[wanabidii] Press Releases: Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Assistance Fund

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Press Releases: Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Assistance Fund 09/25/2014 07:42 PM EDT Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Assistance Fund Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC September 25, 2014 The following joint statement was released by the Governments of Australia, Benin, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Uruguay following the Fourth Annual Donor Steering Committee Meeting of the Lifeline: Embattled CSOs Assistance Fund in New York, NY. Begin Text: On Monday, September 22, Under Secretary of State of the United States for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Sarah Sewall and Sheila Riordon, Minister of Political Affairs for the Embassy of Canada to the United States, chaired the fourth annual donor meeting of the Lifeline: Embattled Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) Assistance Fund in New York, New York. The current donors—the governments of Australia, Benin, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the Ford Foundation—are pleased to announce the additional financial support of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States. In September 2013, President Obama convened members of the international community on the margins of the UN General Assembly to launch the Stand with Civil Society Agenda to 1) improve the policy environment for civil society organizations (CSOs) in countries around the world; 2) coordinate diplomatic action to prevent or roll back restrictions on civil society; and 3) develop innovative mechanisms for providing CSOs with technical and financial support. On Tuesday, September 23, in a meeting hosted by the Clinton Global Initiative, President Obama again convened partners that share a commitment to this critical issue, including Lifeline donor governments, to discuss progress on this work to date. In anticipation of that discussion, this year’s Lifeline meeting focused on the practical, concrete ways that Lifeline has responded to President Obama’s call to action over the past year, including Lifeline’s expanded assistance to provide additional security resources for CSOs and deliver more coordinated diplomatic engagement in priority countries. Launched in July 2011 in Vilnius on the margins of the Community of Democracies Ministerial, Lifeline provides emergency assistance to CSOs when they are threatened or attacked because of their advocacy work, as well as funding for short-term initiatives that allow CSOs—at local, regional, and international levels—to fight back against regulatory and extralegal barriers. The Fund has provided targeted assistance to 446 CSOs operating in 85 challenging countries, 93 percent of whom report that the help positively impacted their safety and reduced the threats they faced. Together, the donors have committed more than $15.5 million for activities between 2011 and 2019. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Stay connected with the State Department:       External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.  Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Department of State. This email was sent to wanabidii@googlegroups.com using GovDelivery, on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

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