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Springtime in the Middle East? Let civil society bloom!

Posted by Rod Macleod on 18 March 2011

Rod MacLeod writes about the challenges and opportunities for civil society in the Middle East and North Africa...

The world has been captivated by recent events in the Middle East and North Africa. First in Tunisia, then in Egypt, now in Libya, Bahrain and elsewhere, people have taken to the streets to demand a stake in their country’s future. Billions of dollars spent on weapons have killed tragically high numbers of protestors, but have failed to silence the voices of ordinary citizens calling for change. Some governments in the region have fallen and others are seriously threatened.

But amidst the euphoric scenes where governments have fallen, serious questions remain. What will replace these deposed regimes? Will new ‘strong leaders’ step forward to replace the previous generation or will new alternatives emerge? Will there be any changes in the underlying system and political culture?

Which direction now?

With decades of poor governance, oppression, nepotism, corruption and inequality, it is hardly surprising that many people throughout the region can agree that their governments should be consigned to history. But there is much less agreement about what should follow. How should the new leadership be chosen? Should there be democracy, and if so, what kind? Should the state be religiously based or secular?

Just as the movements that swept dictators from power seem to have been largely indigenous, so the nature of the new systems and governments should be left to local people to decide. Outsiders should not seek to impose their own solutions.

But while attention will inevitably focus on the state and political leadership, it is vital not to forget the role that civil society can play.

Civil society in the region

The state of civil society in the Middle East and North Africa region varies, but is generally not particularly strong, as compared to other parts of the world. The reasons for this are partly historic, but also those same authoritarian governments, which have seen a strong civil society as a potential focus for opposition.

It would be a mistake though, to assume that civil society is starting from ‘point zero’. Civil society has deep roots in the region and has proved surprisingly resilient in the face of often difficult circumstances.

INTRAC’s recent work to strengthen civil society has taken it to countries as diverse as Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Oman. In every case, civil society is present and growing, and also seeking to find ways (however cautiously) to move beyond charitable works to sustainable development and influencing policies to benefit the poor and marginalised.

Challenges facing civil society

This is not to underestimate the challenges facing civil society. There are wide variations: while Lebanon and Palestine are seen as regional leaders in terms of their civil society development, other countries are much less developed. The challenges differ between contexts, but often include difficult regulatory environments and approval processes, which seek to control, rather than encourage civil society development. Foreign intervention has not always helped either, most recently with counter-terrorism measures restricting the movement of finances. Going beyond the basic right for civil society just to exist and function, there is also a lack of recognition that civil society can enhance local and national debates about development and social justice.

Opportunities for the future

There is now an opportunity to carve out a greater space for civil society, which can bring great rewards for development and social justice, by:

As new constitutions are developed (or existing constitutions are revised), the rights of civil society to exist, function and contribute could be enshrined and be legally enforceable through an independent judiciary.
As new governments are formed, ministries or departments could be instituted or strengthened, with a specific mandate to support the development of a healthy civil society.
Mechanisms could be developed to ensure greater involvement of civil society in decision making processes. Consultative groups on specific issues can be formed to allow voices of the poor and marginalised to be heard when policies are being formulated, at both local and national levels.
More intangibly, a political culture could be encouraged in which governments understand and recognise that civil society voices, while perhaps critical and irritating to them at times, in the long run strengthen governance and stability, rather than undermining it.

Strengthening civil society to meet the challenges

At the same time, civil society in the Middle East and North Africa needs to raise its game to take advantage of a potentially more favourable environment:

Listen to and transmit the voices of their constituencies.
Deliver work of a high quality to professional standards, which meets the real needs of intended beneficiaries.
Move beyond charitable works to include more policy influencing work, based on solid evidence.
Strengthen internal governance and accountability.

Local and external supporters of civil society also need to play their role (e.g. with resources, facilitating linkages within and outside the region, supporting capacity development) to help civil society in the region achieve this.

Seizing the moment

After rain in the desert, everything seems possible. Green life emerges out of what had previously seemed barren sand. But it is a brief moment and the opportunities offered need to be seized.

The efforts that have removed some entrenched governments must now be harnessed to ensure that changes live up to the expectations of long suffering populations. A revived civil society in the Middle East and North Africa can play a central role in this.

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