NGOs under Pressure in Partial Democracies / Non-Governmental Public Action (PDF)

Chris van der Borgh is an associate professor at the Centre for Conflict Studies, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

Carolijn Terwindt holds a doctorate from Columbia University, USA. She is currently a legal advisor at the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights in Berlin, Germany.

'This useful, timely study goes beyond the headline of 'civil society backlash' to provide a fine-grained examination of the pressures that civil society organizations are facing in partial democracies. The nuanced analysis sheds light not just on the types of pressures that civil society organizations are facing but why such pressures are arising and how affected

organizations are responding to them.' Thomas Carothers, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington, DC, USA

'This book is an indispensable tool for human rights organizations in Mexico. The authors' analysis offers us an objective perspective on the real violence confronting civil society organizations in different parts of the world and, most importantly, it offers us keys to reveal and expose this violence and respond strategically to the pressures imposed by powerful actors.' Alejandra Ancheita, Founder and Executive Director of ProDESC (The Project of Economic Cultural and Social Rights), Mexico

'This convincing and thorough analysis shows that the way civil society organizations are affected by the restrictions varies depending on their areas of work, and therefore the strategies and methods of the organizations to adapt and continue their work vary too. It will be of great interest to other organizations working in a comparable environment.' Dr Julia Duchrow, Head of the Human Rights and Peace Desk, Bread for the World, Germany