By Tanja Brok
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Mar 19 2025 – A new survey carried out by the EU System for an Enabling Environment (EU SEE) network exposes the impact of the US funding freeze on civil society organisations (CSOs) in over 50 countries. With 67% of surveyed organisations directly impacted and 40% of them losing between 25-50% of their budgets, the abrupt halt in funding is disrupting critical human rights, democracy, gender equality and health programs, leaving vulnerable communities without essential support.

Explore the survey in this link

Key Findings:

– The decision by the US to reduce foreign aid funding has become an opportunity to further limit civic space. CSOs are increasingly facing public attacks fuelled by misinformation and negative narratives, along with restrictive regulatory frameworks and heightened scrutiny, according to the new data.

– 67% of surveyed CSOs by EU SEE are directly affected, with 40% of them losing 25-50% of their budgets, forcing them to reduce programs, cut staff or close operations.

– Human rights, democracy and gender equality programs face the most severe disruptions with a real risk of setting the world decades behind.

– Many organisations lack alternative funding sources and risk shutting down permanently.

“Across the world, the immense contributions of civil society to democracy, the rule of law, good governance, policy making and in advancing the rights of excluded voices continue to be undermined by actions that constrain their enabling environment. The time is now for joint action with civil society to push back on these restrictions by advocating for open spaces and progressive laws that promote and protect rights for all,” says David Kode, Global Programme Manager EU SEE.

What Needs to Happen?

The EU SEE network urges governments, donors and policymakers to take immediate action in the following ways:

– Emergency financial support to stabilize affected CSOs
– Stronger donor coordination to ensure sustained support for democracy, human rights, and media freedom programmes.
– Flexible and sustainable funding mechanisms that allow CSOs to adapt.
– Support civil society organisations to develop stronger advocacy & communication strategies to counter narrative backlash.

“If we don’t act now, vital programs which are the direct result of civil society’s impact, supporting democracy, human rights, and communities will disappear,” warns Sarah Strack, Forus Director.

A message echoed by Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedoms of Peaceful Assembly and of Association, in an interview with CIVICUS: “These measures are a stake in the heart of the right to freedom of association, especially because of the way the decision is made: radical, surprising, with no possibility of gradual action, with little transparency and zero participation of the affected actors.” CIVICUS has also conducted a survey on the impact of the changing global funding landscape for civil society among its members around the world.

The US funding freeze, along with the insecurities and “unknowns” it is triggering, is already having far-reaching consequences, and its long-term effects could be even more devastating. The data is clear: civil society is at risk, and the time to act is now.

Read the full report here: https://eusee.hivos.org/document/the-impact-of-the-us-funding-freeze-on-civil-society/

Tanja Brok, is EU SEE Communications Lead

IPS UN Bureau

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By Daniel Gutman
BUENOS AIRES, Mar 19 2025 – For about three years now, Argentines have been hearing almost every month that oil production is breaking new records. Looking ahead, the country is projected to become a major global supplier of what remains the most sought-after energy source. 

These developments, presented as hopeful news for an economy that has been in deep crisis for at least 12 years – with a decline in per capita GDP, worsening income distribution, and rising poverty – nonetheless raise many questions.“The Argentine oil industry has advanced over the last 15 years, regardless of the government in power. Today, the benefits are being reaped, the sector will keep growing, and could reach the goal of US$30 billion in exports before 2030”: Gerardo Rabinovich.

Critics question the distribution of economic benefits, the population’s access to energy, the expansion’s environmental and social impact, and the virtual abandonment of the country’s climate goals and commitments.

The so-called Neuquén Basin, in the country’s southwest, is the epicenter of an oil activity expansion that sectors of academia and environmental and social organizations describe as overly aggressive.

“In the last 10 years, exploration began in agricultural areas. Since 2012, 3,300 oil wells have been drilled, 440 of which were completed in 2024. Over 500 wells are planned for 2025,” researcher Agustín González told IPS.

González, an agronomist and professor at the National University of Comahue, which has campuses in Neuquén and Río Negro – two provinces in the Patagonian basin where the Vaca Muerta geological formation is located – highlighted the impact of this expansion.

This field, which sparked the hopes of Argentine politicians and businessmen in 2011 when the U.S. Energy Administration classified it as one of the world’s largest reserves of shale gas and oil, is finally beginning to yield results, sometimes at the expense of other sectors.

