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A critical focus of development projects in countries transitioning
to democracy has become the strengthening of civil society. Civil
society organizations are viewed as both an important check on, and
complement to, the exercise of government power. Depending on the
political and social realities of the country civil society
organizations (CSOs) may play myriad roles, including watchdog,
advocate, agitator, educator, and social service provider. Given
the range of CSO activities, it is not surprising that the overall
civil society sector does not have a uniform relationship with state
bodies. The interests advanced by individual CSOs may correspond
or clash with those of the State, depending on the individual
organization’s agenda.
Just as civil society is comprised of a diverse and varied range of entities, there is also no universally accepted definition of the term “civil society.”
Conceptualization of civil society differ based on
perspective. For purposes of the capacity building
exercise discussed in this Method, a Civil Society Organization is defined as
a group or entity that is neither in the state nor private sector but
is engaged in a public activity aimed at advancing the interest or
values of its members or society at large.
Applying this definition to the reality in which development
organizations operate can be difficult. In reality a variety of
organizations that exist on paper are inactive and provide little
benefit to their members or society at large. The reasons for
their inactivity may include the poor organizational structures,
misunderstanding of the proper role of a non-governmental organization,
inadequate funding and an inhospitable political climate. In the
early stages of a capacity building exercise aimed at strengthening
local civil society groups, it is important to avoid value judgments
about their effectiveness and activity level. Dormant or inactive
entities may, in fact, reveal a great deal about the training needs of
local CSOs.
Providing an effective capacity building training necessarily begins
with a thorough and reliable identification of the potentials,
weaknesses and needs of local civil society entities. Following
the initial identification of all CSOs in the project area, a
comprehensive needs assessment will identify both organizations which
would benefit from capacity building training and appropriate training
topics. Trained professional facilitators will then be able to
provide targeted training to CSO representatives which will meet their
specific needs and empower CSOs to engage civil society more fully in
community affairs.
The method proposes a process that strengthens the role of civil
society in good governance processes. Compared to many other civil
society programs, it takes a wide view of civil society, working with
more than just formally registered NGOs. It focuses on certain
functions that civil society groups can perform in a good governance
system rather than their legal forms.
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