September 15, 2020

POLAND: ‘The crisis of democracy and human rights will deepen’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Małgorzata Szuleka about Poland’s recent presidential elections, held under the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ruling party’s use of anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric to…

Cambodia: CIVICUS calls on government to release activists after wave of arrests

September 15, 2020

Cambodia: CIVICUS calls on government to release activists after wave of arrests

in Media Releases

Global civil society alliance CIVICUS is extremely concerned by an ongoing crackdown on activists in Cambodia over the last month. A chilling wave of…

Austria's civic space rating upgraded

September 15, 2020

Austria's civic space rating upgraded

in Media Releases

Available in German Political gains made by the Green party and increasing dialogue between government and civil society, has led to an improvement in…

COVID is no reason to obstruct democracy

September 15, 2020

COVID is no reason to obstruct democracy

in Op-Eds

By Andrew Firmin, Editor-In-Chief of CIVICUS On the International Day of Democracy, it’s time to say that elections can be held under the pandemic.…

Myanmar: Independent investigation needs access and international community must ensure accountability

September 15, 2020

Myanmar: Independent investigation needs access and international community must ensure accountability

in Geneva

Statement at the 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar Thank you, Madame President, We thank…

Niger: human rights defenders still unjustly detained for more than six months

September 14, 2020

Niger: human rights defenders still unjustly detained for more than six months

in Media Releases

On 15 September 2020 it will be six months since three human rights defenders were jailed in Niger simply for participating in peaceful protests…

#UN75: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic showed that multilateral institutions are essential’

September 11, 2020

#UN75: ‘The COVID-19 pandemic showed that multilateral institutions are essential’

in Interviews

To mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), CIVICUS is having conversations with civil society activists, advocates and practitioners…

Advocacy priorities at 45th Session of UN Human Rights Council

September 10, 2020

Advocacy priorities at 45th Session of UN Human Rights Council

in Geneva

The 45th Session of the UN Human Rights Council will sit from 14 September - 6 October, 2020 and there are a number of…

COVID-19: ‘We need a new social contract founded on rights and the principle of shared…

September 10, 2020

COVID-19: ‘We need a new social contract founded on rights and the principle of shared…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency measures on labour rights, and the civil society response, with Owen Tudor, Deputy…

Global call for international human rights monitoring mechanisms on China

September 09, 2020

Global call for international human rights monitoring mechanisms on China

in Open Letters

An open letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, UN Member States.

SERBIA: ‘The political crisis will deepen as a large number of people lack representation’

September 08, 2020

SERBIA: ‘The political crisis will deepen as a large number of people lack representation’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ivana Teofilović about the causes of recent protests and the government’s reaction to them, as well as about the elections held…

CHILE: ‘This historic constituent moment was achieved by citizens’

September 04, 2020

CHILE: ‘This historic constituent moment was achieved by citizens’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Marcela Guillibrand De la Jara, Executive Director of the Chilean Volunteer Network (Red de Voluntarios de Chile) and General Coordinator of…

Côte d’Ivoire’s democracy in the balance as hotly contested elections loom

September 03, 2020

Côte d’Ivoire’s democracy in the balance as hotly contested elections loom

in Op-Eds

By David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns lead at CIVICUS With two months to go before elections in Côte d’Ivoire, the priority is to ensure…

NIGERIA: ‘The global anti-racist protests renewed the call for police accountability’

September 02, 2020

NIGERIA: ‘The global anti-racist protests renewed the call for police accountability’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Nelson Olanipekun, a human rights lawyer and the founder and team lead of Citizens’ Gavel, a Nigerian civic tech organisation that…

Indonesia: Academic at risk of imprisonment for online criticism of university hiring procedures

September 01, 2020

Indonesia: Academic at risk of imprisonment for online criticism of university hiring procedures

in News

Joint NGO Statement by CIVICUS, Article 19, KontraS Aceh, LBH Banda Aceh, KontraS and YLBHI

POLAND: ‘We invented new forms of protest because we had to’

September 01, 2020

POLAND: ‘We invented new forms of protest because we had to’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Klementyna Suchanow, an activist, author and researcher based in Warsaw, Poland, about the recent announcement by the Polish government that it…

HONG KONG: ‘The National Security Law infringes on freedom of expression and is intensifying self-censorship’

