News

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’

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…

Bangladesh: Stop targeting Odhikar and its leadership

May 23, 2023

Bangladesh: Stop targeting Odhikar and its leadership

in News

Respect the Fundamental Rights to Freedom of Association and Expression Bangladeshi authorities must end reprisals against Odhikar and its leadership and respect the fundamental…

Thailand: Time for Democracy

May 22, 2023

Thailand: Time for Democracy

in Op-Eds

By Andrew Firmin CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report. Thailand’s voters have spoken. In…

Chile: New Constitution in the Hands of the Far Right

May 19, 2023

Chile: New Constitution in the Hands of the Far Right

in Op-Eds

By Inés Pousadela, Senior Research Specialist, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report. On 7 May, Chileans…

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…

Cambodia: Disqualification of opposition party reveals government’s zero commitment to free and fair elections

May 17, 2023

Cambodia: Disqualification of opposition party reveals government’s zero commitment to free and fair elections

in News

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation strongly condemn Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC)’s decision…

Eritrea: Council resolution should outline human rights situation & extend the Special Rapporteur’s mandate

May 17, 2023

Eritrea: Council resolution should outline human rights situation & extend the Special Rapporteur’s mandate

in Geneva

To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council (Geneva, Switzerland) Excellencies, Ahead of the UN Human Rights…

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…

India: End reprisals against the Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) & human…

May 11, 2023

India: End reprisals against the Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) & human…

in News

Sixteen human rights organisations today called on the Indian authorities to immediately stop the reprisals against human rights defenders and organisations in Jammu and…

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…

Civil society in a world of crisis: An overview of the 2023 State of Civil…

May 05, 2023

Civil society in a world of crisis: An overview of the 2023 State of Civil…

in Op-Eds

Mandeep S. TiwanaChief Programmes Officer and Representative to the UN headquarters In the last year, civil society workers have been repressed in Belarus and Russia for opposing the…

Agenda 2030: Why civic participation is key to meeting UN sustainability targets

May 05, 2023

Agenda 2030: Why civic participation is key to meeting UN sustainability targets

in Op-Eds

Mandeep S. TiwanaChief Programmes Officer and Representative to the UN headquarters Attacks on civil society and civic freedoms are threatening adequate progress being made…

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…

Bangladesh: End crackdown on journalists and online critics, and protect freedom of expression

May 03, 2023

Bangladesh: End crackdown on journalists and online critics, and protect freedom of expression

in News

On World Press Freedom Day, CIVICUS joins five other civil society organisations in expressing alarm over the increasing attacks against Bangladeshi journalists and online…

Fiji: Deeper Democracy or Continuing Danger?

May 02, 2023

Fiji: Deeper Democracy or Continuing Danger?

in Op-Eds

It’s been a time of significant change in Fiji following the country’s December 2022 election. A close vote was followed by the formation of a…

Sudan: Urgently convene a special session and establish an investigative mechanism

April 26, 2023

Sudan: Urgently convene a special session and establish an investigative mechanism

in Geneva

TO PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES OF MEMBER AND OBSERVER STATES OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (GENEVA, SWITZERLAND) Excellencies, In light of the unfolding…

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…

Sudan conflict marks failure of transition plan

April 21, 2023

Sudan conflict marks failure of transition plan

in Op-Eds

By Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS Editor-in-Chief, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report On one side is the army, headed by…

India: Oxfam targeted again with accusations of foreign funding and influencing

April 20, 2023

India: Oxfam targeted again with accusations of foreign funding and influencing

in News

CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance, is extremely concerned about the Indian authorities’ latest investigation against Oxfam India for alleged violations of the Foreign…

UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Bangladesh, Colombia, Cuba and Djibouti

April 20, 2023

UN Universal Periodic Review submissions on civil society space in Bangladesh, Colombia, Cuba and Djibouti

in Geneva

The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all…

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…

Global solidarity needed to address Taliban’s attacks on women’s rights

April 19, 2023

Global solidarity needed to address Taliban’s attacks on women’s rights

in Op-Eds

By David Kode, Advocacy and Campaigns Lead at CIVICUS Matiullah Wesa’s crime was to try to ensure young people got an education in Afghanistan.…

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…

Sudan: Protect civilians as armed conflict escalates

April 18, 2023

Sudan: Protect civilians as armed conflict escalates

in News

The international community including the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, Arab League and the United Nations should act in a timely…

Sudan: As violent clashes continue, Sudan’s international partners must call for accountability and justice

April 17, 2023

Sudan: As violent clashes continue, Sudan’s international partners must call for accountability and justice

in News

Since April 15, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sovereign Council and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias…

Eswatini: Over 390 orgs call for an investigation into the murder of activist, Thulani Maseko

April 13, 2023

Eswatini: Over 390 orgs call for an investigation into the murder of activist, Thulani Maseko

in News

Representatives of the undermentioned civil society organisations are still reeling with shock over the brutal killing of Eswatini human rights defender, Thulani Maseko. Such…

52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council: Post-Session Assessment and Key Outcomes

April 13, 2023

52nd Session of the UN Human Rights Council: Post-Session Assessment and Key Outcomes

in Geneva

The 52nd session of the Human Rights Council was held over almost six weeks of debates, negotiations and events, drawing to a close on…

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…

Cuba: elections without choices

April 11, 2023

Cuba: elections without choices

in Op-Eds

By Ines Pousadela, CIVICUS Senior Research Specialist The uncertainty that’s the hallmark of a democratic election was absent on 26 March, the day Cubans were…

Request to raise the case of human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to Bahraini authorities on…

April 09, 2023

Request to raise the case of human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to Bahraini authorities on…

in Open Letters

Joint Letter: Mr. Josep Borrell FontellesHigh Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyVice-President of the European CommissionRdpt Robert Schuman 91046…

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…