Underneath all those hot regional conflicts, another war is being fought — one that is conducted much more silently and stealthily. This silent war is nevertheless bound to have a big impact on the global stage. It undermines the very foundations of social progress and stronger democratic rights for hundreds of millions of people around the world.
This war is conducted by governments in as many as 50 countries, ranging from India to Egypt, Peru and Bolivia to Cambodia, and prominently including Russia and China. These governments are systematically eroding the operating space of civil society, mainly by issuing a raft of new laws and regulations that impede the work of NGOs.
Measures taken range from sheer intimidation to arrest — and also include licensing requirements, office closures, the blocking of websites as well as the freezing of accounts.