Role of Civil Society Organizations and Media in Gender and Public Participation in Afghanistan

Abstract

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Afghanistan are divided into two broad categories: non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civic associations. Local NGOs are registered with the Ministry of Economy (MoEc), and foreign NGOs are registered with both the MoEc and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Civic and trade associations are registered with the Ministry of Justice. The Advisory Group on Civil Societies that works with CSOs around the world defines CSOs as the following: CSOs include all non-market and non-state organizations outside of the family in which people organize themselves to pursue shared interests in the public domain. They cover a wide range of organizations that include membership based CSOs, cause-based CSOs, and service-oriented CSOs. Examples include community-based organizations and village associations, environmental groups, women’s rights groups, farmers’ associations, faith-based organizations, labor unions, cooperatives, professional associations, chambers of commerce, independent research institutes, and the not-for-profit media. (Advisory Group on Civil Societies, Synthesis of findings and recommendations, OECD-DAC Working Party on Aid Effectiveness, 2008, p. 7)