06-09-2021
A group of 19 civil society organisations, including WO=MEN, are calling on the negotiators during the cabinet formation to create more space for civil society in the Netherlands. In the final report of informateur M.I. Hamer, the VVD and D66 still do not pay sufficient attention in the document to the narrowing space of civil society, they say.
The organisations, which are committed to the promotion of human rights in the Netherlands and abroad, have noted that the outgoing cabinet introduced several laws during the past term of office that may be harmful to the independent position and space of civil society organizations and critical citizens in the Netherlands. In particular, they cite six laws and bills, including the 'bill on the processing of personal data in the context of coordination and analysis against terrorism and national security', the 'bill criminalizing residence in an area controlled by terrorist organizations' and the 'bill on Transparency of Civil Society Organisations'.
"Globally, there has been a worrying trend for years in limiting the space for civil society, sometimes with fatal consequences for activists and journalists and leading to the dissolution of organizations and independent media. Human rights, democracies and the rule of law will come under further pressure as a result, with all the disruptive consequences that this entails," according to the authors of the letter. "At a time when critical citizens, individual (female) activists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations worldwide are increasingly suppressed, it is of great importance that the Dutch government can act credibly against this development.”
The organizations also note that citizens and social and grassroots organizations are still insufficiently involved in the formulation of policy and legislation. For example, in the case of the Transparency Social Organizations Bill, outside the internet consultation, there was no consultation with human rights organizations or they were given the opportunity to participate informally.
