Supporting Civil Society

Project Empower, supported by the European Union

Supported by the European Union, the Project EMPOWER strengthens the protection of fundamental rights through strategic litigation across EU Member States. It contributes to building a more coherent and robust EU jurisprudence at both national and European levels.

EMPOWER focuses on building the skills and knowledge of civil society organizations, legal professionals, and human rights defenders in strategic litigation, bridging the gap between protections enshrined in the law and their enforcement in practice, thereby strengthening the rule of law in EU Member States. The Project’s capacity-building initiatives, knowledge and experience-sharing activities, and development of practical tools and resources are designed to equip stakeholders with skills and capacity in developing and executing litigation strategies to uphold the rights of the public in national courts and EU courts. The specific concerns raised by strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPPs) will also be addressed by developing and disseminating tools to counter these abusive litigation practices. 

Cooperation with Anti-Corruption Watchdogs

CEELI partners with anti-corruption watchdogs to expose official corruption. We provide technical training and support to civil society organizations as they monitor procurement fraud, strive for transparency, and monitoring promote accountability in state-run sectors.