by Jeffery Huffines, UN Representative for CIVICUS & Rio+20 NGO Organizing Partner Introduction In 1992 at Rio the leaders of the world agreed that the major cause of the deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable path of consumption and production, particularly in industrialized countries, that aggravates poverty, inequalities and imbalances not just between countries but also within countries.

CIVICUS together with ANPED and Consumers International have been asked by the United Nations to continue to serve as Rio+20 NGO Partners through the end of May 2013 when the 20th and final session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) is scheduled to take place.

Joint letter requesting Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to remove arbitrary restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and association in Ethiopia Read the letter.

French | Spanish We're pleased to share our short summary report on the 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly, which contains 15 key commitments for further civil society action towards a new social contract.

When Commonwealth countries announced at the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Australia that Sri Lanka could host CHOGM 2013, they agreed to actively promote and uphold the fundamental values and principles of the Commonwealth, including human rights and the rule of law.

¡Firma nuestra petición! Nosotros, ciudadanos y ciudadanas de distintas partes del mundo, estamos profundamente preocupados por la reciente denuncia, por parte del Gobierno de Venezuela, de la Convención Americana de Derechos Humanos (CADH), y por su futuro retiro de la jurisdicción de la Corte Interamericana de Derechos Humanos.

SPANISH Venezuela’s government has recently denounced the American Convention on Human Rights (ACHR).

Global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is delighted to announce that it has appointed Dhananjayan (Danny) Sriskandarajah as its new Secretary General.

Prominent Bahraini Human Rights Defender, Nabeel Rajab, is facing extreme danger.

Today, please join your colleagues at the CIVICUS World Assembly in showing your solidarity for journalist, civil society activist and blogger Eskinder Nega, who is currently in jail in Ethiopia simply for expressing his fundamental rights of free speech.

Appeal to the leadership of the United Arab Emirates We respectfully appeal for the immediate release of human rights defenders Dr Mohamed al-Mansoori, Dr Mohamed Abdullah al-Roken and Salem al-Shehhi, arrested between 16 and 18 July.

Today, please join your colleagues at the CIVICUS World Assembly in showing your solidarity for Palestinan civil society activist Ameer Makhoil.

Today, please join your colleagues at the CIVICUS World Assembly in showing your solidarity for human rights lawyer and civil society activist Nasrin Sotoudeh, who is currently in the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, Iran simply for doing her work as a human rights activist.

Plan each day in advance, read speaker bios, find meeting rooms and side events easily, exchange contact details on the go, share pictures on flickr, tweets on twitter and posts to facebook and find cool spots in Montreal at the push of a button - all with the CIVICUS World Assembly Ap  Click on the logo below for more information.

Final countdown to CIVICUS World Assembly A new low in Bahrain as Nabeel Rajab is sentenced Cambodia: CIVICUS calls for unconditional release of detained activists Debate sobre un Nuevo Contrato Social en Buenos Aires Guest blog: towards global health justice at the CIVICUS World Assembly? Thoughts on Rio+20 from NGO co-organising partner ANPED Upcoming post-Rio+20 workshop in Argentina Egypt: veil falls over media Greece: UN body rules government failed to protect Roma people Human Rights Day - 10 December Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

Global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is pleased to announce the winners of its latest round of Nelson Mandela – Graça Machel Innovation Awards.

Global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is shocked at the two year sentence handed out to members of Russian band Pussy Riot by a Moscow Court.

A series of three virtual consultations hosted by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation Changing nations through citizens, Monday 20 August at 11am UTC/GMT Building partnerships for social innovation, Wednesday 22 August at 2pm UTC/GMT Redefining global governance, Friday 24 August at 2pm UTC/GMT The three webinars aim to strengthen the role of young people in the development of cooperative, inclusive societies, by looking at how the good governance of cultural and religious diversity can be enhanced through: active young citizens’ participation; the development of innovative and alternative models of social partnership; and the reform of institutions of global governance.

3 August 2012 Article 19, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, Committee to Protect Journalists, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project, Legal and Human Rights Centre, Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition and the Media Institute of Southern Africa-Tanzania, are concerned about reports that, on Monday 30 July, the government of Tanzania indefinitely banned MwanaHalisi, a weekly Kiswahili newspaper.

On 9 July 2012, Nabeel was sentenced to three months imprisonment after he was accused of libel and using social networking site twitter to "insult the citizens of Muharraq.

