News

HUNGARY: ‘Trans people are having our rights being taken away’

July 03, 2020

HUNGARY: ‘Trans people are having our rights being taken away’

A new law in Hungary, passed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, prevents trans people from legally changing their gender. CIVICUS speaks…

Singapore: Open letter to parliamentary candidates and political party leaders to prioritise fundamental freedoms

July 03, 2020

Singapore: Open letter to parliamentary candidates and political party leaders to prioritise fundamental freedoms

in News

🇸🇬Singapore: Three civil society organisations call on parliamentary candidates and political party leaders to commit to respecting and protecting human rights, particularly fundamental freedoms,…

Ethiopia: Stop violence against protesters and lift internet restrictions

July 02, 2020

Ethiopia: Stop violence against protesters and lift internet restrictions

in Media Releases

(Johannesburg 2 July 2020) CIVICUS calls on the authorities in Ethiopia to stop using violence to disperse ongoing protests and to lift internet restrictions…

Upholding fundamental rights is crucial for global crisis response

July 01, 2020

Upholding fundamental rights is crucial for global crisis response

in Geneva

Joint Statement at the 44th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights Madame High Commissioner, Thank…

Comprehensive UN resolution needed to protect civic space

July 01, 2020

Comprehensive UN resolution needed to protect civic space

in Geneva

Statement at the 44th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights A group of governments (Ireland,…

Eritrea: Impunity persists for attacks against human rights — international action needed

July 01, 2020

Eritrea: Impunity persists for attacks against human rights — international action needed

in Geneva

Statement at the 44th Session of the UN Human Rights Council CIVICUS and the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights welcome the Special…

Philippines under scrutiny at the UN Human Rights Council

July 01, 2020

Philippines under scrutiny at the UN Human Rights Council

in Geneva

Joint statement at the 44th Session of the UN Human Rights Council Madame President; High Commissioner. CIVICUS and Karapatan welcome the strong report of…

TUNISIA: ‘The official response has failed to consider the gendered aspects of the pandemic’

July 01, 2020

TUNISIA: ‘The official response has failed to consider the gendered aspects of the pandemic’

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…

COSTA RICA: ‘Once legal change achieved, public policy should continue to focus on structural exclusion’

June 30, 2020

COSTA RICA: ‘Once legal change achieved, public policy should continue to focus on structural exclusion’

in Interviews

On 26 May 2020, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to recognise same-sex marriage. CIVICUS speaks with Herman Duarte, a lawyer…

Egypt: End Reprisals, Harassment and Threats Against Civil Society Leader Mostafa Fouad

June 30, 2020

Egypt: End Reprisals, Harassment and Threats Against Civil Society Leader Mostafa Fouad

in Open Letters

Arabic The undersigned civil society organisations call on Egyptian authorities to immediately end their harassment of Egyptian activist and Deputy Director of HuMENA for…

COVID-19 Used as Smokescreen to Undermine Gender Rights Globally

June 25, 2020

COVID-19 Used as Smokescreen to Undermine Gender Rights Globally

in Op-Eds

By Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Researcher at CIVICUS Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, sexual and reproductive rights are being attacked globally: LGBTQI+ persons are facing…

Rebuilding for Good

in News

Arabic | بالعربيةFrench | FrançaisSpanish | Español Full article Actions needed from governments to support & sustain civil society The COVID-19 pandemic has had…

MEXICO: ‘Violence against women is a historical pandemic’

June 24, 2020

MEXICO: ‘Violence against women is a historical pandemic’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Wendy Figueroa, director of the Red Nacional de Refugios (National Network of Shelters), a Mexican civil society organisation (CSO) that has…

Coronavirus and European Civil Society

June 23, 2020

Coronavirus and European Civil Society

in Op-Eds

By Aarti Narsee, Civic Space Researcher at CIVICUS European civil society is in a tug-of-war between restrictions, which may lead to the rise of…

MALAWI: ‘Girls need protection against COVID-19, and against endemic violations of their rights’

June 22, 2020

MALAWI: ‘Girls need protection against COVID-19, and against endemic violations of their rights’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks with Ephraim Chimwaza, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Concern and Development (CESOCODE), a Malawian reproductive health and women’s rights civil…

Observations on the quest to build back better

June 22, 2020

Observations on the quest to build back better

in Op-Eds

SDG Knowledge Hub’s interview with Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer Five years since the passage of the SDGs, the impulse in many quarters is…

Malaysia: Drop contempt proceedings against online news outlet Malaysiakini

June 19, 2020

Malaysia: Drop contempt proceedings against online news outlet Malaysiakini

in News

Joint statement by Article 19 and CIVICUS

Fiji: Stop harassing peaceful protesters at the University of the South Pacific

June 19, 2020

Fiji: Stop harassing peaceful protesters at the University of the South Pacific

in News

Joint Statement by Amnesty International and CIVICUS The Fiji authorities must respect the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly for university staff…

No country is above scrutiny -- resolution needed for human rights emergency in USA

