ESSAY: The Embers can combine to light the Flame to Reclaim the Essence of Liberia Civil Society.

Imagine a bird whose wings are trapped in a mesh. You have the chance to disentangle it. The bird’s wings are released. You watch it fly.  By giving the bird another chance to soar and to thrive, it has taken nothing away from you. By giving to the bird another chance, you have received much more. As you watch it soar to higher heights, you experience inner happiness. This is what embodies the spirit of Liberia civil society. Groups outside the State and the private sector, organized for reasons not for profit, groups driven by their convictions and acting to influence the change they desire in society.

So it is with great respect that I address the women and men, girls and boys who contribute to Liberia civil society. After the end of the war, the peace that they helped to make, this peace their efforts are needed to sustain. It calls for them to continue to mobilize and self-organize. It is easy for those who they entrust their power, resources and decision-making to betray their trust.

There are few questions that come to my mind as I attempt to discuss my perspective on principles fundamental to Liberia civil society.  What is the state of Liberia’s civil society and by extension, Liberia’s social movements? Is it fractured and broken as a result of the years of war? Is it characterized by mistrust and internal division? In finding answers to these questions, it is fair to say that the conflict has revived Liberia’s social movements. The need for group mobilization based on common interests is vital to democracy building. In the past, it was the situation of absolute needs, absent protection especially for vulnerable groups, serious human rights violations that necessitated these groups.

Throughout the period of the conflict and after, it was these simple acts of goodness that carried the hope of the society. An important lesson holds true even today, goodness must confront evil with good. Liberian civil society is not a spent force for good. In fact, it carries an enormous potential yet to be fully realized. This is true when one considers the segmentation of the various splinter groups often with fewer outlets for collective intergroup actions.

For example, why it is the case that the main advocates for gender equality are the women movement? That the broader human rights coalition of civil society has yet to put their collective voice to these pursuits? The Gender Equity Bill whose intent is to address gender discrimination in the political sphere and increase political participation of women has stalled since its introduction in Liberia’s 51^st Legislature. This proposed legislation is a response to Liberia’s international obligation as contained in human rights law. Liberia has signed and ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women. Article 4 of this Convention provides for the adoption of ‘temporary special measures’ aimed at accelerating de facto equality between women and men. According to this provision, these measures shall be discontinued when the objectives of equality of opportunities and treatment have been achieved. It is my view therefore, that the full weight of the human rights coalition of civil society should take interest and bring their collective weight for a balanced debate on this Bill to pressure Liberia’s 52^nd Legislature to bring it to reality.

To take another case in point, the most vocal advocates for persons with disabilities in Liberia are the women, men, girls and boys whose lives and opportunities are constrained by various forms of disabilities. At societal level, they face stigma, societal isolation, they are assigned low social status, have fewer access to productive employment and even fewer access to educational and skill development opportunities. A society fails itself, if it fails to expand the choices and opportunities of all its citizens and create conditions to allow each to fulfill his or her fullest potential. That Liberia has signed and ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities should offer a sufficient basis for collective social organizing and advocacy on the full range of rights of all persons with disabilities in Liberia.

The above situation highlights a picture that calls for more coherence even solidarity across different movements and interests within Liberia civil society. It is clear that collective actions, and commonly pursued goals have the potential to bring a weighted voice that would not easily be ignored. For this to happen, different interests groups should reach out. By combining forces, the aim for a fair and just society that affords opportunities to all, and respect the rights of all can be realized.

In this backdrop, I use the remaining remarks to address principles, vital to moving the social movements forward:

Trust: No amount of outside assistance, whether financial, material or technical, can assist a people to rebuild trust. Trust is vital to rebuild constructive social relations amongst different people in society to enable them work on common issues of concern facing them. There are certain things that only Liberians can lead. Rebuilding the trust necessary to manage group self- organizing cannot be outsourced.  It is the main engine that will drive Liberian’s social movements. Yet there is a role for outside help. Outside help can combine with locally driven conviction for positive change on issues for which groups have organized to act.