Shale hydrocarbons are extracted using a technique called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and González warns that its widespread use is causing significant impacts in a traditionally agricultural region known for its high-quality fruit production.

An oil rig in Vaca Muerta. This unconventional hydrocarbon field in Patagonia is exploited by fracking, which has a greater environmental impact than conventional extraction. Credit: Martin Álvarez Mullaly / Opsur

Impact on Local Communities

“Fracking is extremely violent. It uses 30,000 liters of water per well, mixed with over 60 chemicals and high-powered pumps to fracture the rock. It has nothing to do with conventional oil activity,” González explained.

“Fracking affects all nearby land uses. When it is done near a river, a farm, or a populated area, it puts them at risk,” added González, who is part of a joint research group on the environmental and social impact of Vaca Muerta, involving the University of Comahue and the Stockholm Environment Institute.

“The development of fracking must be balanced with the protection of natural resources, food production, and social equity, establishing a robust regulatory framework to prevent irreversible damage to ecosystems, agricultural areas, and local communities,” warns a study published last December by this group of researchers.

However, this does not seem to be the best time to discuss these issues in Argentina, where far-right President Javier Milei has downgraded the Ministry of Environment to a minor department under the Secretariat of Tourism and has completely rejected not only the climate agenda but also the strengthening of the state’s role as a regulator of productive and industrial activities.

“The government has defunded the Renewable Energy Development Fund (Foder) and outright closed the distributed energy fund,” Matías Cena Trebucq, an economist at the non-governmental Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (Farn), told IPS.

The expert added that “while previous governments had a debated focus on natural gas as a transition fuel, the Milei administration is now fully committed to fossil fuels and has eliminated any reference to a path toward clean energy.”

In 2015, the Argentine Congress passed a law setting a goal for 20% of the country’s electricity consumption to come from renewable sources by December 2025. In 2024, the sector grew due to older projects coming online, reaching 15% of generation, but it is unlikely to continue growing without state support.

A pumpjack in Vaca Muerta, the unconventional oil and gas field that has been the foundation of Argentina’s significant hydrocarbon production growth in recent years. Credit: Courtesy of FARN

Positive Balance 

Thanks to recent trends, Argentina achieved a positive energy trade balance in 2024 for the first time in 13 years, with exports exceeding imports by US$5.668 billion.

Exports of fuels and energy grew by 22.3% last year compared to the previous year, reaching $9.677 billion, accounting for 12.1% of the country’s total exports, according to official data.

The main explanation for these figures lies in the expansion of fracking in Vaca Muerta, which contributed 54.9% of all oil production and 50.1% of gas nationwide. In December alone, Vaca Muerta produced 446,900 barrels of crude oil (159 liters each), 27% more than in the same month of 2023.

Conventional oil and gas production, on the other hand, continues to decline due to the depletion of the San Jorge Gulf Basin in the Patagonian province of Chubut, which was traditionally the country’s main oil-producing region.

Total production in 2024 was 256,268,454 barrels of oil, 11% more than in 2023. This marks four consecutive years of growth, driven solely by unconventional oil from Vaca Muerta.

Due to the potential of this geological formation, various studies circulating in the sector suggest that Argentina is on track to reach US$30 billion in annual oil exports by 2030 and position itself as a global supplier.

“The Argentine oil industry has advanced over the last 15 years, regardless of the government in power,” Gerardo Rabinovich, vice president of the non-governmental Argentine Institute of Energy (IAE) General Mosconi, told IPS.

He added that “today, the benefits are being reaped, the sector will continue to grow, and it is possible that the goal of US$30 billion in exports will be reached before 2030.”

“In 2022, we had an energy trade deficit of US$4 billion, and in 2024, we achieved a surplus of over US$5 billion. That is very important for Argentina,” he added.

However, the flip side of this reality is that, due to the brutal adjustment of public accounts by the Milei government, domestic demand for gasoline and diesel fell by 6.5% and 5%, respectively, compared to 2024, according to an IAE report, said Rabinovich.

“The Milei government has proposed completely liberalizing oil activity, displacing the state, and aligning local prices with global ones,” Fernando Cabrera Christiansen, a researcher at the Southern Oil Observatory, told IPS.

Cabrera, speaking from Neuquén, where he lives, noted that the growth of Argentina’s oil production has not led to greater well-being for a predominantly impoverished population, nor has it made energy cheaper locally.

