Fighting Anti-Rights Movements
Anti-Rights Movements are attacks on democracy, shrinking civil society space and a backlash against universal human rights that undermine the freedom, safety and action of those defending human rights.
These movements typically campaign against the rights of excluded groups – women, children and young people, LGBTQI+ people, religious minorities, ethnic and racial minorities, migrants and refugees. Consequently, civil society that defends the rights of those groups comes under attack as well.
Eurochild has been highlighting concerns regarding these issues since 2022, engaging with its members to gather evidence of the attacks. Additionally, the organisation has been in contact with EU institutions, as well as peer networks and organisations across Europe, to strengthen its advocacy efforts.
Updates
- How can the Council of Europe become a more strategic and political organisation to protect its core values?
- Eurochild took part in the Child Rights Connect Global Conference on countering anti-child rights rhetoric
- Europe urgently needs an EU mechanism to protect human rights
- Eurochild took part in the Child Rights Connect Global Conference on countering anti-child rights rhetoric
- When children’s rights are under attack, civil society must be free and funded to fight back
- Funding Crisis: A Child Rights Crisis
- Helping our members to defend children’s rights in Europe
Attacks across Europe
- BG: Eurochild stands against the recent legislative changes in Bulgaria which are a threat to children's rights
- IT: Italian police uses force against children during protest in Pisa
- IT: New Italian security decree threatens human rights and puts civil liberties at risk
- BE: Concerns Raised Over Anti-Trans Event in European Parliament
- HU: Hungarian NGOs Warn Against 15th Amendment's Threat to Fundamental Rights
- HU: New bill to silence remaining independent voices in Hungary
- RS: The rights of children under threat in Serbia
- RS: Serbian reports expose child rights breaches in protests and the media
- AL: Disinformation campaigns and attacks on civil society endanger Albania's draft Law on Gender Equality
Reports
Statements
- Ensuring a vibrant civic space in the European Union
- Statement on urgency to counter anti-child rights movements in Europe
- Standing Together for Philanthropic Freedoms
External resources
- Commissioner for Human Rights: Alarming trends
- Mapping Funding for Intersectional Organizing in the CEECCNA Regions
- Restricting the right to protest: a bad omen for democracy - Civitates
- Fresh demands on NGOs spark concern over repression in Georgia
Eurochild Podcast
- EU Elections: Rising Conservatism and Child Rights Concerns
- Anti-Rights Movements
- Shrinking Funds for Nonprofits
Get in touch
If you would like info or to share the situation in your country, please email Davide Rambaldi, Eurochild Communications Coordinator.