OHCHR and protecting and expanding civic space

What is civic space?

Civic space is the environment that enables civil society to play a role in the political, economic and social life of our societies.In particular, civic space allows individuals and groups to contribute to policy-making that affects their lives, including by:

• accessing information,
• engaging in dialogue,
• expressing dissent or disagreement, and
• joining together to express their views.

An open and pluralistic civic space that guarantees freedom of expression and opinion as well as freedom of assembly and association, is a prerequisite for making development and peace sustainable.

Civic space is under pressure

Today, this civic space is under pressure. Repressive laws are spreading, with increased restrictions on freedoms to express, participate, assemble and associate. New technologies have helped civil society networks to grow, but they’ve also given governments excuses to control civil society movements and media freedoms, often under security pretexts.

Civil society actors are facing pushback

Civil society actors, including those who cooperate with the United Nations, are also facing a pushback across the world. Online and off-line attacks on human rights defenders, including journalists and environmental activists, continue and in many places are worsening. In the most extreme cases, human rights defenders have suffered arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearance and killings.

Human rights defenders are at the forefront protecting and promoting human rights - but they too need protection.

UN Human Rights’ unique role protecting civic space

OHCHR has a unique role to play in protecting civic space and enhancing participation. The Office works to:

• Support opportunities to improve civic space at country level, while enhancing strategic responses to threats
• Strengthen good protection practices, including protection networks
• Raise the visibility and increase support for the work of defenders and influence the narrative
• Monitor civic space trends and situation of human rights defenders, and
• Mainstream civic space in the wider UN policies, practices and operational activities.

The United Nations and civic space

The United Nations as a whole is stepping up its commitment to civic space.

• The UN Human Rights Office recently worked with other UN agencies to conduct a global consultation among civil society actors from around the world.
• The UN Secretary General released a Call to action for human rights that reiterated several commitments to civic space.

Read more about the United Nation’s role in promoting and protecting civic space.

Civic space communications map

Explore the communications sent by the UN special rapporteurs on the situation of human rights defenders, on freedom of opinion and expression and on freedoms of assembly and association through this interactive map created by OHCHR. These three independent mandates regularly address alleged incidents, events, legal developments, and policies affecting the capacity of civil society to contribute to debates, take part in public affairs and defend human rights.

Go to the map

Learn how to use the map

Latest reports

A/HRC/50/55: Internet shutdowns: trends, causes, legal implications and impacts on a range of human rights - Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

A/HRC/51/17: The right to privacy in the digital age - Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

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See also: UN Secretary-General’s reports on Cooperation with the United Nations

Latest resources

Hear Civil Society Voices – Combat Corruption

Role of Standard Setting

Hearing Civil Society Voices in Treaty Making

Civil Society Space and COVID-19

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The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders

The Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms – more commonly known as the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders’ –is based on and incorporates human rights enshrined in legally-binding international instruments. More about the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders.