ADDIS ABABA – The revised Proclamation of Civil Societies encourages and allows citizens to exercise the right to freedom of association, Agency for Civil Societies Organizations said.
Mesfin Tadesse, Agency Communication Affairs Director told The Ethiopian Herald that following the appointment of Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed (PhD), several repressive laws that were hindering the progress of organizations are amended as part of national reform to enable citizens to exercise their rights.
For instance, Organizations of Civil Societies Proclamation restricted and controlled the activities of civil societies. However, following the reform, it has been amended to ensure the interests of citizens.
For instance, the proclamation abolishes the 10 percent rule on funding, which allows domestic organizations to freely determine where their funds come from. It clearly entitles civil societies a right to solicit funding from any lawful source, Mesfin said.
In the previous proclamation, due to regulations or restrictions, particularly those that put a limit or restriction, to foreign funding, have been obstacles for societies to properly function, he added. The proclamation has improved this situation and gives them a lot of room to function freely.
Following the adoption of the new law, 239 new civil society organizations have been registered in the past two months, which is greater than the annual average of 200 during the previous proclamation. Some 556 already existing organization were also registered again following the adoption of the new law.
The new law provides all organizations the right to engage in any lawful activity to accomplish their objectives. In fact, the new law specifically encourages civil societies to engage in advocacy and lobbying in regard to laws and policies. The proclamation also allows organizations to self-regulate, which is a significant shift from the previous one.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 8/2019
BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN
