Civil society is a cornerstone of open, vibrant democracies. Individuals and organisations play a frontline role as watchdogs, implementers, and connectors across different sectors and regions. Yet with the pace and depth of democratic backsliding, this crucial role is under threat. Smear campaigns lay the ground for legal and administrative restrictions, which in turn enable attacks and the criminalisation of human rights defenders. This trajectory threatens not only organisations themselves, but also the values, pluralism and solidarity enshrined in the Treaties of the European Union (EU).

Recognising the rapidly evolving challenges, the European Commission has taken a critical step to launch a dedicated civil society strategy. This provides an opportunity to establish a framework for action with the specific aim of safeguarding civic space and protecting rights. 

As its foundation, the strategy must be:

· anchored in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and other regional and international human rights standards, in particular the rights to freedom of association and assembly;

· set out the principles for engagement and communication;

· bring together key actors and link with complementary initiatives, such as the Democracy Shield;

· detail new initiatives that will address existing gaps and failures, such as civic space impact assessments and a protection mechanism for human rights defenders and civil society.

In our latest strategy paper, Liberties sets out 5 key pillars needed to bolster civil society: Stand With Civil Society to Protect Human Rights