The immediacy of the climate crisis cannot be overstated, and an energy transition is both critical and overdue. However, the urgency to switch to renewable technologies cannot bypass civil society and grassroots actors. Renewable technologies have their own environmental and social impacts, which require input from civil society to lessen potential harm. Likewise, the transition itself may pose risks and be less likely to succeed if it excludes civil society and grassroots actors.

In a forthcoming article in Minnesota Law Review, ICNL’s Nick Robinson argues that U.S. jurisdictions should eliminate anti-rioting laws, both to better protect demonstrators and because anti-rioting laws are fundamentally unnecessary.

In this piece for the Global Center for CSO Accountability, ICNL Legal Advisor Nikhil Dutta explains how deploying the OECD DAC recommendation can expand civic space and empower civil society in partner countries and territories.

In an interview with Ms. Mai Elimat, who contributed to the fourth and fifth National Action Plans for the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative in Jordan 2018-2020 with the Jordanian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation, she discussed the OGP mechanism and how women-led associations can benefit from these commitments and use them as a tool to push for government reform.

Following a swell of racial justice protests that have taken to the streets, politically charged bills are being introduced across the United States which give immunity to drivers who injure protestors.

In this article, Tamara Teebi explains the complex challenges facing women’s organizations and activists in Palestine. Women human rights defenders and women-led civil society organizations are subjected to harassment, restrictions, and violations, both online and offline, that limit their right to the freedom of peaceful assembly and association. This systematic repression makes their work difficult and excludes women from public life.

Dr. Taqi Al-Majali interviewed activists and experts on the rights of persons with disabilities about whether laws in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region protect people with disabilities and support their civil rights.

This guide, created by Lifeline, is meant to support activists, civil society organizations, and social movements who want to explore tactics and strategies to respond to smear campaigns or negative stereotypes by creating new, positive narratives to counter them.

In April 2022, ICNL LLC held a workshop to familiarize civil society organizations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), especially in the southern region of Jordan, with FATF and the importance of complying with Recommendation 8.

Localization—giving local partners more control and ownership of development initiatives—is a priority for the international development community. Local civil society organizations (CSOs) that can lead, design, and implement effective projects are indispensable to this agenda. This, in turn, is predicated on the existence of an enabling environment for civil society.