Civil Society & Democracy

It has been said that in a democracy agreement isn't essential, but participation is. For years, nonprofits have offered a helping hand in the creation of institutions critical to sustaining participatory democracy around the world, especially in places where freedom has yet to gain a foothold. A variety of civic associations--known collectively as civil society--share a common goal: to encourage an informed citizenry to play a critical role in the way their country is governed.

Monitoring elections. Protecting Human Rights. Exposing government corruption. These are just a few examples of the work taken on by civil society. Support for civil society played an essential role in the "colored revolutions" that ushered in a new era of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, and have been instrumental in challenging autocratic regimes in the Middle East and elsewhere. Civil society groups in Africa, South Asia and elsewhere in the developing world have helped attract critical foreign aid by calling for greater government transparency, and holding donors accountable. At its heart, however, civil society embraces the wide-ranging needs and concerns of the community at large, and offers an open forum for the debate and discussion of ideas with the aim of strengthening democratic institutions.

Civil society and democracy promotion have drawn support from some of the world's most well-known financiers and philanthropists, and are playing an increasingly important role in the foreign policies of many western countries. Whether funding women's groups in traditionally male-dominated societies, working to establish press freedoms where state-controlled media dominates, or backing microfinance schemes to fight poverty, civil society and democracy are the building blocks upon which liberty lives.

Source: Foreign Policy Association