CIVILCIVIL SOCIETYSOCIETY

KAMALUDDIN ALI MUHAMMADKAMALUDDIN ALI MUHAMMADITREB Auditorium Karachi ITREB Auditorium Karachi

February 21, 2009February 21, 2009

Civil Society - DefinitionCivil Society - Definition

The World Bank uses the term to refer The World Bank uses the term to refer to a wide array of organisations that to a wide array of organisations that have a presence in public life but are have a presence in public life but are not affiliated to the state. They function not affiliated to the state. They function on a not-for-profit basis to express the on a not-for-profit basis to express the interests and values of their members interests and values of their members and others, based on ethical, cultural, and others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations. philanthropic considerations.

Civil Society – Definition Civil Society – Definition cont…cont…

In this sense, civil society In this sense, civil society organisations are multifarious: from organisations are multifarious: from community and indigenous groups community and indigenous groups through faith-based and charitable through faith-based and charitable organisations, to non-governmental organisations, to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labour unions, organizations (NGOs), labour unions, professional associations and professional associations and foundations.foundations.

Civil Society – Definition Civil Society – Definition cont…cont…

But there is a broader definition But there is a broader definition that holds that civil society that holds that civil society embraces an even wider diversity embraces an even wider diversity of spaces, actors and institutional of spaces, actors and institutional forms that vary in their degree of forms that vary in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. formality, autonomy and power.

Civil Society – Definition Civil Society – Definition cont…cont…

Besides the Bank’s categories, these Besides the Bank’s categories, these spaces are populated by such spaces are populated by such organizations as village and organizations as village and women’s groups, neighbourhood women’s groups, neighbourhood self-help groups, social movements, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, microcredit business associations, microcredit organisations, coalitions and organisations, coalitions and advocacy groups.advocacy groups.

(Convocation of the University of Toronto’s Ontario (Convocation of the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Canada, Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto, Canada, 18th June, 2004)18th June, 2004)

Civil Society for GrowthCivil Society for Growth

““No country to my knowledge can No country to my knowledge can achieve stable continuous growth achieve stable continuous growth if its civil society is constrained by if its civil society is constrained by inherent institutional instability.”inherent institutional instability.”

(Annual Meeting of The European Bank for (Annual Meeting of The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Tashkent, Reconstruction and Development, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)

Role of Civil SocietyRole of Civil Society

““Civil society makes an enormous Civil society makes an enormous contribution to human contribution to human development, filling the gaps development, filling the gaps between government, the between government, the business sector and the family. It business sector and the family. It does things the state cannot and does things the state cannot and thus supports citizens in national thus supports citizens in national building. Most important, civil building. Most important, civil society underwrites human society underwrites human progress. progress.

Role of Civil Society Role of Civil Society (cont...)(cont...)

It acts a stabilizer or buttress in It acts a stabilizer or buttress in times of economic slowdown or times of economic slowdown or social stress. When democracies social stress. When democracies are failing or have failed, it is the are failing or have failed, it is the institutions of the civil society institutions of the civil society that can carry an added burden to that can carry an added burden to help sustain improvements in help sustain improvements in quality of life.”quality of life.”

(Berlin, Germany, September 6, 2004)(Berlin, Germany, September 6, 2004)

Three ConditionsThree Conditions““I put it to you that no human I put it to you that no human development initiative can be development initiative can be sustainable unless we are successful in sustainable unless we are successful in achieving three essential conditions. achieving three essential conditions.

First, we must operate in an environment First, we must operate in an environment that invests in, rather than seeks to that invests in, rather than seeks to stifle, pluralism and diversity. stifle, pluralism and diversity.

Second, we must have an extensive and Second, we must have an extensive and engaged civil society. engaged civil society.

And third, we must have stable and And third, we must have stable and competent democratic governance.” competent democratic governance.”

(Nobel Institute, Oslo, Norway, 7 April 2005)(Nobel Institute, Oslo, Norway, 7 April 2005)

Private SectorPrivate Sector

““One clear lesson of the last half of One clear lesson of the last half of the twentieth century is that the twentieth century is that governments cannot do everything. governments cannot do everything.

The role of the private business The role of the private business sector in national economies is now sector in national economies is now universally acknowledged as both universally acknowledged as both critical and legitimate.”critical and legitimate.”

(Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)(Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)

Issues of Civil SocietyIssues of Civil Society

Although numerous financial institutions Although numerous financial institutions and programmes are available to and programmes are available to support economic investment, non-support economic investment, non-commercial civil society institutions face commercial civil society institutions face the permanent threat of being the permanent threat of being systematically under-funded.systematically under-funded.

Civil society institutions are rarely, if Civil society institutions are rarely, if ever, a part of a national planning ever, a part of a national planning processprocess..

Issues of Civil Society Issues of Civil Society cont…cont…

Relations between public-sector and Relations between public-sector and private-sector health or education delivery, private-sector health or education delivery, for example, are more often left to chance for example, are more often left to chance than being a thought-through process than being a thought-through process driven by clear development goals.driven by clear development goals.

