Receiving financing or other resources is in fact an integral part of the right to create associations or Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). |
The right of citizens to form associations and receive funding to pursue their missions is enshrined in international human rights law. Yet over 160 laws in nearly 70 countries have been passed to restrict this right since 2012 (as reported by the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law - ICNL). These laws severely constrain the ability of CSOs to implement programs that serve their communities and ultimately threaten their sustainability.
All people have the right to join together to make their communities and the world a better place. To achieve this, everyone needs a safe, legal environment that supports civic freedoms, philanthropy, and public participation with civil society organizations, governments, and the international community to strengthen the legal environment.
The crackdown on the right of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to access resources, both domestic and foreign, has reached all corners of the world and manifested in various forms. CSOs need to be aware of their right to resources and how to respond in the face of government restrictions.
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