Although Ethiopia has many years that started to practice under Civics’ Societies, it was difficult to say the institutions are achieving their permanent goal due to various reasons. Especially before and during election 2005, civic society organizations had shown good start in the social and political affairs of the country.
However their role and even existence faced threat after their landmark activities during election 2005. In addition to the suppression they faced, they were totally crippled by the legislation enacted later which especially limited their access to funding, among others. Civic’ Societies Forum Chairman Negash Tekelu during the opening discussion said that the agencies have been operating for many years in Ethiopia, and the members are striving to revise inhibiting rules, regulations, and proclamations.
Stakeholders’ at regional, Federal, and international levels are actively working to realize this. According to Negash, the organizations have provided the revised draft proclamation to the current Prime Minister as part of the efforts to put in place an enabling procedure. Following this, the current government accepted the revised policy offered by the members of the organizations and finally, the proclamation is ratified recently.
It is playing vital role to address the needy, strength social interaction, and create strong ties between government and Civics’ Societies Organizations Agencies. Particularly, during the past period, many needy citizens would not have been benefited due to the discomfort of procedure and interference of political leaders. However, the current ratified draft proclamation has played decisive role to solve such problems in addition to realize development, democracy, and protecting human right.
General Director at FDRE Civics’ Society Organizations Agency Jima Dilbo on his part said that the main purpose of the discussion is to ensure citizen beneficiary and protecting human rights among others. On the other hand, sustaining organizational right and supporting the current reform are other crucial issues that take high attention by the institutions.
During the past period, members of Civics’ Societies Organizations Agencies are counted as like as second citizen in their own home, but they are not now, says Jima. He recalled that Civics’ societies should respect rules and regulations, believe in dialogue, and stand for the truth. Lawyer and legal counselor Debebe Hailegabriel said that the Agencies have not achieved the goal due to the proclamation is fulfilled by bureaucratic agenda.
The main purpose of amending this proclamation is to realize the organizational goal, ensure societies beneficiary among others. Particularly, the previous Civics’ Societies and charity proclamation does not give attention to human right protection, rule of law, democracy and responsibility. Following this, the present ratified draft proclamation of civic societies have removed the past issues and added some crucial points which help to realize the organizations’ goal in Ethiopia.
He noted that any Charity Organizations whether in born country or charity which comes from outside they should respect the country’s culture, customs and rule and regulation. In order to protect the rule, the agency has full mandate to inspect, supervising and help any legal civics’ societies. In the near future, a council will be established to control the full activities of Civics’ societies, he added.
Participant in the discussion, Rahel Gebremariam, Country Director at Voluntary Services Overseas, it was one of international charity organization. And now, she is one of leaderships at Ethiopian Charity Association for the last nine years here in Addis Ababa. She said that helping citizen means obtaining moral satisfaction. According to her, the past many years, Civic Societies were not performing to the realization of the original goal they were established for.
She played vital role like other charity organizations in order to upcoming the current draft and ratified proclamation of Civics’ societies. Particularly, the present draft proclamation of Civics’ Societies is playing indispensable role by providing freedom of working. She stressed that the present ratified proclamation has enforced that each charity organizations should be respected the country’s culture, customs and among others.
The Ethiopian Herald, March 30/2019
BY MESERET BEHAILU
