Civicus

{{Short description|International non-profit organisation focused on civil rights }} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox organization | name = CIVICUS: World Alliance For Citizen Participation | native_name =  | image = | image_size = 300px | type = International non-profit / civil society organisation | headquarters = Johannesburg, South Africa | services = | leader_title = Secretary General | leader_name = Mandeep Tiwana | website = {{URL|civicus.org}} }}

'''CIVICUS''' is an international non-profit organisation focused on civil rights and citizen action. It was founded in 1993 and is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

== Foundation == In 1991, an international group of 20 leaders from non-governmental organisations and social movements met to explore how to support citizen participation in governmental decision-making processes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Getting a world alliance started – my four years at CIVICUS |url=http://www.alliancemagazine.org/feature/getting-a-world-alliance-started-my-four-years-at-civicus/|access-date=7 December 2014|publisher=Alliance Magazine}}</ref> In 1993, a founding board established CIVICUS, with the name derived from the Latin term meaning "of the community".<ref>{{cite web|title=Reaching across sectors and building bridges |url=http://www.pdac.ca/docs/default-source/publications---communique/reaching-across-sectors-and-building-bridges-(december-2012).pdf?sfvrsn=0 |website=www.pdac.ca/|publisher=Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada |access-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140412112818/http://www.pdac.ca/docs/default-source/publications---communique/reaching-across-sectors-and-building-bridges-(december-2012).pdf?sfvrsn=0|archive-date=12 April 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Description and governance == CIVICUS has described itself as "a global alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society around the world".<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 CIVICUS Annual Report |url=http://civicus.org/AGMSecure/downloads/Annual%20Report_final%20version_sml_2.pdf#page=5|publisher=CIVICUS|access-date=7 December 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915034823/http://civicus.org/AGMSecure/downloads/Annual%20Report_final%20version_sml_2.pdf#page=5|archive-date=15 September 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Its headquarters are in Johannesburg, and there are offices in Geneva and New York City.<ref name=board/>

The governing body of CIVICUS is an international board, which {{as of|lc=yes|March 2025}} comprised 12 civil society leaders from around the world.<ref name=board>{{cite web | title=Board | website=CIVICUS Global Alliance | date=24 September 2024 | url=https://civicus.org/index.php/who-we-are/board-of-directors | access-date=19 March 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313101009/https://www.civicus.org/index.php/who-we-are/board-of-directors| archive-date= 13 March 2025| url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014 the organisation had members in more than 145 countries.<ref>{{cite news|title=Calls for Azerbaijan to end crackdown on civil society and uphold Council of Europe Commitments |url=https://civicsolidarity.org/article/calls-for-azerbaijan-to-end-crackdown-on-civil-society-and-uphold-council-of-europe-commitments/|date=24 October 2014|publisher=Civic Solidarity|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319070055/https://civicsolidarity.org/article/calls-for-azerbaijan-to-end-crackdown-on-civil-society-and-uphold-council-of-europe-commitments/| archive-date= 19 March 2025| url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023/4, their main funding partners were the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ford Foundation, Denmark Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Open Society Foundations, and Lifeline Embattled Fund, among many others.<ref>{{cite web | title=Financials [2023/4 Annual Report]| website=CIVICUS Publications | url=https://publications.civicus.org/publications/civicus-annual-report-2023-2024/financials/ | access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref>

===Leaders=== Former heads of the organisation include Miklos Marschall (Hungary), Kumi Naidoo (South Africa), Ingrid Srinath (India), Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah (Sri Lanka) and Lysa John (India).{{when|date=March 2025}}

Mandeep Tiwana is the current secretary general of the organisation.<ref>{{cite web | title=Staff | website=CIVICUS Global Alliance | date=1 January 1970 | url=https://civicus.org/index.php/who-we-are/staff | access-date=19 March 2025| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250313100657/https://www.civicus.org/index.php/who-we-are/staff| archive-date =13 March 2025| url-status=live}}</ref>

==Funding== CIVICUS receives institutional support from a variety of sources from organizations with similar goals, such as the Ford Foundation and Open Society Foundations,<ref>{{cite web|title=Donor Finder: Curated list of progressive donors supporting activists, civil society organisations and small, informal civil society groups|url= https://www.civicus.org/documents/donor-finder-2023_en.pdf| date=2023| author= CIVICUS}}</ref> as well as individual contributions, membership fees, and registration fees for the CIVICUS World Assembly. Aggregated income from 2017/2018 was roughly US$9.6 million.<ref name=ar2018>{{Cite web|url=https://www.civicus.org/documents/reports-and-publications/annual-reports/annual-report-2018-en.pdf|title=Civicus Annual Report 2017–2018| publisher= CIVICUS}}</ref>

