By: Baquer Namazi,

Director of the Iran NGO Initiative

and

Senior Adviser to the Population Council

Recent TrendsRecent Trends

• Focus on People’s participation • Impact of global policies• President Khatami’s Policy• Elections and Local Councils• Coordinating Council of NGOs• NGO Law Reform

NGOs in IranNGOs in Iran

• Environmental NGOs 501• Women NGOs 300• Youth NGOs 2,500 (1000 registered) • Scientific 115• Cultural and Artistic 2181• Charities Almost 5,000• Community Funds Almost 10,000• 50% of NGOs (over 7,000) were set up during the last

four years.

Percent Distribution of Iranian NGOs by Year of EstablishmentPercent Distribution of Iranian NGOs by Year of Establishment

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1979 1980-89 1990-96 1997-2000

Challenges facing NGOsChallenges facing NGOs

• Structural and legal constraints• Conflicting policies and bad practices• Govt’s role as heavy handed control agent • Serious obstacles to interactive international

cooperation, e.g. to resources; GINGOs• Role of traditional CBOs neglected

Internal ProblemsInternal Problems

1. Insufficient professionalism and participatory management systems

2. Weak technical and financial capabilities3. Affinity with the communities weak4. Scarcity and unreliability of information and data5. Absence of culture of accountability and

transparency6. Lack of understanding with respect to role of

NGOs7. Strong Code of ethics needed

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Demand for democracy and participation• Role of CSOs increasingly recognized• Community participation, role of CSOs/NGOs and

expatriate Iranians highlighted in Fourth Plan• Growing confidence of CSOs/NGOs to challenge

government policies • Forums for dialogue by all stakeholders• Several progressive Government voices

Opportunities (cont’d)-Opportunities (cont’d)-

• New visions linking research and advocacy to community-based action emerging

• More opportunities for expatriate Iranians• More involvement of provincial CSOs• New alliances involving diverse partners,

World Bank, traditional philanthropists, multinationals

Cooperation possibilities: TypesCooperation possibilities: Types

• Training and capacity building• Joint research projects• Community-based initiatives• Scientific and CSO exchange• Information and experience sharing• Networking• EXPATRIATE IRANIANS AS BRIDGE

Cooperation possibilities: ThemesCooperation possibilities: Themes

• Good governance, human rights, law, democracy• Gender mainstreaming• Children and youth empowerment• Environmental protection• Poverty Alleviation; vulnerability reduction• Health and population• Popularization of science and technology

CSO/NGO Empowerment: CSO/NGO Empowerment: INI’s contributions INI’s contributions

• Created new alliances with communities, traditional philanthropists, universities, private sector, World Bank and multi-nationals

• Promoted virtual networking• Strengthened international cooperation with UN

bodies, European and US CSOs, including dialogue with EU

• Supported training and capacity building projects• Helped highlight role of CSOs in Fourth National

Plan

NGO Empowerment (cont’d)NGO Empowerment (cont’d)

• Took the dialogue to the provinces• Initiated five community-based pilot projects,

with one operational (in Ardekan)• Cooperated with universities and centers of

excellence• Contributed to development of NGO literature

through studies (Situation Analysis of Iranian NGOs)

• Cooperated with the Iranian diaspora

Iran/US NGO joint activities Iran/US NGO joint activities supported by INIsupported by INI

Partners: Ford, Population Council, Woodrow Wilson Center, ISAR, SFCG, W.Alton Jones

Activities covered included:• Training• Exchange• Studies

Training ActivitiesTraining Activities

• Two proposal writing workshops • Workshop on lobbying and advocacy• Workshop on women, children and peace• Two E-law workshops• Fellowship to E-law Institute• Cooperation of E-Law Institute with Tehran

University leading to graduate program

Seminars and ExchangesSeminars and Exchanges

• Meeting of Iranian/US CSOs (DAPIA)• Visit of 10 ENGO representatives to USA• Tehran Environment and Urban

Development Seminar• Meeting of Caspian NGOs in Tehran

StudiesStudies

• Situation Analysis of Iranian NGOs• Study on perspectives of independent

researchers on scientific exchange• Study on Traditional Community-Based

Organizations

Criteria for cooperationCriteria for cooperation

• Focus on people-to-people cooperation bereft of politics

• Equality and mutual respect• Transparency• Priority to community level actions• New code of ethics for cooperation

Start-up actionsStart-up actions

• Take stock of ongoing cooperative actions• Set up network of interested partners• Create data bank• Set up focal points for cooperation• Generate joint projects through consultation

with focus on community-based projects• Focus on ideas and action