Hungary: Civil society to publish first annual report

The Hungarian non profit sector is about to launch its first ever Annual Civil Society Report, a general overview of the Hungarian civil sector written by renowned non-profit experts that will try to answer some of the most pressing questions of Hungary?s third sector today.

Is civil society strong or weak? What is its role today and does it fill it? What place should the civil sector hold in Hungary and in the new, united Europe? Are existing institutional frameworks suitable for the functioning of the civil sector? What trends, events, laws, facts and figures have characterised the past year? In other words: has the social voice weakened or strengthened political life? The report will ask and answer these questions.

Third sector trends
The report will be published by the Hungarian third sector?s magazine, Civil Szemle, launched by the non profit organisation Civil Szemle Alapítvány in 2004. The magazine introduces the processes going on in the civil sector and analyses the sector?s trends. It was in recognition of the need of the civil sphere to have a space that deals with the theoretical problems of this special segment, such as the scope of problems of civil public life, of social organization and existence, and of non-profit research, that lead the editors to create Civil Szemle, which is now at its 13th issue.

The Annual Civil Society report is a new initiative, who?s purpose has been summarised by non profit expert Anna Mária Bartal: ?Possibly the domestic civil/ non-profit sector has never had such a need to rely on its hidden ?utopian energies?, as it did over the course of 2007. The country's declining economic situation, the introduction of reforms concerning the different social strata and vocational groups, but particularly the lack of or the failure of social dialogue and negotiations has led to the strengthening of civil society?s social activities?.

The eclectic sector
According to data issued by Hungary?s Central Statistical Office, there is no reason for the civil sector to complain in Hungary: there are many organisations (57 thousand) with huge incomes (3 billion euros a year) and the number of full- or part-time employees is close to 100 thousand. So there should be no reason for complaint.

However, as it turns out from the civil sector?s report, the other side of the coin is that the income of the majority of the civil organisations hardly reaches the 500 thousands HUF (1, 920 euros) a year. This money is just enough to allow them to break even. Funds tend to wander to those non profit organisations and public bodies that are ?close to the fire?, in other words those who have a close relationship with ministries and political parties. And there is an inevitable polarisation and rift in the civil sphere, as well.

According to the report?s editors, misconceptions and false information thrive in the public?s opinion of civil organisations. According to a survey, the perception of the Hungarian third sector is deteriorating. Several foundations have been at the centre of financial scandals and abuses which has contributed to this negative perception.

The real trouble is that the biggest part of the third sector, the honest civil organisations who actually do good, remain ?invisible? to society. There is little opportunity for them to network and the organisations end up being isolated. In order to hear more about the successful foundations and associations, better communication would be needed.

All in all, the report?s editors say that it is hard to summarize the situation of Hungarian non-profit organisations in a few sentences. This is partly to do with the fact that there are many different circumstances surrounding different civil organisations. But if we really wanted to describe the Hungarian third sector, the best word to use would be: eclectic.

More info:
www.civilszemle.hu