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THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL SECTOR
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:04:05
The main topic of the first forum of NGOs of Karabakh on Saturday was
the relations between the government and NGOs, as well as cooperation
with international organizations. The Forum was initiated by the NKR
Center for International Cooperation, the Resource Center, Stepanakert
Press Club, the Union of Journalists of Artsakh, Pedagogue, Young
Democrats and Haik's Generation NGOs.
The representatives of 80 organizations were invited, about 60 of
them and the representatives of the government participated. The
forum was funded by the government and several organizations.
It could be concluded from the reports that the relation between
the NGOs and the government is rather weak. Some even said their
activities sometimes turn out meaningless because of the lack of
corresponding institutions.
For instance, the president of Artsakh Association of Human Rights
Georgy Safaryan said recently nobody has turned to them because he
says their "hands are short". "Nobody will see a doctor who cannot
help them," he says. Georgy Safaryan says the activities of his
organization have no effect on the general atmosphere.
The president of Stepanakert Press Club Gegham Baghdasaryan says the
weakness of the non-governmental sector is because the government has
one pole, meanwhile the non-governmental sector cannot be government
or opposition, it must be "the third power". "The non-governmental
organizations cannot be an annex of the government, they must be
partners but for this reason the sector must be independent, first
of all, financially," Gegham Baghdasaryan said. He also underlined
that the NGOs should be beside the society, beside ordinary citizens
because if they stand by the government, they reinforce the pole of
the government.
Most participants of the forum noted in their speeches that independent
from the recognition of independence of NKR Karabakh must be a
democratic country in which every person should be able to defend
their rights.
The fact that NKR is not recognized leaves its trace. For instance,
the citizens of NKR have no possibility to defend their rights at
international rostrums, which has a negative effect on the general
atmosphere.
In the meantime, the non-governmental sector could have had
a deciding role in recognition. The participants of the forum
noted that in this situation the NGOs have more possibilities to
represent Karabakh to the world than political organizations. However,
cooperation with international organizations often gets controversial
interpretations. In addition, it is done on the government's
suggestion.
Nevertheless, the forum underlined the importance of cooperation with
foreign organizations, including Azerbaijani NGOs.
KarabakhOpen
20-05-2008 13:04:05
The main topic of the first forum of NGOs of Karabakh on Saturday was
the relations between the government and NGOs, as well as cooperation
with international organizations. The Forum was initiated by the NKR
Center for International Cooperation, the Resource Center, Stepanakert
Press Club, the Union of Journalists of Artsakh, Pedagogue, Young
Democrats and Haik's Generation NGOs.
The representatives of 80 organizations were invited, about 60 of
them and the representatives of the government participated. The
forum was funded by the government and several organizations.
It could be concluded from the reports that the relation between
the NGOs and the government is rather weak. Some even said their
activities sometimes turn out meaningless because of the lack of
corresponding institutions.
For instance, the president of Artsakh Association of Human Rights
Georgy Safaryan said recently nobody has turned to them because he
says their "hands are short". "Nobody will see a doctor who cannot
help them," he says. Georgy Safaryan says the activities of his
organization have no effect on the general atmosphere.
The president of Stepanakert Press Club Gegham Baghdasaryan says the
weakness of the non-governmental sector is because the government has
one pole, meanwhile the non-governmental sector cannot be government
or opposition, it must be "the third power". "The non-governmental
organizations cannot be an annex of the government, they must be
partners but for this reason the sector must be independent, first
of all, financially," Gegham Baghdasaryan said. He also underlined
that the NGOs should be beside the society, beside ordinary citizens
because if they stand by the government, they reinforce the pole of
the government.
Most participants of the forum noted in their speeches that independent
from the recognition of independence of NKR Karabakh must be a
democratic country in which every person should be able to defend
their rights.
The fact that NKR is not recognized leaves its trace. For instance,
the citizens of NKR have no possibility to defend their rights at
international rostrums, which has a negative effect on the general
atmosphere.
In the meantime, the non-governmental sector could have had
a deciding role in recognition. The participants of the forum
noted that in this situation the NGOs have more possibilities to
represent Karabakh to the world than political organizations. However,
cooperation with international organizations often gets controversial
interpretations. In addition, it is done on the government's
suggestion.
Nevertheless, the forum underlined the importance of cooperation with
foreign organizations, including Azerbaijani NGOs.