EITI should do better to protect civic space: why and how

The briefing asserts that shrinking civic space globally threatens the effectiveness and legitimacy of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). While EITI possesses a framework of tools—including the 'Protocol: Participation of civil society' and Requirement 1.3 of the 2023 Standard—the document argues these are often underutilized due to a lack of political will or knowledge. It calls for making the monitoring of civic space mandatory for multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) and urges the EITI International Board and Secretariat to move from general commitments to concrete, time-bound actions, specifically targeting the June 2026 Global Conference in the Philippines.

• The extractive sector is linked to the highest number of attacks against human rights defenders over the last ten years, a situation exacerbated by accelerated permitting and licensing for mineral extraction.
• EITI's success depends on a robust civic space; without it, the multi-stakeholder process cannot function, and the initiative risks losing its efficiency, legitimacy, and credibility.
• Existing EITI tools to protect civic space—such as 'voicing a concern' mechanisms, Board statements, and the potential for full de-listing—are often used reactively rather than preventatively due to insufficient political will or knowledge.
• There is a perception among civil society that the EITI International Secretariat sometimes prioritizes political expediency over the protection of civic space.
• The briefing recommends making the monitoring of civic space mandatory for multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) by revising EITI requirement #1.3(f), requiring a dedicated agenda item at least quarterly.

APA

Salomon, M., Omarov, E., Stewart, E. I., Ramos, M., Avan, C., & Moore, C. (2026). EITI should do better to protect civic space: why and how. Global Witness. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/eiti-should-do-better-to-protect-civic-space-why-and-how/

Chicago

Salomon, Matthieu, Emil Omarov, Emily Iona Stewart, Maria Ramos, Caroline Avan, and Clancy Moore. EITI should do better to protect civic space: why and how. Global Witness, 2026. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/eiti-should-do-better-to-protect-civic-space-why-and-how/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Salomon |first1=Matthieu |last2=Omarov |first2=Emil |last3=Stewart |first3=Emily Iona |last4=Ramos |first4=Maria |last5=Avan |first5=Caroline |last6=Moore |first6=Clancy |title=EITI should do better to protect civic space: why and how |publisher=Global Witness |date=24 March 2026 |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/eiti-should-do-better-to-protect-civic-space-why-and-how/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{salomon2026eiti, author = {Salomon, Matthieu and Omarov, Emil and Stewart, Emily Iona and Ramos, Maria and Avan, Caroline and Moore, Clancy}, title = {{EITI should do better to protect civic space: why and how}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2026}, month = mar, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/eiti-should-do-better-to-protect-civic-space-why-and-how/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }