The contributions and challenges of civil society in development and governance in context of the post-1991 developmental state of Ethiopia

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to analyse the contributions and challenges of civil society in governance and development and state-civil society relations in the context of post-1991 contemporary Ethiopia. To achieve this objective a mixed method approach was used, where data from qualitative sources were embedded into the quantitative sources and analysed. To understand the role of civil society and state-civil society relations in the post-1991 period of Ethiopia, three periods were considered (i.e., 1991 to 2004; 2005 to 2017 and 2018 to date) due to the shift in the enabling environment of civil society over these periods. Factors such as external context and internal context were considered and analysed. The role of civil society in development and governance was analysed considering the three major operational areas of civil society (i.e., advocacy, services delivery, and watchdogging). State-civil society relations were also examined by focusing on different parameters. The analysis was conducted by way of comparison based on the three periods, using Friedman’s Analysis of Variance. Both the external and internal contexts were found to be conducive and better during the first and third periods, while it was not enabling during the second period. The role of civil society in service delivery was found to be similar and better in all three periods, but in terms of advocacy and watchdogging it was better during the first and third periods, while it was completely paralysed during the second period. Regarding state-civil society relations, the first period was characterised by cooperation between the state and civil society, but the relationship lacked the principles of engagement and formality. During the second period, the relationship was characterised by confrontation and even denial of a rights-based civil society. The third period was characterised by cooperation and a smooth relationship. Finally, the non-formal institution, i.e., Iddir, has been an essential institution that not only plays a complementary role to formal civil society but also contributes to development and governance in its own right. However, Iddir’s potential for contribution has been constrained by lack of attention and support from the government. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations are made to concerned actors including the government, the formal civil society organisations and the non-formal civil society - Iddir.

Maikemisetsomagolo a thutopatlisiso eno e ne e le go sekaseka seabe le dikgwetlho tse di itemogelwang ke setšhaba mo taolong le tswelediso ya dikamano fa gare ga puso le setšhaba mo maemong a ga jaana a morago ga 1991 mo Ethiopia. Go fitlhelela maikemisetso ano go dirisitswe molebo wa mekgwa e e tswakantsweng, moo deitha go tswa mo metsweding ya tshedimosetso e e tlhalosiwang ka mafoko e tsenyeleditsweng mo metsweding ya tshedimosetso e e tlhalosiwang ka dipalo mme ya sekasekiwa. Go tlhaloganya seabe sa setšhaba le dikamano fa gare ga puso le setšhaba mo pakeng ya morago ga 1991 ya Ethiopia, go akanyeditswe dipaka tse tharo (k.g.r., 1991 go fitlha ka 2004; 2005 go fitlha ka 2017 le 2018 go fitlha ga jaana) ka ntlha ya phetogo mo maemong a a siametseng setšhaba mo dipakeng tseno. Go akanyeditswe mme ga sekasekiwa ditlhotlheletsi tse di jaaka maemo a kwa ntle le maemo a ka fa gare. Go sekasekilwe seabe sa setšhaba mo tsweledisong le taolo go lebeletswe dintlhakgolo tse tharo tsa tsepamiso tsa setšhaba (k.g.r., tshegetso, thebolelo ya ditirelo, le peoleitlho). Dikamano fa gare ga puso le setšhaba le tsone di sekasekilwe ka go tsepamisa mo dipalong tse di farologaneng tse di tlhalosang batho botlhe. Go dirilwe tshekatsheko ka papiso e e ikaegileng ka dipaka tse tharo, go dirisiwa Tshekatsheko ya ga Friedman ya Pharologano fa gare ga dipaka tseno. Go fitlhetswe maemo ka bobedi a kwa ntle le a ka fa gare a siame e bile a le botoka ka dipaka tsa ntlha le tsa boraro, fa a ne a sa siama ka paka ya bobedi. Go fitlhetswe gore seabe sa setšhaba mo thebolelong ya ditirelo se a tshwana e bile se botoka mo dipakeng tsotlhe tse tharo, mme malebana le tshegetso le peoleitlho se ne se le botoka mo dipakeng tsa ntlha le tsa boraro, fa se phutlhame gotlhelele ka paka ya bobedi. Malebana le dikamano fa gare ga puso le setšhaba, paka ya ntlha e farologantshitswe ka tirisanommogo fa gare ga puso le setšhaba, mme kamano e ne e tlhaela melawanatheo ya botsayakarolo le kobamelo ya melawana. Ka paka ya bobedi, kamano e farologantshitswe ka kgotlhang le kganelo ya setšhaba se se itseng ditshwanelo tsa sone. Paka ya boraro e farologantshitswe ka tirisanommogo le kamano e e se nang matsapa. Kwa bofelong, setheo se e seng sa semmuso, k.g.r., Iddir, e ntse e le setheo sa botlhokwa se se dirang tiro ya tlaleletso mo setšhabeng e bile gape se na le seabe mo tsweledisong le taolo go ya ka bokgoni jwa sone jo bo kgethegileng. Le fa go ntse jalo, bokgoni jwa Iddir mo seabeng bo lekanyediwa ke go sa tsewe tsia le go sa neelwe tshegetso ke puso. Go ya ka diphitlhelelo tsa thutopatlisiso, go dirilwe dikatlenegiso go bannaleseabe ba ba amegang ba ba akaretsang puso, mekgatlho ya semmuso ya setšhaba le setšhaba ka kakaretso - Iddir.

