Opinions & Features

Appetite, Buzzwords, and Capacity Gaps

Opinions & Features
What the Resilient Roots accountability pilot project application process has taught us so far By Jack Cornforth The Resilient Roots initiative recently launched two open calls to find pilot projects around the world which will test the hypothesis that organisations that are more accountable and responsive to their roots - namely, their primary constituencies - are more resilient against external threats.
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Incertidumbre en Colombia: La paz en tiempos de elecciones

Opinions & Features
Por Inés Pousadela  Lo que en cualquier democracia “normal” sería considerado un dato rutinario devino recientemente en Colombia un hecho de significación histórica: las elecciones legislativas de marzo de este año, en las cuales las ex guerrillas FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) debutaron como partido político, se desarrollaron sin incidentes graves.

Solidarity? From mutual support to working as a collective

Opinions & Features
By Marina Cherbonnier, CIVICUS membership engagement specialist CIVICUS Board and Staff annual meetings were held recently.

The Coming Wave of Climate Displacement

Opinions & Features
By Kumi Naidoo Not since 1951 has the international community produced a treaty to protect the legal status of the world's refugees.

Civic Space Restrictions in Africa

Opinions & Features
By David Kode Across Africa, major advances in democracy have been affected by restrictions on civic space and on the activities of civil society organisations (CSOs), the media and individual activists.

China’s growing power is a new challenge for civil society

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin  In one of the world’s most powerful countries, merely wanting to speak your own language can be risky.

A young rural woman activist at CSW62

Opinions & Features
By Nadia Sanchez, She Is Foundation.

Agenda 2063: Youth taking charge of Africa's transformation

Opinions & Features
By Esther Kariuki Every active citizen would by now have heard of "Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" or, simply, the SDGs.
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Police reforms must go beyond IPCMC

Opinions & Features
By Josef Benedict The change of government on May 9 has offered a real opportunity for Malaysians to fix the gaps and problems that currently plague the various state institutions in the country.
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Burundians kept in the dark ahead of controversial referendum

Opinions & Features
By David Kode  Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza has intensified his brutal campaign to stay in power by stifling international news reporting of his government’s repressive actions, events ahead of his controversial referendum to extend presidential term limits.
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Reclaiming civic space: global challenges, local responses

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah and Mandeep Tiwana  From attacks on human rights defenders to limits on civil society’s work, we are facing an emergency on civic space.
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Why community philanthropy enables people-powered, sustainable development from the ground up

Opinions & Features
By Clara Bosco Across the board, civil society groups are finding it increasingly difficult to organize in ways that pursue a radical transformation of the current social and economic structures, while also mobilizing the resources needed to keep on keeping on.
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2018 points to a new wave of citizen activism

Opinions & Features
By Ines Pousadela When looking back at 2017, it is hard to lose sight of the fact that restrictions on fundamental freedoms were imposed at an ever-growing pace, even in countries that believed themselves to be immune to authoritarian temptations.
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Steady old hand of repression seeks to strangle new media in East Africa

Opinions & Features
By Teldah Mawarire and Grant Clark  In African countries where journalists are targeted with killings and beatings while traditional news outlets have been muzzled by governments and other actors unhappy with criticism, bloggers and social media users have become the new independent media by providing much-needed coverage, commentary and analysis.

Report: The Fight Back Against Rising Repression in On

Opinions & Features
By Andrew Firmin  In the face of rising restrictions and brazen attacks on fundamental freedoms, citizens across the globe are responding with resolute resistance, in creative, and powerful ways.
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As global tensions rise, the UN stands on the sidelines

Opinions & Features
By  Mandeep Tiwana It’s tempting to lay the blame for unresolved conflicts at the UN’s door but the reality is that the UN can only deliver when it has the support of member states and the buy-in of citizens.
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Human rights at risk for ASEAN citizens

Opinions & Features
By Ichal Supriadi (Asia Democracy Network) and Josef Benedict (CIVICUS) As the 10 heads of state from ASEAN gather for the group’s latest summit in Singapore this week to discuss security, trade, and tensions in the South China Sea, the state of human rights and democracy in the region will once again be sidelined.
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Why we need a digital Geneva Convention

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah As Western governments look for ways to punish Russia for its brazen attacks abroad, one idea that has been getting a lot of media attention is the possibility of state-sponsored cyberattacks on Russia.
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The Commonwealth's 2.4 billion citizens — what are their rights?

Opinions & Features
By Cathal Gilbert and Trinanjan Radhakrishnan There has been a lot of talk of shared values ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), due to be held in London from 16th to 20th April.
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Civil Society, Resolute Resistance and Renewed Purpose

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep Tiwana Each year, CIVICUS publishes the State of Civil Society Report, which chronicles major global developments and key trends impacting civil society.
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International NGOs should ensure women are at the centre of daily operations

Opinions & Features
By Mouna Ben Garga (CIVICUS) and Ngozi Izuora (Innovation for Change- Hub Afrique) Many states are known for their strategy to exploit women’s rights for political purposes.
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The aid sector must enforce standards, rebuild trust to survive abuse scandals

Opinions & Features
By Anabel Cruz, Chair of the Board of CIVICUS Critics are using the recent scandals to delegitimise aid and humanitarian efforts.

Decisive leadership needed from SADC to address DRC crisis

Opinions & Features
By David Kode The announcement of a date for general elections in a country roiled in political conflict and ruled by an unpopular leader should be regarded as a positive move.
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Russia’s presidential election: a decline in citizen rights

Opinions & Features
By Natalia Taubina and Bobbie Jo Traut The re-election of Vladimir Putin has been preceded by a significant crackdown on freedom of assembly and rule of law.
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“Walk in My Shoes”: Change starts with us!

