The relationship between civil society and government is fragile and complex. It is essential to recognise that neither group necessarily speaks or acts with one voice. Thus, the complexities of each should be understood to develop suitable strategies for interaction. What are these complexities? How can these relationships be improved?
This policy brief from Co-operative Research for Education (CORE) raises these issues and points out that civil society and government have reciprocal obligations to fulfil in order for the relationship to be effective. Difficult relationships between civil society and government are often due to a lack of trust, unprincipled behaviour, lack of information, failures in communications, and/or unwillingness on the part of one or both to take responsibility as and when necessary. The paper offers some basic principles for meeting the challenge of improving those relationships.
Civil society organisations (CSOs) should be clear about their values and mission, the constituencies they aim to represent, and the mandate with which they speak. They should define the roles they are willing and able to play. Government officials – both elected and appointed – in their turn, should show commitment to the principles and responsibilities they have undertaken to fulfil, as well as to the promises they have made to the public. Other suggestions from the paper are:
- CSOs and government should both behave in a fashion that will entrench good practice of democratic governance
- CSOs and government should act in a principled, consistent fashion; acknowledge policy trade-offs; and, recognise the potential conflicts and inequalities which the allocation of resources causes and be prepared for the negotiation of these issues
- CSOs can help to ensure that government adheres to the spirit and the law of constitution, especially the protection of peoples’ rights, freedoms, and welfare. They can also promote people’s awareness of their civil obligations
- Government should respect the independence and autonomy of CSOs, provide them with the necessary political and legal space, and encourage civil society efforts to build democratic practice
- CSOs’ inputs to government on specific policy issues should reflect their experience in communities, the views of their constituents, in- depth research, and careful reflection on what is realistic and feasible given resource constraints and policy trade-offs
- Government should formulate and implement policies which address issues of priority concern to people, and listen to the inputs from civil society on an ongoing basis. Where government is democratically elected to govern, it must fulfil this obligation, take the necessary decisions, and be accountable for them.
Policy implications include the need to:
- Recognise that neither civil society nor government are homogeneous
- Develop relationships based on respect and build tolerance throughout society
- Take transparent decisions and be accountable for them.
