The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 19th April 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

The future of India’s civil society organisations

Why in News?

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s systematic suffocation of civil society over the last nine years has ensured that most governments no longer listen to civil society organisations (CSO) or movements, either in the pre-legislative stage or in the redress of lacunae in the implementation of government schemes. Given that advocacy is effectively dead, the ability of civil society to shape policy and public discourse has shrunk drastically. 

Definition

• The term civil society refers to both formal and informal entities and encompasses the private sector, the media, and other organizations.
• According to the World Economic Forum, civil society is the "region outside the family, market, and state".
• According to the European Union civil society means "All types of social action carried out by individuals or groups who are not related to, or managed by, the state".
• Civil society is the voluntary expression of citizens' interests and ambitions, organized and unified by shared goals, values, or traditions and mobilized into collective action." – African Development Board.

Evolution

• The emphasis on civil society stretches back to the 1980s when political scientists began to talk about a "representation problem."
• Citizens all around the world had switched away from political parties and trade unions towards 'newer' approaches such as social movements, citizen groups, and non-governmental organizations.
• The fall of all institutions in India by the late 1970s spawned a slew of mass-based political movements and grassroots action.
• In civil society, the anti-caste movement, the fight for gender justice, the fight for civil liberties, a healthy environment, and against mega-development projects that have displaced thousands of poor tribals and hill dwellers, the fight against child labour, the right to information, shelter, primary education, and food security have all gained traction.
• Civil society was strengthened through the filing of Public Interest Litigations and judicial activism.

Need

• Citizens have the right to check their representatives' work.
• To bring attention to acts such as civil liberties violations and governments' failure to provide citizens with an acceptable standard of living.
• As part of the right to freedom of expression, Article 19 of the constitution guarantees the democratic right to protest.
• The freedom to participate in a certain activity should not be limited to politics or elections.
• Democracy becomes a mirage without this right.
• As a result, civil society cannot be considered separate from the state.

Role Of Civil Society Organisations

• The government has left various loopholes in the development process in a huge developing country like India. In modern India, civil society is attempting to fill these gaps.
• Adding to the government's endeavor to offer healthcare to citizens and boosting public awareness about issues such as child and maternal malnutrition
• A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played a key role in increasing awareness about child sexual abuse, including Childline India Foundation, World Vision, and Arambh India.
• In India, a huge number of NGOs have been involved in the field of environmental conservation over the last 20 years.
• Civil society and the media work together to educate individuals about the dangers of corruption, raise their awareness, and secure their participation by providing them a voice.
• By serving on committees and submitting memoranda, civil society can have an impact on policy and project development.

Issues Related To Civil Society Organisations

• The problem is multifaceted, and it is exacerbated by the sector's "unorganized" nature, a lack of regulatory frameworks, and the fact that India has over a million NGOs of various responsibilities, structures, and sizes.
• Civil society groups and their funders are being identified and targeted.
• Funds are stopped, intelligence reports are provided selectively in order to present NGOs in a negative light, and their activities are put on a watch list.
• Not all civil society organizations work to protect our society's moral conscience. Some are only focused on obtaining funding from the government or others.
• Some sectors of the media are frequently intimidated by their corporate masters and the lure of stardom.
• Some NGOs have been classified by the Union Home Ministry as a security danger to the country as a result of this Union Ministry of Home Affairs rejected 25 NGO licence renewal applications in November 2016.
• NGOs like Greenpeace have been accused of being anti-national in several cases.

Types Of Civil Society Organisations

• Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society organizations (CSOs), and non-profit organizations (NPOs) that have a structured structure or activity and are typically registered entities and groups:
• Online communities and activities, such as social media communities, can be "organized" but do not have physical, legal, or financial frameworks.
• Online and/or physical social movements of collective action and/or identity
• Religious leaders, religion communities, and faith-based organizations are all involved in the process.
• Employees are represented by labour unions and organizations.
• Social entrepreneurs who use innovative and/or market-oriented strategies to achieve social and environmental goals.
• At the local level, grassroots organizations and activities
• Members own and control cooperatives in a democratic manner.
• Radio, television, print, and electronic media that are not owned by a corporation
• Coalitions rooted in the neighborhood or in the community
• Institutions of higher learning and research
• Indigenous peoples' organizations

National Policy On Voluntary Sector

• Aim: To support, develop, and empower an independent, innovative, and successful voluntary sector to contribute to India's social, cultural, and economic advancement.
• Method Used to achieve Aim: Awareness raising, social mobilization, service delivery, training, research, and advocacy, the volunteer sector has made a substantial contribution to discovering new solutions to poverty, deprivation, prejudice, and exclusion.
• This policy acknowledges the volunteer sector's essential role in a variety of fields and confirms the rising need for government and private sector partnership with the voluntary sector at the three tiers of the government.

Objective Of The Policy

• To provide an enabling environment for Voluntary Organisations (VOs) that encourages their business and effectiveness while also protecting their autonomy;
• To allow VOs to properly mobilize required financial resources from both India and outside;
• To identify ways through which the government and VOs can collaborate on the basis of mutual trust and respect, as well as shared accountability; and
• Encourage VOs to implement transparent and accountable governance and management structures.

Suggestion For Civil Society Organisations

• Voter education, electoral reforms, and periodic spotlighting of elected representatives' performance or non-performance should all be top priorities on civil society's agenda.
• A strong and alert civil society can function as a check on corruption and provide a foundation for counter-measures.
• Legislation similar to the False Claims Act in the United States should be established, allowing citizens and civil society organizations to seek legal redress for fraudulent claims against the government.
• Corruption may be prevented, monitored, and controlled with the help of a free media.
• Use of Information and Communication Technology in governance systems to ensure greater participation of civil society and the private sector in the governance decision-making process.

Conclusion

The state must respect not only the politics of the vote, but also the politics of the voice. Only by collaborative effort in civil society can democracy's promises be realized. A democratic state necessitates a democratic civil society, which necessitates a democratic state. They are mutually reinforcing.