Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Civil Society

I thought it was time for me to get some more clarity about what do experts really mean when they talk about "Civil Society".....Is it "We the People of India"?....Not really. Does it mean only the NGO's? Sorry, 'No' again.

According to the World Bank the term civil society refers " to the wide array of non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations 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 Organizations (CSOs) therefore refer to a wide of array of organizations: community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), labor unions, indigenous groups, charitable organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, and foundations”.

And what is the procedure for the "Civil Society' in India to select a small group of persons to represent it?

Now don't ask me that!