What are we doing to advance the contours of democracy in Botswana?�
Correspondent | Friday September 18, 2015 16:39
The 2015 International Day of Democracy’s theme is “Space for Civil Society”. Civil society refers to the wide array of non-governmental and not-for-profit organisations that have a presence in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, based on ethical, cultural, political, scientific, religious or philanthropic considerations.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide of array of organisations: community groups, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), labour unions, indigenous groups, charitable organisations, faith-based organisations, professional associations, and foundations (The World Bank Group, 2013; Defining Civil Society).
Civil society is a partner to the government in many areas, for example, delivery of social services and implementation of development programmes (ibid).
It complements government action, particularly, in regions where the government’s presence is weak [e.g., in post-conflict situations] and in post-disaster relief as happened in Asia during the post-Tsunami reconstruction after 2006 (ibid).
The same was observed in the post-Hurricane Katrina reconstruction in the US in August 2005. In fact, strategic leadership demands that the political leadership leverage on benefits that result from state-civil society relationships.
Confirmedly, when delivering a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos [Switzerland] on 29 January 2009, Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, emphasised the centrality of this relationship.
He said; ‘our times demand a new definition of leadership; global leadership. They demand a new constellation of international cooperation; governments, civil society and the private sector, working together for a collective global good.’
Ending, the case for non-state involvement in public space needs not be over-emphasised in areas such as development, governance, electoral processes and the public budgetary process.
Therefore, as we commemorate the 2015 International Day of Democracy, there is a need to reflect on how CSOs are mainstreamed into the public space.
PROFESSOR EMMANUEL BOTLHALE*
*Professor Emmanuel Botlhale is a University of Botswana lecturer