Who and what are civil society organizations (CSOs)?
‘Civil society organizations’ (CSOs) encompass a broad range of independent and heterogeneous groups and organizations. They are established on the direct initiative of individual members or groups of society and do not belong to the official governmental, political or administrative systems at any level. CSOs include: farmers’ organizations, rural workers’ organizations, community-based organizations, NGOs, relief and humanitarian organizations, research institutes, trade unions and cooperatives, professional associations, consumers’ organizations, universities, private sector associations, NGO networks, etc. CSOs can be national or international, local or regional. Their roles may be focused around one particular technical or issue area (e.g. sustainable agriculture, environment, gender, population etc.) or may be multiple. Their activities are broad-ranging and include: advocacy; representation; technical support; service provision; capacity-building; training; research and extensio
