News
Civil society and parliamentary elections in Hungary 2022
Almost two months after the decisive general elections at the beginning of April, it is time to take stock of what happened, to look at the European context and discuss next steps. This conference will be the closing event of a 2-year long project managed byÖkotárs in partnership with Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, Civil College and Power of Humanity Foundation aimed at building the...
The need for a comprehensive European civil society strategy
According to the Blue Book[1] describing the priority sectors and programme areas of the 2014-22 period “Support from the EEA and Norway Grants to civil society reflects a firm recognition of the sector’s role as a fundamental building block of democratic governance, human rights and social cohesion across Europe. (…) Civil society organisations (CSOs) mobilise participation in civic...
EU Social Economy Action Plan opens a new chapter for philanthropy
The European Commission released its Social Economy Action Plan on 9 December, which recognises the important role of foundations and other social economy actors in offering concrete and innovative solutions to key challenges we are facing and their key role to rebuild after the crises. For Philanthropy Europe Association (Philea), a convergence of Dafne and EFC, this marks a moment of...
UPR statement on civil society and human rights in Hungary by Ökotárs
STATEMENT UPR Pre-session on
HUNGARY
Geneva, 6-7 October 2021
Delivered by: Ökotárs – Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation
1. Presentation of the Organisation
Civil society and elections: experience from around Europe and Hungary
4 November 2021, online
Most countries of Central Europe are in a political turmoil in one way or another. In some one government crisis follows another, in others potentially decisive elections are coming up soon. Naturally, these developments have an impact on civil society, as citizen groups, organisations and movements realise they need to participate and have their say in...
Workshop for active citizens
Ökotárs and With the Power of Humanity Foundations held the first cross-sectoral workshop in the framework of their joint project with Civil College and the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union on June 11 in Pécs with the title ’Civils, media and elections’. The event, the first one organized in live, in-person format after a long time, was attended by journalists of local, national and Central...
Retraction of the LexNGO: important step, but more is needed
Ten months after the ruling of the European Court of Justice, the Hungarian government finally moves to repeal the LexNGO. This is an important development for affected civil society organisations (CSOs) as it ends 4 years of unnecessary and damaging stigmatisation.
The European Civic Forum responded to the European Commission Rule of Law consultation
The European Civic Forum responded to the European Commission Rule of Law consultation (see attachment). They covered 12 EU countries and proposed a methodology to structure civic space issues inside the RoL report. Feel free to share it and...
The Green Belt Program supported several settlements this year too
Our popular Green Belt program, although on a smaller scale for a few years now, has been running unbroken for more than a decade, currently with the support of the American company Greenprint.
