16

Civil society in the Egyptian countryside

Civil society in the Egyptian countryside It is issue no. 16 of civil society series that reveals the role of the civil society associations in the countryside, the most important obstacles that hinder the activities of these associations and finally finding the ways for promoting this role in order to improve the rights of the populace in development and participation and avoid the negative impacts of the implementation of policies of free market.
The report is divided into seven parts. The first part “the framework and methodology of the study” mentions to the topic, objectives and methodology of the study revealing the tools of the fieldwork in addition to the obstacles and problems that the researchers face during the study preparation.
The second part “Preface: current social, economic and political conditions in Egypt” mentions to the current conditions in Egypt in addition to the local, regional and international changes that impact negatively conditions of populace in Egypt. it reviews the sufferings of the population especially in the countryside regarding their rights in humane life, adequate housing, suitable work opportunity and safe land possession. It mentions to absence of infrastructure services as education, health, education, housing, work, electricity, etc. It highlights the deterioration of citizens’ rights in participation and managing their living affairs after what the state does towards voiding and marginalizing the role of civil society associations especially parties and syndicates as a realistic result for absence of participation in the public elections and deterioration of freedoms because of the continuity of the implementation of emergency law and other exceptional laws that violate rights in organization, gathering, demonstration and strike.
The third part “the historical development of civil society associations” mentions to the appearance of the recent civil society in Egypt throughout the beginning of the 19th century (the governance of Mohamed Ali Basha). It began with establishing public organizations with religious characteristic whose activities were represented in establishing worship homes, charity and presenting health, educational and cultural services. It asserts that communicating with the Western culture led to appearance of various cultural and political trends. The military defeat of Mohamed Ali led to rarefaction of the regime coincided with mobilization movement and social change followed by the Orabian revolution and the protest against the deteriorated economic conditions and the foreign interference. All these changes led to developing the civil society that became more concerned with social, economic and political conditions. Throughout the Naserian era, the activities of these associations were merged applying to the state’s plan towards directing the civil associations for presenting services, charity and social care. By the way, the advocacy activity of the associations was frozen. This part reviews in details the conditions of parties, civil associations and youth centers.
The forth part “conditions and roles of some associations in el Monofeya province” is divided into two sub-parts. The first one reviews the general conditions of the province (location, the most important activities and industries, conditions of services, etc). the second one mentions to the conditions of civil society associations in the province through studying three samples [parties - associations - youth centers].
The fifth part “conditions and roles of associations in el Behira province” is divided into two sub-parts (the first about the general conditions of the province - the second about the conditions of the civil society in the province through studying three samples; parties, associations, youth centers). It highlights the real reasons that hinder these associations to achieve its objectives.
The sixth part “the study results” mentions to the perceptions of the officials and populace regarding the role of parties, syndicates and youth centers in the two provinces with more concern with the objectives, the reason for its establishment, achievement of its objectives, obstacles and its solutions, targeted groups, if it is active with the surrounding problems, the reasons rely behind non-promotion of its role that it is limited in revealing and condemning the problem or presenting complaints, reasons of limitation of its activation with the community and absence of strategy for solving problems of the local community.
The seventh part reviews the final remarks and recommendations represented in respecting democracy values, accepting the other and variety in the society, impartiality of elections, free expression, deleting the exceptional laws especially emergency law, permitting the political activists to work through suitable forms and enabling farmers and labourers to form independent syndicates, parties, bonds and associations. There are hundreds of demands needed to be achieved for achieving democratic reform but such reform couldn’t be achieved without improving social and economic conditions of the all populace in Egypt especially producers as labourers, farmers, graduates and fishermen whose conditions are deteriorated with the virtue of economic reform policies. Improving social and economic conditions, we ask for amending land lease law in order to secure the minimum standard of safe land possession in addition to changing the policies of privatisation to protect our industrial capacities and develop our industry coding with the current international conditions. Moreover, the state has to play its role towards providing the infrastructure services for all citizens in addition to protecting the main rights in food, education, healthcare, housing, clean water, sewerage and electricity especially in the random areas in the countryside.
The center sees that conditions of our society especially in the countryside push us to achieve our commitments and responsibilities towards our home especially under such hard local, regional an international conditions. our strong belief on the demands of different social forces represented in improving their conditions push us to think and work together through syndicates, parties, associations that could be achieved through cooperation with the activists and the whole citizens to change the current policies for achieving better future for the sake of the poor producers. We know that the operation of changing isn’t easy but we believe that our cooperation for achieving such change will achieve our dream in a safe home where all people enjoy with humane life and dream for better future.