This session included short panel presentations from Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Israel Palestine, exploring how to protect civil society engagement and expression. Civic space and civic liberties are shrinking. In the last few years we have seen a global trend of NGO laws and tighter controls. Excessive state responses to COVID-19 have exacerbated such restrictions, in the form of imprisonment for dissent, police brutality and increased surveillance. This is causing restrictions to civic society to assemble, associate and express itself.
The oppression and restriction of civil society is a global issue, seen across many contexts. Intimidation towards civil society actors and restriction of protests, increased state surveillance monitoring societies and threatening privacy have increased since the pandemic. Watch the recording above to learn more about why protecting civic spec is a critical discussion not just for the impact of COVID-19, but for the future.
This session featured panelists Lucy Roberts (Consultant, American Friends Service Committee), Sahar Vardi (Israel Program Coordinator for American Friends Service Committee), Ruki Fernando (Human Rights Activist), Teresa Ma (Founder and Director of Peace Generation) and Kennedy Akolo (Regional Director, Africa for AFSC).