This is an interview with Benoît Fontaine (Advisor with the King Baudouin Foundation) who is working on developing GuideStar in Belgium. He talks about:

* The civil society sector in Belgium
* The reason for GuideStar interest in Belgium
* The main partners for the initiative
* Where the data for GuideStar Belgium will come from

The latest GuideStar International Newsletter is now available (April 2009). In it you can find an update on GuideStar International, news from our partners and relevant articles about what is happening in the CSO sector.

'In many transition economies, the state has surrendered its direct involvement in agricultural production and the rural economy, focusing on rural public goods and a greater regulatory role, particularly in food safety and plant and animal health. However, the exact definition of and appropriate financing for rural public goods remain unclear. In response to this conceptual gap, the rules and procedures of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the European Union (EU) are increasingly determini more...

CUTS International (Consumer Unity & Trust Society), vision is to make the markets work better for the people by creating intellectual and knowledge base on regulatory reforms, including economic regulation, competition policy and commercial diplomacy.

'In an interview, Ann Florini discussed the difference between 'global government' and 'global governance,' intergovernmental organizations such as the UN, and the role and achievements of civil society and transnational networks, particularly on environmental issues.'

'World Alliance for Citizen Participation, the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme undertook a study in 2007/8 to explore the role of both volunteering and social activism in development. The study involved contributions from all three organisations and drew on inputs from nearly 100 volunteer-involving organisations across 54 countries in all regions across the globe.

The paper explores how both volunteering and social activ more...

'This monograph analyzes the role of civil society in the massive political mobilization and upheavals of 2006 in Nepal that swept away King Gyanendra's direct rule and dramatically altered the structure and character of the Nepali state and politics. Although the opposition had become successful due to a strategic alliance between the seven parliamentary parties and the Maoist rebels, civil society was catapulted into prominence during the historic protests as a result of national and internati more...

The 1st Quarterly GuideStar International Newsletter is now available. This gives an update on what has been happening with GuideStar in Europe, Korea, India, Japan, the UK and US and features an interview with the CEO of GuideStar Data services (the newly established Community Interest Company) which is owned by GSI. It also features a report of the GuideStar International Assembly in 2008 and a variety of related articles about the civil society sector.

The 3rd GuideStar Assembly entitled ‘From local to global: The importance of CSO information for citizen engagement’ was held at 2 Temple Place in London on the 2nd- 3rd December 2008. The Assembly gathered 90 people from 19 countries to discuss the ways in which information can empower civil society and decision-makers at all levels, to engage and surmount barriers that limit the civil society sector today. A report and presentations, are now available on the GSI website

Although “civil society” has become a very familiar term in development circles, its meaning is still often elusive. This has practical consequences, because each definition implies a different course donors should pursue to promote participation and democracy.
Among political scientists and philosophers, an active debate has emerged in recent years over the definition of the term. These debates are not purely academic. On the contrary, each definition implies a different course donors shou more...