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Issued by Transparency International Secretariat
More than 220 civil society organisations from around the world have voiced their concerns over the G20 civil society engagement process hosted by and in Saudi Arabia in 2020. The organisations have pledged not to participate in this year’s process, known as the Civil 20 or ‘C20’, the dedicated stream of meetings for civil society within the G20.
The organisations endorsed a statement, originally published in January 2020, that reads in part:
“Instead of real reform, the Saudi government has been trying to whitewash its dire human rights record by holding major international events in the country. This includes the G20 and – through a government-authorized NGO – the C20. As leading civil society organisations present in most countries around the world (but notably not Saudi Arabia), we cannot participate in a process that seeks to give international legitimacy to a state that provides virtually no space for civil society, and where independent civil society voices are not tolerated.”
Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair of Transparency International, said: “Civil society offers the G20 independent, expert policy recommendations to promote sustainable development and improve the lives of billions of people. The G20 must be serious about ensuring an effective civil society engagement where all independent voices have equal standing. We continue to work with our partners to find ways of bringing this expertise to the G20, but will not participate in a process that seeks to launder Saudi Arabia’s appalling record on human rights and independent civil society.”
Netsanet Belay, Amnesty International’s Director of Research and Advocacy, said: “It’s high time for the Saudi Arabian authorities to take meaningful steps to end arbitrary arrests, torture, and unfair trials, and to end its widespread resort to the death penalty. We hope that the dozens of human rights defenders and women’s rights activists behind bars – such as Waleed Abu al-Khair, Loujain al-Hathloul, Raif Badawi, Samar Badawi and Naseema al-Sada – gain strength from this act of solidarity by so many organizations worldwide who are not prepared to allow Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record to be whitewashed. Even better would be their immediate and unconditional release so that they can engage meaningfully with their government on developing human rights compliant laws and policies at home and abroad – including in relation to the G20”.
Lysa John, Secretary General, CIVICUS, stated “The Saudi authorities have made it virtually impossible for human rights defenders and civil society organisations to operate. Saudi Arabia does not tolerate freedom of speech and scores of human rights defenders and activists are in jail or exile. We refuse to engage in the Saudi-led C20 because we believe that activists and independent civil society organisations will not be able to freely participate in this process.”
List of organizations endorsing the statement as of 24 March 2020:
| A Common Future | Cameroon |
| Association Catholique pour la Protection de l’Environnement au Burundi (ACAPE BURUNDI) | Burundi |
| Access Center for Human Rights (ACHR) | Lebanon |
| Action for Pastoralists Integrated Resilience | Kenya |
| Adilisha Child, Youth Development and Family Preservation | Tanzania |
| Advance Center for Peace and Credibility International | Nigeria |
| Association for Farmers Rights Defense (AFRD) | Georgia |
| Africa Rise Foundation | Zimbabwe |
| African Youth Peer Review Committee (AYPRC) | Liberia |
| African Youth Union Commission | Nigeria |
| Association Aide aux Familles et Victimes des Migrations Clandestines (AFVMC) | Cameroon |
| Association pour l’Integration et le Developpement Durable au Burundi (AIDB Burundi) | Burundi |
| Alcondoms Cameroun | Cameroon |
| Alliance des Défenseurs des Droits Humains et de l’Environnement au Tchad | Chad |
| ALQST | UK |
| AL-Shafaa Organisation | Iraq |
| Amagugu International Heritage Center | Zimbabwe |
| Angels in the Field | India |
| Anqad Association for Development and Social Welfare | Morocco |
| Ark Wellness Hub Uganda | Uganda |
| Action pour le Respect et la Protection de l’Environnement (ARPE) | Cameroon |
| Asociacion Alfalit Guatemala | Guatemala |
| Aspafrique-Jics | Switzerland |
| Association Sauvons la vie, de l’eau potable pour tous (ASSAUVET) | Cameroon |
| Association de Lutte contre le Chomage et la Torture (ALUCHOTO) | Burundi |
| Association des Amis de la Nature | Burundi |
| Association For Promotion Sustainable Development | India |
| Association les Amis du Verbe | Morocco |
| Association of the Prodigy Youth for the Sustainable Development | Central African Republic |
| Association of Working Children and Youths | Benin |
| Aware Girls | Pakistan |
| Bina Foundation | Nigeria |
| Bonabo United | Cameroon |
| BRIDGE Foundation | Bangladesh |
| Brother’s Keeper | Nigeria |
| Bunjakko Modern Farm Limited | Uganda |