He emphasized that, while over US$40 billion in investments have flowed into Neuquén in the last decade, according to data from the provincial Undersecretariat of Energy – an amount unmatched by any other region – social indicators remain as alarming as those in the rest of the country.

“The province uses oil royalties to pay public salaries and other current expenses. It is not enough to build infrastructure or provide social benefits. And poverty levels in Neuquén are similar to the national average,” he concluded.

By Ben Phillips
BANGKOK, Thailand, Mar 19 2025 – “The fundamental weakness is empathy,” Musk recently told radio podcast host Joe Rogan. “There is a bug, which is the empathy response.”

As Musk has established himself as at least the second most powerful person in an administration seeking a wholesale remaking of institutions, rules and norms, what he said matters, because it encapsulates a political plan. What the Project 2025 report set out in over 900 turgid pages, Musk’s remark captures in a simple pithy mantra for the social media age.

Credit: U.S. Air Force / Trevor Cokley

And as (let us acknowledge it) the Trump revolution is currently popular with at least large parts of the US electorate, and some overseas too, what Musk said summarises also the worldview of a social-cultural moment and movement on the march.

Core to the argument against empathy is the claim that ethical and practical considerations run counter to each other. The guardrails of rules and norms about caring for others, it argues, don’t only hold us back, they tie our hands behind our back.

Morality is for losers, it suggests, and who wants to lose? Only when we cut ourselves free of the burden of looking after and looking out for others, it posits, can we soar. The practical applications of this worldview are all encompassing.

They include the ripping up of international cooperation, the gutting of life-saving programmes for people in poverty abroad and at home, and the violating of due process for protestors, prisoners, migrants, minorities and anyone (who can be made to be) unpopular. That’s not how it ends, that’s how it starts.

A collapse of empathy would be an existential threat to the world. Hannah Arendt, reflecting on her witness to, and escape from, the rise of fascism in the 1930s, concluded “the death of empathy is one of the earliest and most telling signs of a culture about to fall into barbarism.” The stakes are too high for us to fail.

So how can we respond to the argument against empathy?

One way would be to stick only to ethics, arguing, simply, “it is our duty to sacrifice for others, and failing to do so is just wrong!” This has driven what has come to be known as the charity narrative.

This approach seems like a flawed strategy because by refusing to engage in the practicality conversation, it concedes it to the cynics and nihilists, accepting the framing of morality as a kind of self-immolation that brings only noble suffering and that cares only about stances, not consequences.

Another way would be to give up on ethics, and make only the most selfish arguments for doing good, like “we should not show ourselves to be unreliable because that would get us knocked off the top perch by our rivals when we must be Number One!” This too seems like a flawed strategy because it reinforces variations of dog-eat-dog as the only frames for success.

What both of those approaches get wrong is that they accept the frame that ethics and practicality are separate. Older wisdoms have long understood them as inseparable. What can in current debates seem like a rivalrous relationship between “what is good?” and “what is smart?”, or “what is moral?” and “what is wise?”, we often find when we look more deeply is not.

That often, the way in which societies developed moral principles was that they are ways to abstract what people have learnt from experience works. When, for example, people say in the African principle of Ubuntu “I am because you are”, that is not just a moral or theological point, it is literally true.

It is what public health teaches us: that I am healthy because my neighbour is healthy. (Even Musk was forced to concede to public pressure on this with his partial admission that “with USAID, one of the things we cancelled, accidentally, was Ebola prevention, and I think we all want Ebola prevention.”

Fearful of the reaction to his initial cancellation of Ebola prevention, he even claimed, falsely, to have fixed that “mistake” straight away, but what matters here is that the case against Ebola prevention collapsed so fast because interdependence was so quickly understood.)

So too, history has continuously shown that I am only secure when my neighbour is secure, and that I thrive when my neighbour thrives. Perhaps, for oligarchs, a ruthless, rule-less, world can work. (Perhaps not, however, when the fall-out comes between the “two bros”.)

But for the 99.9% of us, as John Donne wrote, “no man is an island”. We are interdependent and inseparable. Alone we are weak but together we are strong. Or, as the brilliant bleak joke of old ascribed to Benjamin Franklin put it, “we must all hang together, or assuredly we shall hang separately.”

The mutual interest argument, which highlights to people “we each have a stake in the well-being of all, looking out for others is not losing,” does not take us away from values, it reinforces them.

