Behind Global Crackdown on NGOs, Recognition of Their Power

Lawmakers in China, India, Malaysia, Russia and many other countries are cracking down on non-governmental organizations and activists that press for reforms. CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations, describes “serious threats to civic freedoms” in 96 countries, as reported by Peter Ford for the Christian Science Monitor. Methods used against NGOs that push for government accountability include closure and legal restrictions, reduced funding, arrests, censorship and intimidation. Ford offers examples including India revoking a license for Greenpeace after the group criticized government mining and nuclear policies, Russia banning foreign funding for NGOs and Ethiopia banning groups that promote women’s rights. Shutting down criticism does not make the problems go away, and governments that restrain NGOs risk undermining their own credibility while triggering protests and instability. – YaleGlobal