A new index published on 23 September by the global civil society network, CIVICUS, shows that many governments around the world are failing to keep their promise to create an environment that allows citizens to mobilise and participate in civil society. Evidence from around the world suggests that the conditions for civil society are far from perfect.

The CIVICUS `Enabling Environment Index’(EEI) is the first rigorous attempt to measure and compare the conditions that affect the potential of citizens to participate in civil society and ranks the governance, socio-cultural and socio-economic environments for civil society in 109 countries.

In recent years CIVICUS has witnessed uprisings from the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement, but they have also seen far too many crackdowns on the ability of citizens to mobilise. CIVICUS wanted to create a tool that helps understand the conditions facing civil society in different parts of the world. The index also helps identify countries where special attention needs to be paid to strengthening civil society by the international community.

CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, is an international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. It has worked for nearly two decades especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened.

See CIVICUS website

A new index published on 23 September by the global civil society network, CIVICUS, shows that many governments around the world are failing to keep their promise to create an environment that allows citizens to mobilise and participate in civil society. Evidence from around the world suggests that the conditions for civil society are far from perfect.

The CIVICUS `Enabling Environment Index’(EEI) is the first rigorous attempt to measure and compare the conditions that affect the potential of citizens to participate in civil society and ranks the governance, socio-cultural and socio-economic environments for civil society in 109 countries.

In recent years CIVICUS has witnessed uprisings from the Arab Spring to the Occupy movement, but they have also seen far too many crackdowns on the ability of citizens to mobilise. CIVICUS wanted to create a tool that helps understand the conditions facing civil society in different parts of the world. The index also helps identify countries where special attention needs to be paid to strengthening civil society by the international community.

CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, is an international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. It has worked for nearly two decades especially in areas where participatory democracy and citizens’ freedom of association are threatened.

See CIVICUS website