What is the role of civil society?

Racism and intolerance can only be successfully countered if civil society is effectively engaged. Tackling racism and intolerance requires not only action on the part of governments (to which ECRI’s recommendations are addressed), but also the full involvement of civil society actors.

ECRI’s action is part of the Council of Europe’s approach to promote equality, inclusion and respect for diversity across Europe. It stresses the importance of involving relevant civil society actors in the monitoring of state action envisaged or taken to prevent and combat racism, intolerance and related discrimination.

When preparing country visits, country reports and conclusions on the implementation of ECRI’s priority recommendations, ECRI invites relevant non-governmental organisations and other members of civil society active in areas of concern to it, national or international networks of civil society organisations and national branches of international non-governmental organisations, to provide it with appropriate information and data, notably through written submissions and/or online or in-person meetings. It helps ECRI to identify relevant issues to raise with governments and other interlocutors and assess the situation as accurately as possible.

Civil society partners are also encouraged to share information available to them and their concerns at any time, including through ECRI’s website, and, where relevant, to support action envisaged or taken by state or other actors in the light of ECRI’s recommendations, including general policy recommendations, statements and opinions.

Co-operation with civil society organisations is strengthened through a variety of methods, including information exchanges, meetings and hearings. Civil society participation in round tables or similar events dedicated to ECRI’s country monitoring work, which are organised with national equality bodies and gather representatives of government and other official bodies, is also vital to discuss and facilitate the implementation of ECRI’s recommendations. Civil society partnership should be a genuine two-way exchange: civil society organisations are valuable, independent, information sources for ECRI whilst they may play a major role in enhancing ECRI’s impact.

Preventing and addressing intimidation or reprisals against ECRI civil society partners

ECRI is aware that, depending on national contexts, its civil society partners may be exposed to intimidation or reprisals, particularly when addressing sensitive issues pertaining to racism, intolerance and related discrimination. Any such action may undermine not only the safety and work of ECRI’s civil society partners, but ultimately also the effectiveness of ECRI’s monitoring work as ECRI’s civil society partners (and potentially other independent partners) would feel restrained in their provision of information and data to ECRI.

With this in mind, in 2026, ECRI adopted internal guidelines for preventing and addressing intimidation or reprisals against civil society actors for seeking to engage, or for having engaged, with it. The preparation of these guidelines involved a hearing of the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, who is the senior official designated by the United Nations Secretary General to address the issue of intimidation of and reprisals against civil society and other actors for cooperation with the United Nations. ECRI’s guidelines are for internal use by ECRI members and Secretariat staff only. They notably reaffirm ECRI’s commitment to respect the “do no harm” principle and to protect confidentiality when engaging with civil society actors. They also provide guidance on how these principles should be applied in practical situations, notably in the context of monitoring visits and the subsequent preparation of country reports.

If a civil society actor considers that it has been subjected to intimidatory or retaliatory action for seeking to engage or for having engaged with ECRI, it may submit relevant information to the ECRI Secretariat, for the attention of ECRI’s Working Group on relations with Civil Society and Equality Bodies, preferably by electronic means, either through ECRI’s website or via email ([email protected]). The information provided should be as detailed as possible.

Where concrete cases have been identified, ECRI may consider appropriate action on a case-by-case basis. It may also – with the consent of the individual(s) / organisation(s) concerned –coordinate with relevant organs, bodies and institutions of the Council of Europe, and, where appropriate, activate specific mechanisms, such as those established by the Commissioner for Human Rights or the Council of Europe’s Secretary General’s procedure on human rights defenders interacting with the Organisation.