Civil Society Participation Research Articles

From policy to practice: How NATO joined forces with NGOs for the protection of civilians

North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO’s) active cooperation with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on the protection of civilians (PoC) challenges the academic assumption that NATO’s decision-making structures are generally closed to civil society participation. What explains the decision of NATO officials to work with NGOs when developing a Policy for the PoC, and how did this cooperation take place? Combining insights from resource dependency and organisational learning theories, we explore whether and how concerns about public legitimacy and operational effectiveness can explain that NATO engaged with NGOs during its learning process on PoC. Methodologically, we combine data from 26 interviews with NATO officials and NGO representatives with a document analysis of 648 NATO publications. Our analysis shows that NATO’s collaboration with NGOs in the adoption of a PoC policy was very much a bottom-up process. Military commanders began engaging with NGOs on the ground during NATO’s International Security Assistance Force operation in Afghanistan (2001–2014). NGOs then gradually gained access to the formulation and institutionalisation of the PoC policy. While legitimacy concerns triggered NATO’s initial cooperation with NGOs, effectiveness concerns related to policy implementation facilitated stronger cooperation once the process was underway.

The Brazilian State Water Resources Councils: diagnosis of civil society participation through criteria of access to information, parity, and decision-making procedures

The aim of the article was to investigate whether the Brazilian State Water Resources Councils, including the Federal District, ensure civil society participation through access to information, parity, and decision-making procedures. In this context, verification criteria were selected, with maximum score of 1 point assigned based on their suitability for the Councils, which were classified in terms of participation adequacy. The states that were deemed suitable, in descending order, were: Paraíba (1st position), Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo (2nd position), Amazonas, Pará, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, and Santa Catarina (3rd position), Bahia, Ceará, Federal District, Espírito Santo, and Mato Grosso (4th position), Rio Grande do Norte and Tocantins (5th position), and Alagoas (6th position). The states deemed unsuitable were: Acre and Pernambuco (7th position), Piauí and Roraima (8th position), Goiás and Sergipe (9th position), and Amapá and Maranhão (10th position). As for the criteria, the ones that scored the highest were: the presence of the website and Internal Regulations of the Councils, decision-making by the Council in plenary sessions, the presence of Meeting Minutes on the website, identification of the Technical Chambers of the Councils on these channels, adherence to the regular meeting schedule, identification of the members who make up the Councils, and parity among the three sectors that constitute them. It was concluded that the State Water Resources Councils need to ensure equal participation for civil society members in their discussions and deliberations as well as provide public access to the information generated.

A GARANTIA DA SAÚDE MENTAL NO SISTEMA PRISIONAL : DESAFIOS E RESPONSABILIDADES DOS ENTES FEDERATIVOS A PARTIR DA PNAISP

The present study aims to analyze the challenges and responsibilities of federal entities in the implementation of the National Policy for Comprehensive Health Care for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PNAISP), focusing on ensuring mental health care for inmates. It is a bibliographic research that seeks to understand the impacts of this policy in the context of the Brazilian prison system. The methodology involves the selection of scientific articles, legislation, and manuals from the Ministry of Health, available in databases. The results indicate that PNAISP has been implemented slowly and gradually, facing obstacles such as low municipal adherence and insufficient coverage by Family Health Teams, with a predominantly curative focus. It is concluded that, despite significant advances over previous administrations, the full implementation of PNAISP depends on greater coordination among federal entities and active participation of civil society through health councils, in addition to the implementation of concrete actions that ensure access to mental health care in the prison system.

The Role of Civil Society and Religious Organizations in Shaping Environmental Policy in Bangladesh

