KYRGYZSTAN TODAY Policy briefs on - Department of Geography

This suggests that the meaning of civil society as a concept, and the types of work
associated with it, depend on the context, or, more specifically, on the form of government
and relevant social practices.
The “Failure” of Democratic Projects
Current circumstances show that, unfortunately, not only did the country fail to
practically implement democratic reforms, but also that it lacks a vision of a governmental
and social structure that would ensure social development, let alone consolidate the
principles of democratic governance and culture.
The condition of Kyrgyzstan’s society and social processes is critical. Some of its
obvious features include social disintegration, and an absence of social responsibility
or public trust. This hinders social cohesion and individual aspirations. The public
is increasingly resentful of the government, which is unable to guarantee social (or
economic) stability and services, which results in a general public distrust. When
trust is lacking in a society, it becomes immensely difficult to develop or reform
any institutions – a problem faced by today’s NGOs. Moreover, the country is not
experiencing any economic development, which usually encourages advocacy practices
and, thus, contributes to the growth of public initiatives.
In this context, especially after the events of 2005, when a change of power was
followed by a new governance crisis, issues pertaining to the identity of NGOs and
the role of civil society in the country were raised with renewed urgency. These issues
are relevant for both NGO members and for researchers. Problems that are frequently
discussed are usually related in one way or another to the role of non-governmental
organizations and the opportunities available to them. Through these, NGOs can
influence the political process to protect citizens’ rights and guarantees, and to intensify
democratic processes in the country.
Since the initial goal of NGOs was to promote democratic reforms, it is important
to examine the successes and failures of the projects in this area. There is little demand,
as yet, for this sort of reflexivity, although the outcomes of projects are not always
comparable to the quantity of resources invested into their implementation.
NGOs’ Role in Democratization: An Attempt at Reflexivity
Since NGOs are democratic institutions, and in Kyrgyzstan these organizations are
directly associated with the advancement of democracy, NGOs are often accused of a
perceived inability to fulfill their responsibility of democratizing the country. To what
extent, however, are these accusations justified?
In reality, the development and modernization of institutions dealing with social
change require the informed participation of various sectors: government institutions,
civil society organizations, businesses, and individuals. For reforms to occur, stakeholders
must trust each other, and the success of these reforms is directly contingent on the
degree of this trust.
For this reason it appears unrealistic for one sector– especially if it is one that is
relatively new to the local context–to assume responsibility for restructuring the entire
fabric of society. If NGOs are being charged with the failure of the democratic project, this
only serves to demonstrate that the social structure, and the interdependence of sectors
in its development, are largely misunderstood. The idea of unilateral responsibility may
also be related to a misperception of the very concept of civil society and its functions–
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