NGOs cannot afford another thumping – Andrew Azzopardi
Our NGOs have been on the receiving end of another thumping, the latest one being legal notices that went through the parliamentary system and passed right under the nose of every Government and Opposition MP. They had all the time in the world to react before it was enacted, yet not one of them batted an eye lid or asked a question. It is likely they ‘missed’ it completely or ‘ignored’ it – not sure which is the worse!
Subsequently, the Faculty for Social Wellbeing took it upon itself to create a space in its Open Dialogue Series to invite people who either lead or contribute in NGOs to make part of this debate. The arguments circumvented on a number of issues; lack of proper and adequate consultation, systems that are being introduced that are not taking into cognizance the limited resources of the NGOs in question; a Commissioner’s Office (the one for VOs) which is more intent on policing rather than facilitating their existence and a general feeling that there is a lack of appreciation of the work of the NGOs.
Most certainly after all the pressure that has accumulated, the Government will succumb and attempt to find a middle of the road solution. In fact, Parliamentary Secretary Dr Clifton Grima MP, who is politically responsible for this area, promised during an interview he had with me on my radio show on 103 Malta’s Heart, that he will be acting on this matter and possibly taking it back to the drawing board.
But in all truth, the third sector is buckling under pressure.
We have seen NGOs becoming increasingly dependent on national and EU funding which has taken the wind from their sails and steered them to priorities that interest the public servant rather than allowing for the NGOs to be governed by their ‘impulsiveness and enterprise’ – which should be typical of NGOs.
We have seen a social enterprise law being repeatedly demoted from the national and parliamentary agenda.
We have seen the gradual downfall of cooperatives.
We have seen a person at the top of the social policy food chain speaking against NGOs and suggesting they are inadequate and ill-prepared to take on responsibility. This person has arrived at the point of condoning violence and interpreting NGOs as a liability rather than partners in social policy.
We have seen NGOs that, during this pandemic, lost most if not all of their income and whilst it was good that the Government made good through its ‘ war chest’, it still meant that many NGOs were left reeling, in particular the small organizations that might not carry clout but are so important for their communities. These organizations would have probably lost the income that comes from the day-today events they organize, like the community car wash or the occasional BBQ. For them it has gotten all so complicated – some claiming they do not have the resources to take on these Standard Operating Procedures.
All of this is compounded by the fact that we seem to be experiencing a drop in interest and commitment. A society that is governed by the conviction that what matters most is increasing your status, estate and income makes it progressively difficult for people to take it upon themselves to give something back for free which doesn’t seem to be part of the playbook at the moment.
That is why it is the right time to give back to NGOs the space they deserve. It is timely to liberate them from the bonds of bureaucracy. If we want to tick the Moneyval boxes, I suppose we all know what needs to be done. Never have our NGOs been such an important loop in the social fabric with so many challenges that minorities in our communities are facing. You might not agree with their purposes or way of getting organized, but can you imagine if we did not have Moviment Graffitti, Repubblika, Aditus, Occupy Justice or the coalition of environmental NGOs, these last years? It is they who have tried to stand up to the massive powers that rule this country. Environmental issues, disability and mental health concerns, prisoner rights, gender issues, political matters, migrant issues and I could keep on going, are still a long way from being resolved and having a strong grassroot presence is of the essence.
I believe we need some urgent solutions, but let’s start by ‘letting the sector run the sector’.
We need to strengthen MCVS and provide it with adequate resources so that they will take on a stronger role in ensuring there is a collective voice on a number of matters that interest all the NGOs. We need the MCESD to take on a more central role in civil society and not serve as the Government’s ‘side entrance’ to the sector. MCESD should create a space for debate. As a Faculty (for Social Wellbeing) we need to dedicate more resources and evidence-based research in this area.
All interested parties need to build a social movement that agrees on a social pact and way forward. It is good that Government puts so much money into this sector, with a growing amount every year but that is being repaid, by what one organization representative said during the conference, ‘ three- fold’. The Government, at least in this field of practice, needs to grow smaller and smaller to ensure autonomy and self-sufficiency.
Our country is not just a ‘ place to live in’. Our society can define success if there is inclusion and quality of life.
By promoting people’s wellbeing, the nation’s common ability to face new opportunities and challenges with resilience and determination is augmented. This is what the raison d’état of NGOs is. They give us hope. They bring about peace. They give us comfort and serenity. They accompany us and share the difficult burden in our life journey. They give credence that we can all be part of ‘it’.
Really and truly, the third sector is about social connections which are a core human need. Research conducted by the Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society ( 2017- 18) among the Maltese population has determined that Maltese respondents define relationships as the underlying basis for sustainable quality of life. Individuals thrive when they feel respected, supported, and actively included in their communities. That is why the country needs to encourage community members to work, learn, collaborate, and build connections in ways that are meaningful to them, and further integrate their participation in larger national processes of active citizenship – and what better way is there than getting involved in an untarnished third sector to have that experience.