In China there are more than 415,000 officially-registered civil society organizations (CSOs) by 2009. Moreover, thousands of grassroots or community-based organizations are registered as businesses or not even registered. These organizations form a vital part of an emerging civil society in China. They play an active role in many fields like environmental protection, provision of basic health and education services, poverty reduction and rural development, and assistance to the vulnerable groups. The World Bank has been working to strengthen its engagement with civil society in China since the mid-1990s. Working with the government to promote CSOs Over the last decade the World Bank has been providing support to the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) to help promote the development of CSOs. In 2001, the Bank helped MCA learn about CSO-related laws and government-CSO partnership in other countries, facilitated information sharing and dialogues, and provided capacity building training to CSOs. In 2004, the Bank financed a study China’s Tax Rules for Not-for-Profit Organizations analyzing China’s existing tax laws and policies, introducing international experience and best practices, and making recommendations for improving China’s tax system to foster CSO development. The Bank also financed translation of a large number of CSO-related laws of other countries which are publicly available at our website. More recently, the Bank financed a study Outsourcing Social Services to CSOs: Lessons from Abroad, which provides an overview of international experience for engaging civil society organizations in the delivery of government-financed social and human services. Funding CSOs The World Bank provides some direct financial support to CSOs. The Civil Society Fund, formerly called the Small Grants Program (SmGP), gives six to ten small grants a year to fund CSOs’ own initiatives and projects. The China Development Marketplace held in partnership with government and private sector donors awarded 30 and 50 CSO projects in 2005 and 2008 respectively, selected out of hundreds of proposals received from CSOs all over the country. More importantly, the China DM demonstrated a competitive process for the selection of the best CSO projects for funding, which is being replicated by local donors in China. Listening to CSOs The World Bank seeks to consult with CSOs on country assistance strategy, sector studies, and individual Bank-funded development projects. For example, the Bank invited CSO representatives to the consultations for its 2006-2010 China Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) which was approved by the Board in May 2006. Often these consultations are multi-stakeholder and involve governments, research institutes, other donor agencies, businesses, and CSOs. The Bank also encourages and facilitates Chinese CSOs to participate in regional or global civil society dialogues. Involving CSOs in operations The World Bank has involved local CSOs in some of its projects in China. Examples include engagement of CSOs in AIDS prevention and control activities through information, education and communication under Health Nine Project; engagement of CSO representatives for monitoring safeguard compliance under Chongqing Urban Environment Project; creation of hundreds of farmers’ water users associations in Bank-funded irrigation projects all over the country; and engagement of CSOs as training providers in the Bank-government’s first community-driven development program (CDD) launched in 2006. With a grant from the Japan Social Development Fund, the Bank supported the All-China Women's Federation's efforts to empower unemployed or laid-off women workers and migrants in the poor western provinces through training, financing for small business startup and capacity building. Partnering with CSOs The World Bank seeks to develop partnership with CSOs in China. There are a number of examples of Bank-CSO collaboration in 2009, including the Bank co-sponsorship for the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Forum with the All-China Youth Federation, co-sponsorship for the Inspired in Action program with the China Youth Development Foundation, and partnership with several CSOs to support and contribute to the China Development Marketplace. |
