Right2Know Campaign

WORKSHOP: The Shrinking Space for Dessent

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shrinking space flyer f3Right2Know together with the AIDC & TNI will be hosting a workshop on the Shrinking Space for Dissent in Cape Town on Wednesday 15 March 2017 from 10h00 to 16h00 (programme below).

Space is limited, please indicate your interest in participating before 8th March on this google form.

This participatory workshop will draw on the TNI framing paper to explore three themes where we are concerned by the growing suppression democratic space, and explore various responses …

The Legal Space

  • Initiatives to limit the ability of CSOs to receive international funding ( ‘philanthropic protectionism’);
  • Domestic laws regulating the activities of non-profits more broadly (CSO registration, etc);
  • Policies and practices imposing restrictions on the rights to freedom of assembly and association – including the Right to Protest;
  • Legal restrictions on freedom of expression (online and off) directly through censorship (including regulation of ‘hate speech’) and indirectly through ‘mass surveillance’;
  • The criminalisation of activists;
  • The exclusion of civil society organisations from the banking system;

The Social Space

  • The co-option of a “human rights” discourse by the powerful to legitimise imperialism and war – and generally to protect privilege;
  • The, stigmatisation and de-legitimisation of so-called ‘Human Rights Defenders’ (HRDs);
  • Attacks on civil society by religious conservatives, the far right or non-state actors;
  • The co-option of CSOs into ‘consultative processes’ aimed at legitimisation and defusing dissent;
  • The rise of ‘post truth/truthiness’ public discourse & populism;
  • The rise or racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic popular movements;
  • The continued consolidation of corporate media, disinvestment in journalism and rise of ‘celebrity’ content;
  • The impact of social media fragmentation (bubbles) and the phenomenon of ‘fake news’.
  • The fear of ‘big men’ and ‘party politics’ in local organising.

Our Own Space

  • The state of internal democracy in our organisations & movements (do we celebrate or suppress internal dissent?);
  • The impact of various authoritarian traditions of the Left and liberaism;
  • The reality of undemocratic bureaucratic power;
  • Rife factionalism and sectarianism;
  • Patriarchy, racism and class power dynamics in our organisation & movements;
  • The impact of donor funding on the politics and autonomy/independence of individual organisations, as well as the impact of donor funds on the overall shape and orientation of civil society;
  • The challenges of building democratic coalitions, alliances and campaign (national and international) that are rooted in real organising on the ground;

 

  Workshop Programme

930 Registration

1000 Welcome & Introductions – Ghalib Galant, Right2Know

1030 Exploring the Shrinking Spaces

•The Legal Space: Karabo Rajuili, AmaBhungane

•The Social Space: Siviwe Mdoda, Cape Town TV

•Our Own Space: Phumeza Mlungwana, Social Justice Coalition (tbc)

1255 Lunch

1340 Connecting the Shrinking Spaces

•Laura Flanders, The Laura Flanders Show, USA

•Abraham Agulhas, Alternative Information Development Centre /United Front

•Alison Tilley, ODAC

1440 Way Forward: Democratic Space & A New Politics

•Michel Bauwens, Foundation for Peer-to-Peer Alternatives, Belgium (tbc)

•Jane Duncan, Media Policy & Democracy Project

•Martin Jansen, Workers World Media Productions (tbc)

1540 Closing Reflections – Frank Barat, Transnational Institute, UK

1600 Closure

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