The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) and the World Movement for Democracy release the second edition of the Defending Civil Society report.
The Report calls for the promotion and implementation of those international principles.
The second edition of the Report includes additional legal barriers and legal principles of fundamental relevance to civil society, including, for example, constraints and principles relating to the freedom of assembly. In drafting the Report, ICNL and the World Movement conducted global and regional consultations with grassroots activists, independent journalists, democracy assistance practitioners, scholars, and others.
The report is available for download in five language: Arabic, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
The Defending Civil Society Report is accompanied by the Toolkit - Tips for Engaging in NGO Law Reforms, which is an online resource providing tips, tools, and strategies for organizations and activists on how to participate effectively in the NGO law reform process. Available in multiple languages, the Toolkit contains information on topics like understanding and assessing one’s legal environment, building a CSO coalition, and engaging government and legislators. The content for the Toolkit is based on the input of hundreds of civil society representatives in over 40 countries who were asked to share their knowledge and experiences.