Johannesburg, South Africa, 31 July 2012: Global civil society network CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is pleased to announce the appointment of three new Board members: Antonella Valmorbida, from Italy, is the Director of the Association of Local Democracy Agencies (ALDA), which has promoted local governance and citizens’ participation in Europe and neighbouring countries since 1999.

CIVICUS is a member and signatory to the INGO Accountability Charter.

Pakistan: government must protect civil society CIVICUS launches youth video contest Guest blog: caste based discrimination in Nepal The post-Rio climate - reflections from the Vitae Civilis Executive Director, Marcelo Cardoso The UN and the 21st Century Unilever's CEO strongly advocates for sustainable growth in government and business policies No arms for atrocities Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

English | French | Spanish ENGLISH -  CIVICUS is launching a video contest for youth aged 18-30 attending the CIVICUS Youth Assembly or the 2012 United Nations Alliance of Civilisations Summer School answering the following question: How would you like the CIVICUS World Assembly to help foster a new social contract that integrates intercultural and interfaith dialogue? The winner will receive a US$500 cash prize as well as having your video featured at the closing session of the Youth Assembly.

CIVICUS is deeply dismayed by the actions of the upper house of the Russian Parliament, the Federation Council, to pass a bill that stigmatises civil society groups which receive foreign funding.

SOUTH AFRICA FORUM FOR INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY (SAFIS) STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY, 18 JULY 2012 South Africa Forum for International Solidarity (SAFIS) takes the occasion of Mandela Day 2012 to remind our government, politicians of all parties, religious and community leaders that the South Africa we fought for and envisaged through our 1994 democratic transition was one where tolerance of difference and equality of all was fundamental to the transformation of the country from its racist, patriarchal past.

CIVICUS' latest two interventions in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process of the UN Human Rights Council, which reviews countries' human rights progress, address the status of civil society freedoms in Israel and Serbia.

Belarus and Eritrea resolutions an important step towards accountability Civil society behind bars: take action for imprisoned Bahrain activist Nabeel Rajab Partnering for the future of development - remarks from CIVICUS Acting SG Katsuji Imata at the UN Development Cooperation Forum International community must act against latest curbs on free speech in Ethiopia The Rio+20 summit and its follow up UNICEF and UN Women call for papers: addressing inequalities in the post-2015 development agenda UN media interview with Jeffery Huffines, UN CIVICUS Representative, on the NGO Major Group’s reactions to the Rio+20 Outcome Document World Assembly blog: 20 días después de Rio+20: el Futuro que queremos Kyrgyzstan: UN human rights chief calls attention to corruption, discrimination and rights deficiencies Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is disappointed and shocked that the Russian Duma has approved a law requiring organisations that receive international funding to label themselves as "foreign agents," opening them up to excessive government oversight.

As nongovernmental organizations working to promote human rights at the United Nations Human Rights Council, we are deeply concerned by the recent decision of the African Group in New York to endorse the candidacies of Sudan and Ethiopia in the upcoming UN General Assembly elections for membership in the Human Rights Council within a closed slate that does not allow for a competitive vote.

Joint Submission by CIVICUS and Ligue des Droits de la personne dans la région des Grandes Lacs to the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR), 15th Session of the UPR Working Group, submitted 9 July 2012 Joint Submission by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, NGO in General Consultative Status with ECOSOC And Ligue des Droits de la personne dans la région des Grandes Lacs

    Forging ahead: partnering for the future of development ( ECOSOC High-level Segment 2012) - Katsuji Imata, CIVICUS' acting Secretary General

Interactive debate:  Forging ahead: partnering for the future of development, Friday 6 July 2012 Moderator: Bruce Jones, Director, Centre on International Cooperation, New York University Panellists: HE Kim Bong-hyun, Deputy Minister of Multilateral and Global Affairs, Republic of KoreaRogelio Granguillhome, Executive Director of the Mexican Agency for International Development CooperationKatsuji Imata, Acting Secretary-General, CIVICUSTalaat Abdel Malek, Co-Chair, OECD/DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness andEconomic Adviser to the Minister of International Co-operation, Egypt

July 2012 CIVICUS is deeply concerned about the compatibility of Ethiopia’s draft Telecom Fraud Offenses Proclamation with internationally guaranteed human rights standards.

