Interviews

Featured

USA: ‘The stakes in the 2024 election are incredibly high for the fate of US democracy’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the recent US Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity and its potential impact on the 5 November presidential election with Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, a professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law.
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FRANCE: ‘Civil society played a crucial role in keeping the far right out of power’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the French election with Paymon Azmoudeh, a France-based political and geopolitical risk analyst.
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SUDAN: ‘The international community’s response to atrocities has been painfully slow and ineffective’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the role of civil society in responding to the conflict in Sudan with Hala Al-Karib, Regional Director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA).
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IRAN: ‘The reformist candidate’s victory won’t lead to significant improvements in civic space or human rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Iran’s presidential election with Sina Entesari, an Iranian journalist and human rights defender currently living in exile.
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BRAZIL: ‘The law should protect women and girls, not criminalise them’

Interviews
Portuguese CIVICUS discusses abortion rights in Brazil with Guacira Oliveira, director of the Feminist Centre for Studies and Advice (CFEMEA).
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GLOBAL ARMS TRADE: ‘By halting the supply of weapons, states can help prevent human rights violations’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society efforts to control arms proliferation with Hine-Wai Loose, Director of Control Arms, a global civil society coalition with over 300 partners in all regions of the world.
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KENYA: ‘Young people want their concerns to be addressed, not dismissed because of their age’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Kenya with Bina Maseno, Executive Director of Badili Africa, a women’s rights organisation that seeks to engage young women who are disenfranchised, disengaged and disillusioned by politics.
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INDONESIA: ‘Proposed changes to the Broadcasting Act are part of a regression driven by religious fundamentalism’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses proposed changes to Indonesia’s Broadcasting Act that would restrict LGBTQI+ rights with Dédé Oetomo.
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AFGHANISTAN: ‘The Doha meeting has raised concerns the UN is indirectly legitimising the Taliban’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the exclusion of women from international talks on Afghanistan currently being held in Qatar with Sima Samar, former chairperson of the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
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MEXICO: ‘Civil society expects the new government to be more receptive and open to dialogue’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results of recent Mexican elections with Daniela Arias Sánchez, Coordinator of the Election Lab of Mexico, an independent think tank dedicated to research, reflection and analysis on issues related to elections and democracy in Latin America.
Featured

NAMIBIA: ‘Our victory can inspire and encourage LGBTQI+ activists in other countries’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the decriminalisation of same-sex relations in Namibia with Kevin Wessels, a young Namibian LGBTQI+ activist.
Featured

SOUTH AFRICA: ‘Healthcare workers are in distress too, and we need action now’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent protests by South African health workers with doctor and global health advocate Zolelwa Sifumba.
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SERBIA: ‘We live in a system that’s allergic to pluralism, with a government hostile to critical voices’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent local elections in Serbia with Tamara Branković, deputy program director at the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA).
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NEW CALEDONIA: ‘The French parliamentary elections will have an impact on our future’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Nathalie Tehio, president of the Human Rights League, about recent protests against electoral changes imposed by the French government in New Caledonia.
Featured

IRAN: ‘Women and queer people are at the forefront of the struggle against religious despotism’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Asal Abasian about their experiences as a queer and feminist activist in Iran and in exile.
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PAKISTAN: ‘The government must hold accountable those responsible for excessive force against protesters’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Pakistan with Asad Iqbal Butt, chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, a civil society organisation that works for the realisation of the full range of human rights for all of Pakistan’s citizens and residents.
Featured

THAILAND: ‘Part of our success in claiming LGBTQI+ rights came from intersecting with the democracy movement’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses Thailand’s legalisation of same-sex marriage with Matcha Phornin, founder of Sangsan Anakot, an ethnic minority and Indigenous LGBTQI+ feminist organisation working to empower Indigenous women, girls and young LGBTQI+ people.
Featured

IRAQ: ‘Tolerance for abuses against LGBTQI+ people has now been made explicit through legislation’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the criminalisation of same-sex relations in Iraq with Sarah Sanbar, researcher at Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division.
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CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY: ‘Solidarity is essential because we face very powerful interests’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses civil society’s advocacy for the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) with Brad Adams, Executive Director and founder of Climate Rights International (CRI).
Featured

