Shrinking Civic Space: The NGO Bill

The bill tabled in March 2026 rewrites registration, reporting and funding rules for non-governmental organisations. Taken together, its provisions would give administrative bodies wide discretion over the existence of independent associations.

HRV's analysis proceeds clause by clause, testing each against the constitutional guarantee of association and the international instruments Rwanda has endorsed.

Three provisions are central concerns: unlimited renewal refusals without reasons, reporting duties that function as continuous investigation, and funding controls that condition legality on alignment with government priorities.

Each fails the tests of legality, legitimate aim and necessity that the Human Rights Committee applies under article 22(2) of the ICCPR.

The bill should be revised to make registration a notification regime with time-bound, reasoned decisions; to limit reporting to proportionate financial disclosure; and to remove funding restrictions that discriminate against independent voices.