Promoting Civil Society through information sharing

A one-pager from www.srds.co.uk September 2000
Based loosely on Franc Almaric (1999)
Natural Resources, Governance and Social Justice;
Development 42(2): Lead Article: The Society for International Development; SAGE.

Information is power. Empowerment involves sharing information. Information can flow horizontally and vertically in both directions to the advantage of all concerned. But there are factors hindering and promoting the sharing of information among and between groups at the local and national levels

 

Hindering

Promoting
Local level
bulletlack of political space in which the community might express itself
bulletstate unable to enforce the rule of law
bulletcollusion between local elite and outsiders
bulletconflict between government departments
bulletmilitary dictatorship
bulletlocal knowledge and learning opportunities acquired through networking raise the community capacity to organize itself and act
bulletknowledge of the law and improved networking and lobbying techniques enable communities to expand their political space
National Level
bulletlack of information on local happenings because the government is authoritarian, technocrats are blind to local concerns and local voices are not heard at the national level
bulletlack of clear policy alternatives because of a conventional approach to economic theory, national financial problems and a fatalistic attitude towards globalization
bulletexisting networks are increasingly willing to support the flow of information
bulletalternative media, national networks of grass roots organisations and a burgeoning civil society means that the political space for action is increasingly being opened.

It might be said that that information is required at the local level as a promotional factor so as to enable people to act. It is required at the national level to remove hindrances such that people might act more effectively. In either case there are three types of information needed and three means by which shared information might lead to effective action.

Types of information required

Modes of action
When and why statutory bodies and local organisations are intending to do what. This might be called strategic intelligence. Campaigning centered around a specific conflict and possibly with local, national and international cooperation
What technical and bureaucratic procedures are to be followed in smoothly effecting desired actions Political Mobilization to inform the policies which affect local situations. Involves national networking and inevitable problems of representative validity
Disaggregated statistical information about society as a whole as raw material for generating informed and workable policy alternatives Information Sharing vertically and horizontally with ICT assistance. Needs systems of strategic proactive networking to prevent drowning on information overload

Arguably the information sharing mode holds most promise of global openness, strength of numbers mustered quickly for specific purposes (without fossilizing into ‘party’ structures) and promoting co-ordination between groups without requiring major loss of independence.

(The) Power (of Information) to the people and their bureaucrats!

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