Supporting the Enabling Environment for Local Civil Society
The Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index (CSOSI) is a tool created by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1997 to assess the sustainability of the civil society sector in 29 countries in Europe and Eurasia. Since 2009, the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) has joined USAID in funding an expansion of the index to sub-Saharan Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. AKF USA supports CSOSI in order to create a time-series of information which provides development practitioners and policymakers around the world with knowledge on the opportunities and challenges for sustainable CSOs, strengthening their activities.
Local Organizations Playing a National Role in Afghanistan and Pakistan
In 2011, the first baseline CSOSI reports for Afghanistan and Pakistan highlighted how local organizations can play a role in successful national development. Sustainability of civil society institutions is closely related to the readiness of national governments to provide enabling environments (for example, legal standards and regulations). The report’s findings show that civil society currently faces distinct challenges in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, yet these sectors have also recently been able to positively impact national policies.
Recent reports from all three regions highlight the challenges and successes of civil society organizations (CSOs). While many CSOs in Afghanistan and Pakistan are improving their relations with government and making constructive policy contributions, security concerns continue to create a difficult context for these organizations’ activities. Sub-Saharan Africa also generally saw the CSO sector make gains in improving their relations with government, though elections and leadership changes contributed to a challenging operating climate, and economic setbacks contributed to weakened financial sustainability for many CSOs.
Read the full Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index reports here:
- 2013 CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2012 CSO Sustainability Index for Afghanistan
- 2012 CSO Sustainability Index for Pakistan
- 2012 CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa
- 2011 CSO Sustainability Index for Afghanistan
- 2011 CSO Sustainability Index for Pakistan
- 2011 CSO Sustainability Index for Sub-Saharan Africa
Civil Society Organization Sustainability Index around the Web
- 03.28.2014 Experts and Practitioners Discuss Global Trends in Civil Society , USAID Impact
- 01.18.2013 First CSOSI Report for Afghanistan and Pakistan Launched , Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A.
- 09.20.2012 African Civil Society Rankings Presented at Wilson Center, Management Systems International