“There is an interrelated structure of reality. We are all tied in an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be, and you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be.” That was Revd Martin Luther King in the Letter from Birmingham Jail, and yet he was making an argument that you could say is the argument of mutual interest.

Empathy is not pity. It is rooted in mutuality. As as an ethical frame, it looks at a person in need, perhaps a person that some others don’t fully see, and says straight away “I ought to connect, as that could have been me.” Interdependence, as a practical frame, reflects on the situation of that person, and comes through that reflection to understand that “I need to connect, as that could next time be me.”

Morality and wisdom guide us in the same direction; and as the fastest way there is empathy, that makes empathy not humanity’s weakness but our superpower.

Ben Phillips is the author of How to Fight Inequality.

IPS UN Bureau

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By Promise Eze
BENIN, Nigeria, Mar 19 2025 – When Angela Asemota’s son began having seizures at six years old in 1996, people gossiped that he was possessed by evil spirits, leading her to seek healing from native healers and religious clerics. He underwent several traditional rituals and drank various concoctions, but the seizures persisted. It was not until his fourth year in secondary school in 2004 that she took him to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with epilepsy and began taking medication.

“For many years, I was going from pillar to post. I was ignorant about epilepsy and didn’t know it was a medical condition. The native healers and religious houses said my son was cursed. I believed the seizures were caused by witches, wizards, or demonic forces because of false beliefs and misconceptions,” Asemota, who lives in Benin City, Nigeria, told Inter Press Service.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that affects about 50 million people worldwide, with nearly 80 percent living in low- and middle-income countries where treatment is difficult to access. In Nigeria, around 1.7 million people have the condition, based on a prevalence of 8 cases per 1,000 people.

The disorder causes repeated seizures due to abnormal brain activity. While there is no cure, medication can help control it. However, in many African communities, epilepsy is often linked to witchcraft or demonic possession, leading people to seek prayers or traditional healers instead of medical treatment. This stigma limits access to healthcare, leaving over 75% of epilepsy patients in Africa without proper medical care.

EAARF conducting an outreach to teach young students about epilepsy. Courtesy: EAARF

People with epilepsy in Africa often face discrimination and rejection. Many children with the condition are denied access to schools, while adults struggle to find jobs because employers fear they may have seizures at work. Even within families, some epilepsy patients are isolated or treated unfairly, which can lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and in extreme cases, suicide.

The Curse of Stigma

“The stigma around epilepsy is worse than epilepsy itself. You are stigmatized by your family, relatives, in-laws, and friends because people don’t even believe it’s a medical condition. People call it a strange disease. Those who want to see you will look at you from afar, as if you are carrying epilepsy in your hands,” said Asemota, who now runs a non-profit, Angie Epilepsy Foundation, to battle epilepsy stigma and provide support for people living with the condition.

After seeing that epilepsy can be managed with medication, she has been raising awareness and advocates for early diagnosis and treatment since 2010. Her organisation fights for patients’ rights, empowers communities, trains healthcare workers, and runs awareness campaigns through schools, churches, radio, and social media. They also provide medical and material support for people living with epilepsy.

Nicholas Aderinto, a medical doctor, believes that campaigns against epilepsy stigma are very important as they encourage people to seek healthcare. Without treatment, he argued, epilepsy-related seizures could lead to death.

“I believe the prevalence of epilepsy in Africa is underreported because many people do not seek medical care due to social stigma. This underreporting affects the accuracy of prevalence data, which in turn leads to inadequate attention from policymakers and limited funding. As a result, epilepsy is not prioritized in policymaking, financing, and research,” he said, adding, “This Lack of focus means fewer studies are conducted, medications remain scarce, and people living with epilepsy do not receive the proper care they need.”

Gender-based Violence

For Elsie Chick, a teacher in Douala, Cameroon, epilepsy stigma cost her relationship. Her partner abandoned her eight years ago after discovering she had epilepsy. In the Central African country, the high prevalence of epilepsy has become a national health concern.

“I never told him I had epilepsy until I was pregnant. Most of the time, I was scared of what people would think, so I kept it from him. He has never called once to ask about the baby. His mother doesn’t want him to take the child because, according to her, the baby might also develop epilepsy,” she said.

She added, “Many times, I have cried. There were moments I wished I could wake up one day and be free from epilepsy. I wished I could sleep at night and hear God tell me, ‘My daughter, you are healed.”’

