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What is the Civic Charter?

The Civic Charter is the collective framework which unites us in the common goal of a world where everyone has the right to speak out for what they believe in. By signing the Civic Charter, you are standing up for the right to have a say in how your society is governed. Join the a global movement of activists and organisations.

Read the Civic Charter

The Civic Charter is on every continent in the world.

From Pakistan to Uganda to Finland, the Civic Charter grows in strength with each person who adds their name.

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Show your support for the right to speak out by sharing the Civic Charter with your friends and family.

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These people support the Civic Charter:

Lysa John, Secretary General, CIVICUS
Lysa John, Secretary General, CIVICUS
On every continent, forces seek to undo the advances for human rights we have achieved in our communities. But around the world, we are seeing diverse civic movements emerge despite these odds as individuals and organisations continue to call out injustices and organise for change. [more]
The Civic Charter is an important reminder that we need to do more - much more - to ensure that civil society is protected and supported. The quality of citizenship that future generations will enjoy significantly depends on the actions we take to strengthen civic freedoms today.  
Katie Redford, Co-Founder and Director, EarthRights International
Katie Redford, Co-Founder and Director, EarthRights International
Protest matters and protest works. The rights to speak out, criticize and organize collectively are fundamental to communities and activists challenging powerful corporations and institutions. The Civic Charter is an important tool in our collective efforts to shift power from the few to the many to achieve a more just and equitable world.
Joan Chirwa, Journalist and Founder, Free Press Initiative Zambia
Joan Chirwa, Journalist and Founder, Free Press Initiative Zambia
Now is the time for more collaboration in protecting the civic space and defending human rights that are being violated all over the world. Several tyrannical governments around the world feel threatened by a free press, freedom of speech and the full exercise of human rights because they are seen as a distraction [more]
to their continued hold on power. But together, we can protect the people's rights and ensure more space for free speech.
Matt Beard, Executive Director, All Out
Matt Beard, Executive Director, All Out
LGBT+ people around the world are so often on the frontline of the struggle for human rights, citizenship, safety and dignity. The Civic Charter is a rallying call for the freedom and democracy that LGBT+ people need to win these struggles. [more]
It is also an anchor for the intersectional solidarity we need across movements to achieve human rights and a sustainable planet for all.
Laurie Adams, Chief Executive Officer Women for Women International
Laurie Adams, Chief Executive Officer Women for Women International
It’s deeply important to protect civic space and support the Civic Charter so the women we work with can create better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities. [more]
The women we serve through our program are change makers and peace-builders in their communities. They are rebuilding war-torn societies from the ground up, creating dialogue in their communities, and providing economic prosperity to their households.
Rajiv Joshi, Managing Director, The B Team
Rajiv Joshi, Managing Director, The B Team
Business can’t thrive where civil society is threatened. The Civic Charter must be a call to action not just for civil society, but for business leaders around the world, to stand up for freedom of expression, association and assembly. To defend our democracies and end the political capture and crony capitalism that threatens our common future.
Han Hui Hui, Human Rights Activist
Han Hui Hui, Human Rights Activist
I would like to live in a world where people are not afraid to have a child, fall sick, have a home and to retire. Those in power should be humane in their duty to protect the people while respecting fundamental rights to freedom of expression and public assembly.
Maryam al-Khawaja, Special Advisor Gulf Center for Human Rights
Maryam al-Khawaja, Special Advisor Gulf Center for Human Rights
Once you see people get shot, beaten in the streets or killed; once you’ve interviewed your first torture victim; you know that you’ll never be able to live your life knowing that you witnessed injustice and didn’t do anything to stop it from happening.[more]
Whether change happens in my generation or the next, I hope we get to a point where we don’t have to be afraid of going to sleep because we worry about what’s going to come the next day. I want to see a world, or at least I want my nieces and nephew to see a world, that is free from hate, free from fear and more importantly, free from helplessness. I want them to live in a world where they feel powerful; where they feel like they matter. Fighting for rights and having vibrant civil society is how we get there, and the Civic Charter is one tool for doing so.
Brett Solomon, Executive Director Access Now
Brett Solomon, Executive Director Access Now
It’s important, in today’s digital age, that we support, strengthen, and diversify online spaces for civil society to represent, defend, and advocate for human rights. [more]
Just as we insist on our rights offline, the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, association and more must now be fought for in the ever expanding and increasingly ubiquitous online world.
Kate Kroeger, Executive Director Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
Kate Kroeger, Executive Director Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights
The women and trans* human rights defenders we support have been working tirelessly to bring social change to their communities and have been particularly affected by increasing restrictions on civic space. In the context of rising extremism and repression, it is urgent to protect civic space and those who defend it.
Joshua Wong, Secretary General Demosisto
Joshua Wong, Secretary General Demosisto
Though we may come from different backgrounds and cultures, and have different political systems and histories, we believe in the same universal principles of human freedom.[more]
In Hong Kong, the struggle to protect the rights to freedom of speech and association, and to be represented by democratically-elected publicly officials continues. I signed the Civic Charter because it unites activists from around the world in the fight to support these principles.
Caroline Harper, CEO Sightsavers
Caroline Harper, CEO Sightsavers
The key theme of the recent Global Goals for Sustainable Development, agreed by the nations of the world in September 2015, was to ‘leave no one behind’. And to reach those furthest behind as a priority.[more]
Sightsavers supports the Civic Charter as it articulates fundamental principles which are required if we are to make a real difference to the lives of those who have previously been left behind, such as people with disabilities – universal responsibility, accountability and participation.
Cissy Kagaba, Executive Director Anti-Corruption Coalition of Uganda
Cissy Kagaba, Executive Director Anti-Corruption Coalition of Uganda
Restricting citizens voices and engagement is detrimental to freedom of association and expression. The anti-corruption movement in Uganda fully endorses this Civic Charter as our tool of engagement.
Adriano Campolina, CEO ActionAid International
Adriano Campolina, CEO ActionAid International
Shrinking civil and political space across the world is an attack on people and an acknowledgement of the important work we are doing. The Civic Charter is a bold statement and commitment to a sustained struggle for social justice all over the world.
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director Oxfam International
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director Oxfam International
In a world assailed by huge, multiple threats from poverty, extreme inequality, exclusion, climate change and conflict, we must foster a strong and active citizenry for answers.[more]
Individuals everywhere need safe space to raise their voices and hold their governments, companies and other duty-bearers to account. The Civic Charter is an emphatic statement of how a flourishing civil society should be helping citizens to shape a better future for humanity.

