Southern Civil Society Organizations in Tumultuous Times: Global Recession and its Consequences

This chapter provides an appraisal of how the current global economic recession is impacting civil society and non-governmental organizations (CSO/NGO), 1 especially those in the developing world, and assesses their potential to make a significant contribution to social and economic development in the developing South. Due to the global economic downturn, many CSOs have been experiencing significant, and in some cases, drastic declines in their resources; their ability to respond to the needs of their constituents and client groups have also been reduced. 2 Simultaneously, CSO-government relations have been altered significantly, paving the way to a relationship characterized by instability, tension, and ambiguity. This chapter recognizes that the causes of reduced financing for Southern CSOs are multiple and are the result of a near-catastrophic coincidence of pressures. The global economic crisis as experienced by developing country governments, CSOs, and citizens has been exacerbated by commodity price volatility, soaring food and energy costs, debt consolidation, significantly reduced aid flows from traditional rich donor countries, and environmental disasters (eg, drought or floods due to climate change, war, and civil strife).