Dr Mundih Noelar, the founder of Epilepsy Awareness, Aid and Research Foundation (EAARF), a non-profit organisation based in Bamenda, Cameroon, is worried that epilepsy stigma only helps to reinforce gender-based violence against women in Africa. She said myths surrounding epilepsy contribute to the victimisation of women.

Young EAARF activist with her epilepsy campaign message. Courtesy: EAARF

“Women with epilepsy are not valued and face a higher risk of gender-based violence. Many believe the women will pass the condition to their spouses and children. They are also vulnerable to sexual violence, yet even the police are often unwilling to seek justice for them. People rarely consider them for marriage, and those who do get married often endure abuse. I have received countless cases. One woman in a village was mocked by her husband whenever she had seizures. Another was thrown out of her home. One woman I know was regularly beaten by her husband. Many of these women remain in toxic marriages because they fear no one will love or accept them if they leave,” she told Inter Press Service.

Through her initiative, Noelar leads a network of epilepsy survivors—mostly women—whom EAARF calls “epilepsy warriors.” These survivors visit communities and use mass media, including radio and social media, to share their stories, urging people to see epilepsy as a medical condition rather than a reason for stigma.

This community of women serves as a family for people like Chick, who says she is energized when she knows she can always talk to other women facing the same challenges.

“There are others around me who are struggling just like I am—people who are survivors yet still facing challenges. Knowing this gives me joy and a sense of peace, reminding me that I am not alone,” she said.

“We empower women with epilepsy, even in rural communities, on how to address gender-based violence,” Noelar said, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness at all levels of society.

“Even policymakers need to understand what epilepsy is. Many of them still hold onto myths and misconceptions, and because of this, they may never consider policies that support people with epilepsy.”

Addressing Epilepsy

A decade ago, at the 68th UN World Health Assembly, 194 countries, including African nations, committed to strengthening efforts to address epilepsy. The pledge raised hopes for support for those living with the condition. However, critics argue that government action of many African governments remains insufficient, forcing individuals and families affected by epilepsy to depend largely on charities and non-governmental organizations for help.

Action Amos, Regional Programs Coordinator for the International Bureau of Epilepsy, attributes this shortfall to the lack of a structured framework guiding the adoption of a comprehensive and sustainable approach to epilepsy care.

However, he stated, “Since May 2022, the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and other Neurological Disorders has provided a blueprint to help governments develop plans, protocols, and strategies to place epilepsy on the health agenda. It addresses key issues such as the treatment gap, stigma, and policies, offering a comprehensive approach to tackling the condition.”

Amos emphasized the importance of engaging traditional and religious leaders, who are deeply embedded within local communities and often serve as the first point of contact for those seeking help. He stressed the need to help them understand that epilepsy is a health condition, not a spiritual problem.

“Bridging the gap between traditional healers and medical professionals is essential to ensuring that people with epilepsy receive the best possible care. Traditional and faith healers need to be educated and trained on epilepsy and its causes so they can recognize when to refer patients for medical care,” he said.

Asemota worries that with limited access to medication and inadequate healthcare facilities, epilepsy patients will continue to be isolated. She argues that, as is obtainable in many African countries, the Nigerian government is not providing enough support to people living with epilepsy, especially in terms of subsidizing the cost of medications.

Angie Epilepsy Foundation rallies against epilepsy stigma in Nigeria. Courtesy: Angie Epilepsy Foundation

“A lot of people are no longer buying medication because they cannot afford it anymore. This drives them back to native healers. When you are in dire need, you are vulnerable. You go back to the native healers for help, which is dangerous. Medication is now expensive. Epilepsy has become a condition only the rich can manage,” she said.

But it is not just hard to get medicine, there are also very few neurologists in Africa. This problem is worsened by the many health workers leaving the continent for better opportunities abroad. Without trained neurologists to diagnose patients, prescribe the right treatment, and provide ongoing care, many people with epilepsy face serious risks to their health and lives.

“Governments should invest in training healthcare workers and improving healthcare infrastructure, including increasing the number of neurologists. In most countries, epilepsy is treated by psychiatrists or specialists, so they also need proper support. It is also crucial to integrate epilepsy care into primary healthcare. When discussing primary healthcare, we should not forget community healthcare workers, who should also receive proper training,” argued Amos.

Chick does not believe epilepsy stigma will decrease anytime soon, as many African communities still hold myths in high regard.

“But I believe that if we work hard on advocacy, some people will come to understand that epilepsy is not a curse,” she told Inter Press Service.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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