Silence
Silence can sometimes say more than a thousand words. When colleagues from our partner organisations tell us their stories,* our reaction is often silence; a dejected silence.
What can you say to the courageous human rights lawyer who has fled her home country in Central America, a country that is not officially at war, but where she is threatened because she voices her criticisms of the government?
Are there any words of comfort for the man from a Central African country now that the training centre for sustainable forest management that he set up with great passion and hard work has been taken over by rebels?
What do you say to the South American who left his family behind in his village and now has to request asylum in the Netherlands because he defended the rights of his community?
Are there words that can comfort the indigenous woman from South-East Asia whose husband and brothers were recently shot dead because they defended their indigenous land rights, opposing the interests of a mining company?
There are none.
That is why, today, we are silent. As a protest against the powers and forces that are restricting our universal freedoms worldwide and are silencing us and our partners. And in solidarity with activists, environmental protectors and human rights defenders who actively protect their and our rights and who – increasingly often – pay for it with their lives.
In the coming days, we ask attention for these brave people. Because they refuse to give up. No matter how difficult the circumstances are, they keep on fighting for freedom of expression, human rights, women's rights, land rights, preservation of biodiversity and a sustainable future for their children.
This campaign is part of SPEAK!, an international campaign by CIVICUS. For more information, see www.togetherwespeak.org
*The examples given here are anonymous so as not to endanger the persons involved.
Read more about this subject
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External link / 21 september 2016
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News / 21 september 2017
Civil society is being silenced
September 22nd websites of civil society organisations and NGO's all over the world will go black, in protest and solidarity. Protest against the shrinking space for civilians and organisations to speak out, unite and protest peacefully.
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Blog / 23 september 2016
Counterpower has to find its own weapons to fight the main power
Guest blog by Debora Calheiros, Brazil
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Publication / 10 juli 2019
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News / 10 februari 2020
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News / 20 september 2019
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News / 9 december 2016
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External link / 24 augustus 2022
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News / 28 september 2018
Joan Carling is awarded with the UN’s highest environmental honor!
We congratulate Joan Carling, member of the permanent commission on indigenous peoples of the UN, for having received the Lifetime Achievement Award as 'Champion of the Earth' by the UN Environment! This is the UN's highest environmental honor, given to six of the world's most outstanding environmental change makers once a year.
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News / 20 oktober 2016
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News / 7 oktober 2018
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Dossier /
Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA)
GAGGA rallies the collective power of the women's rights and environmental justice movements to realize a world where women can and do access their rights to water, food security, and a clean, healthy and safe environment.
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External link / 1 januari 2016
Fair, Green and Global Alliance website
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News / 26 oktober 2022
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Update October 27th:
Today our friends have been released after five nights in detention. We welcome this great news and we are happy and relieved that Babacar Diouf and the others who were arrested will soon be back with their loved ones.
Nonetheless this was a very bad signal from Senegalese authorities and police and an indication of the growing restriction on civic space in Senegal. It is unacceptable that freedom of expression is restricted, people should not have to go to jail for peacefully expressing their opinion - especially when their livelihood is at stake.
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Publication / 2 juli 2024
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Publication / 8 november 2019
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Pathway /
Supporting a powerful civil society
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