Discussions

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Current Work

Workshops & Discussions

Since publication of the report, the World Movement Secretariat and the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) have facilitated dialogues and workshops with civil society organizations and other stakeholders around the world. Summaries of several recent discussions can be found below.

  • Central Africa Sub-Regional Workshop - Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo — July 23-24, 2009 PDF
  • Africa Regional Workshop - Nairobi, Kenya — June 25-26, 2009 PDF
  • Southern Africa Sub-Regional Workshop and Zimbabwe National Strategic Planning Discussion - Harare, Zimbabwe — May 28-30, 2009 PDF
  • Latin America and Caribbean Network Newsletter - May 2009 PDF
  • East Africa Sub-Regional Workshop - Kampala, Uganda — April 19, 2009 PDF
  • West Africa Sub-Regional Workshop and Sierra Leone National Strategic Planning Discussion - Freetown, Sierra Leone — February 9-10, 2009 PDF

Working Group on Enabling and Protecting Civil Society

The Working Group on Enabling and Protecting Civil Society is one of six working groups of the Community of Democracies (CD), a global intergovernmental coalition of democratic countries.  This innovative multi-stakeholder Working Group was launched in December 2009 to counter a global trend which represses civil society through restrictive legal and regulatory measures. Through research and consultations, the Working Group developed several recommendations to contribute to the Global Democracy Work Plan. These recommendations include the creation of a contact group and related alert system, the production and dissemination of tools to respond to regulatory threats, and the establishment of a joint-action protocol to encourage collaboration, and encouragement for the development of a statement for sustained strategic involvement. The concern over legal restrictions on civil society was emphasized by U.S. Secretary of State H.R. Clinton in her speech delivered at the 10th Anniversary of the Community of Democracies in Krakow, Poland, July 3, 2010.
 

Government Members:

  • Canada (chair)
  • Lithuania
  • Mongolia
  • Spain
  • Tanzania
  • United States

Civil Society Members:

  • Article 19
  • CIVICUS
  • International Center for Not-for-Profit Law
  • World Movement for Democracy
  • International Steering Committee of the Community of Democracies.

The UN Development Programme, the Canadian International Development Agency, and the US Agency for International Development also participate in the Working Group.

The Working Group members also contributed to the creation of the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association. Read more:

 More information on the Community of Democracies:

The Community of Democracies is a global intergovernmental coalition of democratic countries, with the goal of promoting democratic rules and strengthening democratic norms and institutions around the world. It is an important global platform for exchange of experiences and consultations toward building and strengthening of democratic order inside the countries as well as in the international system.