Civic space is created by a set of universally-accepted rules, which allow people to organise, participate and communicate with each other freely and without hindrance, and in doing so, influence the political and social structures around them.
[1][2] It is a concept central to any open and democratic society and means that states have a duty to protect people while respecting and facilitating[3] the fundamental rights to associate, assemble peacefully and express views and opinions.
Global civil society alliance CIVICUS began using the term regularly after the inception of the Civic Space Initiative in 2011, defining it as "the place, physical, virtual, and legal, where people exercise their rights to freedom of association, expression, and peaceful assembly.
[Note 2] Most modern-day definitions of civil society however view it more in terms of "the arena, outside of the family, the state and the market where people associate to advance common interests.
[7] Therefore, a progressive constitution supported by a sound legislative framework that is upheld by a responsive and independent law enforcement machinery is key to enabling and preserving civic space.
Notably, Goal 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals framework agreed to by all UN member states promises to 'promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.’[8] As a starting point, while there have been a number of international initiatives launched over recent years to defend civic space, civil society actors were lacking a strong common definition of the terms and shape of the civic space to be defended.
To fill this gap, an informal meeting of CSOs, which took place in Bangkok in November 2015, asked the International Civil Society Centre to facilitate the development of a Civic Charter.
The two-page document, which people and organisations can sign on to and use as a basis for joint action, articulates a common set of civic and political rights.
[14][15] The right to freely assemble "assures civil society the freedom to exercise legitimate dissent through peaceful forms of protest as well as organise meetings and hold demonstrations to forward matters of common interest.
Violations of civic space take many forms and can be perpetrated by the state - either directly through officials, police officers or security personnel, or at arm's length through agents or third parties - or non-state actors including criminal gangs, terrorist organisations, private corporations, political parties, religious organisations and civil society groups themselves.
Moreover, these restrictive laws place broad oversight powers in the hands of government institutions with which civil society organisations must register and to whom they must account or report regularly.
[19] States can restrict freedom of association by targeting members of the organisations, human rights defenders and activists using intimidation tactics, harassment, travel bans, detention, among others.