Our initial reaction to the question of how best a government can support civil society may most likely be, through the provision of financial resources so that they can undertake more projects or strengthen existing ones.

However, this is not the main area of support that can or should be given to civil society organisations. The support to be given must go beyond financial resources to putting systems, legislation, capacity-building mechanisms, negotiation skills and networking opportunities in place.

The Church insists that the government must be at the service of civil society since it has such an important role. “The political community and civil society, although mutually connected and interdependent, are not equal in the hierarchy of ends.

The political community is essentially at the service of civil society and, in the final analysis, the persons and groups of which civil society is composed. Civil society, therefore, cannot be considered an extension or a changing component of the political community; rather, it has priority because it is in civil society itself that the political community finds its justification.”

This indicates that the government exists to satisfy the needs of civil society. It is civil society that often gives a government its mandate, by being an organised voice of the various interests in the population including the indigent and abused.

Globally, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have built social, economic and political agendas both at national and international levels.  Many of us are familiar with groups who work towards saving children, saving forests, preventing domestic violence and fighting for good working conditions to name a few.

The truth is that governments in most countries particularly developing ones cannot on their own fulfil all the tasks required for sustainable human development. This goal requires the active participation and partnership of citizens and their organisations.

Civil Society Organisations have vital roles to play as participants, legitimisers and endorsers of government policy and action, as watchdogs of the behaviour of those in government and public agencies, and as collaborators in the national development effort.

In light of this vital role that civil society plays, everything must be done to protect its integrity and viability. Because of the nature of CSOs, they represent a variety of interest groups which sometimes may be at cross purposes.

It is therefore essential that there is dialogue between the various sectors and between the organisations in spite of cultural, political, economic and ethnic variety.

Further it is necessary for the state to provide “an adequate legal framework for social subjects to engage freely in their different activities and it must be ready to intervene, when necessary and with respect for the principle of subsidiarity, so that the interplay between free associations and democratic life may be directed to the common good.

Civil society is in fact multifaceted and irregular; it does not lack its ambiguities and contradictions. It is also the arena where different interests clash with one another, with the risk that the stronger will prevail over the weaker.”

In Trinidad and Tobago there are many civil society organisations engaged in a wide range of activities. Persons involved in civil society organisations while they, their clients and onlookers recognise the good and necessary work that they do often feel overwhelmed and still feel that they are not achieving what is truly possible.

Many of CSOs complain of lack of resources including human, financial and technical. Some of the practical ways in which the state can assist civil society here in Trinidad and Tobago are:

• Develop a policy on the Civil Society sector which includes mechanisms to encourage their development and the strengthening of existing civil society programmes as well as ensuring their legal protection

• Through institutional strengthening programmes which first undertake an inventory of CSOs, then second conduct an assessment of their skills and capabilities and finally addresses the gaps in their skills

• Dialogue with CSOs to determine what there needs, concerns and ideas are.

Next week we round off the discussion on civil society by looking at the application of the principle of subsidiarity. 

Persons interested in purchasing the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church can contact the Justice Desk, Archbishop’s House at 622-6680. Also on sale at the Justice Desk is Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching.