About: civil society
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Citizens demand more ambition and competences for Europe
“We managed to come together, to be stronger. As civil society, we had to fight for every inch of our participation and representation in the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE)”, argues Alexandrina Najmowicz, Co-Chair of the Civil Society Convention on the Future of Europe.
Turkish philanthropist Kavala jailed for life, activists protest
Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala was jailed for life without parole on Monday after he was convicted of trying to overthrow the government by financing protests, in a case that Europe's top court and Western powers say is politically motivated.
Vucic backs down on Rio Tinto project under pressure from civil society
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has halted a controversial lithium mining project with British-Australian company Rio Tinto, following national protests throughout the country during November and December. But protesters have vowed to continue the fight.
EU Commission, Council of Europe deplore closing down of Russian NGO Memorial
Closing down respected Russian rights group Memorial would deal a "devastating blow" to civil society in the country, the secretary general of pan-European rights body the Council of Europe said Friday (12 November).
Kazakhstan minister: We steadily observe our obligations in the field of human rights
Kazakhstan is moving towards reforms progressively and steadily, with the state now supporting and financing NGOs and the political opposition enjoying full parliamentary rights, Aida Balaeva, the minister of information and social development, told EURACTIV in an interview.
Kazakh independent expert: Human rights NGOs enjoy more influence
A lot has change over the last years in Kazakhstan in terms of human rights, but more work is outstanding, independent expert Nazgul Yergalieva told EURACTIV in an interview, describing how the authorities in the central Asian country are now cooperating with NGOs in improving human rights protection.
Integrity compliance in Western Balkans infrastructure projects
Civil society has an important role to play to make sure that corruption in infrastructure projects and wrong prioritisation do not derail a €30 billion EU financial plan for the Western Balkans, a group of authors write.
Belarus: a moment of truth for European values
Firmness is the only answer to Alexander Lukashenko’s Soviet-era thuggery. But in addition to strict sanctions, those who oppose oppression need our help: psychological support and scholarships for now-exiled young activists, support for media and shelter for journalists, writes Frans Timmermans.
Civil society, tech giants oppose Germany’s state Trojans plans
Companies and civil society organisations in Germany have opposed a planned expansion of the surveillance of sources and communications which provides for a more stringent application of the so-called state Trojan in an open letter published Thursday. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Kremlin critic Dmitry Gudkov detained, EU warns of ‘shrinking space’ for civil society
Prominent Kremlin critic Dmitry Gudkov was detained and faced possible jail time Tuesday (1 May) as authorities ramped up pressure on dissenters ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
Impasse deepens in Poland over new ombudsman
Poland's Senate on Thursday (13 May) rejected the latest candidate for the politically sensitive role of national ombudsman, deepening an impasse that has pitted the ruling conservative party against opponents who say it is eroding democratic rights.
Beyond 2020: Global Youth – Voices & Futures
TODAY’S YOUTH HAVE BEEN DEEPLY IMPACTED BY 2020 BUT REMAIN RESILIENT, POSITIVE AND COMMITTED TO WORKING TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE As the world continues on its path of unparalleled social, political and financial uncertainty, we wonder, what will the future...OpinionPromoted content
We must protect our civic space so that we can keep our human rights
From health to employment to education, Covid-19 has brought additional challenges regarding access to and enjoyment of human rights. As December 10, International Human Rights Day, draws closer, it’s time to reflect on the state of civic space in Europe,...
EP adopts tough resolution on Belarus, Russia accuses West of meddling
Russia's foreign minister on Thursday (26 November) accused the West of interfering in Belarus as he met strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko who has faced months of protests over his disputed re-election.
EU-Africa must be a ‘fair partnership’ of equals, say NGOs
African civil society groups want to be part of drawing up a new ‘strategic partnership’ between the EU and the African Union, in a bid to overhaul a process which many believe is deeply dysfunctional.
There’s still time to change EU-Africa agenda, say activists
As policy-makers in Brussels and Addis Ababa plough ahead with plans for what is billed as an ambitious ‘strategic partnership’ between the EU and Africa, civil society groups complain that they have been repeatedly shut out from having any influence over EU-African relations.
EU slammed for funding ‘discriminatory’ Myanmar voting application
An EU-funded voting application in Myanmar has come under heavy criticism for inciting "racial and religious vilification" in the country by profiling candidates' ethnicity and beliefs, using derogatory terminology to designate those of Rohingya descent.
We need to talk about the future of Europe
Our online world lends itself well to a conversation with citizens about the future of Europe. And yet, European leaders have so far failed to reach agreement, even on who should chair the long promised Conference on the Future of Europe, writes Roger Casale.
Top EU court strikes down Hungary’s NGO financing law
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) said on Thursday (18 June) that the restrictions imposed on the financing of civil organisations by foreigners in Hungary were "discriminatory and unjustified" and went against EU law.
Byung-Chul Han: COVID-19 has reduced us to a ‘society of survival’
“Survival will become an absolute, as though we were living in a permanent state of war”. That is how South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han described the world after COVID-19, in an interview with Efe: “a society of survival that loses all sense of the good life”, one where “enjoyment is also sacrificed for health”.
A Letter from the Frontline – Croatian civil society faces a double crisis
Civil society organisations have been badly hit by the COVID-19 crisis. In Croatia the earthquake on 22 March increased the burden for NGOs and charities. Cvjetana Plavsa-Matic, urges the EU to reflect the needs of NGOs and charities in the COVID-19 bail-out packages.
There is room to democratize EU integration process in Kosovo
It is not surprising why Kosovo lags behind in the EU enlargement process, having in mind that many civic society actors were excluded from previous consultation processes, write Svjetlana Ramic Markovic and Agon Demjaha. Svjetlana Ramic Markovic is MA International...
Civil Society – the EU’s best partner in Central Asia
The EU needs to put civil society at the heart of its strategy to rebuild its political presence in Central Asia, writes Barbara von Ow-Freytag.