The CIVICUS Civil Society Index (CSI) project intends to provide a set indicators for indexing civil society organisations. It is the result of self-examination by civil society actors around the world in an effort to agree on a common set of parameters for an assessment tool. It is focused not only on measurable, short-term indicators, but also on long-term and more complex processes that, as stated here, are often neglected in evaluations of civil society. Rather than intending to create an index for the research or donor community, this one attempts to empower the national and local advocacy of civil society actors themselves to support the CSI to deliver data and results that can inform the policies and priorities of all sectors. It includes what it characterises as “uncivil” civil actors because it finds that such groups and movements have a growing impact on societies and the world at large. Concise profiles of 44 countries make up Volume 1, the first of two volumes. It looks at factors such as civic engagement, democracy, corruption, social capital, gender equity and civil society’s role in policy, and the overall health of each country’s civil society. In most chapters, assessments are followed by policy recommendations.


Countries covered in Volume 1 are: Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Orissa (India), Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Korea, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Vietnam, and Wales.