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Civic space
Context
As part of the EU’s fundamental rights landscape, civil society organisations play a vital role in supporting the implementation of the fundamental values of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The operational space of civil society organisations dealing with human and fundamental rights is relevant for the capacity of Member States to respect, protect and fulfil fundamental rights. Over the last few years, civil society organisations in FRA’s Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) have voiced increasing concern about the legal, political and practical challenges affecting their work:
- Regulatory environment: (changes in) legislation that affect civil society organisations’ work
- Finance and funding: availability and accessibility of resources;
- Right to participation: difficulties in accessing decision-makers and providing input into law- and policymaking
- Ensuring a safe space: attacks on, and harassment of, human rights defenders, including negative discourse aimed at delegitimising and stigmatising civil society organisations
These challenges are often cumulative, putting pressure on civil society organisations and human rights defenders. The COVID pandemic has further exacerbated challenges.
FRA’s work on civic space
FRA has been working on civic space issues in the EU since 2016, by collecting evidence and publishing reports which raise awareness about the challenges and risks for civil society organisations across the EU, while also highlighting promising practices and suggesting ways forward. Since 2018, FRA has consulted FRP organisations online every year about the experiences and challenges they face in their work.
FRA reports related to civic space issues:
- Protecting Civic Space in the EU (2021)
- Civic space – experiences of organisations (report from consultation 2019) (2020)
- Civil society space – views of organisations (report from consultation 2018)
- Update - NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations (2019)
- Challenges facing civil society organisations working on human rights in the EU - main report (2018)
- Summary report (available in all EU languages)
- Country studies for all EU Member States
- Fundamental rights considerations: NGO ships involved in search and rescue in the Mediterranean and criminal investigations (2018)
- Violence, threats and pressures against journalists and other media actors in the European Union (2016)
- Criminalisation of migrants in an irregular situation and of persons engaging with them (2014)
FRA civic space consultations
- Civic space consultation 2021 - questionnaire
- Civic space consultation 2020 - questionnaire
- Civic space consultation 2019 - questionnaire
- Civic space consultation 2018 - questionnaire (available for download in English and in French [PDF, 602.24 KB])