Situation in Belgium
A key development in Belgian civil society is the displacement of national civil society in favour of regional and community civil society. Those regional and community civil society networks have emerged to 'shadow' and influence the new regional and community authorities. They have impact on a lot of different areas such as: health care, culture, use of languages, education, training, environmental protection, planning and building regulations, housing, public transport and micro-economic intervention. Some may regret this development, as secondary effects involve a rapid decentralisation of civil society as well as institutional devolution. But the positive outweigh possible disadvantages.
Source: "New Order? International models of peace and reconciliation - Diversity and civil society", Democratic Dialogue, John Fitzmaurice.
Cidem - Citizenship and Democracy
Platform of French speaking CSOs to network and to develop concepts of participatory democracy. Supplying European information, link between EU and CSOs.
Founded in: 1984
Contact denis.stokkink@pourlasolidarite.be
Rue Coenraets, 66
1060 Bruxelles, Belgium
Tel:
Fax : +32 2 539 1304
http://www.cidem.org
CEDAG members in BELGIUM
Caritas Belgique
Confédération des Entreprises Non-Marchandes (CENM)
Pour la Solidarité