Do They Actually Matter? The Impact of NGOs on the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)
Do They Actually Matter? The Impact of NGOs on the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)

Summary/Abstract: This research article scrutinises the factors that determined the success of the civil society organisations (CSOs)1 that lobbied for changes to the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR). It argues that apart from the structural factors that influence the success of lobbying groups, the lobbying groups’ accordance with the institutional discourse that pertains to a given issue should be taken into consideration when trying to comprehend the assessment of their lobbying strategies. The article thus introduces a discursive and institutionalist perspective to the lobbying debate, which traditionally tends to be rather actor-centred. In order to illustrate the possible influence of a discourse, the article looks into three areas of the instrument: democracy promotion, conflict prevention and support to human rights defenders. The reformof the EIDHR took place between 2006 and 2007 within the context of an overall reform of the EU’s external action instruments.

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