Conviction: This cannot be bought or sold. Conviction represents the intrinsic values, the software, and the inner core of group formation. These can be translated into mission statements and core organizations values that distinguish one group from the other. Yet, there are certain non-negotiable, even irreplaceable underlying convictions that should guide all of Liberia’s social movement: justice, peace, sustainable governance, inclusive development. These purposes should bind different civil society organizations regardless of their convictions and interests.  Liberians have been tested, and can relate to the consequences of broken peace, absent governance and when development outcomes fail to reach the majority. In this respect, civil society organizations hasve important role to play in helping to consolidate Liberia’s peace and sustainable development.

Capacity: There are a number of factors with regards to civil society capacity that I would like to relate to. The first aspect relates to institutional capacity. This addresses the internal governance of the civil society organizations which should reflect democratic principles. It is important that key decisions about where the organization goes lies with a board with clear mandate, comprising individuals drawn from broad layers of society. Part of institutional capacity is having a strategic plan based on the organizations vision and mission, that outlines how and which goals will be pursued within a specific time frame. Donors should not drive what civil society ought to work on.  Each organization’s strategic plan can serve the basis for its dialogue with donors and key stakeholders. Organizations should provide annual narrative, financial and independent audit reports of how resources entrusted to them have been utilized. It will be the role of the Board of these organizations to scrutinize the outcome of these reports and take actions to address any needs identified. The reports of civil society activities should be made available to the constituents they represent in format that they can access and understand.

A holistic approach is therefore required when appraising civil society organizations. Each organization should therefore have the personnel, competence and the systems to deliver on its strategy and the role clarity require for internal control and risk management. Civil Society in fulfilling their role as watchdog to society, must themselves demonstrate transparency, accountability in all their interactions, and do those things that will inspire the public confidence.

This first approach to capacity building is about bureaucratic organizing of the various civil society organizations. While this is important, there is an even more important aspect of capacity that deals with civil society capacity for activism. Activism is the non-violent, constructive mobilizing of self and others to pursue positive change in society on issues of concern whether  gender equality, anti-corruption, poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability or  human rights. Individuals or groups that self-organize are often willing to risk their comfort, their freedom, even their lives on the causes for which they stand.  No amount of bureaucracy can replace activism, bureaucracy weakens activism.

A balanced between strengthened institutional capacity and the capacity for activism is important. The flame that inspire others to come out to protect  and speak out for those in need – vulnerable children suffering the brunt of sexual violence and exploitation, persons facing societal discrimination because of their gender identity or sexual orientation – must and should exist alongside the requirement to strengthen the institutional functioning of civil society organizations.

Pluralism: Civil society organizations must be the outlet for differing views and perspectives, since no single view or perspectives can sufficiently capture the multiple inspirations of all members of society. Pluralism connotes acknowledgement of diversity. As such the membership and leadership of civil society should encompass broad layer of society: gender, age, ability, ethnicity, religion, educational background, economic status to name a few. It is therefore important for civil society organizations to map out and determine which voices are missing or are least heard, which groups are represented and which are not? In the context of pluralism, civil society organizations should not self-censor on the basis of the views that resonate with the majority. This can be done when certain issue pertinent to other members of society remains as taboo.

Integrity:  Civil society organizations and their membership must be one with their conviction and their pursuit to all persons all the time. That is my definition of integrity. Members should not purport to stand for an idea only because it suits their personal purpose at a particular time and go against such idea when such purpose is served. Self-interest is one counterweight to integrity, when individuals use the cause for a collective to gain personal benefits at the risk of the cause that they stand for. We have seen often enough situations where civil society organizations are decapitated when their leaders are bought by those whose interests it is to maintain the status quo.

To conclude, these principles are the embers that will combine to light the flame of civil society – all across the country. These principles are important. Stripped of any other motives, interests, organizational strengths or weaknesses, external support or not, it is these principles that hold the vital core of what will remain. Strong institutions with weak capacity for activism are not ideal. Equally, strong activism within weak organizational framework is a challenge. It will be a balancing act of the two. Civil society must set and own their agenda. Their engagement with their own constituents and the interests they represent must be manifest both in the openness of their reporting to their constituents and their funders. Weaker voices in civil society must be heard. Civil society must articulate and work towards a vision for the future, guided by areas where they agree, and in the spirit of pluralism, and diversity, must be a platform for divergent viewpoints. By doing these things, civil society hold an important role to help anchor democratic culture at all levels of society.

First posted on August 30, 2013

Charles Tye Lawrence.

 

The author studies for a Master of Arts in Human Rights and Conflict Management at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy and has extensive experience working in the development field.