Within the civil society sector, there is not Within the civil society sector, there is not even consultation among the providers even consultation among the providers working on the same problems from working on the same problems from different perspectives as to how they might different perspectives as to how they might work together for better effectiveness.work together for better effectiveness.

Issues of Civil Society Issues of Civil Society cont…cont…

In addition financial institutions find it In addition financial institutions find it difficult to rationalize the role, needs and difficult to rationalize the role, needs and futures of civil society institutions within futures of civil society institutions within the national economy.the national economy.

Civil society needs to reach for the highest Civil society needs to reach for the highest level of competence to justify their support.level of competence to justify their support.

The sector combines energy and creativity The sector combines energy and creativity with a social conscience. Together, these with a social conscience. Together, these constitute a powerful impulse and should constitute a powerful impulse and should be nurtured.be nurtured.

Three ProfessionsThree Professions

““Within civil society in much of the Within civil society in much of the developing world, there are developing world, there are professions which are critical to stable professions which are critical to stable growth and to democracy, but which growth and to democracy, but which are systematically under resourced in are systematically under resourced in terms of pay and opportunities for terms of pay and opportunities for ongoing training. The three that I ongoing training. The three that I would cite today are: would cite today are: teachers, teachers, nurses and journalists.nurses and journalists.

Three Professions cont…Three Professions cont…

The economic status of these The economic status of these professions simply has to be corrected professions simply has to be corrected if the consequences are not going to be if the consequences are not going to be the progressive degradation of the progressive degradation of education, the progressive degradation education, the progressive degradation of health care, and national media, of health care, and national media, which will be incompetent or open to which will be incompetent or open to all sorts of undesirable pressures all sorts of undesirable pressures including corruption. including corruption.

Three Professions cont…Three Professions cont…

And yet, the additional costs of And yet, the additional costs of better remuneration to such better remuneration to such professions will simply add to the professions will simply add to the end cost of the product, making it end cost of the product, making it even more inaccessible to those even more inaccessible to those who need it most, the poor.”who need it most, the poor.”

Challenges of civil societyChallenges of civil societyEven when needs are readily evident, Even when needs are readily evident, the sector’s role and potential are the sector’s role and potential are not well understood.not well understood.

Critics question its legitimacy.Critics question its legitimacy.

No framework, no predictable and No framework, no predictable and reliable environment exists in which reliable environment exists in which civil society organizations can civil society organizations can function and prosper.function and prosper.

To whom, and for what, the sector is To whom, and for what, the sector is responsible are often unclear.responsible are often unclear.

Challenges of civil society Challenges of civil society cont…cont…

Few appreciate how the sector is Few appreciate how the sector is can be financed and sustained.can be financed and sustained.

How should these civil society How should these civil society institutions be governed?institutions be governed?

What standard should be applied What standard should be applied to define their success?to define their success?

(Annual Meeting of The European Bank for (Annual Meeting of The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Tashkent, Reconstruction and Development, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)Uzbekistan, 5th May 2003)

Global Centre For Global Centre For PluralismPluralism

““The AKDN has begun to formalise its The AKDN has begun to formalise its support for democracy, pluralism and support for democracy, pluralism and civil society through the establishment of civil society through the establishment of a Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa. a Global Centre for Pluralism in Ottawa. This education and research centre will This education and research centre will work closely with governments, work closely with governments, academia and civil society to foster academia and civil society to foster legislation and policy to strengthen local legislation and policy to strengthen local capacity for enhancing pluralism.”capacity for enhancing pluralism.”

(Annual Conference of German Ambassadors, Berlin, (Annual Conference of German Ambassadors, Berlin, Germany, September 6, 2004)Germany, September 6, 2004)

What is ahead?What is ahead? Secondly, we have to strengthen civil Secondly, we have to strengthen civil

society in the countries where we are society in the countries where we are living…human governance is in no way living…human governance is in no way written clearly on one page. There are going written clearly on one page. There are going to be all sorts of varieties of governments in to be all sorts of varieties of governments in the next decades. And if that is the case, it the next decades. And if that is the case, it is essential that civil society should sustain is essential that civil society should sustain human development, even where human development, even where governments are fragile, and our governments are fragile, and our institutions, I believe, will be more and more institutions, I believe, will be more and more capable of doing this, for the benefit of the capable of doing this, for the benefit of the jamat and others.jamat and others.

(Golden Jubilee Concluding Farman 13-12-08)(Golden Jubilee Concluding Farman 13-12-08)

Youth !!Youth !!

Youth is vigorousYouth is vigorous

Youth is vulnerableYouth is vulnerable

Youth require guidance and role modelYouth require guidance and role model

Youth are the future of any communityYouth are the future of any community

Very difficult to convince that there is Very difficult to convince that there is a long way to goa long way to go

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