| Bureau d’Informations, Formations, Échanges et Recherches pour le Développement (BIFERD) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies | Egypt |
| Calvin Ong’era | Kenya |
| Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture | Canada |
| Canadian Council for International Co-operation | Canada |
| Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network | Canada |
| Center for Constitutional Governance | USA |
| Center for Development of Civil Society | Armenia |
| Centre for Law and Democracy | Canada |
| Centre de Recherche sur l’Anticorruption | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Centre for Legal Support | Gambia |
| Centre for Media and Development Communication (CEMEDEC) | Nigeria |
| Centre for Social Policy Develoment | Pakistan |
| Community Initiative for Social Empowerment (CISE) | Malawi |
| Children on the Edge | UK |
| Chinese and Southeast Asian Legal Clinic | Canada |
| Civil Society in Development (CISU) | Denmark |
| Civil Society Reference Group (CSRG) | Kenya |
| Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution | Nigeria |
| Coalition of Youth Organizations (SEGA) | Macedonia |
| Collectif de Développement et Respect de la Dignité Humaine (CODDHU) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| CODENET | Cameroon |
| Committee for Free and Fair Elections in Cambodia (COMFREL) | Cambodia |
| Commonwealth Society of Nigeria | Nigeria |
| Community Health Education Sports Initiative Zambia | Zambia |
| Community Youth Initiatives Liberia Inc | Liberia |
| Consultando Soluciones REcosrec | Venezuela |
| Coalition d’organisations volontaires et solidaires pour des actions de développement communautaire (COSAD) | Benin |
| Corruption Watch | South Africa |
| Curtis Business | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Democracy Without Borders | Germany |
| Denis Miki Foundation | Cameroon |
| Dhankuta Municipality | Nepal |
| Diálogo de Mujeres por la Democracia | Nicaragua |
| Dominion Empowerment Solutions | Kenya |
| Dytech – OutGrow It | Zambia |
| Edutech for Africa | Nigeria |
| EnlacesXSustentabilidad | El Salvador |
| Enoch Adeyemi Foundation | Nigeria |
| Equality Now | USA |
| Fédération Internationale des Entrepreneurs et ou Etudiants Africains d’Affaires (FIEAA) | Guinea |
| Front Commun pour la Protection de l’Environnement et des Espaces Protégés (FCPEEP) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Fellowship for Community Enlightenment (FCE) | Uganda |
| Federación Nacional de Personerías de Colombia (FENALPER) | Colombia |
| FINESTE | Haiti |
| Focus Youth Forum (FYF) | Uganda |
| Freedom Now | USA |
| Fund Our Future | South Africa |
| Fundación Integral para el Desarrollo Regional (FINDER) | El Salvador |
| Fundación Selva Sagrada | Ecuador |
| Fundación para el Desarrollo de Políticas Sustentables (FUNDEPS) | Argentina |
| Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Libertad Ciudadana | Panama |
| Futur Radieux | Togo |
| Gatef Organization | Egypt |
| Geospatial Organization | Tanzania |
| Germany Zimbabwe Forum | Germany |
| Ghana Association of Private Voluntary Organisations in Development | Ghana |
| Give Hope Uganda | Uganda |
| Global Network for Sustainable Development | Nigeria |
| Global Witness | UK |
| Global Shapers Castries Hub | Saint Lucia |
| Globalpeace Chain | Kenya |
| Gram Bharati Samiti | India |
| Gulf Centre for Human Rights | Middle East |
| Gutu United Residents and Ratepayers Association (GURRA) | Zimbabwe |
| HAKI Africa | Kenya |
| Hands of External Love Program | Liberia |
| Hannibal Entertainment Visual Studio Production | Nigeria |
| Hitesh BHATT | India |
| HOPE Worldwide-Pakistan | New Zealand |
| Human Rights First | International |
| Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa | Canada |
| Human Rights Watch | USA |
| Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo (ICD) | Uruguay |
| India Media Centre | India |
| Individual | Pakistan |
| Initiative de Gestion Civile des Crises (IGC) | Burundi |
| Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution | Nigeria |
| Instituto para el Futuro Común Amerindio (IFCA) | Honduras |
| International Center for Accelerated Development | Nigeria |
| International Development Opportunity Initiative | Ghana |
| International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria | Nigeria |
| International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) | Switzerland |
| International Student Environmental Coalition | Cameroon |
| Interregional Public Charitable Organization of Assistance to Persons with Disabilities Sail of Hope | Russia |
| Jeunesse Assistance | Niger |
| Justice Access Point | Uganda |
| Justice Initiative for the Disadvantaged and Oppressed Persons (JIDOP) | Nigeria |
| JVBC | United States of America |
| Key populations Uganda | Uganda |
| Konstitusiya Arasdırmalar Fondu | Azerbaijan |
| Vulnerable People’s Development Organization (KOTHOWAIN) | Bangladesh |
| Kurdistan Without Genocide | Iraq |
| Kuza Livelihood Improovement Projects | Kenya |
