Workshop 6
Empowering civil society to act and grow in Europe
JDE 63
9.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.
Organised by the Social Platform
Programme
09.30-09.40 Opening remarks
●
Kélig Puyet, director of Social Platform, welcomes participants and puts the workshop in context
09.40-10.50 Part I. The civil society space in Europe: state of play (roundtable format)
Moderator: Annica Ryngbeck, Social Platform
●
Israel Butler, Head of Advocacy, Civil Liberties Union for Europe
Presentation of results from surveys on the civic space by:
● Carlotta Besozzi, Coordinator of Civil Society Europe, Civil Society Europe
● Waltraud Heller, Programme Manager Civil Society Cooperation of the EU Agency for
Fundamental Rights
Reactions from European civil society representative and discussion on what can be done at European level to
strengthen the civic space and participation. (discussion):
● Kersty McCourt, Senior Advocacy Adviser for Open Society Justice Initiative and Coordinator of
the Human Rights and Democracy Network (HRDN) working group on enabling environment for
civil society
● Lilit Poghosyan, Advocacy and Mobilisation Lead for International Planned Parenthood
Federation - European Network (IPPF-EN)
● Katerina Hadzi-Miceva Evans, executive director, European Centre for Non-profit Law (ECNL) –
reacting to the FRA’s findings on legal restrictions to civil society (see Katerina’s TED talk)
10.50-11.10
Short coffee break
11.10-11.40 Part II. Testimonies from the ground (storytelling format)
Participants will be asked to join small breakout groups to share stories about their local and national
experiences of the civic space. Each group will be asked to describe their challenges, opportunities and
responses.
The discussions will be divided according to “four corners”, with participants invited to join the topic they find
most relevant to their experience.
1. Freedom of association: regulatory environment and funding
2. Freedom of assembly: law and practice
3. Right to participation: access to the decision-making process, advocacy/lobby and campaigning
4. A safe environment: harassment, intimidation and negative narratives
11.40-12.10 Part III. Ways forward and recommendations to decision-makers
Building on the outcomes of the two first parts, participants will together identify solutions and key
recommendations to:
1. decision-makers at national and European level, and
2. civil society organisations and stakeholders
on what we can do ourselves, both nationally and in solidarity with civil society bodies in other countries.
12.10-12.20 Reporting back key recommendations from each group
A quick overview of the main recommendations, which will be presented back to the Civil Society Days plenary.
12.20-12.30 Closing remarks
●
Kélig Puyet, director of Social Platform
Background
There are legal frameworks and mechanisms in place in Europe to ensure that citizens and civil society
organisations enjoy the rights to freedoms of association, expression and assembly. However, there are
growing challenges to these rights from either measures taken by governments or authorities or from action by
third parties. There also seems to be mounting distrust of civil society, especially its advocacy or watchdog
roles, on the part of the authorities.
The workshop will highlight the results of surveys and reports on the situation regarding the civil society space
in Europe and foster a debate with experts and civil society on the reasons behind this trend and how to
address the shrinking space for civil society. It will tackle the various dimensions and specificities, looking for
example at mechanisms that can either suppress or enable the voice of civil society to be heard. Finally, it will
provide an opportunity for sharing examples of initiatives at local/national level that are helping to empower
civil society organisations.
Reading
● Council of Europe guidelines to help ensure meaningful civil participation in political decision-making in
its member states: website
● Social Platform blog posts:
○ “Preventing shrinking space for civil society organisations in the EU”, following a meeting at the
EU Agency for Fundamental Rights on 2-3 May 2017
○ “For whom the civic space is shrinking”, following a meeting in the European Parliament on 16
November 2016
Methodology and expected outcome
The workshop will have three parts:
1. The civil society space in Europe: state of play (roundtable)
2. Testimonies from the ground (personal accounts)
3. Ways forward and recommendations to decision-makers (breakout groups)
Speakers and participants will be asked the following questions:
● What are the factors impacting on the shrinking civil society space and who are the players involved?
● What responses can be put in place and at what level?
● What can we learn from cooperation among civil society bodies and what new forms of partnership
can be developed?
● What recommendations can we propose to decision-makers, at national and European level?
The workshop will help to raise awareness, but also foster an exchange of views to identify solutions and
recommendations. Each session will be as participatory and interactive as possible, allowing everyone to
contribute. Speakers will avoid generalisations and focus on specific examples to illustrate their points.
Participants will also share stories of their own national experiences in small groups. Each group will assign one
person to report some of the key lessons from the accounts back to the whole meeting.
Interpretation: DE/EN/FR