Funding of Non Governmental Organizations in Senegal: Constraints and Opportunities
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Local/Global Encounters
Funding of Non Governmental Organizations in Senegal: Constraints and Opportunities
FATOU SARR
ABSTRACT The growing influence of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in development interventions in recent years in Senegal reflects the state’s incapacity to ensure the well being of its population, as well as the push for greater democracy and improved governance from donor agencies. NGOs have demonstrated their usefulness to local development through their participatory local activities. But despite this, Fatou Sarr argues that NGOs continue to lack a stable financial base. Attempts are made by many NGOs to be financially more self-sufficient, but overall they continue to be financially dependent on the government and external donors. Sarr suggests this makes them not only vulnerable to manipulations by authorities and donor agencies, but also diminishes the efficiency of their work. KEYWORDS governance; democracy; autonomy; sustainability; political engagement
Introduction In Senegal the emergence of development civil society historically emerged after a long cycle of drought in the 1970s, combined with the world economic recession resulting from the 1973 petrol crisis and the interventions of the Bretton Woods institutions between 1975 and 1978. These events led to a reduced state budget for social sectors, and as a result a marked impoverishment of the population. In response, social movements, essentially structured and sanctioned by Senegal’s ruling political party began to focus on questions of economic hardship, and became involved in local development interventions such as building wells, classrooms, health units, etc. NGOs are part of what is commonly referred to as civil society. They are its most visible segment and yet they are only a part of civil society. Awide variety of groups and organizations ^ feminist, cultural, religious, trade-related ^ are equally a part of it. Out of the 8177 organizations accounted for in 2004, only 410 are NGOs that adhere to Home Office regulations giving them access to fiscal rebates. At the end of the1980s, civil society moved from an interest in developing local economies to the political sphere. This evolution, closely linked to the end of the welfare state1 and democratic aspirations, paved the way to militant civic engagement at the municipal level in most major cities. During his speech2 to the 16th Franco-African Summit Development (2006) 49(2), 108–115. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1100245
Sarr: Funding Civil Society in Senegal held in Baule, 19^21 June 1990, the French President Franc- ois Mitterrand informed African countries that henceforth French aid to the African countries would be linked to conditions of democracy and that he gave his support to the new civil organizations were mobilizing to reinforce fundamental rights, democracy, and individual and collective freedoms. This gave NGOs the green light to engage in political work and they began receive significant financial and technical support for local development via the
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