happening now

“Just this June, an 11-year-old Indigenous girl from the community was brutally raped.” The words come from Ushing, a 26-year-old Indigenous activist from Bandarban, a district in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts near the Myanmar border. The child’s family had already been displaced after their ancestral land was claimed through formal state processes. Without formal land […]

A continued rise in authoritarianism across the globe, extreme military and economic power concentrated in the hands of elites, and a general degradation of democracy. These are but some of the issues that hamper democracy and civil liberties in countries across the globe. At times, these problems seem intractable. But Mandeep Tiwana, the secretary-general of […]

Donald Trump's administration is cutting humanitarian aid, non-profit organizations around the world are facing the introduction of laws on foreign agents, and civil society has to fight pressure from multinational companies and governments. AMITABH BEHAR, executive director of Oxfam International, one of the largest non-profit organizations in the world, says that the civil sector should […]

Right now, human rights are under threat in 116 of the world’s 195 countries. From discussions in the US about imminent nuclear weapons testing and genocide in Gaza to famine in Sudan and Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, in a changing context we have to constantly rethink what activism and human rights protection might look […]

BANGKOK – Disinformation is undermining democracy. This was the declaration of around 1,000 activists who attended the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) 2025 at the Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. “Disinformation is an industry,” DAKILA co-founder Micheline Rama told Bulatlat. “There is a network and there are architects behind it.” Rama joined the ICSW 2025, […]

International Civil Society Week, which brings together nearly 1,000 people from around the world in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, discussed the challenges faced by civil society representatives and ways out of it. We've shared some important quotes. According to the event's organizers, CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society, and the Asian Democratic Network (ADN), the […]

BANGKOK – Human rights violations tend to occur in secret, making the data underreported or even unreported. Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), a global independent non-profit organization, keeps track of data and measures the compliance of governments in their international human rights obligations through the Rights Tracker. Keshia Mahmood, Southeast Asia Engagement Lead of HRMI, […]

BANGKOK — In the Philippines, the major anti-corruption protest of over 100,000 individuals on September 21 resulted in a violent dispersal of the police. More than 200 young people were arrested, reportedly tortured inside prison. The police are now filing criminal charges before the Department of Justice (DOJ). “They’re going after the people who are […]

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, was the site of International Civil Society Week, bringing together nearly 1,000 people from around the world. According to the event's organizers, CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society, and the Asian Democratic Network (ADN), the event included nearly 120 discussions. The event noted that this week is taking place […]

The final day of #ICSW2025 is here, and the energy is still high as we head into the Final Plenary. Today’s session brings together reflections from across the programme, with a spotlight on one of the most forward-looking tracks: “Futures We’re Building: Youth, Climate and Intergenerational Justice.” The final day of #ICSW2025 is here, and […]

Young people are shaping civic futures — and they are doing it now. At ICSW2025, youth from across movements and regions have come together to launch the Youth Manifesto: a bold declaration of our vision for inclusive, just, and participatory societies. The manifesto calls for: -Protection of youth-led civic action -Recognition of informal movements -Access […]

In Pakistan, journalism is a risky profession—and the danger only intensifies if you’re a woman, young, and a freelancer, says 30-year-old Saba Chaudhry, a journalist from a village near Narowal, in Punjab province. “You have to be careful about what you write and who might read it—you can become the target of a malicious campaign […]

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Packed house for the opening plenary at ICSW: Civil Society’s Evolution Through Crises.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.

Participants gather for the session on Building Collective Narrative Power in Contested Spaces. This is a deep dive into how narratives can be used as tools to strengthen democracy, rights, and inclusion— especially in environments where civic space is under threat.

The case of jailed Thai human rights defender and lawyer Arnon Nampa was powerfully highlighted. Arnon is currently serving a 29-year prison sentence following multiple convictions related to his peaceful activism and public calls for democratic reform in Thailand. His case was presented by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, with Akarachai, a member of Arnon’s […]

Defending democracy and civic space plenary session has started. Today’s discussions will explore the global rollback of civic freedoms, the rise of authoritarian tactics — even in established democracies — and how we can coordinate legal and advocacy responses. Catch the livestream here:

Thousands of civil society organisations (CSOs) and activists are gathering in Bangkok during the International Civil Society Week from Nov 1–5.