==Monitor Watchlist and ratings== CIVICUS identifies countries that it believes are experiencing a fast decline in civic freedoms, adding them to a list known as its Monitor Watchlist. The organisation classifies the state of civic freedoms in countries according to its rating system of open, narrowed, obstructed, repressed, and closed. Past lists have included Zimbabwe, Argentina, El Salvador, and the United Arab Emirates.<ref name=betts2025>{{cite web | last=Betts | first=Anna | title=US added to international watchlist for rapid decline in civic freedoms | website=the Guardian | date=10 March 2025 | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/09/watchlist-decline-civic-freedoms-civicus | access-date=19 March 2025}}</ref>

===United States=== The first watchlist for 2025 was published in March, and included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Italy, Pakistan, Serbia, and the United States. The decision to add the U.S. was made on the basis of what CIVICUS described as an "assault on democratic norms and global cooperation" by the Trump administration. The report cited numerous examples, including the mass government layoffs, the appointment of loyalists, the withdrawal from the World Health Organization, and the review of all U.S. foreign development assistance programs. CIVICUS also identified the Trump administration's targeting of pro-Palestinian protesters, Trump's limiting of media access, and its attack on the rule of law and checks and balances, comparing it to McCarthyism.<ref name=betts2025/>

In July, CIVICUS noted that the U.S. was experiencing democratic backsliding and moving towards a normalized form of authoritarianism in an escalated manner. It downgraded the state of civic freedoms in the U.S. to "narrowed", noting that U.S. citizens can still "exercise their rights and freedoms but 'violations of these rights also take place'".<ref>{{cite news|last=Schneid|first=Rebecca|date=July 30, 2025|url=https://time.com/7306493/us-human-rights-watchlist-civicus-trump/|title=U.S. Highlighted on International Human Rights Watchlist for ‘Sustained Attacks on Civil Freedoms' Under Trump|work=Time|access-date=2025-12-10}}</ref>

In December, CIVICUS once again noted the increasing transformation towards authoritarianism and decline of civic freedom. It downgraded the state of civic freedoms in the U.S. from "narrowed" to "obstructed", noting that civil rights in the U.S. are now restricted legally, often involving illegal means such as surveillance, government harassment, and attacks in the public sphere. "Citizens can organise and assemble peacefully", writes CIVICUS, "but they are vulnerable to frequent use of excessive force by law enforcement agencies, including rubber bullets, tear gas and baton charges."<ref>{{cite news|last=Burga|first=Solcyré|date=December 9, 2025|url=https://time.com/7339363/us-civil-liberties-authoritarian-shift-civicus-trump/|title=U.S. Showing Signs of ‘Rapid Authoritarian Shift,’ Civic Freedoms Report Warns|work=Time|access-date=2025-12-10}}</ref>

== Campaigns == In an open letter of 25 July 2022 addressed to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, CIVICUS sought the UN chief's intervention to protect human rights in Nicaragua. The letter raised concerns over the continuous attacks on civil society organisations by President Daniel Ortega's regime and his Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional (FSLN) party. CIVICUS also urged its members to sign the letter, which was available online.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Serious concerns over ongoing violations of human rights in Nicaragua and lack of accountability for perpetrators |url=https://www.civicus.org/index.php/media-resources/media-releases/open-letters/5928-serious-concerns-over-ongoing-violations-of-human-rights-in-nicaragua-and-lack-of-accountability-for-perpetrators |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=www.civicus.org |language=en-gb}}</ref>

On International Women's Day, 8 March 2024, a range of organisations, including Amnesty International, International Service for Human Rights, and CIVICUS, reiterated calls for Saudi woman Nourah al-Qahtani's release from prison, as well as those of other women sentenced for similar alleged activities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-08 |title=Civil society reiterates their call on Saudi authorities to release jailed women's rights activists |url=https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/civil-society-reiterates-their-call-on-saudi-authorities-to-release-jailed-womens-rights-activists/ |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=ISHR |language=en}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{official|https://civicus.org/index.php}}

Category:International non-profit organizations Category:Civil society Category:Civic and political organisations based in Johannesburg Category:Non-profit organisations based in South Africa Category:1993 establishments in South Africa