Research Problem: The intersection of religion, civil society, and public policy is an increasingly relevant area of study, particularly in the context of environmental degradation. In Bangladesh, the impacts of climate change, industrialization, and globalization have created significant environmental challenges. These challenges necessitate a critical examination of the role of civil society, including religious organizations, in addressing environmental issues. The key question is: How effectively is civil society, in conjunction with religious institutions, contributing to the environmental movement and influencing policy reform in Bangladesh? Research purposes: This paper aims to explore the role of civil society, including the influence of religious organizations, in the environmental movement in Bangladesh. It seeks to understand how civil society organizations engage in advocacy, lobbying, stakeholder pressure, environmental impact assessments, and grassroots mobilization. The goal is to evaluate how these efforts shape public policy on environmental governance in a religious and sociopolitical context. Research methods: : This study uses a qualitative, review-based approach, relying on secondary data from existing literature, media reports, and policy documents. It critically examines the involvement of civil society organizations in the environmental movement, with a focus on how religious values and institutions intersect with public policy efforts in Bangladesh’s environmental governance. Results and Discussion: The findings suggest that civil society organizations, including those with religious affiliations, play an important role in influencing environmental policy in Bangladesh. Through advocacy, lobbying, and public mobilization, these organizations have brought attention to critical environmental issues, facilitating public participation in environmental governance. However, challenges remain, including political biases and limited resources, which affect their ability to fully shape policy. Religious organizations have also been shown to contribute moral and ethical dimensions to environmental activism, aligning their values with sustainable development goals. Research Implications and Contributions: The research underscores the importance of integrating religious organizations into the broader framework of civil society engagement in environmental governance. It highlights how religious values can complement public policy efforts, contributing to a more holistic approach to sustainable development. The paper provides recommendations for policymakers to strengthen collaboration between civil society, religious institutions, and government bodies to make environmental policy more effective and inclusive, aligning with the journal’s scope of exploring the intersection of religion and public policy.

Practical Reforms in the Field of Copyright Protection in the Republic Of Uzbekistan and Their Promising Results

This article examines the ongoing efforts to enhance legal literacy, awareness, and the protection of intellectual property rights in Uzbekistan, focusing on the “Strategy for the Development of Intellectual Property in the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2022-2026.” It highlights the significant legal reforms undertaken since the 2017-2021 development strategy, including the adoption of over a thousand laws aimed at fostering transparency, civil society engagement, and human rights protection. However, several challenges persist in the legal protection of intellectual property, such as inadequate public knowledge, weak integration of intellectual property in production processes, and insufficient coordination among relevant state bodies. The research explores how collective management of intellectual property rights, inspired by international models, can address these challenges. It also delves into the institutional reforms needed to ensure efficient legal protection, prevent counterfeit products, and promote the use of intellectual activity results in the economic and social sectors. The article concludes with recommendations for improving Uzbekistan’s intellectual property framework, increasing public engagement, and positioning intellectual property as a key driver of the country's socio-economic development.

Problems of Good Governance in Managing Indonesia’s Borderland: The Case of Entikong Subdistrict

The present study explores the good governance processes of border management in Entikong Subdistrict. The Entikong Subdistrict in West Kalimantan is a priority district that receives special attention from Indonesian central and local governments. The Entikong border post started operating in 1989, making it the first land border in Indonesia. Nevertheless, despite its aged history and many development efforts within the area, the economic growth and welfare of the border community remained stagnant. The data for this article were collected through a field work in Entikong for four months in 2022 in which we conducted observation, interviews, and focus group discussion with local residents and government officers. This study reveals that good governance became the focal issue explaining Entikong’s lack of development by providing two problems in the border development at Entikong: 1) the government’s inconsistency on the road widening project and 2) the complexity of governance and bureaucracy. This paper further elaborates on the essence of locality in good governance practices while simultaneously addressing the authority division problems and communication towards the demands of the local community. This study argues that better public communication patterns should be implemented to avoid misunderstandings within the community and increase the participation of local citizens, government, and civil society in the development process of the border area.

Time and space for social-ecological transformation: care-full commoning in and beyond the ecofeminist city

ABSTRACT The relevance of civil society participation is well established in literature on environmental politics. However, the ability to join initiatives or movements actively fighting for a socially just future within biophysical limits is not equally distributed within societies. The configuration of spatial and temporal infrastructures in cities shapes how individuals interact with each other and the environment, thereby reproducing or alleviating intersectional inequalities. We connect literature on care, the commons, feminist time politics, and insurgent planning to discuss spatio-temporal infrastructures that promote space and time for care and participation. Building on feminist critiques of disembedded and disembodied cities, we draw upon examples from European cities to formulate an ‘educated dream’ about what an ecofeminist city could look like. In discussing different forms of scaling (up, out, deep) and bottom-linked transformation, we propose tangible steps towards the realisation of such a concrete utopia.

Political stability in authoritarian regimes: the case of Central Asia

ABSTRACT Existing research indicates that political stability is a prerequisite for good governance and economic development in Central Asia. All five countries in the region are authoritarian regimes but it is unclear which factors impact on political stability. Using data for the period 2002–2022, this paper examines the variables which make a significant contribution to political stability and finds that the rule of law, personalist rule, a free media, freedom of assembly, political polarization and gross domestic product (GDP) growth, respectively have a positive effect on political stability while government accountability, exclusions by social group and civil society participation have a negative effect. Some of the findings are at odds with other studies on autocratic regimes, illustrating the importance of geo-political context.

