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By: Baquer Namazi,
Director of the Iran NGO Initiative
and
Senior Adviser to the Population Council
Recent TrendsRecent Trends
• Focus on People’s participation • Impact of global policies• President Khatami’s Policy• Elections and Local Councils• Coordinating Council of NGOs• NGO Law Reform
NGOs in IranNGOs in Iran
• Environmental NGOs 501• Women NGOs 300• Youth NGOs 2,500 (1000 registered) • Scientific 115• Cultural and Artistic 2181• Charities Almost 5,000• Community Funds Almost 10,000• 50% of NGOs (over 7,000) were set up during the last
four years.
Percent Distribution of Iranian NGOs by Year of EstablishmentPercent Distribution of Iranian NGOs by Year of Establishment
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1979 1980-89 1990-96 1997-2000
Challenges facing NGOsChallenges facing NGOs
• Structural and legal constraints• Conflicting policies and bad practices• Govt’s role as heavy handed control agent • Serious obstacles to interactive international
cooperation, e.g. to resources; GINGOs• Role of traditional CBOs neglected
Internal ProblemsInternal Problems
1. Insufficient professionalism and participatory management systems
2. Weak technical and financial capabilities3. Affinity with the communities weak4. Scarcity and unreliability of information and data5. Absence of culture of accountability and
transparency6. Lack of understanding with respect to role of
NGOs7. Strong Code of ethics needed
OpportunitiesOpportunities
• Demand for democracy and participation• Role of CSOs increasingly recognized• Community participation, role of CSOs/NGOs and
expatriate Iranians highlighted in Fourth Plan• Growing confidence of CSOs/NGOs to challenge
government policies • Forums for dialogue by all stakeholders• Several progressive Government voices
Opportunities (cont’d)-Opportunities (cont’d)-
• New visions linking research and advocacy to community-based action emerging
• More opportunities for expatriate Iranians• More involvement of provincial CSOs• New alliances involving diverse partners,
World Bank, traditional philanthropists, multinationals
Cooperation possibilities: TypesCooperation possibilities: Types
• Training and capacity building• Joint research projects• Community-based initiatives• Scientific and CSO exchange• Information and experience sharing• Networking• EXPATRIATE IRANIANS AS BRIDGE
Cooperation possibilities: ThemesCooperation possibilities: Themes
• Good governance, human rights, law, democracy• Gender mainstreaming• Children and youth empowerment• Environmental protection• Poverty Alleviation; vulnerability reduction• Health and population• Popularization of science and technology
CSO/NGO Empowerment: CSO/NGO Empowerment: INI’s contributions INI’s contributions
• Created new alliances with communities, traditional philanthropists, universities, private sector, World Bank and multi-nationals
• Promoted virtual networking• Strengthened international cooperation with UN
bodies, European and US CSOs, including dialogue with EU
• Supported training and capacity building projects• Helped highlight role of CSOs in Fourth National
Plan
NGO Empowerment (cont’d)NGO Empowerment (cont’d)
• Took the dialogue to the provinces• Initiated five community-based pilot projects,
with one operational (in Ardekan)• Cooperated with universities and centers of
excellence• Contributed to development of NGO literature
through studies (Situation Analysis of Iranian NGOs)
• Cooperated with the Iranian diaspora
Iran/US NGO joint activities Iran/US NGO joint activities supported by INIsupported by INI
Partners: Ford, Population Council, Woodrow Wilson Center, ISAR, SFCG, W.Alton Jones
Activities covered included:• Training• Exchange• Studies
Training ActivitiesTraining Activities
• Two proposal writing workshops • Workshop on lobbying and advocacy• Workshop on women, children and peace• Two E-law workshops• Fellowship to E-law Institute• Cooperation of E-Law Institute with Tehran
University leading to graduate program
Seminars and ExchangesSeminars and Exchanges
• Meeting of Iranian/US CSOs (DAPIA)• Visit of 10 ENGO representatives to USA• Tehran Environment and Urban
Development Seminar• Meeting of Caspian NGOs in Tehran
StudiesStudies
• Situation Analysis of Iranian NGOs• Study on perspectives of independent
researchers on scientific exchange• Study on Traditional Community-Based
Organizations
Criteria for cooperationCriteria for cooperation
• Focus on people-to-people cooperation bereft of politics
• Equality and mutual respect• Transparency• Priority to community level actions• New code of ethics for cooperation
Start-up actionsStart-up actions
• Take stock of ongoing cooperative actions• Set up network of interested partners• Create data bank• Set up focal points for cooperation• Generate joint projects through consultation
with focus on community-based projects• Focus on ideas and action