Russia's Parliament -the Duma- will consider amendments to laws governing NGOs on 13 July.

No more global musty gatherings: World Assembly blog Activists who spoke at People’s Summit found killed UN senior officials highlight Rio+20 achievements Poorer countries seek assurances on technology transfer after Rio+20 CIVICUS World Assembly: Early Bird registration extended! 2012 Millennium Development Goals Report Yemen: Enduring Conflicts, Threatened Transition Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

Государственная Дума Российской Федерации рассмотрит поправки к законам об НКО 13 июля.

Become a CIVICUS citizen - join us for only US$5 Ethiopian blogger found guilty of ‘terrorism’ Call for clips for a new civil society video Enhancing the capacity of human rights defenders to monitor public policy and respond to threats in West Africa Another setback for freedom of assembly hits Russia CIVICUS expresses concern about civil society rights in Bahrain and Belarus at UN Human Rights Council Rio+20: civil society analysis and reflections A completely transformed Youth Assembly New analysis of participatory citizenship in Europe Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

With freedom of expression, association and assembly under attack in many countries in West Africa, experience suggests a greater need in response for intervention at the early stages of the drafting process of restrictive laws, policies or moves to introduce restrictive practices.

CIVICUS has engaged with IRIBA on a project to create a short advertising spot to be launched at the 2012 CIVICUS World Assembly in September and featured at other external events, on the CIVICUS website, promoted on our social networks and shared with our members and partners.

UPDATE Eskinder Nega was found guilty of encouraging "terrorist" acts and conspiring with rebels in Ethiopia's High Court on 27 June.

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and CIVICUS: World Alliance for Cirizen Participation have written an open letter to the Commonwealth secretary-general on their concerns about Uganda's treatment of human rights defenders.

Disappointment and frustration abound in Rio Wanted: a new CIVICUS Secretary General Final weekly webinar: cultural activists, the champions of social change CIVICUS statement to UN Human Rights Council Network profile: Nigeria Network of NGOs NGO Major Group Statement delivered to Rio+20 Rio's roadmap falls flat, civil society groups say CIVICUS expresses NGO Group disappointment in UN interview The Future We Don’t Want Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

Chers collègues, Il ya seulement 4 jours pour participer à la consultation en ligne de CIVICUS, de sorte que vous pouvez apporter votre contribution à laquelle vous pensez devrait être le travail de l'alliance dans les 5 prochaines années! Si vous n'avez pas répondu à l'enquête, s'il vous plaît faites-le maintenant! Alors ne manquez pas l'occasion de faire partie de CIVICUS Orientations stratégiques 2013-2017.

Tell us what CIVICUS should work on in the next five years! CIVICUS World Assembly 2012: an action-packed programme! ‘The main issue is equality of opportunities’: Rio+20 interview with Sabina Anoye-Mensah, Voice of African Mothers CIVICUS at the Cape Town Book Fair Next weekly webinar: amplifying marginalised and muted voices, 20 June Bangladesh: civil society under attack as dissent is silenced Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here

CIVICUS is co-organising two events during the 20th session of the UN Human Rights Council, being held in Geneva, Switzerland, from 18 June to 6 July: 21 June – Ethiopia’s stifled civil society 22 June – Freedom of assembly and association – countering persecution and pushback on civil society

A virtual consultation hosted by CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation Wednesday 20 June 2012 at 1pm UTC/GMT The work of organised civil society can sometimes reinforce existing paradigms of power and exclusion.

Spanish | French          Dear colleague CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation needs your voice so that we can together shape an inclusive and ambitious global civil society agenda for the next five years.

Urgent action: safety of Nabeel Rajab must be ensured Coming of age in Rio? Uzbekistan: allow independent experts access to prevent persecution, say CIVICUS and Expert Working Group Increased support needed for civil society in Azerbaijan after Eurovision contest World Assembly blog: building partnerships: beyond buzzwords CIVICUS UN Representative Jeffery Huffines represents NGO Major Group at Major Groups press conference CIVICUS Board Member Rajiv Joshi moderates UN press conference on Sustainable Development Goals Youth Blast: an opportunity for young people to participate in the Rio+20 action Presentation: launch of special issue of the Journal of Economic Inequality: ‘Measuring Poverty Over Time', 14 June 2012 Bahrain: released activists urge end to crackdown Read Online now | Subscribe to the e-CIVICUS here