| Laxman Belbase – Individual | Nepal |
| The Lesbians, Gays & Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) | Botswana |
| Leila Oguntayo | Tunisia |
| Liberia Media Center | Liberia |
| Local Communities Development Initiative | Nigeria |
| Makerere University Uganda | Uganda |
| Malawi Human Rights Defenders Coalition | Malawi |
| Mama leah Fondation | Kenya |
| Moabite Indigenous Nation Trust | United States of America |
| Morya Samajik Pratishthan | India |
| Mother of Hope Cameroon (MOHCAM) | Cameroon |
| Mzimba Youth Organization | Malawi |
| Narayana | India |
| National Sudanese Women Association | Sudan |
| Network of Estonian Non-profit Organizations | Estonia |
| New Owerri Youth Organisation | Nigeria |
| Nobel Women’s Initiative | Canada |
| One More Salary | Tanzania |
| ONG Les Batisseurs | United States of America |
| Organization of the Justice Campaign | Iraq |
| ORUD | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network | Fiji |
| Pakistan NGOs Forum | Pakistan |
| Palestinian Center for Communication and Development Strategies | Palestine |
| Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) | Palestine |
| Parent-Child Intervention Centre | Nigeria |
| Participatory Research Action Network (PRAN) | Bangladesh |
| Peaceful and Active Centre for Humanity (PEACH) | Pakistan |
| PEN International | UK |
| Primadent Initiative for Oral Health | Nigeria |
| Public Organization Youth House | Tajikistan |
| Rainbow Pride Foundation | Fiji |
| Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Real Agenda For Youth Transformation | Zimbabwe |
| Red Global de Acción Juvenil (GYAN) | Mexico |
| Richard Bennett | United Kingdom |
| Rural Initiatives in Sustainability & Empowerment (RISE) | Pakistan |
| Rideau Institute | Canada |
| Rising Generation for Youth Organization | Nigeria |
| Réseau Nigérien des Défenseurs des Droits Humains (RNDDH) | Niger |
| Role Model Zambia | Zambia |
| Sauti ya Haki Tanzania | Tanzania |
| Self | Norway |
| Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care | Zimbabwe |
| Sierra Leone School Green Clubs | Sierra Leone |
| Social Watch Benin | Benin |
| Society for Development and Research | Pakistan |
| Society for Rural Women and Youth Development | Nigeria |
| South Sudan Community Change Agency | South Sudan |
| Street Youth Connection Sierra Leone (SYC-SL) | Sierra Leone |
| Success Capital Organisation | Botswana |
| Sudda Changing Lives Foundation | Ghana |
| Synergy of experts on environment and sustainable development | Burkina Faso |
| TATU Project | Tanzania |
| Human Rights Defenders Network (ACPDH) | Burundi |
| The Rock Shalom | Kenya |
| The Social Science Centre for African Development (KUTAFITI) | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| The Young Republic | Sweden |
| The Tax Justice Network | UK |
| The Youth Voice of SA | South Africa |
| Tochukwu Anyadike | Nigeria |
| Transparency International Australia | Australia |
| Tranparency International Bangladesh | Bangladesh |
| Transparencia por Colombia | Colombia |
| Transparency International EU | Belgium |
| Transparency International Kazakhstan | Kazakhstan |
| Transparency International Uganda | Uganda |
| Transparency International Ukraine | Ukraine |
| Transparency International Pakistan | Pakistan |
| Union des Frères pour Alternatif du Developpement Intégré (UFADI) | Haiti |
| Uganda Youth Guidance and Development Association | Uganda |
| Ugonma Foundation | Nigeria |
| Ukana West 2 Community Based Health Initiative | Nigeria |
| Union for the Promotion, Defense of Human Rights and the Environment-UPDDHE.GL | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Vanuatu Association of Non-Government Organisation | Vanuatu |
| VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM – The World is One Family | India |
| Veille Citoyenne | Togo |
| Vijana Hope | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Volunteers Hub Liberia | Liberia |
| Volunteers Welfare for Community Based Care of Zambia (VOWAZA) | Zambia |
| WDC Somalia | Somalia |
| We Lead Intergrated Foundation | Cameroon |
| Women Empowerment Group (WEG) | Kenya |
| Women United to Fight Sexual Violence in Liberia (WOUFSVIL) | Liberia |
| Women’s March Global | United States of America |
| World Youth Union SL | Sierra Leone |
| WorldEat | Ghana |
| WORLDLITE | Cote D’Ivoire |
| Yole Africa | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Young League Pakistan | Pakistan |
| Youth Advocates for Change | Zambia |
| Youth For Change | Nigeria |
| Youth for Development Network | Liberia |
| Youth For Environment Education And Development Foundation (YFEED Foundation) | Nepal |
| Youth for Future 2006 | Romania |
| Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana | Ghana |
| Youth Leadership Initiative for Social Justice | Nigeria |
| YOUTHAID | Liberia |
| Zambian Governance Foundation for Civil Society | Zambia |
| Zimbabwe Climate Change Coalition | Zimbabwe |
The statement was published on Transparency International