Developed countries have long seen the value of civil society as an integral part of development, but it’s a different story in some parts of the world.
Civil society in conflict-ridden and fragile states often operates in a limited space, with limited capacity and sometimes even seen as competition by governments, said George Ingram in a video interview with Devex Global Editor Rolf Rosenkranz.
The Brookings senior fellow stressed that civil society is part of the solution to conflict and fragility, and donors must recognize this by “subtly and quietly” building their capacity.
Watch the clip above to know what Ingram thinks donors can do to empower civil society under strenuous environments but without compromising their legitimacy.
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About the author
Jacques Jimeno
Jacques is a copy editor at Devex’s news production team. Previously, he worked with the Philippine Department of Tourism and the World Wide Fund for Nature. He is currently taking his master’s degree in communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman.