Intrac's Definition Of Civil Society

INTRAC's working definition of civil society In its adopted working definition of civil society, INTRAC refers to '... associations that exist outside of the state or market which maintain a degree of autonomy and independence and have the potential to provide alternative views, policies and actions to those promoted by the state and market.' At the same time as offering its own definition of civil society, INTRAC recognises that as a concept it is open to a broad spectrum of interpretations by different sectors and organisations. The importance of context cannot be stated too strongly. For instance, it is INTRAC's belief that the notion of a developing civil society cannot be introduced in isolation to the development of the state and the market but rather they are inextricably linked. The power relations that exist between the state, market and civil society are fluid and dynamic. There is a spectrum through which civil society engages with the state, from an oppositional role through to a complementing the state role and even supplementing the state by filling gaps the state is no longer able to provide for through service delivery. The organisations that form civil society INTRAC holds the view that civil society is an arena where interactions between different actors exist. It fosters an inclusive position with regard to the types of organisations that could be considered as part of civil society. We believe civil society goes beyond the important realm of formally registered organisations. It recognises in addition that there are more transitory expressions of organisation around a particular momentary issue like women who gather around water wells as well as identity-based groups such as clans. The importance of civil society organisations to INTRAC It is our view that not all civil society organisations play a role in strengthening their own communities and promoting democracy. INTRAC identifies some civil society organisations as alternative and independent actors who work for sustainable development, justice and equity. The concept that underpins INTRAC's work is the belief that these groups of people can contribute to a just society and are able to influence their own destiny. Operationally INTRAC is involved in working with a variety of organisations ranging from self-help groups dedicated to straight service delivery, through to advocacy groups.