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{
  "authors": [
    "Saskia Brechenmacher"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [
    "Democracy and Governance"
  ],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "democracy",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "DCG",
  "programs": [
    "Democracy, Conflict, and Governance"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "North Africa",
    "Egypt",
    "Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa",
    "Russia"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Democracy",
    "Civil Society"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

On Civil Society Under Attack

Governments are increasingly taking steps to shrink civil space and restrict the operations of civil society organizations. Both local operators and international actors must consider a response.

Link Copied
By Saskia Brechenmacher
Published on Aug 30, 2017
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Democracy, Conflict, and Governance

The Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program is a leading source of independent policy research, writing, and outreach on global democracy, conflict, and governance. It analyzes and seeks to improve international efforts to reduce democratic backsliding, mitigate conflict and violence, overcome political polarization, promote gender equality, and advance pro-democratic uses of new technologies.

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Source: ESAT Ethiopia

Speaking on ESAT Ethiopia, Carnegie’s Saskia Brechenmacher discussed the government-led attacks on the civil society sector in Russia, Egypt, and Ethiopia. She outlined how leaders like Vladimir Putin have used both legal and extralegal methods to restrict civil liberties with the aim of curbing domestic dissent. Within Ethiopia, she added, the government has ignored constitutionally-enshrined rights to free speech while violently targeting protestors.

Thie interview was originally broadcast by ESAT Ethiopia.

About the Author

Saskia Brechenmacher

Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program

Saskia Brechenmacher is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, where her research focuses on democratic erosion, gender, and civic activism in the United States and globally. She also serves on the board of the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law.

    Recent Work

  • Commentary
    Protests Like No Kings Can Only Go So Far to Stem Authoritarianism

      Saskia Brechenmacher, Shreya Joshi

  • Article
    Africa’s Democratic Kaleidoscope: Trends to Watch in 2026

      Saskia Brechenmacher, Frances Z. Brown

Saskia Brechenmacher
Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Saskia Brechenmacher
DemocracyCivil SocietyNorth AfricaEgyptSouthern, Eastern, and Western AfricaRussia

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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