Increased Development of a Politically Active Civil Society
The hallmark of a free society is the ability of individuals to associate with like-minded individuals, express their views publicly, openly debate public policy, and petition their government. "Civil society" is an increasingly accepted term which best describes the non-governmental, not-for-profit, independent nature of this segment of society.
In countries with fragile democratic traditions, the freedoms so necessary to building and sustaining an active and independent civil society often are little understood, temporarily curtailed, or simply denied. USAID is working to strengthen commitment to an independent and politically active civil society in developing countries. The range of groups receiving USAID assistance includes coalitions of professional associations, civic education groups, women's rights organizations, business and labor federations, media groups, bar associations, environmental activist groups, and human rights monitoring organizations.
Also of great significance is the Agency's support for democratic and independent trade unions. In most countries, trade unions are the largest and most inclusive grassroots organizations. Consequently, they are instrumental in fostering the development and consolidation of democracy. In many countries, free and independent trade unions have been vocal opponents of repression and are frequently at the forefront of the democracy movement.
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