Join them today

These are the organisations who have joined:

International Council of Voluntary Organisations (ICVA)

Mouvement Humanitaire des Bâtisseurs Sans Frontières (MHBSF)

Cercle National pour les Droits de l’Homme et la Paix (CNDHP)

African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC)

Initiative Plus

Conseil National Des Electeurs du Congo (CNADEC)

Association Congolaise pour le Droit à la Santé de la Reproduction (ACDSR)

Ligue Congolaise pour les Système Electoraux (LICOSE)

Coalition Congolaise pour la Charte Civique

Association pour le Bien-Etre Familial-Naissance Désirables

Democracy without Borders

Amaka Chiwuike-Uba Foundation (ACUF)

Parliament Watch Italy

Association pour le developpement de la femme (ACDEF) 

Center for Constitutional Governance (CCG)

A Better Future

Divine Foundation Trust

Initiative des femmes Motivées d’Afrique (IFMA)

Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)

EarthRights International

Free Press Initiative (Zambia)

ASSOCIATION PSY-AIDES

Inspired Youth Network

Not1More

Civil Society Coalition on Indigenous Peoples in Uganda (CSCIPU)

Datasketch

C.U.E.B-Couloir – Club d’Unité d’Eleves et Etudiants de la Bouenza

Jamaa Resource Initiatives

Media Rights Agenda

Espace Vert d’Afrique

THE CIVIL POLE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Suomen Humanistiliitto ry- The Humanist Assosiation of Finland

Pathfinder Club Slovenia

Press Freedom Initiative Zambia

CONCORD

All Out

DREAM Zimbabwe

Cercle des droits de l’Homme et de développement (CDHD)

Civic and Legal Aid Organization

Adalah Center for Rights and Freedoms (ACRF)

Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI)

Women for Women International

Committee for Justice

The B Team

Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms “MADA”

The Hunger Project Mexico

Engineers Without Borders Finland

Global Dry Toilet Organisation of Finland

Attac Finland

Pandita Development Institute

Kadivdo Network

Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition

sahas sewa sansthan

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF)