Transitional Justice in Colombia: A Systematic Literature Review

Transitional justice in Colombia has evolved, reflecting the political, social, and academic changes in the country. This study is a systematic review of the literature through articles indexed in Web of Science, applying the PRISMA protocol. Out of 3819 articles published in the last five years (2019-2024), 109 articles were selected following strict exclusion criteria. The methodology includes a quantitative analysis complemented with the visual analysis tool Posit PBC™ for bibliometric analysis in Biblioshyni. The study addresses the research question on the evolution of the main research interests in the field of Transitional Justice in Colombia. The results show that initially, analyses on transitional justice focused on documenting the atrocities of the armed conflict, with a focus on truth and reparation, grounding legal mechanisms such as the Justice and Peace Law of 2005; with the 2016 Peace Agreement, research expanded into more complex issues, including the interaction between transitional justice and development, and the importance of civil society and victim engagement. The inclusion of the gender perspective, particularly after the 2016 Peace Agreement, led to studies on how women and LGBTI+ communities were differentially affected by the conflict. In addition, recent research has focused on the comparison between the peace processes with the AUC and the FARC-EP, analyzing the differences in their transitional justice frameworks and the challenges of implementing these agreements in a context of persistent violence.

Investigating the Effects of the Quadruple Helix on Civic Society Engagement in Smart City Innovation

This paper is focused on the Quadruple Helix (QH) impacts on civic engagement in urban innovations. The main research question addressed is whether there is evidence available in the public domain that use of quadruple helix has increased the involvement of members of civil society in decision-making in smart cities initiatives (SCIs). Due to its rising popularity as a practical innovation model, QH – where government, industry, academia and civil society collaborate to collectively address public problems - has received growing attention in smart cities research and policy making. But despite this, the actual effects of involving the fourth helix – members of civil society – remains an under-researched area. It has yet to be demonstrated what, in practice, SCIs operating under the banner of QH have accomplished, especially for improving the engagement of civil society (CS) members in decision-making about smart city (SC) innovations. A broadly based systematic review of the literature on QH in SCIs has been conducted to discover whether those featuring QH report that successful engagement of members of civil society has affected innovation outcomes. Results suggests that despite its heavy promotion, neither the practical significance of involving the fourth helix in decision-making in SCIs, nor the ‘benefits’ delivered from doing so, are currently unpacked in the literature. This is only partly due to the dearth of published evidence about these issues. The lack of reported effects of the quadruple helix on civic engagement in smart city initiatives is compounded by the inadequate research design adopted for such initiatives, especially by the insufficient attention given to reporting on their implementation or to evaluations of what they have achieved in practice.

ДЕКОНСТРУКЦИЯ И РЕКОНФИГУРАЦИЯ ГЕНДЕРНОГО ДИСКУСА В КАЗАХСТАНЕ: АНАЛИЗ СОВРЕМЕННЫХ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ ВЕКТОРОВ

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the deconstruction and reconfiguration of gender discourse in Kazakhstan, based on an examination of current political vectors guiding transformations in the field of gender relations. The central task of the study is to identify key factors influencing the transformation of gender policy in Kazakhstan against the backdrop of global changes and modernization processes taking place in the country. The article examines the stages of the evolution of gender policy, starting from the post-Soviet period, when Kazakhstan began integrating into international organizations, paying special attention to promoting gender equality. Special attention is given to analyzing the interaction between national and international norms in the context of gender policy formation, as well as adapting global initiatives to local conditions. Structural issues, such as the insufficient institutionalization of gender strategies and the slow progress in achieving real gender equality, are highlighted. The article discusses both normative achievements, including the adoption of new legislative measures and programs, and the challenges of their implementation in the face of socio-economic and cultural barriers. The research is based on a comprehensive approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. Data from international studies, statistical reports, and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders involved in the gender policy-making process are utilized. A comparative analysis of Kazakhstan’s gender initiatives with similar processes in other post-Soviet countries is also presented. In conclusion, the article offers prospects for the further development of gender policy in Kazakhstan, including potential strategic directions for deepening the integration of gender equality into the country's social, political, and economic spheres. The author hypothesizes that successful promotion of gender equality requires not only political will but also a profound transformation of societal attitudes and practices, which can be achieved through a strengthened interdisciplinary approach and active engagement of civil society.

