Civil society organizations, such as nongovernmental organizations, charities, faith-based organizations, and advocacy groups, are essential elements of fully functioning democracies. However, they increasingly confront legal restrictions imposed by anti-democratic governments.

To enhance the space within which CSOs carry out their work, the Defending Civil Society project aims to:

• Help CSOs reform legislation that violates international principles; and
• Inform proper government-civil society relations.

It does so by:

• Understanding the global trend of restrictions on civil society;
• Developing practical strategies to improve legal environments;
• Coordinating global responses to restrictive legal measures; and
• Building the capacity of civil society organizations to respond to legal restrictions.