Assessment and Monitoring Tools

This portal includes tools for assessing and monitoring the legal enabling environment for civil society.

Featured Tool: The NGO Law Monitor

The NGO Law Monitor

ICNL's NGO Law Monitor includes updated reports on the NGO legal framework and legal barriers affecting civil society for 50 countries and 8 multilateral organizations.

CIVICUS Enabling Environment Index (EEI)

This index ranks the governance, socio-cultural and socio-economic environments for civil society in 109 countries. It was published for the first time in September 2013.

USAID CSO Sustainability Index for Europe, Eurasia, and Sub-Saharan Africa

This index assesses a region's CSO sector based on its legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, public image, service provision and infrastructure. It covers 48 countries in Europe, Eurasia, and Africa.

Defending Civil Society Toolkit: Tips for Engaging in NGO Law Reforms

This Toolkit is an online resource that provides tips, tools and strategies to help activists around the world advocate for the enabling environment for civil society in their countries.

CIVICUS Civil Society Index

The Civil Society Index (CSI) is a participatory needs assessment and action planning tool that assesses the state of civil society in over 50 countries.

CIVICUS Early Warning System

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) developed an Early Warning System (EWS) that monitors and identifies impending threats to civil society.

Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies Global Civil Society Index

The Global Civil Society Index reports on civil society in 34 countries and includes data from 1995-2002.

World Bank ARVIN Framework: A Way to Assess the Enabling Environment for Civic Engagement 

The ARVIN Framework is an analytical tool to assess the legal and regulatory, political and governmental, socio-cultural and economic factors affecting: Association, Resources, Voice, Information, and Negotiation.

Guidelines for Laws Affecting Civic Organizations

This report discusses international best practices for NGO legislation. عربي | Монгол хэл | Español

Monitoring and Tracking Tool Discussion Guide

This discussion guide summarizes the process for implementing ICNL’s Monitoring and Tracking Tool.