SHRINKING CIVIL SOCIETY SPACE AND PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY UNDER THREAT

The shrinking space phenomenon and the way it impacts on civil society is getting worse and has accelerated in recent years. Over a hundred governments have introduced restrictive laws limiting the operations of civil society organisations (CSOs). Many countries also deploy a range of other – formal and informal – tactics to disadvantage CSOs.
Restrictions on civil society are intensifying in non-democratic but also democratic countries. And within the EU. In the last three or four years the EU has reiterated a commitment to address the shrinking space. The EU has responded to the shrinking space through a range of more specific policy mechanisms and instruments. The EU has funded a particularly a notable range of initiatives from the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

SOME OF OUR PROJECTS
ILGA-Europe - the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is an international non-governmental umbrella organisation bringing together 490 organisations from 45 European countries.
The two main pillars of ILGA-Europe work are:
CHARHON CONSULTANTS provided support to ILGA Europe with a report presenting the developments related to civil society shrinking space and its impact on LGBTI rights . The report included desk research and the results of a membership survey on the phenomenon of shrinking space in several EU member states and other countries. (2014).
Pascale also facilitated with ILGA membership a special session during the ILGA Europe Conference in Riga in 2014 “Shrinking Spaces for Civil Society.