INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR CIVIL SOCIETY LAW
 USING LAW TO EMPOWER CITIZENS






For more information on announcements, click on Announcements.

The July/October 2011 issue of the IJCSL Journal is now available online.

The February 2012 issue of the IJCSL-N Newsletter is now available online.



 

PROMOTING AN ENABLING LEGAL ENVIRONMENT FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD

Formed in 2003 by legal professionals and social entrepreneurs Leon Irish and Karla Simon, ICCSL is a unique international organization. It seeks to protect human freedoms by improving the laws that affect the freedoms of belief, expression, association, assembly, information, and participation. It operates both on its own and through its affiliates (the African Centre for Civil Society Law and the Asian-Pacific Centre for Civil Society Law) with various partners, such as universities, associations of civil society organizations, individuals, governments, and individual CSOs and foundations. Because its principals have been active in the field since its inception, ICCSL is an unparalleled legal resource for global civil society.

ICCSL pursues its mission through four separate but inter-related programs: The International Journal of Civil Society Law; research and publications; technical assistance; and education and professional development.

ICCSL's publications are free online or through email subscription. Donations to help defray costs of production are gratefully accepted. ICCSL is a 501 (c) (3) public charity, and donations are tax deductible within the limits of U.S. law. For information on how to make donations, please consult our contact information.

 
Highlights:
 
January 2012

Karla Simon updates her blog on philanthropy and civil society in China

The January post is available on the Latest from Alliance website at http://philanthropynews.alliancemagazine.org/a-look-back-at-developments-affecting-civil-society-in-china-in-2011-and-a-sneak-peek-at-20122013/.
Previous posts to the blog can be found at http://www.iccsl.org/blog/
 
 
December 2011

Outsourcing Government Financed Social Services to Civil Society Organizations Conference

Dr. Leon Irish and Prof. Karla Simon attended a major international conference on Outsourcing Government Financed Social Services to Civil Society Organizations on December 10-11. The conference was held in Shanghai and was sponsored by the More Love Foundation, Shanghai Jiaoting University, and Tsinghua University. Prof. Simon was a featured speaker.

Additional photos are available in our photo gallery.
 
 
November 2011

China - Guangdong Province Introduces Major Reforms in CSO Registration Process

In a move widely covered in the press and on civil affairs websites throughout China, Guangdong Province's Bureau of Civil Affairs (BCA) has announced a major reform that will make it easier for eight classes of CSOs to register; they will go into effect on July 1, 2012 according to a story in the Legal Daily at http://opinion.people.com.cn/GB/16387115.html. Leap-frogging the provincial development, Guangzhou City BCA has announced that it will put new regulations of a similar type into effect on January 1, 2012. The document is available at http://www.gzmz.gov.cn/zwgl/flwj/gfxwj/201111/11285.html. According to the Guangdong Province NPO website, the national officials are encouraging these pilot projects to go forward and to inform that national effort for reforming the registration process. See http://www.gdmjzz.gov.cn/. (All links in Mandarin) More information on these developments will be found in Karla Simon's next blog on Latest from Alliance.
 
 
 

Listserv for people interested in civil society in China - Instructions for joining

Professor Karla Simon is managing a listserv for people interested in civil society in China, hosted by CUA Law School. It has over 500 subscribers, including legal academics, academics in other disciplines, practitioners, and journalists. They live in many parts of the world, including China. Conversations so far have been quite robust and have helped to contribute to the scholarship and knowledge of list members. The subscription information is as follows:

 
 
 
What our partners are saying:
 

Former World Bank NGO staffer and ICNL board member:

I really think you should feel pride for the important journey that you started by creating [ICNL]. The creation of the UN Special Rapporteur position is a testament to the fact that this is an issue whose time has now come, and you had the vision to see this before anyone else.

From a former private foundation executive who uses the Newsletter to catch up on developments:

The IJCSL Newsletter is a unique and wonderful resource for those of us who are interested in civil society.

From an American civil society activist:

I have been thinking about how amazingly helpful, excellent, and prolific ICCSL’s work is, and I am so grateful personally for all you have done over the years and for your persistence in changing how the world thinks about NGO regulation.

From a Civil Society Activist in Uganda:

It wasn't until I came on this AKF Study Tour with members of the Government that I even knew there was anyone there with a true interest in civil society.

From an NGO activist in Mongolia:

Thanks for care about the tax law; your comments were very helpful for us.

