Civil society organizations have gained a strong foothold in governance. This briefing looks at their legitimacy as political actors, and provides some guidelines for interaction between government and civil society.
Document Highlights
There has been a remarkable trend over the past 10 years toward greater participation by civil society organizations (CSOs) in public governance. There is also a growing recognition of the need to understand the issues that surround their participation. At the heart of the matter is the legitimacy of civil society as a political actor, and the closely allied questions of accountability, ability to be representative, and the competence of these organizations. Their policy activism contributes to a widespread perception that there is a crisis of legitimacy in our established institutions and processes of public governance. And yet, what is civil society? Why would government choose to work with CSOs? And, how does government choose which ones to work with? This briefing lays out a framework for addressing these questions, and provides practical suggestions for those who manage the interaction between public institutions and civil society.
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