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CCS Webinar: Why is the Right to Protest under attack across the world? |
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Facilitators: Andries Motau & Danford Chibvongodze
Speaker: Lysa John
Date: Thursday, 19 August 2021
Time: 16:00-17:00 SA Time
Zoom Link: https://ukzn.zoom.us/j/93141495462
Topic:
Why is the Right to Protest under attack across the world?
In the many contexts that CIVICUS has researched over the years, mass protests have broken out in conditions where the three fundamental civic freedoms - of association, of assembly and of expression - have been restricted. What mass protests have in common is that they signify anger and frustration with political and economic systems that are failing to uphold rights and meet needs. People are demanding their right to a voice, and seeking accountability.
Protests generally start small, addressing specific, often local issues, but then grow to ask more profound questions of governance, democracy and human rights. To do better, we need a powerful new narrative about democracy that takes on current failings, addresses contemporary grievances and offers a positive new vision for people to get behind. In the long run, participation channels must be developed and sustained to enable momentum to continue. A protest ended is not a problem solved; it is only a solution delayed.
Speaker Bio:
Lysa John is Secretary-General of CIVICUS, which is a global alliance dedicated to protecting civil society and civic freedoms. She is passionate about governance accountability and social justice and has spent a large part of her work coordinating large-scale civil society campaigns, including ‘Wada Na Todo Abhiyan’ (Don’t Break the Promise campaign, India) and the Global Call to Action against Poverty. Her past roles include serving as Head of Outreach for the UN Secretary General’s High- Level Panel on the Post-2015 Agenda and Global Campaign Director for Save the Children International. Lysa has authored several reports, including assessments on the role and influence of emerging powers. She currently lives in South Africa and can be reached through her Twitter handle: @lysajohn.
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