Civic Space Learning Events

Nine Learning Events about civic space were organised by Global Focus and member organisations in the fall of 2018. The goal of the events was to gather political analysis and understanding of civic space from a thematic issue and specifically receive inputs on how Danish civil society, the Danish government and the Danish private sector can support civic space globally. The events dealt with different important thematic aspects of the attacks on civil society, such as the double-layers of restrictions that youth activists, LGBTIQ+ and women human rights defenders, religious minorities and humanitarian workers are experiencing. Members of Global Focus made use of their valuable knowledge and expertise on each thematic focus and invited partners from different parts of the world to provide insights and valuable recommendations. 

List of Events

22 August: "When ’Rule of Law’ becomes ‘Rule by Law’ to Silence Civil Society” with David Moore (International Center for Non-for-Profit Law) and Frank Mugisha (Sexual Minorities Uganda) at Global Focus, organised by Global Focus. 

6 September: "Civil Society under pressure in Sub- Saharan Africa: What are the Effective ‘Push Back Efforts’?" with Teldah Mawarire (CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation) and Charles Kojo VanDyck (West African Civil Society Institute) at Global Focus, organised by Global Focus and CISU. 

31 October: "How LGBTIQ+ and Women’s Rights Activists are Affected by Shrinking Space" with Azza Soliman (video message), Maryam Al-Khawaja, Susanne Branner, (LGBT Denmark), Helle Jacobsen (Amnesty International) and Henriette Laursen (KVINFO) at KVINFO, organised by KVINFO.

21 November: "Trade and Transnational Corporations: Attacks on Civil Society" with Ali Chaucate (Associacao de Apoio e Assistência Jurídica as Commundades), Sanne Borges (Amnesty International) and Caroline Bjerglund Andersen (Afrika Kontakt) at Global Focus, organised by Afrika Kontakt. 

23 November: "Protecting Civic Space: Canada's Feminist Approach" with representative from the Embassy of Canada to Denmark and Jo-Ann Rodrigues at Global Focus, organised by Global Focus. 

26 November: "Nobody Should Die from Telling the Truth" with Tomasz Piatek (Polish journalist), Tom Heinemann (Danish documentarist and journalist), Gulnara Akhundova (International Media Support) and Henrik Grunnet (International Media Support) in Øst for Paradis, organised by International Media Support, Nyt Europa and CISU. 

29 November: "Civic Space in Humanitarian Action" with Aung Kyaw Moe (Center for Social Integrity), Kate Moger (International Rescue Committee) and Nishanie Jayamaha from International Council of Voluntary Agencies) at DanChurchAid, organised by Save the Children Denmark, DanChurchAid and Global Focus. 

3 December: "How Can Young People Around the World Bring Down the Towers of Oppression and Raise the Banners of Freedom? with Jayathma Wickramanayake (UN General Secretary Envoy on Youth), Natascha Skjaldgaard (Danish Youth Delegate for SDGs), Faith Mvududu (ActionAid Zimbabwe) and Salimatou Moulaye Traoré (Youth Association for Active Citizenship and Democracy, Mali) at ActionAid Denmark, organised by ActionAid Denmark, Danish Youth Council and Save the Children Denmark.

6 December: "The Right to Freedom of Religion and belief in a Shrinking Space" with Daniel Toft Jakobsen (Cross-party Network of Religious Freedom / Formand for Tværpolitisk Netværk for Tros- og Religionsfrihed), Ambassador Michael Suhr (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark), Jonas Adelin Jørgensen (Danish Mission Council), Jørgen Thomsen (DanChurchAid) and Vo Tran Nhat (Vietnam Committee on Human Rights) at Christiansborg, organised by Danish Mission Council.