WORKSHOP 3
Implementing the Copenhagen Commitments:
Action to Strengthen Civil Society

    The workshop made the following recommendations on actions needed to strengthen civil society:

• Initiate rules and regulations to organise the work of non-government organisations, strengthen their organisational structures, administrative and financial capacity as well as achieving transparency at national, regional and international levels.
  
• Enable non-government organisations to work freely and take initiatives, without government interference, to defend human rights, freedom and equality.
  
• Expand the Arab NGO Network and other international coalitions, such as ICSW and strengthen their roles as partners in planning, training, follow-up and evaluation of projects, as well as enhancing sharing and learning experiences among countries.
  
• Launch twinning programs of NGOs at regional and international levels.
  
• Optimise the use of academic and scientific resources in training and investing in the human resources of NGOs.
  
• Encourage the private sector to enhance the role of civil society by supporting projects of NGOs and securing financial resources.
  
• Encourage governments to support NGO projects and exempt them from taxes and public fees.
  
• Utilise media resources to disseminate information promoting the work of civil society, and encourage the production of leaflets regarding the role of NGOs as development partners of the government and the private sector, especially in terms of creating employment opportunities and reducing poverty.
  
• Devise a monitoring mechanism for the funding resources of NGOs.
  
• Establish targets to allocate a certain percentage of the government’s budget to finance specific initiatives of NGOs geared towards fighting poverty and creating employment opportunities, by 2000.