CIVICUS’ Fellows Programme is an exciting new venture in which key experts will be placed into national and/or regional organisations for the period of two years.  Host organisations will be selected from CIVICUS’ Affinity Group of National Associations (AGNA), which brings together national and regional associations from across the globe to foster greater co-operation and increased ability to collaborate on mutual areas of interest. The primary aim of the programme is to promote knowledge exchange and learning, and build the capacity of both the host organisation and their members by providing specialised support in a particular focal area. Examples of these focal areas include research, fundraising, communications, project management, advocacy and network management. 

WHAT WILL THE FELLOWS DO?

The fellows will sit with an AGNA member and work closely to build capacity and promote knowledge exchange with affiliated organisations at local, national and regional levels. Examples of the activities that the CIVICUS fellows will implement include the following:

• Deliver key activities related to the host organisations strategic plan and operational objectives
• Conduct trainings with host organisation and the members of host organisation in the country and region 
• Develop toolkits and webinars aimed at increasing the capacity of civil society organisations 
• Advise host organisation and members, acting as a resource in key area of expertise
• Contribute specialised knowledge to CIVICUS’ peer learning exchanges, which will convene AGNA members around a specific theme
• Support the development and execution of programme activities in area of specialised knowledge

WHAT IS REQUIRED FROM THE HOST ORGANISATION?

The host organisation will work with the fellow to develop a comprehensive work plan. This will take into account the organisation’s strategic priorities and activities related to these, as well as capacity development requirements at organisational, national and regional levels. In addition to this the host organisation will provide practical support to the fellow- for example in securing accommodation, providing the necessary documentation for a visa application and mentoring the fellow through getting set up in their new environment. The host organisation will manage the fellow on a day-to-day basis, organising inductions, conducting performance reviews and any other managerial duties. At the end of the relationship the host organisation will provide CIVICUS and the fellow with comprehensive feedback and provide a referral/reference letter for the fellow.

WHAT IS COVERED AS PART OF THE FELLOWSHIP?

• Fellows will receive a monthly stipend from CIVICUS which will cover living expenses
• Fellows will receive a relocation allowance
• Host organization will be given an allowance towards office costs and consumables

HOW TO APPLY TO HAVE A FELLOW PLACED IN YOUR ORGANISATION

To apply to have a fellow placed with your organisation for a period of two years please complete this form and send to fellows@civicus.org by 24 September 2016. 

CIVICUS’ Fellows Programme is an exciting new venture in which key experts will be placed into national and/or regional organisations for the period of two years, following a full 2 week induction period at CIVICUS Headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Host organisations will be selected from CIVICUS’ Affinity Group of National Associations (AGNA), which brings together national and regional associations from across the globe to foster greater co-operation and increased ability to collaborate on mutual areas of interest. The primary aim of the programme is to promote knowledge exchange and learning, and build the capacity of both the host organisation and their members by providing specialised support in their particular focal area. Examples of these focal areas include research, fundraising, communications, project management, advocacy and network management. 

BACKGROUND

CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society around the world. We strive to promote marginalised voices, especially from the Global South, and have members in more than 170 countries throughout the world. Since 1993, we have been dedicated to enhancing the rights, freedoms, health and vitality of civil society as a whole. We’re also a global team, using new technologies to connect us around the world. We’re passionate about what we do. We share links to provocative articles and talk about what they mean to us, the highlight of a week is having an impassioned conversation with an activist or social change group about what’s happing in the world around us. 

• We work for civil society, protecting and growing `civic space’ – the freedoms of expression, association and assembly - that allow citizens and organisations to speak out, organise and take action. 
• We monitor, research and analyse global events and trends that impact civil society. 
• We strengthen civil society by bringing it together to generate and share knowledge, to improve its working and to act collectively. 
• We work to ensure that civil society voices are heard. To achieve impact we communicate, campaign and advocate.

The Affinity Group of National Associations (AGNA)  is a key CIVICUS initiative, created in 2006 with the aim of responding to the needs of national associations and facilitating learning and information sharing among them. The AGNA network serves as a platform for national associations to share information and best practices on a range of issues affecting civil society and national associations. It is a vital platform helping to connect national associations and ensure they remain effective, efficient and progressive. AGNA members also work closely with other CIVICUS projects, particularly those focusing on advocacy and capacity building, to enable national associations to respond better to the challenges facing civil society around the world.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• 5-7 years work experience focused on a specific area of expertise
• Demonstrated long term commitment to civil society and citizen action
• Demonstrated or proven experience with capacity building/training/webinars

