Case Studies
Guatemala
Guatemala Legal Advocacy: Recent Civil Society Successes Protecting Freedom of Association Click here for pdf For decades, civil society organizations (CSOs) in Guatemala have provided services to communities beyond the government’s reach.[I] Structural reforms
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Ethiopia
Ethiopia The Long Game: Successful Civil Society Advocacy Click here for pdf Civil society organizations (CSOs) emerged as formal entities in Ethiopia during the mid-1970s and 1980s.[i] They provided support to vulnerable communities
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Nigeria
Nigeria Protecting Freedom of Association: Successful Civil Society Opposition to Restrictive Bills Click here for pdf Nigerian civil society organizations (CSOs) represent a critical link between people and their political leaders.[i] Historically, they
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Bahrain
Bahrain Since the pro-democracy Pearl Uprising in 2011, it has been illegal for independent civil society organizations (CSOs) in Bahrain to receive funding from foreign sources. Should the government discover that a CSO
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Cambodia
Cambodia In a 2017 survey, a majority of Cambodian civil society organizations (CSOs) polled said they face no legal barriers to seeking and receive funding from foreign or domestic sources.[i] Some activists point
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Ecuador
Ecuador Ecuador has an active and diverse civil society, which includes corporations, foundations, private and public sector unions, professional and business organizations, and numerous traditional organizations, such as church groups, sports clubs, and
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Egypt
Egypt Restrictive laws and a culture of impunity have empowered Egyptian authorities to harass, detain, and charge civil society activists for dubious crimes for decades. Civil society activists are constantly at risk of
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Ethiopia Ethiopia has a long tradition of informal community-based organizations that operate at the local level. However, in 2009, the government adopted the “Charities and Societies Proclamation” (CSP), which strictly regulates the activities
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Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan’s 2016-2020 National Action Plan on Development of Interaction between the Government and CSOs generally recognizes the importance of civil society to the country’s development. However, barriers to civil society’s ability to
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Kenya
Kenya Kenya plays an influential role in shaping human rights culture throughout the Great Lakes Region of Africa. There are roughly 10,000-15,000 registered civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kenya. In 2010, the government
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Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Kyrgyzstan technically have the right to access resources and freely cooperate with local and international donors. This right is guaranteed in part by constitutional reforms of 2010
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Malaysia
Malaysia No laws preclude civil society organizations (CSO) from seeking or receiving domestic or foreign funding in Malaysia. However, activists report that the Malaysian government views some organizations that receive foreign funding, particularly
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