O SISTEMA PRISIONAL NO BRASIL: UMA ANÁLISE DOS DESAFIOS E PERSPECTIVAS DE REFORMA

The Brazilian prison system is a complex and challenging issue that has raised heated debates over the years. With a growing prison population and precarious conditions in prisons, the reality of penitentiary institutions in the country presents a worrying picture. The purpose of prisons, which should be the rehabilitation of inmates, is often distorted by overcrowding, violence and lack of opportunities for social reintegration. In this context, this work aims to analyze the challenges faced by the Brazilian prison system and explore the reform perspectives that can be adopted to face such problems. It is crucial to understand the historical roots of this system, as well as the contemporary factors that have contributed to its current situation. Throughout this study, a comprehensive bibliographical review will be carried out, gathering data and analyzes from research, government reports and academic studies that focus on the subject. It is essential to emphasize that an effective reform of the prison system does not only imply improving the physical conditions of prisons, but also promoting actions that favor social reintegration and the reduction of criminal recidivism. In addition, civil society participation and dialogue between the various actors involved are crucial elements for building sustainable and humanized solutions.

Open Government Data Intention-Adoption Behavioural Model for Public Sector Organisations: A Technological Innovation Perspective

The objective of this research is to examine an open government data (OGD) intention-adoption behavioural model for the public sector organisations (PSOs), since examining the model is expected to lead to a better understanding of how to realise this technological innovation among PSOs on a large scale to excavate its innovative value. In this respect, we proposed a theoretical model to explore the factors that affect OGD adoption behaviour based on three dimensions of the TOE (technology, organisation, and environment) framework. The model was then analysed after collecting the survey data from 249 PSOs in Pakistan using a purposive sampling technique. The findings unfolded that the factors, except centralisation and civil society participation, framed in technology dimension (data resource, dataset quality, perceived benefits), organisation dimension (data-driven culture, digitisation capacity, need for transparency), and environment dimension (compliance pressure, political leadership commitment) affect the PSOs’ OGD adoption intention. Cumulatively, the intention to adopt OGD was found to have a significant positive impact on OGD adoption behaviour. Based on the TOE framework, the model, with the addition of adoption intention as a significant positive factor in adoption behaviour, bears a crucial theoretical and practical contribution in the context of OGD. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-05-04 Full Text: PDF

The diverse impacts of democracy on greenhouse gas emissions

A model to assess the relationship between attributes of democracy and greenhouse gas emissions is developed. Applying this framework to a comprehensive panel dataset covering more than 150 countries over the recent three decades, the following key findings emerge: (i) Direct Popular Voting is highly effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across all sources. (ii) Civil Society Participation also proves effective, though its impact is reduced for emissions from well-identified sources. (iii) Greater emphasis on individual and political liberties reduces the effectiveness of Liberal Democracy in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous two indicators. (iv) The impacts of Judicial Constraint on the Executive and Freedom of Expression, while not negligible, are weaker compared to those of the first three indicators. These findings are interpreted and explained, and their implications for the design and implementation of climate policies are examined.

Big ambitions, modest beginnings: Civil society participation in food system governance in Australia

Big ambitions, modest beginnings: Civil society participation in food system governance in Australia

Uczestnictwo obywatelskie na Węgrzech, cz. 1

The aim of this paper is to analyse the state of civil society in Hungary and thus to offer an insight into the theory of civil society and civic engagement. Firstly, the process of political transition and the formation of civil society in Hungary is discussed. The next section gives an overview of the legal status of civil society institutions. Then an attempt is made to present complicated relationships between politics and civil society in Hungary. The article addresses the methodology of the empirical research conducted by the author. Given the collected research material and the conducted empirical research, the paper was divided into two parts.

