Civil society

What is civil society?

‘Civil society’ broadly means the groups and organisations which occupy a position between the household, the state and the private sector. They include non governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as think tanks, trade unions, faith groups, social movements and community groups.

Why work with Civil society?

Civil society organisations offer citizens and communities the opportunity to get together in various settings to discuss the issues of the day, to lobby government and to act. They can complement the activities of government and the private sector and play a vital role in reducing poverty.

In poor and fragile countries civil society organisations can give the poor a voice and help build effective states by supporting the demand for better governance. In rich countries they can contribute to development policy, and they can hold the international community to account for more and better aid delivery.
Civil society originations can play an important role, particularly in fragile states, by delivering services directly to poor people and developing innovative approaches to reducing poverty. They also play an important role in responding to humanitarian crises.
Civil society organisations are well placed to reach the public with stories and information to galvanise support for development. They can also mobilise the public in support of development campaigns such as ‘Make Poverty History’.

How DFID works in partnerships with civil society

DFID has worked with civil society organisations for more than 40 years. During that time the focus has widened from traditional development NGOs to a much larger range of civil society organisations including trade unions, faith groups and social movements.

Today DFID works with over 200 international and UK civil society organisations and has direct or indirect links with thousands of civil society organisations in developing countries. Our commitment to civil society is demonstrated by the 84% increase in funding to UK civil society since 1997.

There is a well-established exchange of ideas between DFID and civil society on development issues, and we are committed to consulting widely on policy development.

DFID funding

DFID supports civil society through a number of centrally managed funds. These include:

The Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF) – supports projects which give poor people, or the organisations that represent them, a voice so they can influence decisions that affect their lives.
The Development Awareness Fund (DAF) and the Mini Grants Scheme – support activities aimed at promoting public knowledge and understanding of development issues.
Partnership Programme Arrangements (PPAs) – provide long-term funding for civil society organisations which share DFID’s strategic objectives.
The Conflict and Humanitarian Fund - provides funding to civil society organisations specialising in conflict prevention or resolution and in humanitarian affairs.
The Governance and Transparency Fund (GTF) – supported programmes designed to help citizens hold their governments to account and take a greater part in political processes.

DFID country offices are also an important source of support for civil society organisations in the developing word. They work with local organisations, and encourage governments to include civil society in decision-making and policy.

When there is a humanitarian crisis, DFID gives substantial support to civil society organisations to help provide emergency relief. In 2007/8 civil society organisations received over £80 million for humanitarian assistance.

We also involve civil society organisations in our research work. Much of DFID’s £125 million annual research spend goes directly to research bodies, but we are seeking to include more civil society organisations in our research programmes. More information on DFID’s research can be found at Research4Development (R4D).

Last updated: 17 Mar 2009

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