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Knowledge of global/regional dynamics and civil society issues
• Understanding of membership and networking principles
• Fluency in English and language of preferred country/region
• Computer literacy, including proficiency in the Office package
• Organisational, planning and time management skills
• Cross cultural awareness and ability to work in diverse environment

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS ROLE

1. Build the capacity of host organisation and their members
2. Assist in delivery of key activities related to host organisational objectives
3. Promote knowledge exchange and learning

MAIN ACTIVITIES OF THIS ROLE

1. Capacity Development 

Develop capacity building approaches, including conducting trainings, providing mentorship, fostering peer-to-peer exchanges

Conduct trainings with host organisation and the members of host organisations in the country and region 

Develop toolkits and webinars aimed at increasing the capacity of civil society organisations more broadly 

Advise host and members, acting as a resource in key area of expertise

 2.Assist in the delivery of key activities related to host organisational objectives

Develop and execute a work plan and key activities coherent with the host organisational objectives and the fellow’s specific expertise

3.Knowledge Exchange and Learning

Contribute specialised knowledge to CIVICUS’ peer learning exchanges, which will convene AGNA members around a specific theme

Contribute knowledge and research to CIVICUS’ Country profiles, which will host a dynamic repository of information about the state of civil society at national, regional and international levels

Support the development and execution of regional plans in area of specialised knowledge

Share knowledge and experience through CIVICUS social media, OpEds, and other publications, in collaboration with our communication team. 

Location: Matched with AGNA member partner, location to be determined
Start date: September 2016, or as soon as possible 
Duration: 2 years 

Salary: US$ 36 000 annually

To apply please submit:

• A motivational letter
• A detailed CV
• Contact details of three current references to fellows@civicus.org by 24th September 2016

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Should you not have heard from us within 2 weeks after your application, please consider your application as being unsuccessful

A group of civil society organizations (CSOs) have written to the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) to draw the delegation's attention to grave violations of human rights in Ethiopia, including the recent crackdown on largely peaceful protests in the Oromia and Amhara regions. 

They call on the delegation of the 33rd HRC session to prioritise and address through joint and individual statements the escalating human rights crisis in Ethiopia. 
Read the letter here. 
 

CIVICUS speaks to Vanessa Dubois, Project Officer at ARCA (Central American Regional Association for Water and the Environment), a Costa Rican environmental CSO established to promote the protection, conservation and sustainable use of the environment and hydric resources, and to promote processes of integrated management of natural resources and the recognition of the human rights to water and sanitation.

1. Costa Rica is usually among the best-placed Latin American countries in rankings and evaluations of the quality of civic space, institutional development and respect for human rights. Is the country living up to its reputation?

In fact, there are no serious obstacles for the exercise of the freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly of civil society in Costa Rica. But there is indeed a less visible problem regarding the protection afforded to social and environmental leaders. True, murders of HRDs or civil society activists are not an everyday occurrence in Costa Rica; however, since the early nineties there have been approximately ten murders and fifteen attempts against the physical integrity of environmental activists -who, along with indigenous activists, are in fact the main targets of aggressions. The most recent case, in 2013, was the murder of our environmentalist colleague Jairo Mora. It was as a result of this regrettable event that we have been able to more successfully bring up the issue at the national level, in order to counterweigh the erroneous image that here nothing bad ever happens. In 2014 or 2015, especially in the context of land struggles on indigenous territories, community leaders have been criminalised.

And more recently, just a few weeks ago, a park ranger at Corcovado National Park – a wild area set up to protect endangered species such as pumas, ocelots and jaguarsb- lost his appeal and had his conviction to 12 years in prison for attempted murder confirmed. The park ranger had been patrolling the beach in the national park during sea turtle nesting season and found people stealing the eggs; he was attacked and he fired against his aggressors in self-defence. The Alliance of Environmental Networks (ARA), of which ARCA is a founding member, is submitting a pardoning petition to the President on behalf of the park ranger.

2. What triggered the foundation of ARCA? What are its aims?

ARCA was founded in the early 1990s. It started as the Foundation for Urban Development’s area of hydric resources and later, in 2010, it became an independent organisation. We work on issues related to community management of territories, joint management of protected areas (so that communities get involved in the process of natural resource conservation and protection and can also get some benefits out of it), urban environment, community management of water, the defence of the human right to water against extractive industries (hydroelectric projects, opencast metallic mining, single crop plantations, etc.). ARCA also carries out work at a regional Central American level through local partners.

