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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 March 1999 Issue No. 420 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 11 - 17 March 1999 Issue No. 420
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Focus Special Features Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Building a social partnership
By Rania KhallafDefining ways of activating the role played by voluntary organisations was the theme of the General Congress of Non-Governmental Organisations, which met from 3 to 4 March.
In her opening speech, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak said Egypt had taken concrete steps towards a comprehensive social development. This development, she explained, is based on three factors: improving the standard of basic social services; making it possible for all sectors of society to positively and effectively participate in the social development process; and affirming the importance of the "human element" in this process.
"These factors represent the essence of this stage of social transformation that requires our concerted efforts, the mobilisation of all our energies and providing resources for the development of basic services, especially in the health, education and culture sectors," Mrs Mubarak said.
She said political stability and economic development require the affirmation of certain social values. Affirming that the role of social partners (NGOs) has become a major factor, Mrs Mubarak said that partnership is more the essence of the social development process. The more the activities of NGOs are directed toward defending human rights, protecting the environment and acting to upgrade living standards, the more society's social standards would develop, she added.
Mrs Mubarak said NGOs, by giving true expression to the spirit of integration between human beings, are a major component of the world's "conscience". She described a social development summit, held in Copenhagen in 1995, as a turning point because it affirmed the principle that contemporary problems can be solved by close cooperation between voluntary and government efforts.
Recalling that the first Egyptian NGO was established in 1821, Mrs Mubarak said that "our experience has proved that the nation's prosperity is closely related to the scope of social activity, which has become the criterion of progress and an indication of cultural maturity."
Referring to a new bill intended to regulate the activities of NGOs, Mrs Mubarak said the draft law aims at "achieving a balance between rights and duties, between commitments and gains, and ensuring financial transparency."
The General Union of NGOs, she argued, should focus on five points: a comprehensive understanding of the concept and dimensions of social activity; directing social services to the most needy sectors; coordination between the various voluntary organisations and specifying their communication channels with the government; helping NGOs define their priorities and implement their policies; and promoting the principles of voluntary work with children and young people by means of press and media campaigns and educational curricula.
Social Affairs Minister Mervat Tellawi, addressing the same ceremony, said: "Social development is no longer a marginal affair but a national responsibility. We are looking forward to a more significant role to be played by the General Union, especially since government policy affirms the importance of the social factor. We should make use of the people's increasing awareness of the importance of the role played by NGOs to formulate a comprehensive social policy that would serve as a constitution of social care and development."
Declaring that her ministry's financial support for NGOs amounts to LE30 million a year, Tellawi said: "We seek to increase financial support from various sources. And we do not reject foreign funding or support, as long as it serves the objectives of local society."
After discussing 16 papers, the congress passed 34 recommendations, affirming the importance of establishing a central training unit for social workers and an information centre, affiliated to the union, to keep abreast with technological advances. The congress also recommended that the draft law regulating NGO activities be submitted to the union's general secretariat before it is sent to the People's Assembly. The congress also suggested that "adequate" pieces of land in the new cities be allotted to "serious" NGOs and urged greater support for NGOs which work toward the elimination of illiteracy, particularly in shantytowns and provincial areas.