From a Japanese civil society researcher and activist:

Thanks again for helping to reform Japanese legal system for not-for-profit organizations. I am sure you and Lee played very important roles. In the quite near future, I would like to trace your roles for the Japanese reform.

From a Chinese law professor and researcher:

Your paper is really insightful. Actually you raised your proposals and proved them from an insider’s point of view, which is different from most western scholars. You are trying to be helpful during China’s policy-making, rather just help western people to understand China.

From a South African civil society activist:

Thanks to ICCSL for a really strong and in-depth report. Our Board will be impressed by the solid work you have done.

From USAID:

"The most successful" academic legal education in civil society law in Central and Eastern Europe is the "NPO law course" taught at Central European University by Profs Leon Irish and Karla Simon. USAID evaluation, 11 April 2006.


Washington, DC +1.202.319.5451 +1.202.319.4459 (fax)
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For more information on news items, click on ICCSL News.

January 2012

Cambodia

Cambodia Draft Law on NGOs Being Reconsidered

According to Voice of America, the Cambodian government on December 28, 2011 appeared to bow to pressure and took a step back on the law, with Prime Minister Hun Sen saying in a public speech he wanted the Ministry of Interior and local NGOs to continue discussions that would make the law "acceptable" to all. http://www.voanews.com/khmer-english/news/Hun-Sen-Calls-for-More-Talks-on-NGO-Law-136319558.html

China

112 Charities to Join Online Disclosure Platform

To restore public trust in charities, 112 Chinese organizations are on track to participate in a government-sponsored information disclosure platform, according to Caixin Online. In the wake of immense public backlash against China’s charities over millions in misused funds, these organizations have pledged to promote information transparency through a new government disclosure platform.

China

Ministries of Civil Affairs and Finance Issue New Audit Guidelines for Foundations Effective January 2012

The new Audit Guidelines, available in Chinese at http://www.mca.gov.cn/article/zwgk/fvfg/mjzzgl/201112/20111200248698.shtml, for the first time require that financials of foundations be reviewed by certified public accountants. This guidance comes in response to a series of scandals in "public foundations" (those with close ties to the government such as the Chinese Red Cross Society and the China Charity Federation) that occurred over the course of the summer and fall 2011.

Egypt

Crackdown on Foreign Funded CSOs Continues into January

According to the New York Times, Egypt’s military-led government on January 1, 2012 justified its recent crackdown on human rights and democracy-building organizations as a defense against foreign interference in its politics, defying international pressure and contradicting reports from senior officials in Washington that Egypt's military rulers had pledged to soften their stance.

France

Human Rights Committee Votes to Overturn Requirement Regarding Removal of Turbans

Sikhs in France have won a major victory in their attempt to overturn French legal requirements that they remove their turbans for the taking of driver's license photos and for other reasons. In its judgment, reached in July 2011 but only revealed in January 2012, the UN Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) said: "Even if the obligation to remove the turban for the identity photograph might be described as a one-time requirement, it would potentially interfere with the author's (Ranjit Singh's) freedom of religion on a continuing basis."

December 2011

Cambodia

4th Draft of NGO Law Released and Discussed

The highly-anticipated fourth draft of the controversial Draft Law on NGOs and Associations circulated at a meeting of the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia yesterday "is still unacceptable to civil society," attendees told the Phnom Penh Post. Fundamental problems remain with the fourth generation of the NGO Law, "which continues to be a restrictive piece of legislation," civil society organizations said in a media release on December 15, 2011.

A copy of the 4th Draft of NGO Law can be viewed in the Document Center.

China

Ministry Issues Guidelines on Charity Donations

The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) issued a new guideline on December 16, 2011 to offer suggestions to charity groups on how to disclose donation information in the wake of doubts about the transparency of their operations. The government hopes the guideline will improve charity organizations' information publicity and protect the public's right to know and supervise such organizations, said a ministry statement.

Israel

Second Draft of Anti-Foreign Funding Bill Tabled after AG Pronounces It "Unconstitutional"

Skirmishing over the second draft of bills introduced in both houses of the Knesset to limit foreign funding to Israeli NGOs continues, with Prime Minister Netanyahu once again reversing course on the bills and tabling them. After negotiating with the drafters of the bills to find a solution, Netanyahu decided to freeze discussions of the bills.

Request for Information

Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and Association

Maina Kiai, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and association, requests responses to a questionnaire that will help him prepare a thematic report to the Human Rights Council. The report will elaborate a framework on best practices to promote and protect the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.