August 27, 2020

HONG KONG: ‘The National Security Law infringes on freedom of expression and is intensifying self-censorship’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Patrick Poon, an independent human rights researcher, on the human rights situation in Hong Kong after a new National Security Law…

Philippines: UN investigation needed over ongoing extrajudicial executions

August 27, 2020

Philippines: UN investigation needed over ongoing extrajudicial executions

in Geneva

Joint Letter from over 60 organisations to member and observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Re: UN Human Rights Council should…

Rights organisation calls for release of activist Sudha Bharadwaj on 2nd anniversary of her arrest

August 27, 2020

Rights organisation calls for release of activist Sudha Bharadwaj on 2nd anniversary of her arrest

in Media Releases

CIVICUS urges authorities to drop baseless charges against Sudha Bharadwaj There are concerns for Bharadwaj’s health in prison during COVID-19 pandemic Bharadwaj is featured…

From local to global: How can social-activism volunteering unite communities?

August 26, 2020

From local to global: How can social-activism volunteering unite communities?

in Op-Eds

Lysa John, Secretary-General of CIVICUS Participation is a human right, deeply rooted in our need to form and voice opinions and influence the structures…

Under attack but fighting back

August 26, 2020

Under attack but fighting back

in Op-Eds

By Débora Leão, Civic Space Research Officer at CIVICUS and Marianna Belalba Barreto, Civic Space Cluster Lead at CIVICUS 2019 was a year of collective action, and…

#BEIJING25: ‘We are outraged at discrimination and are turning our claims into action’

August 23, 2020

#BEIJING25: ‘We are outraged at discrimination and are turning our claims into action’

in Interviews

In the run-up to the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, due in September 2020, CIVICUS is interviewing civil society activists, leaders…

Joint Letter: Continued human rights monitoring needed in Burundi

August 21, 2020

Joint Letter: Continued human rights monitoring needed in Burundi

in Geneva

To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland Burundi: Vital role of the Commission…

BURUNDI: ‘The election of new leaders is not synonymous with democracy’

August 19, 2020

BURUNDI: ‘The election of new leaders is not synonymous with democracy’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the recent elections in Burundi with a civil society activist who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. Presidential, parliamentary and…

Killing of another human rights activist highlights climate of impunity in the Philippines

August 19, 2020

Killing of another human rights activist highlights climate of impunity in the Philippines

in Media Releases

🇵🇭#Philippines: The cold-blooded murder of Zara Alvarez is a travesty and yet another addition to the growing list of activists who have been attacked…

SRI LANKA: ‘Media control gave the government a definite advantage’

August 18, 2020

SRI LANKA: ‘Media control gave the government a definite advantage’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Sandun Thudugala, Head of Programmes at the Law and Society Trust (LST), about the legislative elections held in Sri Lanka on…

COVID-19: ‘Refugees paid a heavier price during a crisis that many believed impacted on us…

August 14, 2020

COVID-19: ‘Refugees paid a heavier price during a crisis that many believed impacted on us…

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the situation of climate refugees and increasing challenges under the COVID-19 pandemic with Amali Tower, founder and executive director of Climate…

Civil Society Organisations Call for the Draft Law on Public Order to be Immediately Discarded

August 13, 2020

Civil Society Organisations Call for the Draft Law on Public Order to be Immediately Discarded

in News

Phnom Penh, 13 August 2020 – We, the undersigned national and international organisations and communities, call on the Royal Government of Cambodia (“RGC”) to…

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘We are part of a global anti-racist movement’

August 13, 2020

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘We are part of a global anti-racist movement’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Elena Lorac, coordinator of Reconoci.do, an independent and plural civic network made up mainly of young Dominicans of Haitian descent. Reconoci.do…

Coronavirus: Will it change our politics?

August 12, 2020

Coronavirus: Will it change our politics?

in Op-Eds

Has the Coronavirus crisis changed our view of politicians and what citizens now expect from them? Leaders around the world have dealt with the…

COVID-19: ‘We need public policies that reduce and redistribute unpaid care work’

August 12, 2020

COVID-19: ‘We need public policies that reduce and redistribute unpaid care work’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks about the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender inequalities and civil society responses with Gala Díaz Langou, director of the Social…

Journalists fight back: Media freedom is further eroded in Hungary

August 11, 2020

Journalists fight back: Media freedom is further eroded in Hungary

in Op-Eds

By Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Researcher at CIVICUS & Orsolya Reich, Advocacy Officer at Civil Liberties Union for Europe What little media independence remains…