Uruguay

The Civil Society Index was first implemented in Uruguay from 2000 to 2001 by the Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo (ICD), leading to a first report.

From 2003 to 2006, it was implemented again by the Instituto de Comunicación y Desarrollo (ICD), with the international coordination of CIVICUS. This implementation led to the publication of an analytical country report, presenting the results of the CSI initiative in the country.

The Brilliance and Imperfections of a Diamond: Results of the Civil Society Index in Uruguay

Over that period, the report provides an in depth examination of civil society in Uruguay and provides comprehensive recommendations for strengthening civil society.

Overall, civil society’s profile, activities, relations and impact have substantially changed over the past years, along with its external context. While new actors have joined civil society, existing organizations explored other avenues to express their interests and explore their potential.

In Uruguay, civil society embraces long-standing movements, such as trade unions, the peasants, professional organizations, and business organizations as well as many organizations created under the influence of the churches, specially the Roman Catholic Church. However, other actors have also joined civil society, such as thousands of citizens organized to improve their quality of life and defend their rights, or who seek responses to a social emergency at times of profound crisis.

From 2008-2010 the CSI was implmented in Uruguay by the Institute for Communication and Development (ICD).

In comparison to 2005, the report finds there has been an improvement in the external environment due to advances in the socio-political, socio-economic and socio-cultural context as a result of political change. There has also been an improvement in the impact that CSOs in Uruguay are experiencing, which can be seen to link to the improvement in the environment in which the CSOs operate.

Some recommendations that have been highlighted in the report on how to strengthen the weaker areas include: promoting participation and voluntary work, including through developing recognition and information sharing initiatives; building regional exchange networks, to address disconnects between the capital and CSOs in remote regions; and lobbying for amendment to the legal framework to address bureaucratic and slow procedures for legal registration.

CSI Country Reports in Uruguay