# G20: Hundreds of civil society organizations pledge to avoid Saudi Arabia-led process URL: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/g20-hundreds-of-civil-society-organizations-pledge-to-avoid-saudi-arabia-le Type: Press release Published: 2020-03-24 Updated: 2020-06-11 --- 24 March 2020 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](https://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/why_we_are_not_engaging_with_the_g20s_civil_society_process_in_2020), 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 Transparency International press office T: +49 30 34 38 666 E: ## Priorities - 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