Source: Pomed – Project On Middle East Democracy
Author(s): Todd Ruffner
Original Link: http://pomed.org/pomed-publications/under-threat-egypts-ngo-community/
Summary:
Egypt’s January 2011 Revolution brought with it a hope that the nation’s civil society would be able to work free of oppression, intimidation, and harassment for the first time in its history. A democratic transition would allow the country’s well developed community of NGOs to play a vital role for the nation by supporting reform efforts, promoting transparency and good governance, encouraging citizen engagement and political participation, and serving as an essential liaison between the citizens and the state. Instead, successive Egyptian governments under the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), President Mohamed Morsi, and most recently President Abdelfattah al-Sisi have all continued to view Egypt’s vibrant civil society and its NGO community in particular as a dangerous threat to their hold on power. Today it is unclear whether NGOs in Egypt will be able to continue to play a meaningful role in the country’s future….
Read the full paper by following the original link.