Index for Civil Society in Sudan

Index for Civil Society in Sudan
Created by Administrator Account in 6/19/2009 11:37:48 PM

As Sudan attempts to transition into a more pluralistic and democratically governed state, civil society is increasingly required to play its critical role in securing individual freedoms and democracy; promoting broader participation in economic and social life as well as politics; representing the vulnerable and those in need; and preserving peace and culture. Understanding and assembling information on the state of civil society in Sudan is undoubtedly important for developing programming and channelling support to the sector. The CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) has been identified as an effective and well structured process for undertaking such a task; one which in the process of collecting and compiling information on the state of civil society in the country would also contribute to bringing the different stakeholders closer and creating a platform for joint visioning, coordination and planning.

Image of a civil society diamond

The CSI is designed to measure five core dimensions - civic engagement, level of organization, practice of values, perceived impact external environment and more contextual ‘external environment’. Each dimension is captured with a range of quantitative and qualitative data. The quantitative indicators are used to construct the ‘Civil Society Diamond’, one of the key components of the CSI, which is divided into sub-dimensions that in turn, are made up of quantitative indicators. By assembling the quantitative data, the CSI generates the ‘Civil Society Diamond’.

The CSI represents a highly participatory tool that contributes to the knowledge-base on civil society as well as to practical civil society strengthening initiatives. Data and analysis resulting from the project will be published and disseminated, providing practitioners, activists, governments, citizens, and researchers with unique perspectives on the nature and impact of civil society, the challenges faced by the sector, and aspects of civil society that can be enhanced. More importantly, the action orientation of the CSI will make it possible for civil society stakeholders to jointly explore the current status and future prospects of civil society in Sudan. Expected results of the CSI project are -

• Increased and shared body of knowledge on the state of civil society in Sudan
• Shared understanding and dialogue on the state of civil society among a broad range of stakeholders including state authorities and donor organizations
• Continued efforts to share knowledge on civil society by a diverse set of stakeholders in Sudan
• Increased knowledge-based actions by civil society stakeholders
• Strengthened capacity within civil society to conduct and disseminate action-oriented research

SUDIA has teamed up with CIVICUS and the National Civic Forum to implement the CIVICUS Civil Socety Index in Sudan. The implementation of a CSI in Sudan aims to promote and strengthen civil society through assessing its strengths, weaknesses and context, as well as developing policy recommendations and actions on the basis of this assessment. Understanding and assembling information on the state of civil society is paramount in developing programming and finding support that would enable the sector to develop and have a positive impact on the quality of life for a sizeable segment of the national population. As part of a wider international initiative, participating organizations and various stakeholders will be provided with important insights on the specific challenges of civil society in Sudan on how to effectively strengthen the sector.

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