Resource Library
Nonviolent Civic Action in Support of Human Rights and Democracy |
 Véronique Dudouet and Howard ClarkDirectorate-General for External Policies, European Parliament 2009 53 pages DOWNLOAD THIS DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Nonviolent action is increasingly used by diverse groups around the world to demand human rights, advocate for justice, establish democracy and insist on transparency and accountability in governance. It can serve as an alternative to violent struggle for people facing oppression, undercut the power of extremist and militant armed groups, and contribute to regional security and stability. This study argues that international support for nonviolent movements can be vital, but needs to be based on an understanding of the movement itself, its strategy, circumstances and needs. It must be an extension of, not a replacement for, local strategically-planned nonviolent resistance, and should be informed by close consultation with grass-roots nonviolent movements about what is welcome and appropriate. The authors propose that more should be done to make EU programmes less state-centred and to encourage ‘democratisation-from-below’, by supporting the independent organisational capacity of civil society. -- taken from the European Parliament website TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. THEORY AND PRACTICE IN NONVIOLENT CIVIC ACTION Strategic nonviolent action Development of nonviolent strategy A movement emerges A movement matures When a movement gets blocked Nonviolent struggle and conflict transformation The role of international action in nonviolent struggle Third party action from civil society Protective accompaniment The “boomerang effect” Pitfalls of assistance The issue of legitimacy 2. ASSESSING EXISTING INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES FOR EU SUPPORTIVE ACTION Direct support to nonviolent campaigns for human rights and democracy Diplomatic and physical assistance to nonviolent activists Financial and technical assistance: enhancing civil society capacity building EU assistance to cross-border nonviolent intervention Financial assistance to civil society cross-border accompaniment Civil society contribution to EU external policy on human right and democracy Carrot and sticks’ instruments towards governments of third countries Political interventions to express human rights concerns Positive and negative conditionality and sanctions Actions of the European Parliament Monitoring and influencing the environment in which nonviolent action operates Electoral assistance and monitoring Influencing the national legal and policy framework 3. AVENUES FOR IMPROVED EU PRACTICE IN SUPPORT OF NONVIOLENT CIVIC ACTION Supporting civil society empowerment and mobilisation capacity Supporting cross-border nonviolent intervention Enhancing coherence in EU promotion of human rights and democracy 4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Principles of intervention Capacity-building for nonviolent movements Protection mechanisms for threatened political and human rights activists Transparency and exchange of information Cross-border nonviolent intervention Mainstreaming human rights and democracy promotion in external policy |
| Powered by Sigsiu.NET |  |