What next for CSOs amidst shrinking space

Highlights

• The CSOs are concerned about the donor funding that is dwindling each time
• The CSOs are implored to start up their own alternative income activities
• Over 8,000 CSOs closed due to various reasons from 2019

By Felix

Non-governmental Organizations and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating in Northern Uganda and Bunyoro Sub-region are crying against the shrinking spaces that has seen many of them closed.

The leaders from the various CSOs said their activities are being stifled due to numerous restrictions, tedious registration policies, the fines levied on them to renew their licenses among others.

The concerns were raised during a conference on enhancing the compliance and sustainability of CSOs in Northern Uganda at Hotel le Confidentiel in Arua district.

Speaking at the three days conference that started, the Programs Manager for Chapter Four Uganda, Anthony Masake, said: “We are not where we wish to be as NGOs. We are facing serious challenges because of restrictions and a complex legal regime. We have a situation where the government is ill-advised and this leads to actions that are targeting the CSOs.”

He said there was a need for the government to relax some of the bureaucracies and restrictions in registration, licensing of the NGOs so that services are provided to the poor communities freely.

The procedures in registration and licensing should be transparent and should be done within a short time. This will make the CSOs become compliant, transparent in transacting their businesses.

Over 150 participants, including 100 CSOs from West Nile, Acholi, Lango and Bunyoro sub regions attended the three days Northern Uganda Civil Society Conference to exchange on best practices geared towards a compliant and sustainable civil society sector, for effective service delivery.

What next: The participants from various CSOs and NGOs across Northern Uganda.

The Executive Director West Nile Civil Society Network (WECISNET), Twaib Feni said: “With the shrinking funding, we need to find alternative sources of funding for sustainability. We need to work hard and ensure that we comply with the relevant laws so that services are provided to the communities.”

He concurred that the shrinking spaces for NGOs and other Civil Society Organisations were a detriment to providing services to the communities.

In response, the Secretary National Bureau for NGOs, Stephen Okello, said: “It is important that the CSOs read and comply with the laws and the spaces would not shrink. It is not that the government is witch-hunting or creating shrinking spaces.”

For compliance: Stephen Okello, the Secretary NGO Board

He said there was a need for the organisations to tackle internal and external compliance questions. “Yes, donor funding is dropping all over the world due to Covid-19 effects, global trends like the wars in Israel, Ukraine and the changing priorities. So, organisations in Uganda should look for solutions of generating revenue locally for sustainability.”

The Head of Programs at GIZ, Tassilo von Droste, said: “It is the organisations that help the poorest and the homeless in society. They need to be given space and time to discuss development. And so, with the current situation, they need to build resilience so that the needs of societies are addressed.”