GLOBAL ARMS TRADE: ‘Exporting states are often involved in the conflicts they supply arms to’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the global arms market’s role in conflict with Mathew George, director of the Arms Transfers Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Featured

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘There’s deep-rooted structural anti-Haitian racism’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the status of people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic with Joseph Cherubin, a Haitian doctor and founder and executive director of the Sociocultural Movement of Humanitarian and Environmental Work (MOSCTHA).
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ITALY: ‘Authoritarian tendencies manifest themselves in efforts to control information and stifle dissent’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Ilaria Masinara, Head of the Campaigning Unit at Amnesty International Italia, about escalating threats to freedom of expression and the media in Italy.
Featured

BANGLADESH: ‘Civic space is the victim of zero-sum game politics and dysfunctional democratic institutions’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about civic space restrictions in Bangladesh with Iftekhar Zaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the accredited national chapter of Transparency International, a leading global anti-corruption organisation.
Featured

MEXICO: ‘The new president must demonstrate her commitment to gender equality and social justice’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results of elections in Mexico with Anaid Alcázar, a Mexican political scientist and coordinator of the Innovation for Democracy Programme at the Avina Foundation, a global organisation that promotes change in the areas of democratic innovation, fair and regenerative economies and climate action.
Featured

EUROPE: ‘The future of the EU as we know cannot be taken for granted’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results and implications of recent elections to the European Parliament with Philipp Jäger, Policy Fellow at the Jacques Delors Centre, an independent, non-partisan think tank focused on European policy processes and outcomes.
Featured

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: ‘On human rights, there might be a little light at the end of the tunnel’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses recent Dominican Republic elections with Manuel María Mercedes Medina, a lawyer, human rights defender and president of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH-RD).
Featured

INDIA: ‘The Supreme Court said the constitutional right to life includes the right to a healthy environment’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a recent Indian Supreme Court ruling on climate change and human rights with Arpitha Kodiveri, an environmental law and justice scholar and assistant professor of political science at Vassar College, who works on the role of law in redressing the climate harms faced by South Asian Indigenous communities.
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MYANMAR: ‘For the first time, it looks possible the military junta can be defeated by people power’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the conflict in Myanmar with Zoya Phan, Programme Director of the campaigning organisation Burma Campaign UK, and Programme Director of Advance Myanmar, a UK-registered charity that supports grassroots organisations and provides assistance to activists and displaced people in Myanmar.
Featured

COLOMBIA: ‘The Inter-American Court found the state responsible for violating the right to defend rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses a recent ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) on the rights of human rights defenders with Jomary Ortegón, a human rights lawyer and vice-president of the Lawyers’ Collective José Alvear Restrepo (CAJAR), a Colombian organisation dedicated to the defence and promotion of human rights.
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PERU: ‘The government is opening the door to dangerous practices such as ‘conversion therapies’'

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses LGBTQI+ rights in Peru with Rodrigo Flores Castro, clinical psychologist and coordinator of the Mental Health Committee of Más Igualdad (‘More Equality’), a Peruvian intersectional feminist organisation that advocates for recognition of LGBTQI+ rights.
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SLOVAKIA: ‘We hope the government’s attempts to stifle activism will ultimately fail’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses democracy, civic space and media freedoms in Slovakia with Rasto Kužel, Executive Director of MEMO 98, a leading media monitoring organisation with 25 years of experience.
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INDONESIA: ‘This court ruling is a victory for journalists and activists who’ve faced legal consequences for criticising the government’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about a recent court ruling upholding freedom of expression with Alviani Sabillah, researcher at the Centre of Indonesian Law and Policy Studies (PSHK), a research and advocacy institution focused on legal reform.
Featured

