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Civil Society. Challenges & Opportunities: ensuring participation. Civil Society. 1) Background Civil society - new Phenomenon Dramatic rise in the number of civil society organizations Previous government: Examples: Somali Revolutionary Youth Organization
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Civil Society Challenges & Opportunities: ensuring participation
Civil Society • 1) Background • Civil society - new Phenomenon • Dramatic rise in the number of civil society organizations • Previous government: • Examples: • Somali Revolutionary Youth Organization • Women’s Democratic Organization • Trade Unions
Civil Society 2) Emerging Civil Society Organization Civil society inception: late 80s and early 1990 State collapse accelerated the process- civil society institutions The influence of Somali Diaspora (social/religious impact) Donor Support Civil society groups first appeared mostly in the form of NGOs Concentrated on grassroots awareness raising campaigns Offer training workshops on peace and human rights, capacity building
Challenges 4) Challenges • Burgeoning civil society organizations • Absence of regulatory body • Regional disparities • Lack of capacity building and coordination • Competition over limited resources • Suitcase NGOs • SCO - Sources of Conflict
Opportunities • 5) Opportunities • Vibrant and deeply rooted network of organizations and institutions • Committed Somali grass-root individual/groups • Proven track record (Sustaining Hope) • Virus (Peace) Carrier • Institutionalization of civil groups (medical, lawyers, media, Cooks) • Inter-regional cooperation (across clan and geographical boundaries) • From localized clan based identity to a much broad-based organizations
Participation • 6) How to Engage (Ensuring Participation) • Forging partnership (TFG and civil society) • Strengthening the role of civil society in service delivery sector • Ensuring full participation of civil society groups in the JNA (design and implementation process) • Building upon the success of the civil society groups • Engaging new strategic relationship with the professional Somali associations
Somali People • “It is the Somali state that is failed, not the Somali people” Abdulkadir Yahya Ali, 2004