As the government of Brazil seeks to overcome complex social and economic challenges, it is looking towards civil society organizations (CSOs) as valuable partners. However, until recently the relationship between CSOs and government was an ambiguous area of Brazilian law, hampered by legal uncertainty. A new law that comes into force on November 2 promises to address this challenge by creating a clear bridge between organized civil society and the government.
Law 13.019 was approved by President Dilma Rousseff on July 31. Created through a participatory process with the active engagement of civil society, the law mandates the creation of mechanisms to increase transparency in public financing of CSOs and enhance the effectiveness of state-civil society partnerships. As many neighboring states increasingly use the law to restrict and marginalize civil society, Brazil has shown a commitment to enable and include the sector.
To support the implementation of the law, ICNL hosted a research fellow at our Washington, DC office. We are supporting the fellow, Diego Carmona Scardone, as he works with the Government of Brazil to design a National Council for Collaboration and Promotion of Civil Society Organizations. The Council will be an elected body, composed of representatives from both sectors, that will allow the government to hear and learn from CSO partners.
An English translation of the law is available here.