June 18, 2020

No country is above scrutiny -- resolution needed for human rights emergency in USA

in Geneva

Statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Like so many, we have watched with horror as protesters seeking justice and equality…

LEBANON: ‘Change begins by handing over the mic to grassroots feminist organisations’

June 17, 2020

LEBANON: ‘Change begins by handing over the mic to grassroots feminist organisations’

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…

Right to protest and civic freedoms

June 16, 2020

Right to protest and civic freedoms

in Op-Eds

By Josef Benedict, civic space researcher at CIVICUS The right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental freedom and key pillar for civic space. When…

COVID-19 restrictions cannot set new precedents for civil society participation at the UN

June 16, 2020

COVID-19 restrictions cannot set new precedents for civil society participation at the UN

in Geneva

Joint statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Madame President, The Vienna Declaration recognizes the important role of non-governmental…

International support for petition to declare Cuba’s Decree-Law 370 unconstitutional

June 15, 2020

International support for petition to declare Cuba’s Decree-Law 370 unconstitutional

in News

The undersigned organizations and media outlets support the petition presented on June 8 in Cuba before the National Assembly, the State Council, the Supreme…

Joint statement on the role of the UN in the prevention of human rights crises

June 14, 2020

Joint statement on the role of the UN in the prevention of human rights crises

in Geneva

Joint statement at the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council Madam President, Rapporteurs, Firstly, while we acknowledge the exceptional circumstances presented by…

Censorship and surveillance could be the biggest rights challenges post Covid-19

June 11, 2020

Censorship and surveillance could be the biggest rights challenges post Covid-19

in Op-Eds

By Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer at CIVICUS & Marianna Belalba Barreto, Civic Space Researcher Significant public attention in relation to Covid-19 has focused on…

JAPAN: ‘The vulnerability of the homeless is the result of contemporary society’s built-in social exclusion’

June 11, 2020

JAPAN: ‘The vulnerability of the homeless is the result of contemporary society’s built-in social exclusion’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Tsubasa Yuki of Moyai Support Centre for Independent Living about the situation of homeless people amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.…

COVID-19 is a reminder that civil society is vital to the defence of our collective…

June 10, 2020

COVID-19 is a reminder that civil society is vital to the defence of our collective…

in Op-Eds

This article was originally published on Revista da Plataforma Portuguesa das ONGD By Lysa JohnSecretary-General, CIVICUS@LysaJohn Covid-19 victims dying in hospital corridors and on the…

Law enforcement agencies and decision makers must respect the right to protest in the US

June 04, 2020

Law enforcement agencies and decision makers must respect the right to protest in the US

in Media Releases

Over 10,000 protesters have been arrested in the #USA.Law enforcement agencies and decision makers must respect the right to protest.Statement: https://t.co/BTn0voaqSv#GeorgeFloyd #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/N25Sx3Ebpw —…

Joint letter to UN Member States: Ensure meaningful virtual participation in 2020 review of the…

June 03, 2020

Joint letter to UN Member States: Ensure meaningful virtual participation in 2020 review of the…

in New York

Joint letter to United Nations Member States: Ensure meaningful civil society participation in the 2020 virtual High Level Political Forum Civil society participation in the…

India: Two more women activists arrested as crackdown on protesters continue

June 03, 2020

India: Two more women activists arrested as crackdown on protesters continue

in News

Human Rights Defenders Alert – India and global civil society alliance CIVICUS call for the immediate release of two women activists who were arrested…

ASIA: ‘Under the pandemic, racism against Indigenous peoples has intensified’

June 02, 2020

ASIA: ‘Under the pandemic, racism against Indigenous peoples has intensified’

in Interviews

CIVICUS speaks to Gam Shimray, Secretary General of the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), about the situation of Indigenous groups in Asia amid the…

OPINION: Want a better post-pandemic world? Civil society has the answers

June 01, 2020

OPINION: Want a better post-pandemic world? Civil society has the answers

in Op-Eds

By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief Many of us continue to live in states of lockdown, but even as we do so the debate about…

Successes of people’s movements shows the way forward for post-pandemic recovery says new report

May 28, 2020

Successes of people’s movements shows the way forward for post-pandemic recovery says new report

in Media Releases

Pandemic has accelerated major economic, political and social problems Civil society has proven its value by winning key breakthroughs over the last year The…

Release human rights defenders at risk in the context of COVID-19

May 27, 2020

Release human rights defenders at risk in the context of COVID-19

in Open Letters

Mr Amit ShahUnion Home Minister of IndiaMinistry of Home AffairsGovernment of India Re: Release human rights defenders at risk in the context of COVID-19…

Egypt: open letter calling for an independent investigation into the death of Shady Habash

May 25, 2020

Egypt: open letter calling for an independent investigation into the death of Shady Habash

in Open Letters

Arabic CIVICUS, together with more than 60 organisations, calls for an open and independent investigation into the jailing and death of filmmaker hady Habash.

To face COVID-19, the human rights community must first protect its own workers

May 21, 2020

To face COVID-19, the human rights community must first protect its own workers

in Op-Eds

By Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS This crisis should be a wakeup call to all of us in civil society to strengthen social…