Month: December 2023

The latest CIVICUS Monitor report, titled “People Power Under Attack 2023,” throws light on the growing threat to civic freedoms around the world. The Monitor has been in operation since 2017, tracking the state of freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression in 198 countries and territories.

Each year, CIVICUS tracks the state of civic space conditions, based on data collected through local civil society organizations, regional research groups, and international human rights indices, as well as CIVICUS think tanks.

In 2023, some of the most relevant data were:

Widespread Attacks: civic freedoms are under attack in 118 of 198 countries and territories, signaling a growing limitation on the exercise of fundamental human rights.

Reduced Civic Space: Nearly one-third of the world’s population has minimal civic space, particularly impacting groups that promote democracy, better governance and environmental protection.

Threats to Freedom of Expression: Freedom of expression is the most severely impacted, affecting more than half of the recorded violations from both state and non-state sources.

In the context of the Americas, the report highlights a significant increase in state control over civic space, with abuses of punitive power affecting human rights defenders and journalists, undermining the foundations of modern democracies.

Recommendations:

CIVICUS Monitor has provided a list of recommendations that seek to create a healthy, respectable and enabling environment in which civil society activists and journalists can work freely, without fear of violence, in line with international human rights commitments, addressed to governments, the United Nations, international organizations, the private sector and donors.

We hope that this report will serve as a global wake-up call and contribute to building a more democratic 2024 around the world.

The last member visit we made this year was with the team of Mocha Celis, an organization that through actions and programs seeks to comprehensively guarantee all the rights of trans, transvestite and non-binary people, promoting a dignified and fulfilling life.

Lautaro González, Mocha Celis’ Institutional Relations Assistant, showed us each room of a building that is synonymous with support and containment for the community and introduced us to the fundamental programs that define the spirit of the organization: the Bachillerato Popular Travesti-Trans, a proposal that promotes the integration of TTNB people in formal education, and #TEJESOLIDARIO, an initiative of material support and comprehensive accompaniment in the completion of procedures and subsidies that seeks to prevent evictions and facilitate access to health.

But the work of Mocha Celis does not end there; the organization is also committed to the insertion of the community into the labor market, conducting workshops and/or training sessions to help the TTNB population access their first job, as well as acting as a liaison between companies and beneficiaries during the selection process. 

During our tour, Francisco Quiñones Cuartas, president of Mocha Celis, also showed us other spaces that are important to the organization’s comprehensive approach: from the clinic, where health professionals provide care, to the Lohana Berkins Library, where beneficiaries have access to a wide range of literature and resources on sexual diversity, to the production room, where textile workshops are held.

At the end of our meeting we exchanged views on the current situation and future projects. 

Thank you for having us! Don’t forget to visit their social networks.

RACI had an outstanding participation in the International Civic Forum 2023, organized by the International Civil Society Centre held in Brussels, Belgium, on November 29-30. The main objective of this event was to explore sectoral areas of action and identify possible ways at both the individual and organizational level to strengthen the anticipatory capacity of civil society organizations.

The fundamental purpose was to improve the process, thus inspiring new ways of thinking and acting within Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). In addition, the groundwork was laid for the implementation phase of the ‘Anticipating the Future of Civil Society’ initiative, an operational space dedicated to developing a solid methodology that can be replicated and widely adopted, thus strengthening the civil society sector.

The event yielded extremely positive results, providing knowledge that will be applied in RACI’s Strategic Planning 2025-2030. In addition, bilateral meetings were held with representatives of European Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and staff members of European Union (EU) agencies.

On November 30, we had the privilege of holding the third meeting of the “Cycle of Multi-stakeholder Dialogues” organized by the Regional Center for Innovation for Change in Latin America and the Caribbean. In this instance, we explored the intricate relationship between democracy, human rights and environmental preservation.

We had the outstanding participation of Tamara Taraciuk Broner, Director of the Peter D. Bell Rule of Law Program at the Inter-American Dialogue, and Daniel Barragán, member of the International Center for Research on Environment and Territory (CIIAT) of the University of the Hemispheres.

Taraciuk Broner shared her reflections on democracy and human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the complexities that cut across diverse territories. She emphasized the crucial importance of an independent judiciary and freedom of the press as vital tools to safeguard democratic integrity in the region. Her presentation concluded with an invitation for citizens to take innovative action, thinking beyond conventional boundaries and working to achieve democratic consensus.

