This is the sixth edition of the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Sustainability Index for the Middle East and North Africa,which covers developments in 217. This edition of the Index reports on the strength and overall viability of the CSO sectors in Egypt,Iraq,Jordan,Lebanon,Morocco,the West Bank and Gaza,and Yemen. The Index relies on the knowledge of CSO practitioners and researchers,who in each country form an expert panel to assess and rate seven interrelated dimensions of CSO sustainability: legal environment,organizational capacity,financial viability,advocacy,service provision,infrastructure,and public image.
The CSOSI provides a comprehensive assessment of the capacity of civil society to serve as both a short-term partner in implementing development solutions and a long-term actor in ensuring development outcomes are sustained.
The Index is a useful source of information for local CSOs,governments,donors,academics,and others who want to better understand and monitor key aspects of sustainability in the CSO sector.
The CSO sector in Jordan is still relatively nascent—particularly compared to regional neighbors such as Lebanon,Palestine,and Egypt—and the majority of organizations lack significant capacity; this remained true in 217.