Fourth Congress of the Association of African Historians

Development partners discussed on creating an enabling environment for civil society

Policy makers, development partners, over 150 CSOs/NGOs and other stakeholders have discussed on how to create an enabling environment for civil society in Ethiopia at a day long conference held on Tuesday 30th October 2007, at the Imperial Hotel in Addis Ababa.

The conference jointly organized by the Forum for Social Studies (FSS), the Union of Ethiopian Civil Society Associations (UECSA) and the Organization for Social Justice in Ethiopia (OSJE) have examined the prevailing legal and policy environment of civil society organizations, their institutional situation and engagement.

In his welcoming statement, FSS Executive Director, Professor Bahru Zewde, said the conference is an important occasion to asses the achievements and shortcomings of the Ethiopian Civil Society.

The conference examined the legal-and political- environment in which civil society is operating in Ethiopia, he said, adding that civil society still continues to be governed by the rules and regulations laid down by the 1960 E,C Civil Code and Associations of 1966 E.C.

Though the government has been exerting efforts to come up with new legislation to accommodate the changed circumstances, Professor Bahru said, the legislation can have lasting value only if civil society, which is directly affected by it, is consulted and inputs are taken.

The conference also discussed the issue of Code of Conduct for Civil Society in Ethiopia and came up with recommendations towards creating a more enabling policy environment. While making a remark at the Conference, Director of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, Getahun Kassa said Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) assume an important role in the promotion and protection of human rights.

The role of the civil society organizations in the promotion and protection of human rights is growing in the international domain as well as in Ethiopia, the director said.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, Getahun said, is ready to partner with civil society organizations in the efforts launched to nurture culture of respecting human rights in all aspects of the life of the society.

The European Commission funded research projects presented at the conference while the United States Agency for International Development and Pact Ethiopia provided additional support to the conference.

The conference have tried to identify some of the major challenges facing civil society organizations and forwarded recommendations to be taken by policy makers, the CSOs and development partners.

Senior researchers in the field of legal and policy environment as well as on civil society institutional dynamics have presented their studies conducted in Ethiopia and selected African countries. Participants drawn from pertinent government and non governmental organizations attended the conference.