Egypt NGO Sector

Introduction

Civil associations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) not only provide social and cultural services to a community, but they can also serve as instruments for democratic development. For this reason, in authoritarian states NGOs are generally controlled by the government to prevent them from becoming focal points of political reform. Along these lines, in Egypt, where political power is held almost exclusively by the president, NGOs are subject to substantial government interference. Despite this interference, in recent years the Egyptian NGO sector, while continuing to provide a variety of community services, has begun to serve as an outlet for those seeking social and political change. However, to make an impact on the development of Egyptian society NGOs must overcome a difficult political and social environment, legal and funding restrictions, and extra-legal barriers to registering and operating an NGO.

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