Daniel Barragan provided essential perspectives by reframing the relationship between environmental rights and nature in the context of resources as driving forces for development in the countries of the region. He emphasized: “The connection between human rights and nature is direct, both intrinsic and bidirectional. Ensuring a healthy environment and recognizing the rights of nature is essential to preserving human life and fundamental rights”.

This space proved to be propitious to continue weaving alliances and sharing experiences that promote concrete actions towards a more just and sustainable future. We appreciate the active participation of our distinguished speakers and look forward to continuing to build bridges of dialogue in future meetings.

Let us move forward together towards a horizon of democracy and well-being for all in our region!

In November, the conversation on the 2030 Agenda took place, evaluating the actions implemented and the challenges in the continuous search for actions to promote human rights in Argentina. During this event, the presentation of the RACI/UN SDG Platform was highlighted and the challenges and successes in the implementation of the SDGs by NGOs such as Cultura de Trabajo, Pata Pila and Fundeps were discussed.

The event included the participation of the UN, represented by Tamara Hahnt, Director of the UN Office in Argentina, who addressed the update of the new SDG agenda in the country. In addition, Pablo Basz, Strategic Partnerships and Development Finance Officer, shared the importance of Argentina’s commitment and highlighted the relevance of actions at the local level.

During the discussion, the three dimensions of sustainable development in Argentina were explored: economy, development and environment. This has been part of the 2030 Agenda since January 2016, with the aim of eradicating poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring peace and prosperity for citizens.

Outstanding Achievements in Argentina: Ownership, Adaptation, Federalization, Territorialization

Pablo Basz emphasized the importance of Argentina’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the need for follow-up and review of the implementation of the goals. Territorial importance was highlighted, as development policies generated more direct impacts and mechanisms as a basis for citizen participation to be implemented.

SDG-RACI Platform: Democratizing Information

Through RACI, the SDG-RACI Platform was created in August 2017. It aims to democratize information on the work of Civil Society Organizations in Argentina. To date, 421 projects have been developed.

Significant NGO Actions in Relation to the SDGs

The foundations Cultura de Trabajo, Pata Pila and Fundeps presented their actions focused on the SDGs:

Cultura de Trabajo highlighted its work equalizing opportunities in access to employment, and discussed its efforts with the SDGs: End Poverty, Gender Equality and Reducing Inequalities.

Pata Pila, a foundation that works to address the problems affecting families living in extreme poverty in Argentina, explained how to address these structural problems from three axes: following the SDG guidelines in: nutrition and human promotion, social economy and entrepreneurship, infrastructure works and access to water.

Fundeps, an organization that aims to promote public policies on human rights, based on the SDGs: Health and Well-Being, Gender Equality, Clean Water and Sanitation, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Underwater Life, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and Partnerships for Achieving Goals.

This event reaffirmed the commitment of Raci and the country’s NGOs to the 2030 Agenda and highlighted the remarkable progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs in Argentina.

 We thank all participants for contributing to this meaningful dialogue!

José Luis Barrios, a volunteer in RACI’s membership area, shared his experience regarding this year’s final directors’ meeting. 

“In this encounter I was able to get to know on a personal level many of RACI’s team members, and the main representatives of the Civil Society Organizations that are also members of the network. As a student of International Relations I understand that cooperation is a fundamental factor in an increasingly interconnected world; and in this sense, I was able to observe first hand the importance of these assemblies, where RACI showed with total transparency the objectives, research, and concerns of all those present, showing clearly that they have distinct goals to achieve its objectives,” said José.

In this meeting participants discussed, among other topics, the mid-term evaluation of the network’s five-year strategic plan, a review of the activities carried out from July to October 2023, as well as the presentation of RACI’s Past Presidents’ Committee and a joint reflection on the country’s situation and the electoral context.

“At all times we wanted those in attendance to share their feedback on what was presented and to hear all ideas about future objectives and what has been done throughout the year in order to improve even further. Among the actions that RACI has carried out over the year, I would like to highlight one that demonstrates the commitment to the members of the network: the visits to CSOs. I found this very interesting as it allows RACI to see the state of the network members in order to help strengthen them, as well as to listen to their recommendations. Finally, I can only say thank you for this great experience which allowed me to be part of RACI, it was very nice to see how RACI cares about its members and maintains a dialogue with everyone to improve day by day”. concluded José.