Backlash Against Democracy: The Regulation of Civil Society in Africa

This paper builds on TrustAfrica funded research regarding the legislative environment for non-governmental organizations. The first section of this paper provides a brief overview of the recent history of state-civil society relations in Africa. The second section examines the current trend in repressive NGO legislation in Zambia, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe, which include: (1) barriers to entry; (2) barriers to operational activity and free speech; and (3) barriers to resources. The third and final section frames this trend within the history of democratization in Africa and identifies new directions for research and analysis.