3. Which are the main challenges that environmental activists and organisations face in Costa Rica?

There are big interests in conflict. In the case of indigenous communities in the south of the country, land struggles have dragged on for decades and no government has wanted to provide a sustainable solution. In Costa Rica we have “indigenous reserves” and the state has generally demarcated their territories, within which the indigenous communities have autonomy to form their own local governments. In the south, where demarcation was never completed, it is not uncommon for non-indigenous populations to occupy these lands, and when indigenous groups demand that their territories be respected violent situations typically ensue, as a result either of the actions of the invaders or of police intervention. Arbitrary detentions and judicial processes take place, typically resulting in preventive imprisonment being imposed upon indigenous leaders, unlike non-indigenous ones. We at the social movements think that this is a deliberate tactic meant to weaken indigenous organisations.

Similarly, in the cases in which the defence of the environment leads social organisations to clash with big corporations, as in the pineapple industry, activists are usually criminalised as a result of slander and libel claims submitted by the private companies. Those of our fellow activists who are sued in court face judicial proceedings that consume lots of time, energy and financial resources. When they face powerful interests, such as mining companies, environmental activists are also threatened. Around 1990 the Costa Rican government started issuing mining permits in the north of the country. For more than twenty years we (the Costa Rican environmental movement) sustained an intense advocacy campaign on this issue, and many colleagues who fought to stop these projects, including some at ARCA, have been threatened. The tasks of denouncing, disseminating and supporting our colleagues under threat has become quite easier since the rise of the social networks.

Although it is certainly not the main source of danger, the state is not fulfilling its duty to protect the physical integrity and the work we do in the sector. This is apparent in the case of Jairo Mora, who worked in Moín Beach (in the Caribbean region) protecting the sea turtles and their nesting. This was also a beach that drug traffickers used to land their shipments. When he was murdered, Jairo had been requesting patrolling support from the security forces and the Ministry of the Environment for more than a year. Drug traffickers saw the presence of volunteers on that beach as an obstacle. On that night, Jairo was out patrolling with a group of female foreigners: two of the young women were raped and he was murdered. As the environmental movement was very vocal in expressing their outrage, the Ministry of Public Security and the prosecution acted fast and were able to identify and capture the suspects; however, judicial proceedings were complicated and the accused were initially absolved and only later, early this year, they were eventually found guilty.

This raises two issues. First, the dangers of impunity, which leaves the door open for the repetition of crimes such as these. Second, the lack of recognition of these crimes’ political nature. Jairo Mora’s trial was based on the interpretation that a number of crimes had been committed, including homicide, rape, sexual abuse and aggravated abduction, but the activist condition of the victim was ignored.

In some cases, such as communities mobilised for the right to water, the Constitutional Court has indeed held the competent body accountable for the fulfilment of rights. But generally speaking, the state does not frame its actions within a human rights perspective, and instead treats the crimes in the exact way as they are typified in the Criminal Code; no other tool is available.

There are precedents. In the nineties, five environmental activists involved in a struggle with a private company, Ston Forestal, were murdered; they died when their lodgings were set on fire, and the crime went unpunished. The fire report was never made public so nobody ever knew what happened. The government stated that it had been an accident that the activists themselves had caused, while the environmental movement was convinced that this had been a deliberate crime aimed at eliminating them. 

4. What concrete actions should the Costa Rican government take?

First of all, it should adopt a human rights perspective to solve conflicts. Violent actions against activists must be recognised as such: that is, as violations of social and environmental leaders’ rights triggered by the work that they do and aimed at obstructing it. It is not enough to have the guilty convicted: they must be convicted for what they have actually done, and not for, say, attempted robbery followed by manslaughter.

Another factor limiting our work is of a financial nature. Costa Rica is considered a middle-income country, and starting in December it will become a member of the OECD. This greatly limits access to international cooperation resources, which is basically the main funding source for social and environmental organisations. At the national level there is no funding mechanism available to overcome this shortage and allow for the preservation of organisational independence and autonomy. This is an issue that we have brought to the table because we think the government must guarantee the existence of a civil society space that is able to act as its counterweight, by demanding transparency, accountability and responses to certain issues. In the case of the environment, for example, those issues are the imposition of limits and controls on the expansion of monocultures such as pineapple, which are deeply affecting water access and quality for local populations, along with other issues such as deforestation and the invasion of protected areas.

5. How can external actors, including regional organisations and international solidarity movements, support Costa Rican civil society?

Solidarity is key. We have always worked within regional networks, particularly on water issues, that are special in the sense that any activity taking place in a territory affects water. We think that the more numerous we are in propagating information and disseminating experiences, the easier the work gets because we feel accompanied. Dissemination of information about what is happening in our countries, particularly in serious situations such as the assassination of Berta Cáceres, gives visibility to situations that would otherwise remain hidden. In the case of Costa Rica, this is particularly important because our good reputation means that attention is not generally directed our way. At the same time, knowing that in other countries similar things are happening –for example regarding the mining or pineapple industries, knowing that there are communities in Guatemala or Honduras going through the same situations- encourages us to exchange experiences and learned lessons that strengthen the work that we do in our countries.

