PROGRAMS DESIGNED FOR CIVIL SOCIETY
Frequently when a problem arises, a group of civil society change agents and champions forms and steps in to address the problem. There are people in need, so good neighbors help meet the need.
However, depending on the nature and scope of the problem, and the degree of resistance to addressing it, the group may disintegrate with the passage of time. Sometimes the need can seem endless, and civil society groups can’t help everyone. They help a few people, but the problem continues.
Collective action, often embodied in law, is society’s primary tool for organizing resources and responding to pressing problems in a coordinated, effective manner. Through these means, we can help not just one person or community, but everyone.
Although a need might be obvious and a comprehensive solution might be required, lawmakers often don’t know how to solve the problem. Civil society groups frequently have experience dealing directly with a problem that lawmakers and ministerial officials do not understand well. Members of civil society frequently know what the problem is, why it is happening, what works, and what doesn’t work.
Sometimes a situation needs a thorough analysis and careful assessment. Customs, traditions, and laws may even constitute causes of the problem. Legis can help civil society groups to use their own knowledge and experience to assess legislative proposals, policies, customs, traditions, and laws so that:
• policies or legislative proposals make a difference;
• proposals transform society, rather than just providing temporary relief; and
• you can identify changes would make these proposals more effective, or would reduce their costs.
Legis can help civil society groups to join the national debate about how law can be used for social change. Civil society can help lawmakers use the power of the state effectively and hold them accountable for doing so.
