National conference on 7 July in Skopje

The Civil Society Index of RM and CIVICUS

The Civil Society Index (IGO) is an action-research project whose aim is to assess the condition of the civil society in the countries throughout the world in order to provide basic understanding and to give contribution to the initiatives for strengthening the civil society.

IGO is implemented by the Macedonian Centre for International Cooperation with an approval from the international organization for civil society, CIVICUS. Active members in its implementation are also the National Index Team (NIT) consisting of several experts from different organizations and the officers in charge from the MCIC and the National Counseling Group consisting of 20 representatives from different civil society organizations and other institutions.

The members of NIT prepared the draft-version of the National Report which was examined by the National Counseling Group in May 2005. The report will also be discussed at the National Conference arranged for 7 July 2005 in Skopje.

The Conference goals are:

-  To present and discuss the findings from the report on OGO;
-  To use the findings as a basis for identifying the strengths and the weaknesses of the civil society, if possible;
-  To identify and plan appropriate initiatives for its strengthening.

About 70 representatives from the civil society organizations, the media, the government and the business-sector will take part at the Conference.