International support can have important domestic repercussions. For example, we carried out a research project on the labour and environmental impacts of pineapple cultivation along with Oxfam Germany, and then we did a tour in Germany and other European countries to present the conclusions. As a result, the pineapple companies started making moves in Costa Rica: the news came out in the media and the companies threatened to leave the country. Now, if the whole thing had been confined to the domestic scene, we wouldn’t have had all that publicity and those reactions, which are precisely what allows us to bring into the agenda the socio-environmental conflicts that the country is currently going through.

Get in touch with ARCA via their website or Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter @fancaregional.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) working to improve women’s rights in Pakistan are facing difficulties after the Council of Islamic Ideology has made several attempts to limit their work as part of their clampdown on women’s rights in general. CIVICUS spoke to Qamar Naseem from Blue Veins, a CSO in Pakistan that provides legal assistance to survivors of gender-based violence and trains lawyers and judges to better deal with the cases on gender-based violence in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

1.What is the general situation for civil society in Pakistan? 
There are systemic threats to CSOs in Pakistan and especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In recent years, there has been a perceptible rise in restrictions on civic space. The independent civil society is under threat not just from the government but also from powerful non-state actors including influential business entities and extremist groups, as well as, religious leadership subscribing to fundamentalist ideologies. 
We are increasingly experiencing and witnessing criminalisation of dissent and there are efforts to criminalise the work of CSOs as the civic space is shrinking alarmingly. Attacks on CSOs have increased significantly in recent years while authorities have shown no interest to safeguard human rights defenders and CSOs. 

2.What is the current situation for civil society working to improve women’s rights in Pakistan?  
Several actions by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) have resulted in restrictions for groups working on women’s rights. In January 2016, the CII rejected a bill to ban girls under 18 to marry and punish those carrying out child marriages. The CII called the efforts to ban child marriages “blasphemous” and anti-Islamic. This is very dangerous for civil society, as it can result in legal implications and life threatening risks to civil society organisations and activists working to end child marriage because they can face blasphemy charges. 

Attacks have already started to emerge in the rural areas on activists working on the issues of child marriages and civil society workers are now showing reluctance to conduct and participate in community outreach activities in relation to child marriages. Their fear is justified because there are large numbers of examples, which proves that blasphemy is an unpardonable offence in Pakistan. The clearest example of this was when Taseer was assassinated for requesting a presidential pardon for a blasphemy accused, and members of the public hailed his killer as a hero and approved of the murder. This poses grave threats against civil society and the important work that CSOs has done for years to improve women’s and girls’ rights.  

On 20 August 2016, the CII rejected a bill criminalising domestic violence, which was passed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province government. The CSOs working to end gender-based violence are now at risk of even further resistance and rejection from the local community, as the CII raise fingers against civil society saying that we are against Islamic values. It is clear that the government listens more to the CII than civil society, which also was proven when the government allocated even more resources for the CII in June of this year. 

3.What are some ways forward to counter the problem of civil society being restricted for their work on women’s rights in Pakistan? 
It is important that religious arguments are countered by religious arguments. Currently, the chair mainly rules the CII and his interpretations are not the same as many other religious leaders’. The current situation has gotten out of hand, as we see extreme forms of violence backed by religious interpretations and no limit from stopping people from immorality. A few bad religious leaders have hijacked the debate while many are being silent and don’t know what to do. Religious leaders must say that this is not Islam and stand together against these myths created in the name of religion. 

We think that the right way forward for civil society is to make sure to be in dialogue with religious leaders and find common solutions. So far, we have seen that most CSOs in Pakistan have chosen to work in isolation and exclude religious leaders from the solution but we must remember that interpretations differ and that we can work together. The public and the government consider religious leaders as gatekeepers, especially on women’s rights, and, therefore, engaging with religious leaders can result in greater gains in terms of impact, sustainability and reach of our projects. 

In the past, civil society has had success in mobilising religious leaders to support initiatives such as a HIV AIDS awareness programme, which was a complete failure before they came along. Polio vaccine programmes are also successful now because religious leaders allow them. We saw clearly at a recent conference we held on child marriage that political parties in Pakistan would be willing to ban child marriage if they have the support from religious leaders. For this reason, we are working on a fatwa saying that working to end child marriage is not blasphemous, which we hope will be signed by 300 religious leaders. Additionally, we are making a booklet that counters the religious arguments used by religious authorities against civic space by proving that in fact the Quran and Hadith encourage dialogue, research and expression. 

Read on: Alliance Magazine