Rural Education and Action Development (READ)

Usthi Foundation

Banlieues Du Monde Mauritanie

cube. Your take on Europe

Actions for Human and Nature

Réseau Camerounais des Organisations des Droits de l’Homme

Yhteismaa ry

Global Human Rights Communications

Centre for Art and Free Expression

Open Petition

Psys D’Afrique

Aware Girls

Mathare Social Justice Centre

Access Now

Asia Catalyst

ONG Un Monde Avenir

Urgent Action Fund- Latin America

Caordical

Youth Without Borders – Tunisia

Logos Faith Foundation

Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights

Legal Aid of Cambodia

Chinbridge Institute

PeaceNexus Foundation

Rural Area Development Programme

Imperative Initiative for Motivation of Global Care

L’Osservatorio

Bytes for All Pakistan

Media Initiative for Open Governance in Uganda

AwazCDS-Pakistan

Unwanted Witness

Association for Promotion Sustainable Development

South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring

SMVSS India

People’s Action For Rural Awakening

FORUM-ASIA

MASUM India

Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit

GRAMIUM Voluntary Organisation

Mount Valley Development Association

RSKS India

Foundation for Human Rights Initiative

Africans Rising

Resource Link Foundation

Creating Communities

Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli

Green Network

Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland

New Hope New Winners Foundation

Karapatan

Bell International NGO

Rede Conhecimento Social

Rural Development Society (RUWODI)

CODE

AFHON

Transparency International Sierra Leone

Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Advocacy & Support Initiative

Gestión de Cambio

New Line Social Organization

Health Alert

Centro de Observación Ciudadana

Foundation Institute of Research and Local Development

Reach Out Cameroon

Utah Moms for Clean Air

Lääkärin sosiaalinen vastuu ry/Physicians for Social Responsibility

Education for All Cameroon

Open Knowledge Nepal

Youth Partnership for Peace and Development

Benin Environment and Education Society (BEES NGO)

AJSA (Anchalika Jana Seva Anusthan)

Global Media Foundation

Save Matabeleland Coalition

Center for Environmental Research and Development

Health For All Coalition – Sierra Leone (HFAC-SL)

African Law Foundation (AfriLaw)

Africa Development Interchange Network (ADIN)

Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ)

Sahkar Social Welfare Association

Pakistan NGOs Forum

ADISI-Cameroun

DigitalSENSE Africa Media

AfroLeadership

Federation of Youth Clubs (FYC)

Child Watch

HOPE Foundation

Initiative pour la Communication et la Liberté d’Expression en Afrique (ICLEAF)

Regional Centre for International Development Cooperation (RCIDC)

NZOLANI

Mobilisation Lab

Accountable Now

World YWCA

Gulf Center for Human Rights

WWF International

The Fund for Global Human Rights

Plan International

BRAC

HelpAge International

Transparency International

ADRA International

Partos

d-Espacio Partycipa

Islamic Relief

Save the Children International

Protection of Rights without Borders

Human Rights Network Sunsari

IRC

Youth Foundation of Bangladesh

Pink Armenia

Human Rights Council – Province-1, East Nepal

Positivos en Colectivo

Ong Construsions Ensemble Le Monde

Human Rights Centre (HRIDC)

FIDA – Uganda

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly – Vanadzor

Palthink for Strategic Studies

VSO

Plan International Finland

Coalition for Research and Action for Social Justice and Human Dignity

Hannchen-Mehrzweck-Stiftung

ActionAid Ghana

Cooperation Committee for Cambodia

New Beginnings International

Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU)

NSW Council of Social Service

WA Council of Social Service

ActionAid USA

ActionAid Netherlands

Association Mujeres en Positivo por Venezuela

Welthungerhilfe e.V

do! Stiftung

Dodo

Caritas Finland

ADD VALUE AFRICA STRATEGIES (AVAS)

UN Association of Finland

filia.die frauenstiftung

Brot für die Welt – Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst

Community Development Forum (CDF) Nepal

CGED Nepal

ICAHD Finland

Sightsavers

Legal Aid Service Providers Network (LASPNET)

Finnish Lutheran Overseas Mission

Democracy Reporting International

ActionAid Zambia

Civil Society Budget Advocacy Groups (CSBAG)

Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF)

Netherlands Helsinki Committee

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