Type of organisation | Examples | Methods and Orientation | Degree of Freedom and Opportunities |
Locality Groups | village and native-place societies, neighbourhood associations | networking mutual benefit purposes | enjoy operational freedom, unless involved in contentious issues |
Occupational Groups | guilds, trade associations, occupational associations, labour rights organisations | networking mutual benefit purposes | enjoy freedom and growing opportunities, with the exception of labour rights organisations |
Spiritual Fellowships | official religious societies, temples, philosphers, cults | networking mutual benefit purposes | official religious societies enjoy moderate freedom but limited space, cults may face serious repressions |
Epistemic communities | expert networks, academics, alumni associations | networking, educational purposes, influencing mutual and public benefit purposes | enjoy moderate to high freedom (issue sensitive in academia) and growing cooperation opportunities with government |
Solidarity Groups | social work, support to vulnerable groups (such as disabled persons and children), environmental protection | helping, supporting, empowering public benefit purposes | enjoy moderate freedom and growing opportunities, including with private sector; those addressing rights issues and receiving foreign funding face shrinking spaces |
Groups addressing common causes and public policy issues | pollution monitoring, international friendship societies, policy advocacy work | awareness raising, enlightening, networking, shaming, mobilising, public benefit purposes | freedom and space depend on the focus of work and contacts to CCP and government, some enjoy growing opportunities, feminist action groups face shrinking spaces |