Civil society organisations are coming under increasing pressure worldwide. Not only are their scope for action being restricted by new laws and political measures – their very legitimacy is also being called into question with increasing frequency.
Against this backdrop, the Maecenata Foundation, together with Why Philanthropy Matters and in cooperation with the German-British Society, organised an international online discussion. A recording of the event is now available on YouTube.
When civil society becomes a target
In many countries, civil society organisations are portrayed by autocratic and populist actors as ‘enemies of the people’ or as tools of supposed hidden elites. Such narratives are often used to justify measures that restrict fundamental freedoms – including freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and the right to protest.
It is particularly worrying that these developments are no longer confined to authoritarian political systems. In other political contexts, too, actors are increasingly adopting narratives that portray civil society organisations not as a vital component of a vibrant democracy, but as a threat to political power.
This makes it all the more important to understand the background to these attacks: Where do they come from? How are they spread? And what options are there for countering them?
International Perspectives
These questions were the focus of the discussion with an international group of recognised experts:
- Catherine Anite, human rights lawyer, Uganda
- Marwa el-Daly, American University in Cairo, Egypt
- Rhodri Davies, Why Philanthropy Matters, UK
- Benjamin Gidron, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
- Mark Sidel, University of Wisconsin–Madison and the International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), USA
- Rupert Graf Strachwitz, Maecenata Foundation, Germany
The discussion was chaired by Ansgar Gessner from the Maecenata Foundation.
The different international perspectives made it clear that, whilst attacks on the legitimacy of civil society take place in very different political and social contexts, the underlying narratives and strategies often follow similar patterns.
The full discussion provides insights into current developments and a range of international experiences, and examines the question of how civil society and democracy can be defended against further attacks on their legitimacy.
The recording of the event is now available on our YouTube channel.
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