A political map of Slovakia two years after the tragedy of the murder of Ján and Martina Published: 11 March 2020 Background February 2020 will be written into the modern political history of Slovakia as a month with a great turning point which combined in a special way two dramatic themes in the internal political development of the country. By Grigorij Mesežnikov
Lebanon rising Published: 16 December 2019 Background The protests sweeping Lebanon are breaking social divides, taboos and stereotypes. For the first time since the civil war, there is a unified call to end corruption, while women are on the frontline of the protests. By Anna Fleischer
About Russia...and not all about football Published: 13 July 2018 Many Russians are happy about the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Football has the power to unite people and thousands of international visitors are coming into Russia and bringing open-mindedness and vibrancy to a country that has recently been seen as on the road toward isolation. We would like to use the World Cup as a chance to provide more information about Russia. The Moscow office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation has prepared a series of texts and video materials on various topics relevant to Russia.
Civic Charter Published: 27 October 2016 Repression of civil society is on the rise all over the world. The charter aims to support civil society organizations as activists throughout the world, to advocate for their rights and freedom of action, and to demand government guarantees.
The Unloved Compromise. Black Umbrellas, White Coats and Abortion in Poland Published: 20 October 2016 Over the last weeks Poland has witnessed an unprecedented mobilisation of women against the tightening of the abortion law. Our colleague Gert Röhrborn from our Warsaw office sheds light on recent events. By Gert Röhrborn
Habitat III: New Urban Agenda and the importance of civil society Published: 14 September 2016 Close on the heels of the UN adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015 the HABITAT III conference offers the international community a timely opportunity to revisit and revision its commitments to putting human rights at the heart of sustainable urban development. The global context is adverse, marked by growing inequity, rising levels of homelessness and landlessness, forced migration, environmental degradation and climate change. By Poonam Joshi
Authoritarian repression under the pretext of sovereignty Published: 13 September 2016 The repression of civil societies activites in countries like Egypt and Russia are justified with the "protection of the states sovereignity" and the "principle of non-intervention". When unwelcomed critique is silenced, activists need all our solidarity and support. By Wolfgang Kaleck and Simon Rau
Protecting and Expanding Civil Society Space Nationally and Internationally Published: 13 September 2016 An analysis carried out by CIVICUS indicates that in far too many countries and in all global regions the conditions for civil society work and activities has worsened. Some of the solutions to this problem could be taken by civil society itself. By Mandeep Tiwana and Andrew Firmin
Repression and restriction: Egypt's civil society on the defensive Published: 13 September 2016 The civil society in Egypt is facing a disastrous suppression and realignment by the government. By returning to normal foreign policy operations this weakening condition for civil society could be even strengthened. By Jannis Grimm
Shrinking Civic Space in Pakistan Published: 13 September 2016 In Pakistan NGOs face harsh restrictions and human rights activists risk imprisonment and harassment. It is important that the government recognizes the role of civil society and promotes a culture of cooperation and trust. By Zulfiqar Shah