HAITI: ‘If the mission succeeds, the authorities won’t have to turn again to the international community to maintain peace’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Haitian lawyer Rosy Auguste Ducéna about the situation in Haiti and the prospects for a newly deployed international mission.
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SINGAPORE: ‘The entrenched system instils fear, making progress for civil society slow and difficult’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Singapore’s recent leadership change with Kirsten Han, an independent writer, journalist and member of the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC).
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GERMANY: ‘The rise of the far right will make things more difficult, but the EU will remain functional – for now’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Andreas Müller, Executive Director of Democracy International, about the European Parliament elections and his expectations for the results in Germany.
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ITALY: ‘Our legal action forced the authorities to act to protect nature and people’s health’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about a recent biodiversity court victory in Italy with Francesco Maletto, wildlife and habitats lawyer at ClientEarth, an environmental civil society organisation that seeks systemic change through advocacy and litigation.
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TUNISIA: ‘Civil society has remained active in a context of erosion of democracy and receding civic space’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about the challenges faced by Tunisia’s civil society as the government moves to restrict foreign funding with Larbi Sadiki, director of the Democratic Sustainability Forum (Demos-Tunisia), scholar of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and fellow of Japan’s Toda Peace Institute.
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EQUATORIAL GUINEA: ‘Repression sends a sobering message to anyone toying with the idea of organising for rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about repression in Equatorial Guinea with civil society activist Joaquín Elo.
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KENYA: ‘The court sent a message that LGBTQI+ people are human beings entitled to all rights and freedoms’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about a recent court order protecting LGBTQI+ people in Kenya with the advocacy team of the Centre for Minority Rights and Strategic Litigation (CMRSL), a civil society organisation working for the equality and dignity of LGBTQI+ people and against discrimination and violence.
Featured

URUGUAY: ‘We don’t need a new media law, but proper implementation of the existing one’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Fabián Werner, president of the Centre for Archive and Access to Public Information (CAinfo), about a Media Law being discussed in Uruguay’s Congress.
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TURKEY: ‘Civil society can still defeat the foreign agents bill if it plans and acts strategically’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Gürkan Özturan, media freedom monitoring officer with the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), about the concerning implications of a proposed law on foreign agents in Turkey.
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NETHERLANDS: ‘The coalition agreement softened the far-right’s stance, but the new government won’t defend minorities’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Thijs Berman, executive director of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), about the human rights concerns raised by the strict asylum policy proposed by the far right on joining the new government.
Featured

GAZA: ‘A free press is the ultimate antidote to the fog of war’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Carlos Martínez de la Serna, Program Director at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), about the vital role of journalists in armed conflicts, including the current war in Gaza, their protection under international humanitarian law and the challenges they face in doing their jobs.
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MEXICO: ‘Sadly, the most notable feature of the campaign is the number of candidates killed’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks about Mexico’s 2 June general elections with Luis Eduardo Medina Torres, professor and elections researcher in the Department of Sociology at the Metropolitan Autonomous University of Mexico.
Featured

CUBA: ‘The state is trying to reimpose fear so people don’t dare exercise their rights’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Johanna Cilano, Amnesty International's researcher for the Caribbean, about protests in Cuba and the challenges of activism in closed civic space.
Featured

CHINA: ‘The Tiananmen massacre set the regime on the path it is still on today’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with exiled Chinese human rights defender Zhou Fengsuo on the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Featured

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS: ‘Advancing LGBTQI+ rights requires advocacy, awareness-raising and a concerted effort to foster a culture of inclusion’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Tim Prudhoe, a lawyer with Stanbrook Prudhoe, about a legal challenge brought against discriminatory legislation against LGBTQI+ people and the struggle for equal rights of same-sex married partners in Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).
Featured

PANAMA: ‘We’ll have to stay vigilant and resist any attempt to curtail rights and freedoms’

Interviews
CIVICUS discusses the results of Panama’s recent presidential election with Olga de Obaldía, executive director of the Foundation for the Development of Civic Freedom.
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GAZA: ‘The attacks and disinformation campaign against UNRWA are aimed at dismantling it’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Jonathan Fowler of the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), about the agency’s role in Gaza and the challenges it faces.
Featured

AMERICAS: ‘The Inter-American Court of Human Rights will clarify states’ obligations in the face of the climate crisis’

Interviews
CIVICUS speaks with Manuel Páez Ramírez, lawyer with the Human Rights and Environment Programme of the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defence (AIDA), about the advisory opinion on climate emergency and human rights that Chile and Colombia have requested from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR).

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