Defending Civil Society

Over the past five years, 76 countries have proposed more than 275 legislative initiatives that impact civil society.

Of these initiatives, more than 85% have been restrictive. The trend is truly global, with no geographic region immune. Restrictions have emerged in both authoritarian and democratic states, ranging from barriers to forming organizations and intrusive oversight procedures to limits on access to resources and the exercise of rights online.

However, it’s not all bad news. Dozens of states have also introduced initiatives that enhance civic space. Moreover, ICNL works to strengthen our partners – civil society organizations, government reformers, donors, and diplomats – to counter restrictive measures and ensure that civil society can operate effectively.

(Icon credit: Kokota & Swifticons)

Key Initiatives

Civic Space Initiative

The Civic Space Initiative is an alliance of four global organizations—ICNL, Article 19, CIVICUS, and the World Movement for Democracy—that seeks to create a world in which civil society can thrive.

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Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund

Through the Lifeline Embattled CSO Assistance Fund, ICNL provides rapid-response advocacy and resiliency grants to civil society organizations coping with urgent threats to freedoms of association, expression, and assembly.

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Enabling & Protecting Civic Space

ICNL is a core partner in the Illuminating New Solutions and Programmatic Innovations for Resilient Spaces consortium, which tackles threats to civil society with cutting-edge research, strategic interventions, and a robust learning agenda.

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Key Resources

Effective Donor Responses to the Challenge of Closing Civic Space

This 2018 report examines the ways in which donor governments can effectively support civic space in challenging environments.

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Defending Civil Society, Second Edition

This 2012 report provides examples of the legal barriers that governments use to constrain civic space and articulates international legal principles to protect civil society.

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A Global Assault on Nonprofits

This 2015 Journal of Democracy article by ICNL president Douglas Rutzen summarizes recent developments in the global crackdown on civil society.

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All Defending Civil Society Resources

Protection of US Non-Governmental Organizations in Egypt under the Egypt-U.S. Bilateral Investment Treaty

activists in Palestine; analysis icon image
In 2011, armed personnel of the Egyptian government detained employees and seized documents and computers ... Read More

Friend not Foe: Opening Spaces for Civil Society Engagement to Prevent Violent Extremism

Report on The Regulation of Foreign Funding of Nonprofits in a Democracy
In the name of fighting terrorism, governments have curtailed political freedoms and imposed restrictive measures ... Read More

Interview with ICNL President Douglas Rutzen on the Creation of the UN Special Rapporteur on Assembly and Association Rights

Interview with ICNL President Douglas Rutzen on the Creation of the UN Special Rapporteur on Assembly and Association Rights
In 2010, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on the right to freedom ... Read More

The Role of Legal Reform in Supporting Civil Society:

Report on The Regulation of Foreign Funding of Nonprofits in a Democracy
A primer by ICNL providing an overview of the legal environment for civil society and ... Read More

Civil Society and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy

Civil Society and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy
This report surveys the work of CSOs related to the four pillars of the 2006 ... Read More

Handbook on Monitoring and Reporting Homophobic and Transphobic Incidents

Handbook on Monitoring and Reporting Homophobic and Transphobic Incidents
This publication by ILGA Europe aims to contribute to increased and better reporting of homophobic and ... Read More
Explore our full resource collection, which includes reports, legal analysis, and curated collections of materials covering an array of issues impacting civic space around the world.