Inhloso enkulu yalolu cwaningo kwakungukuhlaziya iminikelo nezinselelo zomphakathi ekubuseni, ekuthuthukiseni kanye nasebudlelwaneni bomphakathi nombuso esimweni se-Ethiopia yangemva kowe-1991. Ukuze kufezeke le nhloso kwasetshenziswa indlela exubile, lapho imininingo evela emithonjeni yamaqiniso (ikhwalithethivu) yafakwa emithonjeni yezibalo (ikhwantithethivu) yabe seyihlaziywa. Ukuze kuqondwe iqhaza lomphakathi kanye nobudlelwano bomphakathi nohulumeni enkathini yangemva kowe-1991 e-Ethiopia, kubhekwe izinkathi ezintathu (okungowe-1991 kuya kowe-2004; owangowe-2005 kuya kowe-2017 kanye nowe-2018 kuze kube manje) ngenxa yokushintsha kwesimo esivumelana nomphakathi phakathi nalezi zinkathi. Kwabhekwa izici ezinjengomongo wangaphandle nomongo wangaphakathi futhi zahlaziywa. Indima yomphakathi ekuthuthukiseni nasekubuseni yahlaziywa uma kubhekwa izindawo ezintathu eziqavile ezisebenzayo zomphakathi (okungukumelela, ukuhlinzekwa kwezidingo zomphakathi, kanye nokuqapha). Ubudlelwano bomphakathi nombuso babuye bahlolwa ngokugxila emingceleni ehlukene. Ukuhlaziywa kwenziwa ngokuqhathanisa okusekelwe ezinkathini ezintathu, kusetshenziswa indlela eyaziwa ngokuthi yi-Friedman's Analysis of Variance. Zombili izimo, esangaphandle nesangaphakathi kwatholakala ukuthi ziyasiza futhi zingcono phakathi nenkathi yokuqala neyesithathu, kanti zazingavumelani phakathi nenkathi yesibili. Indima yomphakathi ekuhlinzekweni kwezidingo yatholakala ingefanayo futhi ingcono kuzona zonke izinkathi ezintathu, kodwa ekumeleleni nasekuqapheni, kwakungcono phakathi nenkathi yokuqala neyesithathu, nokungukuthi ayisebenzanga nhlobo phakathi nenkathi yesibili. Ngokuphathelene nobudlelwano bomphakathi nombuso, inkathi yokuqala yabonisa ukubambisana phakathi kombuso nomphakathi, kodwa ubudlelwano babuntula imigomo yokuzibandakanya nokuhleleka. Phakathi nenkathi yesibili, ubudlelwano babubonisa ukubhekana ngeziqu zamehlo kanye nokungatholi komphakathi inhlalo esekelwe ngamalungelo. Inkathi yesithathu yaveza ukubambisana nobudlelwano obungenazinkinga. Okokugcina, isikhungo esingahlelekile ngokusemthethweni, i-Iddir, sibe yisikhungo esibalulekile esingagcini nje ngokudlala indima ehambisana nomphakathi osemthethweni kodwa futhi sinomthelela ekuthuthukiseni nasekubuseni ngokwaso. Nokho, ikhono le-Iddir lokunikela liye lakhinyabezwa ukunganakwa nokungasekelwa nguhulumeni. Ngokusekelwe kulokho okutholakele ocwaningweni, kwenziwa izincomo kulabo abathintekayo abafaka uhulumeni, izinhlangano zomphakathi ezisemthethweni kanye nomphakathi ohleleke ngosemthethweni, i-Iddir.