Constitutional and Legal Foundations of Interaction Between the State and Civil Society in Ensuring the Protection of State Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity of the Russian Federation

Introduction. The relevance of the study is caused by three main factors. First, there is the need for further in-depth scientific and legal analysis of the amendments 2020 to the Constitution, which contain a number of fundamentally new provisions for domestic constitutional legislation that consolidate the legal foundations for ensuring the protection of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. Secondly, the undoubted interest of the Russian state in modern conditions in the development of civil society in Russia as a whole, and in particular its individual institutions that have a direct impact on the activities of the state in this area, as well as the understanding that in modern conditions only with the support and active participation of civil society in the policy implemented by the state In the field of protection of state sovereignty, it is possible to achieve the set goals and objectives. Thirdly, the difficult geopolitical situation that the Russian Federation has been in for the past ten years, striving to preserve state sovereignty and prove its belonging to one of the leading countries of the world under unprecedented pressure from the collective West. Theoretical Basis. Methods. The theoretical basis of this study is made up of scientific works of scientists in the field of the theory of state and law, constitutional law, administrative law. The work uses general scientific methods (system analysis, dialectical, formal-logical) and special research methods (system-legal, comparative-legal, historical-legal, formal-legal). Results. Firstly, based on the supremacy of national sovereignty over state sovereignty, the need to strengthen the latter through the development of institutions (elements) of civil society, which carry out certain types of relevant public (socially useful) activities provided for in legislation in this area, is justified. Secondly, the requirements imposed on the institutions of civil society, called upon, especially during the period of a special military operation, to carry out activities aimed at strengthening the state sovereignty of the Russian Federation, are highlighted. Thirdly, a scientifically based conclusion has been made that the term “civil society” to a greater extent than the legal category “people” emphasizes the presence of common interests among citizens of the Russian Federation, awareness of their constitutional rights and freedoms and opportunities and desire to carry out, especially during the period of a special military operation, public (socially useful) activities, including those aimed at ensuring state sovereignty. Discussion and Conclusion. In the context of further increasing threats to the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, there is a need to consolidate civil society in the current legislation as a source of democracy and the basis of the constitutional system, its formation as a public law institution designed to be the natural support of the state, to perform appropriate functions in the field of patriotic, including military-patriotic education of citizens of the Russian Federation Federations, as well as stabilizing functions that allow consolidating the interests of the state and society, using its full potential to protect national interests.

Which route to elite turnover leads to women's political empowerment in developing countries?

AbstractIt's commonly accepted that policymakers should promote women's inclusion for a more inclusive society. Drawing from the literature on democratic and non‐democratic routes of elite turnover, this study analyses the effects of elite turnover on women's political empowerment (WPE) by comparing two main routes: political alternation and internal conflict. We measure WPE by using women's political empowerment index (WPEI) from the varieties of democracy database. Based on a large sample of 128 developing countries over the period 1980–2021, the ordinary least square fixed effect and Driscoll‐Kraay fixed effects estimations show that elite turnover has a positive and statistically significant impact on WPE. Similar evidence is found when decomposing the WPEI in its sub‐indices notably women's political participation, civil society participation, and women's civil liberties sub‐indices. This result is also supported by the view that elite turnover increases education, as well as the institutional environment which therefore enables WPE. These results are robust to alternative estimation techniques including the system generalized method of moments and two‐stage least squares (GMM and IV 2SLS). Furthermore, the results remain unchanged when considering the majority of the geographical locations of our sample (it is insignificant for the MENA region) and the role of decentraliszation.

EU water diplomacy: A tool to strengthen the EU's soft power on environmental governance

AbstractThis article analyses the role of the European Union (EU) as a global governance actor in a multipolar and fragmented world. It focuses on the case of European Union water diplomacy, defined as the diplomatic and strategic use of water cooperation to promote peace, security, and sustainable development. The article argues that European Union water diplomacy is a tool to enhance the EU's soft power and influence in global environmental governance. Through an analysis of the European Union's main initiatives in this field, the article illustrates how the EU seeks to build alliances with other actors, promote multilateralism and the principles of international law, and support the participation of civil society and local communities. It concludes that European Union water diplomacy is an example of EU normative and transformative leadership that can contribute to the consolidation of a more just and sustainable international order.

Civil Society in Providing the Development of Democracy in the Countries of the Eurasian Economic Union

This study aims to explore the influence of civil society on the level of democracy in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and propose mechanisms to enhance civil society formation for strengthening democratic processes. A comprehensive review of scholarly literature on civil society and its relationship with democratic development was conducted, alongside an analysis of the unique characteristics of EAEU member countries. Comparative assessments were made to determine the extent of civil society development, as measured by the Civil Society Participation Index, and the characteristics of democratic procedures, as measured by the Democracy Index. The findings indicate a link between civil society strength and democratic advancement. Specifically, countries with robust civil societies, such as the Republic of Armenia and the Kyrgyz Republic, demonstrate higher levels of democratic development. This underscores civil society’s role as a catalyst for political and social transformations and state-building processes.