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In 100 years? (or is the Macedonian civil sector ever going to reach the level of the English civil sector)
I cannot be free from the impressions that my colleagues brought from their visit to England and the civil sector there. Black and white – such is the comparison between their (the English) and our (the Macedonian) civil sector.
The first thing that I was impressed by is the tradition. I measured it in years of existence of various bodies (both governmental and non-governmental) that regulate the functioning of the sector. There is no body less than 100 years old. For example, the commission that registers the organizations of public interest and regulates their work is over 150 years old! Just to compare, in Macedonia, the civil society organizations have not yet managed to establish organizations of such status, not to mention a body that would regulate it.
Some of the figures confirm again that Macedonia, apart from the gossips and rough estimations, does not have many registered civil society organizations. In England, there are 8 organizations for 1000 citizens whereas in Macedonia, that figure hardly reaches 3 (2.85).
The civil sector in England employs 600,000 citizens or 2% of the workforce in the United Kingdom. In Macedonia, according to the Civil Society Index, that number moves between 550 and 1,500, or between o.06% and 0.17% of the work force. Having in mind the current situation in the sector, the fact that the donors are leaving and the lack of local support, this number is likely to decrease further. In fact, even now, according to the Civil Society Index, the Macedonian civil sector is a sector of volunteers.
And finally, the money. The Ministry of Economy and Finance of the United Kingdom directly finances the civil society organizations. The annual support amounts 150 million pounds. The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Macedonia, at the advertisement for supporting the civil society organizations, allocated 14,799 MKD. It is clear that there is no room for comparison. Also, when allocating the assets in England, they take into account how much the citizens trust the organizations. In Macedonia on the other hand, having in mind this year’s winners of financial support, it has definitely not been considered a criterion.
I would add just one more thing when it comes to money: the England’s national lottery has given 15 million pounds for charities since 1993. The huge lottery fund annually transfers 630 million pounds for charities, most of which are used by the civil sector. In Macedonia, the lottery money is given to programmes dedicated for the handicapped, for the Red Cross and for sports activities. This year, that sum of money is 75 million denars.
When are we going to reach the English civil sector? When I say this, I do not mean the billions pounds; what I have in mind is the support provided by the state institutions and the citizens, the trust and the awareness of the need for civic organizing and civic activism. In a hundred years or more?! I only wish for things to take good course…and then…it could continue like in story of the turtle and the rabbit.
Gonce Jakovleska
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