Civil Society, Governance and Globalisation

Dr. Naidoo opened his speech by presenting what he considers the largest issues presently facing humanity: "globalisation and its manifold effects, the meaning and role of civil society and citizen participation, and challenges to effective governance at local, national and global levels." In his speech he reviewed the complexities of globalisation and that it is often presented as "'all good' and full of promise for a better future, on one hand, or as irreparably flawed and diabolical, on the other."

There is a perception that global bodies are making decisions that are not accountable to citizens and that large policies such as debt relief, restructuring policies are made in ways that are considered "undemocratic." In this context, civil society has responded as seen by the large protests taking place at large meetings. People feel alienated and see globalisation as benefiting powerful interests rather than the average citizen.

Dr. Naidoo points out that in the past ten years citizen groups have grown "in their capacity, scope, reach, public profile and influence" and that this is occuring by "the same forces that are producing globalisation – democratisation, the spread of new technologies, and global integration of various forms..." He also suggests that civil society groups need to change their orientation to think not only locally but also to recognize that local actions will not get to the "root causes of many social and economic problems." Civil society must then "think locally and act globally" as well.

As civil society has matured, its credibility with outside audiences has grown. Many governments seek to include this expertise and local knowledge. "High-profile civil society groups, particularly those working around environmental issues, have developed a certain 'brand recognition'; their endorsements or criticisms of business practices, for example, carry weight with the public and have become an important force with which the private sector must reckon. Perhaps most importantly, civil society groups generally enjoy a high level of public trust."

Dr. Naidoo outlines five challenges facing civil society. They are described in the context of civil society experiencing "a new level of scrutiny in its role as a major public actor..."

• a challenge of power and power imbalances within civil society.
• internal to civil society --- bridging narrow interests and broader goals.
• articulating a coherent vision for a more just and equitable global system.
• from outside civil society there is an allegation made that citizen activism threatens to undermine democratic systems by 'short-circuiting' established procedures for decision-making.
• "the challenge of legitimacy, and the related issues of transparency, representation and accountability."

Dr. Naidoo brings to our attention that an "affiliation with traditional political parties is on the decline as the parties themselves are characterised by a lack of internal democracy or fail to address issues that citizens believe are important." And while people are less enthusiastic about traditional political institutions they are on the other hand "finding new and more direct ways to get involved in public life and decision-making – marking a shift from representative democracy to what is often called participatory democracy."

Citizens are requiring political leadership to engage in ways that allow for ongoing input into decision-making and policy formation. As an example, some national governments at United Nation conference include civil society participants in their delegations and certain innovative international commissions "involve civil society groups as equal stakeholders in policy-making, rather than in an after-the-fact consultative role." There is more space for civil society participation however their voices "are marginalised or are belatedly solicited after key decisions have been taken."

Dr. Naidoo emphasises that "this challenge of finding meaningful forms of engagement cannot be overemphasised. Creating channels of access should not be confused with establishing truly participatory procedures."

Dr. Naidoo states that "the geopolitics of 1945 continue to dominate the governance structures of key institutions, even at this point well into the post-colonial era. We need to concede that many of these public institutions appear to be operating under rules and logic that are not in keeping with the realities that citizens confront around the world today."

Below are several of Naidoo's final thoughts that he shares in closing his speech:

• "Few would contest that we are in the midst of one of the most volatile and dangerous periods of world history. New threats to our security – both natural and human-made – challenge us as never before to find common ground in pursuit of social justice and sustainable development.
• "The gap in inequality is growing, and with it, the space for dialogue and common ground may be shrinking irrevocably."

one our our challenges is "not to allow current institutional limitations to constrain our ability to envision a different kind of global governance framework."

• "Our vision should be of a world where citizens and the groups they choose to organise are regarded as legitimate stakeholders, not only by the public, among whom they already enjoy high levels of trust, but by governance institutions who value engagement and recognise the many benefits it brings."
• "every single human being that walks this planet has the potential to make a positive contribution to public life. The challenge for all of us as citizens is to ensure that we create just, meaningful and relevant ways in which this contribution can be harnessed for the public good. Unless we put people, and particularly those that have been historically excluded, at the centre of public life, our development goals will continue to evade us."