Civil society matters in politics. That is increasingly true of international affairs too. International non-governmental organisation (INGOs) have become quite influential in the past two decades. Some observers praise their role, others express criticism. INGOs help to protect human rights, assist poor and disadvantaged people and promote democratic change. However, INGOs that are based in rich countries tend to crowd out voices from developing ones. Moreover, many depend on funding from donor governments. Nonetheless, it is certainly unacceptable that an increasing number of governments around the world are trying to reduce the space in which civil-society organisations operate.