Opinions & Features
By Patrick Newton Bondo Chief Executive Officer/ Social Justice Activist/ Main NGOs Representative To United Nations Every day we are inspired by the stories our girls, youth, women and young families share with us.
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Citizen rights and the upcoming presidential elections in Africa

Opinions & Features
By David Kode It is a big year for democracy on the African continent.

Why Bahraini rights activists need international support

Opinions & Features
By Tor Hodenfield Last month - specifically, 14 February - marked the seventh anniversary of the peaceful protests that swept across Bahrain in 2011, calling for an end to authoritarian rule.

Peers and Partners: Empowering Children To Take Civic Action and Engage in Open Government

Opinions & Features
By Tor Hodenfield, CIVICUS, and Ulrika Cilliers, Save the Children In 2015, 264 million primary and secondary age children and youth were out of school.
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Five key battles for re-imagining democracy in a radically changed world

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah The challenges facing civil society now aren’t about reviving our weakening democracies—they are about re-imagining democracy for a radically changed world.
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Global challenges, local responses

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah and Mandeep Tiwana We are facing a global emergency of civic space.
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The Press and the New President: A Review of Freedom of Speech in Kyrgyzstan

Opinions & Features
By Ann-Sofie Nyman and Bobbie Jo Traut In November, Kyrgyzstan inaugurated its new president Sooronbay Jeenbekov who has promised to continue the previous presidential administration’s policies.
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Internet shutdowns: the “new normal” in government repression?

Opinions & Features
By David Kode The Ethiopian government is among at least 30 administrations that have disrupted or shut down domestic internet access in the past two years, in order to restrict communications related to dissent, citizen action or politically sensitive events.
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What future for civil society in Zimbabwe?

Opinions & Features
By Teldah Mawarire and David Kode During the stand-off between the military and President Mugabe that led to his historic resignation, there was reason for hope.
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You will agree: escalating repression

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep Tiwana Mandeep Tiwana sorts through the many cloaks of authoritarianism donned by the political class as repression becomes the rule rather than the exception.
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Civil Society Meeting Calls for Solidarity, Radical Change to Deal with Global Crises

Opinions & Features
By Amy Taylor Our strategies have failed us.
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The struggles of Women Human Rights Defenders in Nepal

Opinions & Features
By CIVICUS and ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (AHRC)  Women in Nepal face many challenges due to issues of inequality and injustice in the society.
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These 6 gender activists are shaking up the world

Opinions & Features
Space for the feminist movement is shrinking, yet these brave women and non-binary activists continue to fight for equality.
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Climate refugees need global protection – with or without the US

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah The United States’ abandonment of global migration and climate change agreements in the same year could be disastrous for climate refugees.
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Why SADC must reinvent or remain irrelevant

Opinions & Features
By Teldah Mawarire  In times of political crises, as was recently experienced in Zimbabwe, citizens expect the regional body to take a bold stance against leaders who disregard human rights and hinder the advancement of democracy.
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As NGOs speak out, expect clampdowns to grow

Opinions & Features
By David Kode Across the globe, from East Africa to eastern Europe, there is a trend of increasing attacks on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that support reforms governments are opposed to.

Warm and cuddly global goals? The international community must get real

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah Two years into their life, and amid the grim political realities of the last year, the sustainable development goals seem increasingly like warm words with little if any bite.
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How NGOs and social movements can learn to work together better

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah There are no shortages of challenges facing civil society, but one that we don’t talk enough about is the relationship between the formal and informal parts of civil society.
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Are Rising Attacks On Human Rights Defenders The ‘New Normal’?

Opinions & Features
By Mandeep Tiwana At CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance working to strengthen citizen participation, we receive bad news of attacks on compatriots every day.
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Danny Sriskandarajah: Is it the beginning of the end for the charity sector?

Opinions & Features
UK's largest network of civil society leaders, ACEVO, spoke to Danny Sriskandarajah, Secretary General of CIVICUS, as part of its 30th birthday celebrations to get him to expand on his article for Civil Society Futures, where he asks if it is the beginning of the end for the charity sector.
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Nutrition is political and civil society needs to shape those politics

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah The two major nutrition meetings - the Global Nutrition Summit in Milan and the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement global gathering in Abidjan – held this month were celebrations of the major progress made in this area in recent years, but also provided a glimpse of the challenges ahead, especially for civil society.
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Putting the Pacific on the Map

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah This year, CIVICUS International Civil Society Week will take place in Fiji, and will allow civil society delegates from around the world to explore the frontlines in the global fight against climate change.
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Can INGOs push back against closing civic space? Only if they change their approach.

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah Civil society is facing a sustained, multi-faceted, global onslaught.

Faces of Open Government - An interview with Danny Sriskandarajah

Opinions & Features
In his interview with Open Government Partnership (OGP), CIVICUS Secretary General, Danny Sriskandarajah shares insights on broad trends affecting civil society globally and how CIVICUS is responding to these.

Is it the beginning of the end for the charity sector?

Opinions & Features
By Danny Sriskandarajah For people of my generation, working for a charity was a noble and realistic goal.

Unlocking the Right Investment in the Social Sector

Opinions & Features
Alex Sardar and Teresa Crawford  Chief Innovation Officer at CIVICUS, Alex Sardar and Teresa Crawford from the Social Sector Accelerator explore how using business intelligence tools and technologies to gather and share information on organizations applying for funding can help accelerate the practice of qualifying organizations for funding and in so doing unclogging the qualification bottleneck and increasing the number and diversity of groups who receive funding.

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